Advice to Middle School Graduates

My children are now officially freshmen in high school. *sigh* Just yesterday they were looking forward to starting preschool, weren't they??? Anyhow, many folks write about advice to high school and college graduates, but it's just as important that students entering high school get the benefit of some wise words applicable to them, too.

1. Grades count for more than you think. Not only do colleges look at your grades for admission, and not only do grades count for many scholarships and grants, but if you are looking to get your driver's license at age 16, your insurance rates will more than likely also take into account your grades. A 'C' student will pay higher premiums than an 'A' student will. My kids know that they will be responsible for their share of the auto insurance increase, and they understand that good grades will help lessen the amount they will have to pay.

2. Being a responsible student now will help with scholarships and jobs in a few years. Many scholarships are based not only on grades but also on character. Demonstrating responsibility all 4 years of high school will give you an advantage over students who are satisfied just trying to slide by. Teachers will be more likely to give you a reference for a summer job or an internship or scholarship if you are consistently on time, polite and prepared.

3. I know it's not fair, but high school generally starts very early in the morning. I know studies show that teens do better with a later school start time, but this is how it is. Don't spend all summer sleeping until noon or later and then expect to be able to get up the first day of school at 6 AM and be coherent. It ain't gonna happen. I'm not saying to be in bed by 9 PM all summer, but use a little common sense and start adjusting your sleep/wake pattern a few weeks before school starts. It will make it easier on everyone - you, your family and your teachers!

4. Summer school isn't necessarily bad. Summer school tends to have a bad reputation sometimes. Many kids think it is only for those students who would otherwise be held back if they didn't retake a class or two in the summer. Not true! Many districts offer classes that you can take during the summer, thereby opening up a spot in your schedule for something else during the year. My kids had the opportunity to sign up for physical education during the summer. For 3 hours a day over 4 weeks, they would have been taking Gym and then been done with it for their freshman year. Eons ago, when I was in school, it was well know that if you took a required senior Government class in the summer, it was much easier than if you took it during the school year. We couldn't take the books home because they had to be shared with the afternoon session; therefore, no homework! We had only 1 term paper instead of two, and because the teachers were a bit more relaxed in the summer (hey, they wanted their vacation too!), tests were easier, and we had more time in the library. It's also a good option if you have a required class taught by a teacher that you don't get along with. Take the class in the summer with hopefully a different teacher, and avoid the other one during the school year. And lastly, taking classes in the summer can open up time in the regular schoolyear to take advanced placement classes or college classes (if your district offers them), getting you that much closer to a college degree while still in high school!

5. Try an extracurricular activity. While it looks good on college applications and can open up more scholarship possibilities, it will also introduce you to people you might not have otherwise have associated with, and you will probably end up with friends you never would have imagined otherwise.

6. Keep your priorities in focus. One of the things I love about our church is the fact that teens stay involved in the youth group activities all the way through high school. At our previous church, the youth group for the high school-aged kids had dissolved a number of years before because the teens were just "too busy" with homework and jobs and extracurricular activities to be involved in the youth group. That made me sad and actually a bit angry. You make time for what is important to you, and your relationship with Jesus Christ needs to be at the top of the list. Yes, it's important to get good grades, and that's great if you can balance that with a part-time job. But seriously think about what is important to you before you take on more than 1 or 2 committments outside of school work. Do you really need to be in 8 or 9 extracurricular activities? Do you need to work and volunteer at several different places? Are your grades and/or sleep and/or eating habits suffering? Are you constantly tired? (I mean, outside of normal teen tired!) Cranky and short-tempered? Take time to reevaluate what you are doing and what your priorities are. This is a skill you will use your entire life. Start exercising it now.

7. Finally, try to enjoy these next 4 years. There will be a lot happening - class rings, Homecoming, learning to drive, prom, college visitation trips, SAT and ACT tests, all the fuss that goes with graduation - and it will go much faster than you think! Of course, you will have days here and there when it will seem like it will never end, but it will. Sooner than you think, you'll be heading off to college or looking for a job or entering the military. So do your best these next 4 years, study hard, enjoy being with your friends (and your family!). We're already proud of you now -- we will be only more so when we see you get your high school diploma!