Does Middle School Matter for College?

Hey, I've heard some mixed opinions on this, so I thought I'd ask here. Does middle school matter for college applications? Do colleges even look at that or just high school? Thanks!

Hey there! In general, colleges do not consider middle school when evaluating applicants for admission. They usually focus on your high school grades, standardized test scores (if required), extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation from your high school years.

However, middle school can have an indirect impact on your college applications. For instance, middle school is where you can build good study habits, develop interests and hobbies that could turn into extracurricular activities in high school, and take advanced classes that may prepare you for a challenging high school curriculum.

Middle school can also play a role in determining which high school classes you'll be eligible to take. For example, doing well in middle school math might place you in an accelerated track in high school, opening up the possibility of taking advanced math courses and potentially leading to strong math-focused extracurriculars.

So it's true that middle school performance itself doesn't factor into college admissions decisions, but it can help set the foundation for the more important high school years that colleges consider. So, focus on developing good habits and exploring your interests during middle school, which will better prepare you for high school and the college application process. Good luck!