It is January and we are 3-4 months into academic year. I am a 7th grader and I have begun to worry about high school. In the beginning of the year, 7th graders are lectured about how important our grades are this year (as if grades are not important every single year! Way to add more pressure!) From September of 7th grade to March of 8th Grade, students are already dreading being in their last year of middle school.
Many current 8th grade students have expressed their stress about taking tests that will determine which high schools they are able to attend. These exams allow the students that took the test to apply to high schools outside of the public education system. Most of these tests are taken in the beginning of the year. For instance, eighth graders take the SHSAT (Specialized High School Admissions Test) in late October. This means that people would have to start preparing for it in seventh grade (or earlier) if they plan on taking the exam.
Many high schools require a specific score on the SHSAT, meaning you would have to prepare ahead of time and try your best to do well. If you get a good score on the SHSAT, you could get into schools like Bronx Science, Stuyvesant, and Brooklyn Tech. Normally, people would use past exams to study and get an idea of what the test is like. This is also used to study for the TACHS exam (Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools), taken in November.Â
There are common tips and tricks for people about to take these exams. First of all, people start preparing for it very early (usually in sixth or seventh grade). Also, people study a lot by taking practice tests. They use these practice tests to see what they understand and what they can improve on. They use the results to know what topics they need to prioritize. Then, when the exam comes, they could use what they learned from the practice and do well.
So, we are not even done with the school year and my 7th grade life is already full of anxiousness and stress. The hope is in eighth grade, there are a few tests that you can take so you have more options for high school. As a seventh grader, I spend some time preparing for them so I could be prepared when I take the test.
Middle school life is not really intimidating, I am learning that you need to work really hard if you want to achieve your academic goals. My advice, take each day one at a time. Remember to breath and enjoy what life has to offer. And most of all...good luck!