Is a good performance in 7th grade a good predictor for HS performance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have four kids. All four had straight As in 7th grade. One of the four barely graduated high school.

Let me guess he is a boy lol

[Anonymous]

NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

[Anonymous]

OP encourage your daughter. Tell her how proud you are and how impressed you are. Tell her you are her biggest fan. And watch her stay consistent. Dads can really make or break their daughters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

We were told the same exact thing PP. Maybe our son got lucky, but he did get merit aid at Top 15. I don't know I feel like the parents and their kids who are obsessed with Top 10 or nothing often end up disappointed. I think there is that X factor that can break in your favor if you don't discouraged from the stories of perfect kids who got rejected from every top 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

Is income inequality in the US the reason why courses like calculus are considered advanced in HS? In many countries around the world, these courses are standard.

[Anonymous]

Former math major here. Teach her poker and teach basic probability and how its applied in poker. You will thank me.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

We were told the same exact thing PP. Maybe our son got lucky, but he did get merit aid at Top 15. I don't know I feel like the parents and their kids who are obsessed with Top 10 or nothing often end up disappointed. I think there is that X factor that can break in your favor if you don't discouraged from the stories of perfect kids who got rejected from every top 10.

Given that the Ivy League doesn't do merit aid, you mean the tier below. I am going to assume he either had a stellar profile, or had a hook, or both. We cannot assume that for OP's kid.

[Anonymous]

Straight A students in 7th grade are much more likely to have good high school grades than kids with Bs and Cs in 7th grade. But it’s hardly a guarantee of top high school performance.

But also top high school performance is not even close to a guarantee of getting into the very selective colleges or getting scholarships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO.

Also, college admissions these days are CUTTHROAT and scholarships don't even begin to cover the total cost of attendance (a scholarship for a fifth of the cost is considered rare and special).

All it means is that your daughter currently has no academic problems. Is she on the fastest tracks in her school? If she isn't, she's not going to be top of the pack in high school. If there's only one track, then her school isn't up to snuff. She might still develop problems in high school if she chooses advanced/AP courses that she's not prepared for.

I say this in the context of you not having money saved for college. A kid needs to show academic achievement to earn merit aid. Merit aid is a cold calculation on the part of the college as to whether your kid is a flight risk to a rival, slightly better school. So merit aid will be achievable at colleges that are safety choices for your child - ie, less prestigious than those she could otherwise get into sans merit.

I don't know if your income will get her financial aid.

The typical in-state flagship is 30-40K a year, total cost of attendance. UMD and UVA have become VERY competitive. Many high schoolers with a 4.5 weighted GPA and AP courses and solid extra-curriculars, etc, do not get in. Community college then pipeline to 4-year college will be cheaper. She can apply to private out-of-state colleges who might give her enough merit aid to bring it down to in-state costs (because of geographic diversity, if she applies sufficiently far away).

That's the gist. You would not need to be so nitpicky about her grades if there was no financial issue. But here, you do. Also, it's not just grades that matter - choice of extra-curriculars and how personal and thoughtful the essays are, is also critical. AI can't really help with a truly personal essay (at least, not the AI of today!).

- parent of college and high school kids.

We were told the same exact thing PP. Maybe our son got lucky, but he did get merit aid at Top 15. I don't know I feel like the parents and their kids who are obsessed with Top 10 or nothing often end up disappointed. I think there is that X factor that can break in your favor if you don't discouraged from the stories of perfect kids who got rejected from every top 10.

Given that the Ivy League doesn't do merit aid, you mean the tier below. I am going to assume he either had a stellar profile, or had a hook, or both. We cannot assume that for OP's kid.

He is an Eagle scout. And it did help because he did an amazing project.

[Anonymous]

If it’s in public school, it’s not impressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have four kids. All four had straight As in 7th grade. One of the four barely graduated high school.

Let me guess he is a boy lol

Nope. Girl. Ended up on her feet just fine as an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it’s in public school, it’s not impressive.

I went to a public school in NYC. I will disagree with your assertion about public schools

[Anonymous]

My current 8th grader has all As. High honor roll last 2 marking periods. It’s misleading though because she has adhd and goes to private. She has small class sizes ( 12-16) and has teacher support when needed.
I think she will struggle in HS which is huge with larger classes..

[Anonymous]

I think it is a good start! On the one hand, it is easier these days to get good grades. On the other hand, getting good grades at a young age means your daughter is capable of focus and organization, and also sees the value of doing well.

You didn’t say where your daughter is in school but I suggest doing a lot of research on the high school options and how to best prepare for college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP encourage your daughter. Tell her how proud you are and how impressed you are. Tell her you are her biggest fan. And watch her stay consistent. Dads can really make or break their daughters.

+1!! Also since you like math, try to get more directly involved in her math education. She may benefit from a little push. Also don’t be afraid to reach out to talk to her math teachers.