| One of the biggest mistakes made during the college | | | | Middle School Years/Eighth Gradeo If available, your |
| admissions process is not starting early enough. Now | | | | child should take Algebra I in the 8th grade to ensure |
| that you know it's important to start early, when do | | | | that he or she is on track for senior year Calculus. |
| you begin? Third grade is too early; eighth grade is | | | | Strive for the highest level of math your teen can |
| just about right. | | | | attain.o Meet with your child's school counselor to |
| Since your child's official high school transcript begins | | | | develop a 4-year college preparatory plan. Use this |
| with the first day of ninth grade, it's a sound | | | | plan as a baseline guide that is revised as your child |
| strategy to initiate college discussions with your child | | | | learns more about his or her interests. |
| in the eighth grade and set goals before the first day | | | | Freshman Year |
| of high school. | | | | Encourage your child to:o Develop sound study |
| Reams of information have been published about the | | | | habitso Set academic and extracurricular goalso Take |
| college application process during the junior and senior | | | | challenging courses |
| years. I'd like to introduce you to some ideas that | | | | Sophomore Year |
| you and your child can implement during the middle | | | | Learn the college-bound calendar. Highlights include:o |
| school and early high school years. View them as a | | | | October: Take the PSAT. Note that the PSAT should |
| foundation; start with them and build incrementally | | | | be retaken during Junior year to qualify for National |
| until junior year when the process needs to become | | | | Merit Scholarships.o April: register for SAT IIs (if |
| more rigorous. | | | | applicable). Visit colleges during spring breako May: |
| Let me be clear. Starting the college admissions | | | | revisit academic and extracurricular goals. Plan for |
| process early is not intended to bulk up your child's | | | | Junior year. |
| application with meaningless accomplishments. The | | | | In the next issue we will introduce strategies for |
| goal is to have calm and instructive discussions about | | | | college-bound juniors and seniors. |
| college that lead to a strategic action plan that | | | | P.S. Seniors should continue to study hard and not |
| supports and illustrates your teen's interests and | | | | give in to senioritis. Colleges will rescind offers if |
| passions. | | | | grades dip significantly. |