Foreign Language In Schools

If you’re not yet in High School but thinking ahead about academics and your future, you’ve probably wondered how to prepare for college in Middle School. But, are there things you can do in Junior High and Middle School that actually matter in college admissions? Do colleges look at Middle School grades?

These are a few of the questions that we’ll answer in this article so that you can get an edge on your competition when it comes time to apply for admission to college. So let’s dive into how to prepare for college in Middle School so that you know what factors have the greatest impact on your future!

Standardized Testing and High School Course Placement

First and foremost, Middle School or Junior High is mainly a preparation for the four years you’ll spend in High School. Everything you learn will be “building blocks” for the material you’ll learn and master in High School. So in Middle School, it pays to do well and develop good study habits.

One area that will impact college admissions indirectly is the course placement exams you will take for your high school. If you do really well on these, you will be placed in a higher level or Honors level class at the high school. You may not realize it now, but this has a big impact on college and your chances of getting admitted.

For example: If you only take the standard, regular level classes in high school then apply to your college of choice, you may be at a disadvantage. College admissions is a competitive business and there will be other students applying that have better credentials and higher level courses. Who do you think will get admitted first?

You guessed it! Students with a higher level of achievement will be preferred over regular level applicants because they have shown they are capable of college level work. So, going back to Middle School, it pays to do well and get placed in Honors courses at the high school.

Foreign Language and Math

Ok, so you’re not the best student and don’t test into Honors level classes. All is not lost and you can still go to college. Now, you need to focus on your Math and Foreign Language if you’re taking one. Here’s why…

If you do well in math, you could be placed into Algebra 1 or even Geometry at the High School level as a freshman. This is a benefit because it allows you to fit in the higher level math courses during your Junior and Senior years, and colleges will want to see those!

For example: Let’s use Spanish as our example here. If you take, and do well in 8th grade Spanish class, that could put you in a position to go directly into Spanish 2 as a freshman in high school. What does that mean? Well, you will skip Spanish 1 and be able to go all the way up to Spanish 5, provided that your High School offers it. Spanish 4 and 5 are both considered Advanced Placement courses and could earn you college credit in high school!

If you don’t want to take those higher level foreign language classes, there’s still a benefit to 8th grade Spanish. Once you’re through Spanish 2, you technically do not need another Spanish course for college admission unless specified. There aren’t any colleges in the U.S. that we are aware of that require more than 2 years for admission. So, you won’t have to spend more than 1 year in high school on foreign language and can focus on other classes that relate closer to your major.

Hopefully this has helped you better understand how to prepare for college in Middle School. This is just scratching the surface of how to prepare and get accepted to college.

College Admissions is different every single year, and it’s getting harder and more competitive! Just making the slightest mistake in high school course selection, involvement or even on your application can make or break your chances of getting accepted to college. Taking an active role in your education NOW is the first step to a successful future! Visit us at College Prep University to what you are doing WRONG so that you won’t get denied to your college of choice!