College and Career Readiness
It is never too early to begin thinking about college and what you want to do beyond college.
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Whether
you choose a four-year university, a community college, or a career
college, you’ll have to do some legwork to make your goal a reality. You
don’t have to figure it out all alone though. We’ve gathered all the
best resources into one handy checklist to help you navigate the process
and prepare yourself for college and career. Print a pdf version of the
checklist and mark the boxes off as you go to stay organized and make
sure that you are on track to meet your college and career goals
Go to: http://gentx.org/make-it-happen/ » Make It Happen » Middle School Prep Checklist
Go to: http://www.collegeforalltexans.com/ » Students » Make A Plan » In Middle School
In Middle School
College
seems a million miles away when you're in middle school. But believe it
or not, middle school is the midway point to college. Which means it's
the perfect time to start planning your college education—even if
there's only the slightest chance you want to attend. The choices you
make now will make it easier to attend college later.
The
good news is, costs shouldn't keep you from attending college. If you
make a step-by-step plan starting now, you can make it happen! Here are a
few tips to get you on the right track:
Develop Good Study Habits
It's
important to get the hang of studying early, because in college, you're
on your own. Get the basics and the right habits under your belt now,
and you'll have a much easier time in college classes. Talk to one of
your teachers or a counselor if you need help in improving your study
habits.
Think of 8th Grade as Pre-High School
The
decisions you make in eighth grade may affect your college
applications. Think about it: Right now, you're deciding which courses
you'll take in high school, right? Well, your high school courses will
go directly onto your college application.
That's
why the State of Texas has a Recommended High School Program (RHSP)
that shows which courses you should take to be ready for college in
Texas. Take a close look at it, and talk with your parents, teachers and
counselors. That way, they can help you choose the middle school
courses that will prepare you for high school. The RHSP is currently the
"default curriculum." That's a fancy way of saying it will
automatically be chosen for you unless you get approval from your
parents and counselors to choose other courses.
Interested
in a community college technical program? Then take a look at the
Tech-Prep Articulated Programs along with the Recommended High School
Program. Tech-prep programs focus on courses that are required for
associate's degree programs and may transfer to state universities.
So be sure you understand high school coursework and develop good study habits. Both will really pay off later.
Visit the AMS Counseling Center if you have questions or want some extra help!