Advice for a Rising Seventh Grader

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>So... I go to a highly selective (about 200/3000 get in lol) high school that's 7-12. My brother also got into the said high school. Although 7th grade is not technically "high school" our school has a policy where 7th grade doesn't appear on our transcripts (aka don't go to college) so 7th grade is the only grade he has to explore. Starting from 8th grade, since we are an advanced school, most courses are the same as freshmen classes in ordinary high schools. Also these grades do appear on the all "holy transcript". I'm not all that well rounded so I'm not very aware of programs, competitions, or any other interesting opportunities available in America. For those of you who's heard of the term "super student" yup that's what he's gonna become. He's got a good head on his shoulders. I teach him about how to manage time etc. <-because I suck at the following)</p>

<p>My brother's good at math. He's studying to be double accelerated maybe even triple accelerated so he can obtain a minimum of 2-3 years of college math before actually going to college. He like science, can dance very well (in most people's opinion), is good at making friends (who are older then me. They thought a 10 yr old being friends with them was kinda creepy.), and draws well. The only problem is he's not as passionate about anything. So I call him someone with "no personality". I mean he's good at things but he doesn't really feel the HOOK that you feel when you know you've found something you want to do. Is there anyway he can explore his various interests? We (my family) is trying to prepare for EVERYTHING. Including activities, clubs, everything so that it reflects his passions (which we will support when we find out...). </p>

<p>Also... my family wants us to be doctors, in my family (we're asian if you couldn't tell). Are there any legitimate, highly selective, low cost summer or during the year programs he can attend to learn to write science research papers, to conduct research, or to gain some basic lab skills? (because next summer not this one... he'll be 13 so the normal internships will not accept him). </p>

<p>Finally I really regret not being able to TRY learning to write papers. Not knowing how to write really killed my three short years in high school so far. My brother and I went to a public elementary school that never told us how to write a formal paper for english class. We wrote creative pieces, short stories, memoirs etc. but never ESSAYS. Is there also any good, cost-effective, highly selective writing programs that teach you how to write personal essays, formal literary essays, and term papers? also are there any about journalism? </p>

<p>If anyone has any programs to suggest, could you please list the names and websites if available, if not phone number sof the programs?</p>

<p>Finally I'm wondering what else to tell my fickle brother to help him be a super student. Including things you wish you did in your first year of high school. things you regret. Because really my school's kind of just 6 long years of high school. </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>Don't make him into a superstudent. Please, for his sake, let him have fun while it doesn't count. My Lord, if I knew I could have relaxed before high school, I would've had such less stress coming in. Let him find an interest, but don't push him. Don't blow out the candlelight before it becomes a strong flame. Just let him do his thing for now.</p>

3

<p>he doesn't have a thing at all. that's one of the problems. It says in the above post</p>

4

<p>yea, let him find it. he has 4 years.</p>

5

<p>I didn't read your post only your title. My advice is that you are young and you go outside and have fun instead of worrying about college.</p>

6

<p>There is good money to be earned as a drug dealer.</p>

7

<p>get rich or die trying?</p>

8

<p>go play with ur friends outside. It's not the time to be stressing out (thankfully)</p>

9

<p>Go explore your culture.</p>

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<p>Personal bit: You are talking about Hunter, right? If so, what grade are you in and what's your name (I go there and I'm just curious. PM me if you'd like)?</p>

<p>Brother: Don't push him. The transition from normal public school to Hunter, both socially and academically, takes some time. Let him make friends and encourage him (but never force him!) to join clubs or teams or anything if he doesn't want to. There's a math team and a science club, if he's interested.</p>

<p>If he's as intelligent and motivated as you say, he'll find interships and research by himself. He really doesn't need the added stress; next year will probably be the one where he really learns to interact and write well. Let him learn basic lab skills and how to write a paper from our wonderful (not sarcasm) teachers and let him decide how far he wants to push himself.</p>

<p>PM me if you'd any more advice, especially about Hunter specifically. I'm a current soph and my brother will be a 7th grader next year, so I know how you feel.</p>

11

<p>Er, what was the question again? In a condensed version?</p>

<p>From what little I gathered, your brother is a rising 7th grader (A+ for me). Now, when I was in the 6th grade, I was trying to get this girl I liked to like me back while at the same time slacking off homework and playing paintball instead. I didn't even know which high school I wanted to go to. </p>

<p>STOP STRESSING. Seriously, enjoy your life.</p>

12

<p>please don't tell him about CC. or get him to read about CC students. </p>

<p>he's too young to stress about beating the crazy CC students on here.</p>

13

<p>please leave the site as a seventh grader thank you</p>

14

<p>go away10char</p>

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<p>It is super annoying when people are saying, 'We are amazing juniors (or seniors or older) and you are too young to be on here.' We, as younger people, want to be here and we have a right to. I agree that if freetshirtorg's younger brother doesn't want to be pushed, than he shouldn't be, but seriously people Get Over Yourselves and realize that we have a future just as much as you. Its just a little bit further away for us (but not too far!)</p>

16

<p>Oh so naive.</p>

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<p>there is no reason for you to stress out so early. you aren't taking your exams, your grades don't count, your extracurriculars don't matter--you could be doing a multitude of other things instead of wasting away on CC like so many of us upperclassmen doing. your future is far, *far *away from becoming a college future. you have no idea how long senior year has been for many of us.</p>

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<p>it's not that we think you're too young to be here. you have every right to be on here. it's just that we don't want your brother to be caught up in the stupid college admissions game. you have enough time in hs to stress out about, the years before that is to enjoy life and discover his true passions. more importantly, CC presents a rather skewed perspective of college admissions. i and other CCers agree that CC makes us depressed because short of winning a nobel prize, sometimes i think i won't get into college!! Really, it's not about patronizing the seventh graders, it's about wanting them to actually have a life before facing the stress of college admissions.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
We, as younger people, want to be here and we have a right to. I agree that if freetshirtorg's younger brother doesn't want to be pushed, than he shouldn't be, but seriously people Get Over Yourselves and realize that we have a future just as much as you.

[/quote]

You realize we're trying to help, right? A bunch of us started CC in 10th grade and are currently going insane, I can't imagine stretching that out to three more years. You have a right to be here but it doesn't mean you have to. And likewise the people answering have the right to ignore you. ;)</p>

<p>Alex</p>

20

<p>Okay. This was a confusing post, but I think there are some questions I can answer.</p>

<p>About seventh grade/passions: Encourage him to use the un-transcripted seventh grade to explore random subjects. Obviously, he'll want to get ahead in math, and work on science--for him, that's not stressful if he loves it. But if in between his genius classes, he has time for one more elective, encourage him to try something he would never try on his own. Not like auto tech, but just another foreign language or a dance class or a choir. And approach your parents, if they'll listen, to talk to him.</p>

<p>About essay writing: If you live in a certain area, seventh grade will be the year you take the SATs with Duke TIP. Then you can take an online course over the summer in Academic Writing, which is essays and that kind of stuff.</p>