Only one decision matters

What to do now

If you are even remotely interested in math, put some effort into finding out whether your school has an accelerated math program. If you can get in, this will open up so many doors later on in your education.

You may be wondering how to find out whether your school even has a gifted and talented or accelerated program for math. My recommendation would be to check your school's website, ask a teacher, or recruit a parent/guardian to figure it out for you.

If your school doesn't offer anything like this, don't panic — plenty of students still get on track in high school, through a summer course or by doubling up on math for a year.

What most people get wrong

Not realizing math placement is even a decision at all, specifically a very important one that dictates whether Algebra 1 is even available to you in 8th grade. However, it is typically made based off of 5th and/or 6th grade test scores, so ensure you are prepared for those.

Getting into Algebra 1 in 8th grade is usually what makes Geometry in 9th, Algebra 2 in 10th, Precalculus in 11th, and Calculus in 12th possible — that's the track colleges notice. Every district runs math placement differently too. Some use a single test, others weigh grades and teacher recommendations, so it's worth asking exactly how yours decides.

What counts

Nothing from 6th grade makes it to your college application, but that one decision now has the potential to shape the next six years of math.

And if math isn't your thing, that's completely fine too — there's nothing to lose this year by skipping accelerated math.

Tests and deadlines

• State testing in some places
• Whatever placement test your school uses, if there even is one