This webinar reframes 8th grade as the real starting line for competitive admissions and serious merit—especially for Black families who already understand selectivity and status, but have not been given a four‑year, merit‑aware playbook that starts before high school officially begins. You’ll see how course tracking, early summers, and identity‑aligned leadership choices in 8th–10th grade quietly determine which schools will both admit your child and pay for them in a post‑affirmative‑action landscape.