Gearing up for high school

What to do now

Take Algebra 1 if you can, since taking this course now is what makes calculus eventually reachable in high school. You should also make sure to test into the highest ninth-grade math class possible, as this will further accelerate your course rigor and prove that you can handle a challenge.

Read for fun constantly, which is the best long-run test prep there is. Studies show that reading at least one book per month outside of school helps to keep the brain stimulated, reduce stress, and increase vocabulary.

Creating good study habits is also very important, as it is something you will use throughout the rest of your academic journey. If you start now, you'll be one step closer to getting good grades in high school, which will then feed into your college application.

Plan your first year of high school accordingly. Colleges look at all four years of courses and activities, and love to see commitment shown through your course rigor.

Focus on building a solid academic foundation now. Colleges may not see your grades from middle school, but they will see the ones from high school. By maintaining good grades now, high school won't be as much of a leap.

What most people get wrong

Picking high school classes without realizing it's a four year commitment. The classes you choose as a freshman can lock out classes later on, such as calculus, as a sophomore, junior, and senior.

Instead, ask yourself, "What am I passionate about?" And whether that answer is computer science or journaling, that passion is now the foundation for the next four years of classes. Studies show that students who take college prep courses are generally more prepared for higher education, and are more likely to get into colleges of their choice.

That said, picking a direction now doesn't lock you into it forever. Plenty of people change their minds in high school, and that's completely normal too — the point isn't to land on the "right" passion permanently, it's to stop picking classes at random.

What counts

Nothing much. Algebra 1 shows on some transcripts and college applications, but other than that, the majority of 8th grade is about building good study habits and a strong academic foundation that will take you through the rest of high school. You're only in 8th grade — high school is when grades and test scores really start to matter.

Tests and deadlines

Aside from state testing in some districts, what you should focus on is testing into the highest math class possible for your freshman year, if that even exists at your school. There are no tests or deadlines that go on your college application.

If your school does offer this kind of placement, your best bet is to ask your math teacher or school counselor directly what the process looks like and when decisions get made.