<p>Linymom and IrishDoctor…my S1 is also seriously looking at doing a summer program (classes or internship) in England next summer, or possible a semester during the following year. He’ll be exploring options in the fall. I may be getting in touch w/ you too…</p>
<p>It’s been mentioned previously in the long history of this thread, but it bears repeating. Reading “the Blessing of a B-” by Wendy Mogel will certainly resonate (and maybe even make you feel better about your under-achievers). It’s allowed me to take a deep breath and realize that from here on out, DD is responsible for her own future (and the sooner that lesson is learned the better) Having been an under-achiever myself, sometimes a parent has to step away.</p>
<p>Thank you all. Reckon’ I should have read Dr. Mogel’s book a couple of years ago.</p>
<p>chocchipcookie: My oldest D is a junior in college and my other D is the junior in HS. Thanks for the inquiry.</p>
<p>@momom02</p>
<p>Yes- junior year finals are an incredibly stressful time! I think all the kids know (whether they show it or not) how important those junior year grades will be for college admission. I remember my oldest daughter broke down in tears because her French teacher handed her corrections on an essay right before finals period. It was like the straw that broke the camel’s back! I would try to resist the urge to “nag” or “remind” because that might just pile on more stress, but be supportive and reassuring. Tell your child to do his best and it will all be ok! :)</p>
<p>For all the Elon fans here… another ranking you will love. Guess who is #1?</p>
<p>[The</a> 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses - Prettiest Universities](<a href=“http://www.thebestcolleges.org/most-beautiful-campuses/]The”>http://www.thebestcolleges.org/most-beautiful-campuses/)</p>
<p>Momom2, from my experience, which is limited to one dd and her friends, junior year is the most stressful for the kids. Finals that count SATs and ACTs thrown into the mix. But, beware, senior year is the most stressful for the parents! Trying to get the kids to focus on their essays, the applications, any portfolios drove us crazy. Someone here said that you don’t want to nag too much, because as parents we should want to have a good last year with our kids. I kept this in mind as much as possible.</p>
<p>NYer. Thanks for the reminder about Blessings of a B-. I have not read it, but want to before dd goes off to college and I freak out about her grades!</p>
<p>Phillymom & momom…let’s just say I’ve been MORE than blessed with B- (and more than our share of C’s and the occasional F. Ouch). But it looks like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.</p>
<p>I hope you are all out enjoying the spring weather (actually feels like summer here today)!</p>
<p>I spoke to sixth graders at our middle school this morning for Career Day. I told each group to study now and get the best grades they can in middle school and high school so they can have choices after that. I couldn’t help myself!</p>
<p>They were actually pretty attentive about the career talk. I was only taken aback once – when I was talking about meeting scientists, one student asked me if I knew Albert Einstein. I said, “Do I look that old?” (he was probably thinking, “yes, in fact, you do”). Anyway, it was better than when I spoke to a HS class a few years ago - they were concerned about what kind of car I drive…</p>
<p>Well AP week is over here. Now to motivate my DS for the last month of this marking period, which means, get him to work as hard in the classes he doesn’t like as he does in the classes he likes. I’m so tired of this. Ready for the summer.</p>
<p>Director of Guidance, who I saw at Career Day, suggested that if DS is home this summer, he should take a class at the local CC. He can take something he likes AND it looks good to colleges. The HS has an arrangement with the CC so it is easy (and very inexpensive) to make happen. DS kind of rolled his eyes when I told him, but I really like this idea and so does DH… The Dir of Guidance surprised me by remembering DD (graduated in a class of 470 in 2010) and also remembering how she got all her college apps in really early (um, yeah, of course she did and so will DS).</p>
<p>Hope you all have a good night. I’m off to a comedy show and can really use the laughs…</p>
<p>Comm. College courses are a good idea. Both of my D’s did it. Also took two classes each semester of senior year. Agree with guidance counselor that colleges do like seeing it. Especially if your child does not have a lot of AP classes…</p>
<p>LINYMOM, I’ve got one of each. One kid thinks he should get the highest grade in every course and just won the award as the outstanding junior in what is likely the largest department at his elite college. He has a higher average in college than in HS where his severe dyslexia held him from perfect grades. Then my second shoots for good enough. But, she is maturing. While the first semester was stressful and shaky, she switched to nursing from biology (and from Canada to the US) because she is much more motivated by things that have to do with people and seem practically useful. It is a really good career fit. She knows she needs a C+ average in her science classes to stay in the nursing program. She knows she needs a B+ average in her nursing courses to be guaranteed admission into the Nurse Practitioner advanced degree. So, she got 4 A’s and a Pass in a language course she took Pass/Fail, but it turns out she had the highest grade in that class. This is the best semester she’s ever had. Clear needs and more practical courses combined to make her push to perform. Maybe a more practical set of courses might be more motivating to some of our B students.</p>
<p>As this is a Jewish students thread with an Irish doctor, a quick Jewish/Irish story. ShawWife went to an art colony on the West Coast of Ireland a few times. When ShawD was younger, she would take ShawD and enrolled her for 3 weeks or a month in the local school, which was taught by nuns. One year, the kids in her grade were preparing for first communion (I think, but could have been something else). ShawWife said to the nun, she’ll be happy to do whatever you ask, but she doesn’t know anything about Catholic customs. The nun said, “Why not?” ShawWife said, “She’s Jewish.” The nun looked at ShawD who has dark brown hair, pale skin with freckles, and bright blue eyes (hard to exaggerate how bright they are) and said, “She can’t be Jewish. She looks just like us.” [I think ShawWife and ShawD were the first Jews they had ever met.]</p>
<p>Just checking in to say hi…I don’t seem to stop by too often but D2 just finished her freshman year–I joined this thread with her in mind. I believe she was in 10th grade then and a B student…ended up with an upward trend and had about a 3.6 gpa and had a fabulous year at Bucknell.</p>
<p>Now D3 is a 10th grader and, momom, I can relate! (I LOVE your son’s response to your text!) No APs as a sophmore but all the end of the year projects and finals, along with confirmation (and the classes/rehearsals leading up to it) as well as end of the year Jewish philanthropy project she’s involved with–she’s exhausted and it’s hard to stay on top of everything. At least her sport just ended so she’ll now get home at 4 rather than 6:30. She definitely doesn’t want my concern/questions/intervention but, as someone else mentioned, it’s my job! Definitely trying to keep comments to a minimum but she’s likely on the cusp of grades and, after going through the search with her older sibs, I know how nice it would be for her to have those grades land on the upside rather than the downside…</p>
<p>Best of luck to all those with finals ahead of them and welcome home to those with college kids who are done!</p>
<p>Hi collage!</p>
<p>So glad D2 had such a great year at Bucknell! I can hardly wait for S to start there in August.</p>
<p>MY DD is going into 9th grade and we are having a disagreement about course selection. I was hoping that some of the helpful regulars on this thread could lend a hand. DD has heard from others that colleges look favorably on keeping any activity going for 4 years and that she should only start in a program if she expects to take 4 years of it. Starting with this mindset, she is looking at – in addition to the core academic program – taking 4 years of marketing classes, so that she can participate in the DECA club. While I am sure that the DECA club is a worthwhile extra-currricular activity, I am concerned that 4 years of marketing classes would take too much space in her schedule and crowd out room for additional academic classes that are not part of the core program (statistics, computer science, European history, psychology, etc.) or music.</p>
<p>Which choice would you recommend to optimize admission chances.</p>
<p>A - 4 years music
B - 4 years marketing (with participation in the DECA club)
C - one year of music, one year of marketing and 2 additional core academic classes.</p>
<p>tjdad2001-</p>
<p>The more selective colleges look at the rigor of courses, and ideally prefer a student to take 5 major courses each term: math, english, science, history, foreign language; and- if your school offers honors/AP courses, taking those adds to the students “rigor.” I don’t think electives like music and marketing “count” much in college admissions.</p>
<p>Another thing colleges say they are looking for is a student with a “passion”–something that they pursue outside regular academics, be it a sport, hobby, music, etc. Is marketing her passion? If so, perhaps she can show that by out of school activities- summer jobs, internships, maybe starting her own business? </p>
<p>I wonder how she has come to know in 8th grade that marketing is what she wants to do. Are other family members involved in this career? From a parent’s point of view, it seems very early to have focused in so narrowly. Maybe you can encourage her to explore other subjects in order to broaden her experiences?</p>
<p>I see that Ruth Messinger from American Jewish World Service was commencement speaker at Elon! Awesome.</p>
<p>That’s very cool, lisztserve!</p>
<p>tjdad2001, music courses can weigh favorably for a musician (with demonstrated musical achievement, and culminating in AP Music Theory), or it can be considered a filler class for a non-musician. Marketing is not usually a course considered “academically rigorous.”</p>
<p>Lots of good elon stuff, thanks liny and list.</p>
<p>liny, us open will be right after dropping S off at elon. i will need a big pick me up and i think rafa and you will be just the thing! will get day tix sometime the first week. u there all week? anyone else at the open from cc?</p>
<p>IMPORTANT TIP: for those who might remember a discussion about rolling duffles and college move in/storage, Amazon is offering 20% off. promo code: luggage1 not sure for how long and if it is on all, but check it out. just got the offer in email today.</p>
<p>Here is the link for those that are 20%. I still think i will order a different style, but you may like.</p>
<p>tjdad2001 - For 9th grade, they should take their basic academic classes (at whatever rigor is recommended for them by previous teacher - at least that’s how it’s done at our school) plus whatever they are interested in.</p>
<p>samtalya - For US Open, I am going on Mon/Tues/Thurs during the first week (with DS). It is a great pick-me-up after a college drop-off! I can vouch for that! If anyone else is going, PM me and we can exchange cell phone #'s and meet up there.</p>