<p>Last year was the most frustrated one in my life as my elder S was struggling to strive for a place in his favourite college. Thanks to the helps and advices of all the parents here, finally he gets in one he likes.</p>
<p>Well prepared is half done, he and me learnt a good lesson from the last minute rush. </p>
<p>It is now for my younger S. who is in Grade 7, anything like academic, socially, extra activities I can let him prepare starting right now to get into the colleges he likes as he is aiming for the colleges like ivy leagues.</p>
<p>I don't know if this is the right place to ask for advices for a student of grade 7 as here is designed most for grade 12 students.</p>
<p>Could parents give me some web sites or forums or any advices such that I can talk to and share with parents who have with similar situations in the past or current.</p>
<p>Canadian, eh? (sorry, dunno anyone who uses "grade 7" as opposed to "7th grade" who isn't Canadian).</p>
<p>Here is my advice for you and your son, get off CC and don't think about college for at least three more years. You say your son is aiming "for the colleges like ivy leagues." How on earth is that possible considering he is only what, 11 or 12? Does he know anything about those schools other than that they are prestigious? Does he know what he is even interested in at all?</p>
<p>Are you sure it is he that is interested, and not you?</p>
<p>three main pieces of advice ...
1) ignore thinking about college for a few years<br>
2) challenge himself intellectually; take tough courses and take course outside his comfort zone ... do not do either of these things because it will look good to IVY U but because he wants the intellectual challenge. The collorary is do not kill yourself trying to look good for a college ... find the right balance of challenge and still being a kid.
3) do worthwhile stuff ... music, athletics, community activism, something ... get busy. Again, not becaue it looks good for IVY U but because he is experimenting with life until he finds his passions.</p>
<p>Make sure his middle school (and, later, high school) has great teachers, a variety of challenging and interesting classes, and peers who care about school. Let him find his passion and help him pursue it. Help him develop good study habits. And let him spend the next two years -- which won't be on his "permanent record" -- to try out different things and take a lot of chances.</p>
<p>This is the time where study habits are formed. It's very important as it leads to a stronger HS experience. Grades 6,7,8 are very formative in getting on the right track. Making sure Homework gets done, projects are complete and well done. Making sure there is always a place for homework. Go to parent teacher conferences, get to know your educators, ask what you can do to help the teacher help your child. You'd be surprized how much teachers want parent support and rarely get it. Usually it is my child right or wrong when often the child is wrong. Support your educators. Remember this is also the time where kids are probably the worst they can be due to hormonal and social pressures, cut the educator some slack if they don't seem over excited at times. Kids are discovering sex, drugs and outrageous behavor during these years. It wears on people.</p>
<p>Anyway make sure study habits are formed and followed. As far as what college it really doesn't matter at this point in time. What matters is forming the habit of putting schoolwork on top. If you do so, college and college choices simply take care of themselves.</p>
<p>Reading for pleasure is the single best thing he could do for himself. If your middle school offers high school level classes and he's capable make sure he's in them. If he's bored he may need to move faster than the usual schedule. But only if he's bored - school systems vary wildly in what opportunities they offer for acceleration particularly in math. Mostly, this is the time for exploration - encourage him to try out new sports, new clubs. Encourage him to drop things he isn't enjoying.</p>
<p>Do what everyone above has said. Just let him be him. Pursue his interests (it would be nice if those included reading :) ).</p>
<p>The only concrete "college-preparatory" thought you and he need to have in mind at this point is to choose the "most challenging course load available" as he heads into high school.</p>
<p>Check out Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Talent Search. The CTY summer program for grade 7 and up was wonderful for both my kids. There is a link on the JHU website.</p>
<p>Things I wish I could have done.I already did do</p>
<p>1) Go to a sports camp and learn my favorite sport (soccer)
2) Take the hardest classes (I did this)
3) Read for pleasure (Did this too)</p>
<ol>
<li> 7th grade is still early and if you keep at a sport by the time you get to high school you can get on to the JV team or maybe V. Whatever sport it is, it opens up a lot of doors, socially and academically (colleges like sports)</li>
<li> Taking the hardest classes means you'll be placed in all honors in your freshman year of highschool. If you don't place in all honors in freshman year you may not be able to take some courses you want to later on because you didn't get to meet the requirements. Ex: If I didn't get placed in a double science program, I would never be able to take AP Physics senior year</li>
<li> History and English are all about this. Reading a lot means you'll read faster, your grammar will be better, and your essays will be better. You have no idea how much that will help</li>
</ol>
<p>I found getting a dog when my oldest was 12 to be very helpful
seriously
I felt more comfortable having her out and about in the neighborhood, like going to the corner store by herself, she loved having the dog to come home to and she learned ( more)responsibility by caring for her</p>
<p>Perhaps the best website is hoagiesgifted.org,</p>
<p>I would, however, caution against your S setting his sights on colleges right now. He needs to find out what he likes both in and out of school, to learn to enjoy learning for the sake of learning, to get involved in some extra-curricular activities, and just to enjoy being a 13 year-old.</p>
<p>If your son wants to think about college let him do so...but personally I would not encourage this discussion with him. If he wants to be involved in activities it should be because he likes to do them not because he is preparing for college. I think getting a dog is a great idea...or raking the leaves...or going to the movies...or making friends.</p>
<ol>
<li>Turn off the TV and the computer and read, read, read.</li>
<li>Bring books into the house and read them yourself, as well as a good daily newspaper.</li>
<li> Have family meals together and talk about what you are all reading and doing. Spend time with your child.</li>
<li> Seek out academic or artistic or athletic enrichment activities and programs based on your child's real interests, not what you or the child think colleges want to see. </li>
<li> Encourage regular physical exercise (whether in organized sports or not) for current and lifelong mental and physical health.</li>
<li> Get involved in community activities yourself if you want your child to learn to do so.</li>
<li> Get off these message boards and don't think about college until junior year. Even then, don't obsess about college and don't let your kid get drawn into the frenzy. It doesn't help in admissions, and it risks harming your child's intellectual and social development.</li>
</ol>
<p>1) Pursue passions! Find out who you are and what makes you tick. Learn to take intellectual and creative risks.
2) Read the newspaper, magazines, columnists -- folks who demonstrate good writing AND who make you think, especially outside of your comfort zone.
3) Make sure you are getting the prerequisites so that you can take the classes/sequences that most interest you for high school.
4) Get enough sleep and exercise. You will never grow this much and this rapidly again. Learn to take care of your body and emotional health now, and it will pay you back when life <em>does</em> get crazy.
5) Have some goals for yourself, but don't be obsessed. (and I don't consider a 4.0/2400 a goal!)
6) Learn to wash laundry, cook a meal, read a map, ride public transportation, spend and save wisely. Reading these threads just reinforces the need to teach our children basic survival skills. You'd be surprised how many smart kids get tripped up by the simple challenges of living.</p>
<p>Our 8th grade S is excelling based on your list:
- does own laundry
- can cook own food, and has prepared dinner for the family
- has taken public transit by himself
- can read a map</p>
<p>We are pushing the issue on the saving, requiring him to save half allowance and any money he earns.</p>
<p>He is also a avid reader of books and the daily paper, Wired magazine, Time and National Geographic.</p>
<p>Doing what we can to support him and help him find his passion...</p>
<p>Thanks M&S Dad-- Sometimes folks think I have a very contrarian view of college readiness! We are lucky to live in an area where the academic challenge is there in plentiful amounts. Due to some serious health issues, though, I have been more focused on teaching my kids to become decent human beings (and self-sufficient ones, too) sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>A couple of books we asked our kids to read (and which stimulated a TON of dinnertime discussion): Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich and The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman. You can take or leave the politics, but they were both very thought-provoking.</p>
<p>I am not sure we are providing the guidance the OP was requesting, but a lot of us seem to be on the same page in terms of raising middle schoolers. I also meant to concur with the poster on having dinner together -- my husband is a big fan of family dinner, even if it means we don't sit down until 8:30-9:00. I had another thought, too: be the one who drives your kids to their various activities. More meaningful discussions happen in my car than anywhere else. They sit in the back of the car and spill their guts to me but don't have to make eye contact. I hear all the good stuff, but when dad calls ten minutes after they've talked to me, he gets the monosyllabic grunts. (I get the grunts if my husband drives.)</p>