Stop Me From Jumping The Gun! - Page 3

Pizzagirl · 07-03-2009, 05:14 PM

INTJ and that's me, exactly. I keep thinking ... isn't there SOMETHING I can do? register for something? fill out something? plan a visit? The idea of not knowing until May of your senior year where you're going would drive me nuts! Don't you want to know in December so you can plan?

marite · 07-03-2009, 05:24 PM

Pizzagirl:

Actually, is there a reason to start planning in December? Planning what? May, June, July, August....

'rentof2 · 07-03-2009, 05:50 PM

I didn't find it all so intense once we had a schedule in mind. Just do one thing, then the next. Stay aware of deadlines.

I think junior year for my son was pretty concentrated, but not so much in senior year. One thing about applying ED is that if you're successful, that's it. You're done.

I enjoyed supporting my kids through that whole process.

INFJ, here... but with strong T battling it out with the F.

menloparkmom · 07-03-2009, 05:55 PM

"isn't there SOMETHING I can do? "
Take a deep breathe. Seriously. Take the advise of a former helicopter mom [ who also LOVES to plan ahead] and pull back. Your worrying will NOT help your Jr's if there is all this free-floating anxiety around them. It's summer. Let it go for a while[ difficult, I know]

mom in virginia · 07-03-2009, 06:09 PM

Also remember that you are modeling for them how to handle this process. If you are anxious and hovering, they'll think this is a huge deal with only one right path. Nope, lots of great schools out there and they'll likely get into one (if they are realistic about safeties).

Pizzagirl · 07-03-2009, 06:46 PM

That's why I'm venting to you guys and not bringing it up to them :-)

menloparkmom · 07-03-2009, 08:22 PM

^^ very smart Pizzagirl!

ReadyToRoll · 07-03-2009, 08:45 PM

ENFJ here. I'll tell you what you can do.

Look into SAT tutoring for the fall. If your child is a good tester and may possibly be a "one and done" on the SATs, consider having him take them in December. And if not, that will give him plenty of time to take them again, thus completing the testing by the end of junior year. (You would be surprised at how many kids don't take the SATs until May, and then have to take them again in senior year...and who wants to do that since you will be sending out your apps in August...lol....)

You might possible want to do the SAT tutoring this summer, because then it may impact your child's PSAT score and that may make the difference between NMSF and not. (I'm making huge assumptions here, but I'm assuming since you are so anxious to get going, that your child must be a really strong student, tester, or both....)

And...you can certainly visit colleges this summer!

Happy planning!!

Marian · 07-03-2009, 08:52 PM

Quote:

The idea of not knowing until May of your senior year where you're going would drive me nuts! Don't you want to know in December so you can plan?

As the parent of a student who applied and was accepted ED, I can tell you that there is really only one significant advantage in terms of planning -- you know the climate the student is going to, so you may be able to obtain some seasonal clothing at end-of-season sales.

Other than that, I would be more concerned that the student who knows where they're going in December might regret it by May. ED is only a good option when the student knows for sure that this will not happen. In my daughter's case, the school she chose for ED was very similar to all the others on her list and was in a geographic area that she preferred over the others on her list. Thus, she felt (and I agreed) that regrets were unlikely.

mom in virginia · 07-03-2009, 09:25 PM

Again, this comes to knowing your kid. My DS likes to mull things over and consider his options. He waited til nearly May 1 to decide. My nephew, on the other hand, likes to control what he can and wants things orderly--he did ED. Both are happy and looking forward to their freshmen years--neither can quite understand how the other can operate they way they do.

menloparkmom · 07-03-2009, 09:51 PM

"You might possible want to do the SAT tutoring this summer, because then it may impact your child's PSAT score and that may make the difference between NMSF and not."
I agree. I did have my son do a little SAT tutoring the summer before his Jr year for that very reason. He had taken the PSAT as a sophomore, and his score would have been juuuuust shy of qualifying for NMF. His 2nd PSAT score shot up and he qualified for NMF with ease. His following SAT scores validated his NMF standing.
This was very smart planning on my part[ if I do say so myself!]

dmd77 · 07-03-2009, 10:01 PM

Here's a different take on the PSAT. If you really need a merit scholarship based on the PSAT (and there are many), take the SAT BEFORE the PSAT. The PSAT score will probably be higher that way.

jym626 · 07-04-2009, 12:16 AM

menlo--
Ditto! DS did some of his tutoring (really vocab tweaking and strategy formation) in the summer-- then finished after school began, and had the same outcome as your s.

Never thought about the SAT before the PSAT. That seems tough, but I understand your reasoning. The studnet would probably not want the scores released til they saw them, and with the new possibilities with that with teh SAT, that could work.

menloparkmom · 07-04-2009, 02:35 AM

Taking a 3.5 hour test in order to prepare for a 2 hr test? And having to get up early on an Sat morning to boot? I know that my kid would have said no way!

Pizzagirl · 07-04-2009, 10:38 AM

I looked into the cost of private tutoring and it's insane -- thousands of dollars. Not going to do it. They can take the $229 test prep classes offered by our local comm college.