Middle School Counselors

Middle school is the foundation for a successful high school experiences and the perfect time to start early college planning! Reaching out to students about their future can be a challenging endeavor, but UCanGo2 provides the tools, resources and support you need to make higher education a reality for each and every one of your students.

• Oklahoma's Promise
• Taking the Right Classes
• Making Good Grades
• Building Study Habits
• Exploring Careers
• Middle School Must-Do's
• Personal Finance Matters
• Working with Families

Counselor Center on Oklahoma's Student Portal

Are you working one-on-one or with groups of students to help them prepare for college? Check out the Counselor Center on OKCollegeStart.org for free information and resources. Counselors can set up an account to view student progress, remind students of important deadlines and applications, and help students submit applications and transcripts online through the new Transcript Exchange System.

Oklahoma's Promise

Every student and parent in your school needs to know about Oklahoma’s Promise. This program allows Oklahoma students to earn free college tuition if they meet certain academic and conduct requirements in high school.

Students must apply for the program during the 8th, 9th, or 10th grade (home school students must apply while age 13, 14 or 15), and their family income may not exceed $50,000 at the time of application. Additional income restrictions apply when the student begins college.

Oklahoma’s Promise will pay tuition at an Oklahoma public two-year college or four-year university. It will also cover a portion of tuition at an accredited Oklahoma private college or university or for courses at public technology centers that are approved for credit toward an Associate of Applied Science degree at a public college. Families can apply online at OkPromise.org.

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Taking the Right Classes

If your students plan to attend a public college or university in Oklahoma, they must take certain courses when they enter high school. These courses will prepare them for college and help them learn valuable skills in case they decide to enter the workforce after graduation.

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Making Good Grades

Achieving and maintaining good grades can help students get into a better college, earn a scholarship and achieve their goals. Making good grades doesn’t just happen. Encourage your students to identify one or two subjects in which they need improvement. Help them connect with a passionate teacher or tutor to get the help they need to raise their grade(s).

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Building Study Habits

Students need to develop good study habits early if they want to make good grades now, in high school and later in college. Offer the following tips to help them develop their study skills.

During class

• Listen carefully and ask questions if you don’t understand.
• Take notes and write clearly.
• Write down assignments and due dates.

At home

• Find a quiet place to study and remove any distractions (TV, radio, cell phone, etc.)
• Get in a routine and study throughout the week, at the same time, if possible.
• Organize your desk, papers and supplies.
• Schedule time to study when you’re at your best. Waiting until midnight the night before a big exam isn’t a good idea.
• Study the most difficult subject first. You’ll get it out of the way and be ready to tackle coursework you enjoy or something that comes naturally.

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Exploring Careers

Some students know what career path they’ll choose. They may want to follow in the footsteps of a close family member or they may have excelled in a particular area since early childhood. For others, the process of choosing a profession or major will take more exploration. You can play an important role in this decision-making process by helping them assess their interests and skills.

Investigate Their Interests

As adults, we know it’s not just about what you make; it's equally important to enjoy the work you do. Have your students start their career search by exploring their interests. Have them truthfully answer the following questions and examine their answers.

• What do you like to do?
• What are your hobbies?
• What type of school, church, social or sports activity do you enjoy? Why?
• Do you work after school or on weekends? What do you like most about your job?
• What’s the one thing you would do for the rest of your life, even if no one paid you?

Consider Their Skills

Next, encourage them to think about the specific skills they’ve developed through their extracurricular activities, part-time jobs or volunteer work. Have them complete a chart like the one below outlining their activities and the skills they've developed.

Activity and Skill Chart
Activity	Skill
Example: Yearbook staff	Graphic design/layout Sales Photography Writing

To dig deeper into their likes and dislikes, have them complete the career quiz found at PrincetonReview.com. They’ll need to create a username and password. Also, send them to the Career Center section at OKCollegestart.org for other important career information.

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Middle School Must-Do's

You may already be familiar with UCanGo2's High School checklists, but did you know that we now offer similar tools for middle school students too? Check out our must-do lists for 6th-7th grade students and 8th grade students. They offer tips to help students prepare for high school and start thinking about their plans for higher education.

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Personal Finance Matters

Your students make decisions about money every day. How much to spend and how much to save are important choices in the life of a teen. Help them understand the value in budgeting, saving, managing credit and increasing their earning potential by taking advantage of the free services Oklahoma Money Matters (OKMM) can provide.

OKMM can:

• Locate supplemental materials and activities for classroom instruction.
• Connect you with local financial education providers for classroom presentations.
• Develop financial literacy tools to share with students and parents.
• Develop personal finance content for Web sites and newsletters.

For more information, visit OklahomaMoneyMatters.org or call 405.234.4457 (local) or 800.970.OKMM (toll-free).

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Working with Families

As a guidance counselor, you have a very important job! You know what it takes to get your students ready for and excited about college, and you serve as a trusted source of information for them and their parents. Parents have unique concerns about sending their child to college. Whether it’s a financial or personal concern, you can empower parents with the tools they need to make college a reality for their child. To learn new ways to break the ice, check out our Parent Talking Points tool that helps you address common concerns many middle school parents have. While you're at it, download our middle school parent flyer that outlines the steps parents must take to ensure their student is on the right track toward higher education.

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Check out these helpful materials!