Is middle school too early to talk to my child about college?

No. In fact, you can start even earlier. Talking to your child about college at a young age fosters a college-going culture and gives them a goal to work toward. You don't have to ask them what college they want to go to yet, but if you see someone wearing a college sweatshirt, point it out. Explain college to young children however you think they'll be able to understand (for example, "It’s a big school you go to when you’re older, where you meet lots of new people and can choose to learn about whatever you want.")