College Admissions Process

Middle School

Based on performance and standardized test scores, students are selected for advanced classes such as Pre-Algebra and Algebra I Honors in the seventh and eighth grades. Students will have also chosen a particular foreign language to study more deeply over the next few years.

By eighth grade, many students are enrolled in Algebra I and the first year of a foreign language. If these courses are continued in high school, the grades from these first classes will appear on a student’s high school transcript. Colleges see how students perform even as early as eighth grade.

It is never too early to start talking with students about possible college and career options. Eighth graders are introduced to the college admissions process through their Personal Development class as they write to colleges for information, learn how to compute their own GPA, compose a resume, and develop a four-year plan of high school courses. If a family vacation should take you by a college or university, stop in to visit or at least drive through campus so that your student can begin to get a feel for the kind college they will want to attend. The Internet offers a wealth of information. One can take a virtual tour of many colleges through their websites.

Seventh and Eighth Grades

Students must focus on academics as a priority, especially in classes such as Algebra I and first-year foreign languages that receive high school credit. Encourage your student to participate in and enjoy school-sponsored activities.

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