Knowing what to include and what to leave out of your college application can be a stressful part of applying to universities. The Common Application limits the number of activities in the Activities List to ten things, and the Additional Information Section provides you with just another 650 words to cover any and everything you haven’t yet had a chance to discuss.
So as you begin to think about your college application and what each university requires from you, you might find yourself asking ‘Should I include things from middle school?’ More specifically, you might wonder ‘Do middle school grades matter?’
In this guide, we’re going to weigh in on including (or rather excluding) middle school grades from your college application, as well as discuss in what context middle school matters.
How important are middle school grades?
When they ask that question, most people tend to mean how important are middle school grades in terms of college applications—do middle school grades affect college acceptances? In short, no. Colleges don’t look at middle school grades when weighing a student’s application. College admission officers are able to get enough information from high school grades to make an informed decision on which students to accept.
But the longer, more complex answer is that middle school grades can affect admissions indirectly in a few different ways. Middle school (typically sixth to eighth grade) can be thought of as a tool in developing and creating a foundation for who a student will be in high school and college. A lot can happen in middle school to shape a student’s values, insights, skills, qualities, and interests (which are generally what colleges are trying to understand through the application process).
Middle school is a transformative period in life, during which students can:
Develop good (and bad) habits with things like study techniques, communication skills, time-management practices, and community-navigation skills
Be exposed to subjects that shape the classes they take (or are allowed to take) in high school like pre-algebra or other electives
Introduce them to hobbies, both directly in school or from friends
Get started in volunteer and community service activities
Reflect on what is important to them
Start exploring future career possibilities and interests
All of the above really impact the direction each student takes in high school, which is why it’s important to take a few minutes to think about your middle school experience: While colleges don’t typically look at the grades you received during your time in middle school, that doesn’t mean that the grades you finished with or what you did in middle school should be downplayed or are irrelevant.
So, how do middle school grades affect college applications?
Again, middle school grades don’t directly play a role in college applications, so if you’re worrying about that B+ you might have gotten in Language Arts, you can stop. Colleges won’t be checking your grades from that far back, but keep in mind your experiences in middle school play an indirect role in the college application process by influencing the path a student takes in high school.
Let’s take a few minutes to break down what colleges do look at in college applications: Grades, GPA, Test Scores, writing, and more.
Grades and GPA
One thing colleges do look at are your high school grades and GPA. Both of these metrics, which take four years to build, are strongly taken into consideration when deciding if a student will be admitted. Admission officers are looking at the rigor of your high school classes, as well as your academic achievement in subjects throughout your entire high school career. Think of your courses and grades as a road map of your high school journey. The further along in your journey, the more challenging and rigorous your classes should become. Competitive grades and GPA are a sign of your will, resilience, and so much more, which is why they are so heavily weighted in the application process.
Test Scores
Another thing some colleges look at are your AP, SAT and ACT tests scores—hello endless hours of studying. Even though there is a shift towards Test-Optional and Test-Blind in college applications, both the SAT and ACT test scores are used as tools to measure a student’s skills and academic knowledge. That means it might be in your best interest to plan, study, and prep for these standardized tests. If you crush the SAT or ACT on your first try, that’s great! If you think there’s room for improvement, take some time to reflect on the exam and determine what you need to do in order to score better the second time around.
Writing
There are several different writing prompts required in college applications, ranging from the Personal Statement to various supplemental essays, all dependent on the school you’re applying to. Whether you’re writing your Personal Statement, responding to a Why Us Supplemental Essay, or figuring out how to navigate the Why Major Supplemental Essay with an undecided major, there’s no better time than the present to think about How to Write a College Essay.
And More
Colleges also look at the different activities you’ve participated in during your high school years. The different volunteer, community service, and extracurricular activities you did will be submitted in the Activities List in your college application. These activities are a chance to not only show off all of the amazing things you’ve experienced in high school, but also a nice opportunity to include more of your values, skills, qualities, and interests. If you do find yourself questioning whether you should include an activity from middle school, ask yourself how relevant this activity is to who you are today, or to the activities you participated in during high school. While it’s not alway recommended, sometimes including an activity you’ve been doing for a long time, say something you started in 5th grade and continued to do until 10th grade, is okay! This can let the admission officer know just how into that activity you really are.
The Additional Information Section and the Covid Additional Information Section are also two important parts of the college application that are taken into account. These sections provide you with an opportunity to discuss and provide more context for the different opportunities, challenges, and moments in your life that are essential in understanding who you are today. These two sections are optional, so don’t feel obligated to write something down! But, if you do have something you want to further discuss, consider using the Additional/Covid Information Section to do so.
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Pro Tip: If you want to see what weight a college gives different aspects of the application, type “[that college’s name] Common Data Set” into your favorite search engine. Almost every college submits data to the Common Data Set, in which they specify the relative importance of different parts of the application are to them. For example, here’s Stanford’s CDS for 2021-2022, and on page 12, they clarify what’s important to them and what isn’t. (E.g., Academic rigor in high school, very important, religious affiliation, not considered at all, etc.)
What can students do in middle school to help with college applications?
Have fun! No, really: Explore as many things as you can and see what you like. Sit down with your family and reflect on your hobbies, what works for you, what makes you happy, what you’re curious about, and how you can continue to grow as a person.
Middle school is the time to focus on your personal growth and development, explore your curiosities, and create a foundation for high school.
Take a step back from focusing on grades and instead work on solving challenges you might be facing inside and outside of the classroom. Try to understand how your situation (positive or negative) is impacting you mentally, physically, and emotionally, and use this sense of awareness to continue to improve yourself. Bad study habits? Research time-management tips. Missing deadlines? Try using a daily planner. Unsure about what volunteer activity you want to participate in? Try both and see which one you enjoy more.
Take the time in middle school to explore courses, clubs, and other extracurricular activities you might be interested in. Let your curiosity lead the way as you figure out what is truly important to you.
If you’re unsure of what skills and values are important to you, consider taking the Values Exercise. Once you’ve identified your top values, think about the different ways you can pursue those values. Explore the extracurricular options that might help you continue developing your values or join activities that can help you develop skills you might not already have (or do both!).
This is especially helpful for students to do if they already have an idea of what they want to do for their future career. If you want to be a doctor, why not get involved in something related to healthcare? Or if you want to be a lawyer, think about activities you can participate in to give you a better understanding of what the field requires of you and what it is like. Every experience is an opportunity to learn more about yourself, your wants, and your needs.
So when do middle school grades matter?
Middle school grades impact the direction and course load each student takes in high school. For example, a student that consistently gets good grades in middle school math sets themselves up for higher level math and science in high school. Similarly, a student that enjoys their middle school art classes might consider continuing art classes in high school.
Students that are able to take honors classes in middle school might be able to take higher level high school courses, while some high schools offer high school classes to middle school students. Both of these paths allow the student to build up their high school academic resume, starting with their hard work in middle school.
So how can you improve your middle school grades?
Create effective and positive study habits. Habits take time, so be sure to practice patience and experiment with what does and doesn’t work for you. Create a study plan that eliminates distractions, make sure you take quality notes in class, and engage in transparent and honest conversations with your teachers.
If possible, find subject-specific tutors to work with. There are several online companies that offer tutors based on budgets and experiences. If you find a tutor that you really connect with, try meeting with them a few times and see how it impacts your grades and study habits.
Take advantage of free resources. Check out your local or school library. Explore online resources like Khan Academy. The internet is at your fingertips: it’s up to you to explore it and see what you find!
Didn’t see the information you were looking for? Check out A Family’s Handbook to College Admissions for more information.
Special thanks to Kaila Barber for writing this blog post.
Kaila Barber (she/her) attended the University of Notre Dame, where she pursued her passion for science, as well as competed as a collegiate hurdler. She completed a minor in Education, Schooling, and Society, a B.S. in PreProfessional Science, and a M.S. in Global Health. Now she serves as a member on CEG’s Quality Control, Essay Review, Workshop, and one-on-one coaching team. Kaila loves gardening, watching anime, and reading mystery novels.
Top Values: Adventure, Growth, Patience
