5 Tips: Transitioning from Middle School to High School

If you have a student starting high school this fall, you may be wondering how to manage the transition. Summer is a great time to start thinking about the many questions that transition might raise for you and your student.  

On April 30, Dr. Cynthia Colón, host of Destination YOUniversity podcast and Janibelle Jackson-Stuart, Elevating Excellence Coordinator at Pinellas County Schools joined us for “For Middle School Parents: Tips for Starting High School,” the fifth BigFuture Live of the year, a series of community events where students and families can get their questions answered.  

Thousands of parents and students registered to ask questions about: 

1. Tackling the biggest adjustment. “The amount of work and the ability to stay organized may be the most challenging for middle schoolers going into high school,” says  Janibelle. Balancing assignments and tests in high school requires planning that your student may not be used to it. Parents can help by setting up a routine at the start of the year and/or encouraging students to use a tool like a calendar to visualize deadlines and tasks.  

1. Choosing high school classes. Some schools will have a counselor come in and talk about how to think about progression and pathways from middle school to high school and can help recommend classes. “I like to talk about the five academic food groups: Math, English, Science, Social Science, and Modern Language, and you want to shoot for all five each year of high school,” says Dr. Colón. At home, you can start exploring career interests that can offer some insight into classes to take that connect to their interests. Tool Tip: Have your student take the short career quiz to see 30 career options they may enjoy.  

1. Thinking through the high school timeline. College may seem far off to you and your student, but it is never too early to think about the actions now that can support plans later. "Reminder for parents that your child will graduate with eight semesters of grades, but apply to college with six semesters of GPA,” says Dr. Colón, which can help students think about how they can be competitive in high school for early on for what comes next.  

1. Helping your student be seen by colleges. Explaining college to middle schoolers can be difficult, but as a parent, you can start doing a little research now to understand what your state and local universities and colleges may have available. Student Search Service is also a great tool. It offers a way for hundreds of colleges to discover students during recruitment, with over $300 million in scholarships available every year from colleges who use the tool. Tool Tip: Learn more about the value of Student Search Service.  

1. Encouraging new experiences. High school is a great time to try new things and as parents you can pay attention to what brings your student joy. “For example, quality community service can be a passion project. Get involved in your community with something you care about,” says Janibelle. Quantity experiences over quantity is key. Tool tip: Check out our information on volunteering.