Sometimes in middle school, college and full-time work seem so far away. For you to be successful in college and at work, however, it is important that you start planning now. Here are some things you can do now to prepare for your future.
Continue to develop your life skills. These are skills such as critical thinking, perseverance, collaboration, responsibility, respect for others and yourself, study and work habits, empathy, interpersonal skills, time management, . . .
Pay attention in class. What you will learn in the future stems from what you are learning now. You need a good foundation of content knowledge to be successful in your life.
Be the best reader and writer you can be. Being a good reader and writer will help in everything you do in life.
Continue to develop your critical thinking skills. Both colleges and employers want critical thinkers, people who ". . . know how to make connections between ideas and evaluate information critically." (Patterson, Ransom. "7 Ways to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills." College Info Geek. N.p., 01 Jan. 2016. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.)
Explore your interests. College is easier and more fun if you are studying something you are interested in.
Consider Running Start in high school. When you're a junior or senior in high school, you can take college classes at Clark College. This is a great way to earn college credits at minimal cost. You can find out more from the link on the right and from your high school counselor.
Use these external links to explore how you can prepare for college and work now.
Life Skills Every College Student and Worker Needs Even though this article focuses on college, the same skills apply to working and being able to keep a job.
Start Preparing for College in Middle School What to do and think about now
Improve your critical thinking skills Critical thinking is an important life skill.
Clark College Running Start Earn college credits while still in high school