Middle School is Midway to College
It's a turning point for your future.
If there is even a small possibility that you will want to attend college, NOW is the time to get ready! The choices you make now will make a big difference in your future.
You might think that you can't afford to go college, but college is not out of reach because of costs. College is only out of reach to students who are not prepared.
Good Study Habits
You need to work hard in middle school to set good study habits and get the academic background needed to do well in high school. If you leave 8th grade with poor study habits and without the background you need for recommended high school courses, high school will be very difficult.
Think of 8th Grade as Pre-High School
Eighth grade is when you start making decisions that will show up on your college applications. Why is that? Because in 8th grade you decide what courses you'll take when you enter high school.
The State of Texas has a RECOMMENDED HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM that advises which courses to take to be ready for college in Texas. Study it and discuss it with your parents, teachers, and counselors so they can guide you in selecting the middle school courses that will prepare you for high school. The RHSP is currently the default curriculum. In other words, it will automatically be chosen for you unless you have parental and counselor approval to select anything less in a Texas public school.
Students interested in a community college technical program may consider TECH-PREP ARTICULATED PROGRAMS in addition to the Recommended High School Program. Tech-Prep programs focus on courses that are required for Associate Degree programs and may transfer to state universities.
In addition to becoming familiar with high school course work, we recommend that you visit the web sites listed below. They offer helpful hints to students and parents.
