Finishing High School

What Can You Do in Middle School to Prepare for and Finish High School?

Earning a high school diploma is your first important step toward a successful future. Preparing for high school while you’re in middle school will boost your confidence and help you stay on the college-education track.

So, what are some things you can do during middle school that will help you get through high school successfully?
(Based in part on “Earn Your Diploma: Tips for Succeeding in High School”; http://education-portal.com.)

Demonstrate you can improve your grades. Life can be busy at times! After all, schoolwork is not the only thing you do in middle school. Being involved in other activities, though, can distract you from your school work. But, life’s distractions will never go away—not in middle school, high school, or college. So always practice to improve your grades and do well on your homework, even if sometimes you fall behind. Both your middle school and high school teachers will appreciate your efforts. And colleges definitely consider the steps you took in high school to improve your grades.

Get organized so you can make sure you complete all your assignments. Using a calendar or an assignment planner you make in your notebook, write down your assignments and when they are due. These tools will help you quickly see what school work you need to do and by when. Include other responsibilities on your calendar or planner to help you stay organized. If you practice getting organized in middle school, you’ll be ready to take on more challenging work during high school and college.

Take control of your homework! Make a habit of doing your best school work on a regular basis. Of course you’ll have distractions and maybe even a little pressure from your friends to do something more fun than homework. But try to stay on track and do your homework. It will really help you get ready for high school, and college, too!

Discover what you’re good at. Knowing what you’re good at will help you make good decisions about what courses to take during middle school. So by the time you get to high school, and even college, you can be confident you’ll select the right courses. And don’t worry if you change your mind. Middle school is all about discovering who you are and what you like! You’ll find your confidence grows as you get to know your unique talents.

Study, study, study. The skills you use to help you acquire knowledge will help you advance in any academic or career pursuit.

Be realistic about what you can accomplish. Some courses are just difficult, plain and simple. If you feel like you’re struggling to do well in a particular course, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Remember, there are a lot of people who want to help you do well: your parents or a trusted adult, teachers, and school counselor. Ask for help on ways you can do well in difficult subjects.

Take courses that prepare you for high school. Talk to your teacher and school counselor about your interest in going to college. They will help you select the best courses in middle school that will prepare for high school. And knowing how to prepare for high school will also help you prepare for college.

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