Seventh Grade College Prep?

Short answer:  Yes.

Most college readiness timelines start with Middle School.  They emphasize building good study habits, preparing for high school classes and exploring extra-curricular interests.  The gist is that Middle School is generally when kids start changing classrooms for each subject, becoming responsible for more work outside of school and really becoming challenged organizationally.  Seventh grade, sometimes sixth, is a crucial time for students and parents to set the tone for the rest of the student’s academic career.  If you are still cleaning out your child’s backpack at Christmas in their first year of Middle School… you already have a problem.

I’ve heard stories about parents complaining to teachers that their children have too much homework, that they have no “family time” and/or can’t make it to their hot yoga classes.  I have a cousin who dropped out of college just before midterms of her Freshman fall semester.  Just after the final date of partial refunding of her money.  She and her parents were out a chunk of change that measured in the five digits.  Not including the decimals. 

My cousin’s major complaint:  She had “like six hours of homework a day!” 

Newsflash:  A full-time college load is 12 credits.  That is, usually, four classes.  For every credit hour, the general rule is to expect one hour in class and three hours of work out of class.  PER WEEK!!!  If you figure that up, you end up with 12 hours class time and 36 hours of HOMEWORK.  PER WEEK!!!!

Homework is your (and your child’s) friend!!!

Teacher’s assign homework in our District on a formula of minutes per grade.  Kindergarteners have five minutes a night, first graders ten, second graders 15 and so-forth.  By the time a child reaches seventh grade they should be doing at least forty minutes of homework a night.  This isn’t intended to punish your child for not getting their work done in class.  This isn’t intended to cramp your social life or cut into your television time.  This is intended to build up those homework muscles so that your child develops healthy study skills which will carry them through high school and into college. 

Major tip:  Your child will complete their homework faster and easier if you give them a spot near you to do it and you TURN OFF THE TELEVISION .

Not college bound, you say?  Vocational schools expect students to study and complete projects outside of class time.  Sometimes to a greater degree than a traditional liberal arts college.

Be talking to your child about what they think they will be doing with themselves after high school.  Emphasize that they must choose to do something.  Let them know that they can change their minds and do something else whenever they like but that high school will, eventually, come to an end.  Be sure they understand what your feelings are about them living with you (I’m cool with my kids staying here forever…  my partner, not so much).  Give them opportunities to explore different career options.  Send away for college view books.  Take them on a tour of your local Vo-Tech school.  

Most importantly, give them a clean, quiet, supervised spot to do their homework so that they can develop the strength to succeed regardless of their life choices.