College Tennis – It’s Never Too Early
Before you can blink an eye, the less demanding middle school years morph into high school and beyond. College planning is probably not the first issue that student-athletes and their parents want to tackle as the middle school years wane and high school begins. However, making a commitment to establishing long-range academic goals – along with developing strategies and timelines to support this effort – will pay high dividends down the road.
The “junior/senior year” crunch (and believe me, it can be overwhelming for both students and parents alike) is much easier and efficient with a game plan that begins in late middle school or early high school. I can’t tell you how many times I have met with families and heard them lament, “I only wish I had thought about this earlier!”
Listed below are just a couple of academic guidelines that are right at the top of my”It’s never too early” list:
1) Foreign Language – Colleges love to see students take at least three years of a foreign language. Four years are even better, and five – with the fifth year being at the AP level – is stellar. However, in order to fit that fifth year of a foreign language into four years of high school, the student needs to begin a foreign language in the 7th grade. Usually what happens is that 7th/8th grade foreign language study combines to form Level 1.
Check to see if your middle school offers a foreign language beginning in Grade 7 (not all schools do), and plan on enrolling.
2) Upper Level Math – Not only do most four-year colleges and universities expect to see at least three years of math in high school, they love to see four years of study. And, as with foreign languages, having taken an AP-level math class as a junior/senior in high school is highly-valued in applicants at the most selective schools.
In order to be eligible to enroll in the more challenging, upper level math classes in high school, you most likely will have to start with pre-algebra in the 7th grade and complete it in one year. Many middle schools have a two-year sequence in order to complete Algebra, and while this curriculum does not always preclude the opportunity to take AP math in high school, it can make it more difficult to do so.
It is worthwhile to take a look at your middle school curriculum early and undestand its pathways for math education. Armed with this information, you will be able to more accurately plan math courses for high school.
“Prologue really is Epilogue” when it comes to successful college placement outcomes. So, keep these thoughts in mind as you move through middle school and look toward high school. Stay informed and updated.
And remember, it’s easy to become overly stressed by this process. I always remind my clients to relax, “enjoy the journey”, and have fun!
Check back for upcoming articles where I will address additional topics pertaining to academic preparation for college student-athletes. I’ll discuss subjects such as SAT/ACT preparation and testing, the college essay, teacher recommendations, and much more.