Parents of the HS Class of 2015 - Page 118

herandhisMom · 11-14-2012, 07:35 PM

mihcal1, nice trips!! Great to hear your D1 is doing so well in college! I often think about what D.'s first year in college will be like... Heard some stories about high school straight As going to college, getting Cs and Ds. If they don't learn how to work independently and have good time management skills, that first year by themselves will be tough.

tripleamom · 11-14-2012, 10:51 PM

3girls,Thank you.What is MFA track?D might chose lit. analysis if she wantsnto go down this path in her senior year.I looked at the college website,the program is a combined program BA/BS.You finish three years of liberal arts at scripps and they have a guaranteed admission at Harvey Mudd or columbia university for 2 years for engineering.

Mihcal1,that's true.The kids have not yet tried all the subjects.But D loves English lit. and writing comes naturally to her.And she thinks majoring in English will give her a wide range of options in her graduate program.It is early to decide now,but this maybe a good beginning to explore the college options.

Especially,with us from another country and D being the first child to go college here,wehave a lot to learn and research ourselves.There are so many options here.It is overwhelming sometimes.Back in my country everthing was predetermined even in HS we have a science track,Accounts track,pure science track and engineering track.
Both the systems have their pros and cons.
momsings,sure your S has a busy weekend.All the best to him for his perrformances.

mayhew · 11-14-2012, 11:39 PM

Pepper03 - I've been meaning to jump in to say how much I love the "Whack A Mole" analogy - it's perfect!
D1 is fully immersed in life as a happy college sophomore, which I think helps D2 think ahead in a positive & realistic way about college. So strange to think that this summer, we will start to look around at certain colleges, and begin her "tour".....

helpsilteplait · 11-15-2012, 06:46 PM

@herandhis, yes I've heard stories like that too - many good students in high school may need some time to adjust once they get into college.

D. will have an All State band audition this weekend. she got in last year, really enjoyed the experience. She's been working hard on her pieces. But this year it's more difficult since she is with a group of 10 - 12 graders. (In our state, 9th graders still try out for junior band.)

mihcal1 · 11-16-2012, 08:59 PM

GoAskDad -- Finding an affordable school doesn't necessarily limit you to in-state publics. There are private schools that offer great merit aid to high-stat students. There's a terrific thread right now about that: Where to get Merit aid? It also gives tips for talking to one's kid about college affordability. Especially check out what nellieh says in post #92.

STEMFamily · 11-17-2012, 03:22 PM

S15 and D13 both had their All-State auditions this week too. They've both been in before and we will be on pins and needles expecting the results to come out early next week. S was very disappointed that he didn't make the top band at his high school so he was really on a mission to prove himself. I REALLY hope he will be happy with the results.

suzy100 · 11-18-2012, 08:27 PM

Fingers crossed for the kids waiting for audition results!

3girls3cats · 11-18-2012, 08:42 PM

Tripleamom, MFA is a master of fine arts. D's friends who have or are pursuing this degree are willing to live the starving artist life, at least for now. They've either gone to artists' colonies to write (yes, there really are such things!), sought grants, or taken jobs as editors or teachers while also writing on their own.

Good luck to all those waiting for All State results!

STEMFamily · 11-18-2012, 10:12 PM

Happy to report that S was ecstatic with the All-State results

. He beat three out of the 4 who beat him for the top band at his school so he is flying high. Doesn't know how he is going to sleep tonight. And now he doesn't really even care about being in the lower band at school! Course he also says he's too excited to do any homework. D13 was also happy with her placement

mihcal1 · 11-19-2012, 12:01 AM

^^^ WooHoo! to STEMFamily's S!

tripleamom · 11-19-2012, 02:35 AM

Congrats STEMFamily.

3girls3cats,i am sure D won't choose that path for her career.Thats the reason she wants the engineering degree as a fall back.

Threesdad · 11-19-2012, 12:08 PM

Field hockey season finished on Friday. D's team lost in overtime in the State semi-finals. No tears. It was a grwat season, with the team going 18-4.

Two of the three captians are off to play collegeiate athletics - one will play lacrosse at Catholic Universaity & the other Field Hockey at Penn. Captian #3 is waiting on college acceptances currently and may not compete intercollegiately.

No school this week as its Thanksgiving break. The DD will catch up on her sleep and schoolwork.

Maxwellequations · 11-19-2012, 01:24 PM

Congrats to STEM!!

D. tried out for All State band as well. She got into the finals room. In our state auditions, they first get through the first round selection to get into the finals room. Then they play something for the judges in the finals room. will have to wait for about 2 weeks to hear about the final selection. At least finals room is an achievement.

We also went to an information meeting for a summer program at London, which sounds really attractive.

OHMomof2 · 11-19-2012, 01:55 PM

Great news Stemfamily! And Threesdad - that's a great record!

---

I'm looking for a little guidance.

Has anyone's child done an independent study? Our HS allows it, there are official forms and requirements. My S did one in music - jazz - with a group of 6 kids. They met weekly on their own, performed at all school concerts, wrote some original pieces. But it was a different kid in the group who dealt with the paperwork with the school.

D wants to do one in neuroscience. She studied it last summer @Brown but wants to go a little further with it. She has time this winter, not during school but after, because she isn't playing club volleyball this year. She approached her Chemistry teacher about it and he agreed to mentor her, but the school administration says he is not qualified - he's not specifically trained in neuro (also, he's a new teacher, which is probably why he's interested in doing it...not burned out yet).

But he is qualified to teach high school science, obviously, he's her "pre-Chem II" teacher (comparable to honors chemistry) and he's willing to learn any neuro-specific stuff he doesn't already know along with her.

At this point they want her to get a mentor from a LAC in our town instead, which means it's no longer an independent study but a "credit flex" which has a whole different set of requirements. And she'll have to find a professor at this LAC who is willing to work with her.

I've stayed out of it so far, other than talking with her about it, but her counselor emailed me today to tell me they were not approving the teacher, so now I'm sort of in it. I responded to her counselor see what the options are, and pushed back a little against the idea that this teacher can't be her mentor.

If any of you guys have had any experience with this I'd love to hear it. I'm a little annoyed that they sort of shot her down after she put herself out there to get this rolling.

twomoose · 11-19-2012, 02:12 PM

Sorry to hear that, OHMomof2.

My kids' school allows independent studies, but the plan must be approved as well.

I wonder if the biology teacher at your D's school would be willing to mentor her in neuroscience. I can understand the school's reluctance to let a chemistry teacher mentor neuroscience, which is more related to biology than chemistry. Or could modify the proprosal to a more chemistry-oriented topic such a biochemistry? I hope she and the school can agree on the proposal - it sounds like a great idea.