6th Grade

Students

• Meet with your school counselor in the guidance office and tell her/him that your goal is to attend college.
• Develop good study habits and try to earn top grades in all of your classes.
• Consider joining a club, team, or other activity offered at your school or in your community.
• Read, read, read�and keep reading! Visit your school and local libraries and check out what they have to offer.

Families

• If you haven’t already started saving for college, now is a great time to start.
• Help your student with homework, but encourage her/him to develop independent and critical-thinking skills through reading, writing, solving problems, and asking questions.
• Create an area for study in your home and set up a daily homework routine.
• Make school attendance a priority—have your student at school on time every day.

What Skills Will Help Me to Succeed?

Reading, writing, math, and science form the foundation on which to build your knowledge and expand your mind. It's important to master the skills in these areas in middle school, as they will give you the tools you need to succeed in college and beyond.

• Reading: Reading—literature, fiction, and nonfiction—(and lots of it!) helps to improve vocabulary, verbal skills, and writing ability.
• Writing: Expressing yourself well is important in every profession. Practice good research and writing techniques. Get feedback and give yourself plenty of time to rewrite and edit your writing assignments to do the best job possible.
• Calculating: In today's technological world, having an understanding of math is a must. Progressing from basic math in 7th grade to algebra to geometry, calculus, and trigonometry in high school will give you the tools to open your mind to new ways of thinking and problem solving. And don�t get frustrated or give up if some things are harder than others—persistence is the key to success!