<p>jaynebe - can’t wait to hear how your Elon visit goes! You know that’s what I am rooting for!</p>
<p>dreamer11 - welcome and congratulations on the Birthright trip. My son has not gone yet - maybe next year. If you look back to December on this thread - you will find many posts about Birthright - as several people had students on the winter trip.</p>
<p>On Freshman Connection at MD - one of the positives that I hear is that those kids tend to bond together and become very friendly. Especially since they are generally living in one of the apartments right off campus. I have also heard the they like the ability to sleep in - and then take afternoon/evening classes in the fall - and that those sections are sometimes less crowded than a more “prime time” section. I think getting Freshman Connection is more of an emotional slap - that MD has downgraded you from a full acceptance to spring - but once you get past that aspect of it - a very viable option. Many times kids who get Freshman Connection are also waitlisted for the fall - although I don’t recall knowing anyone who got off that waitlist. Students who are FC do have full use of campus facilities - gym and so forth - and can join and participate in clubs. So - it really just boils down to having to live off campus or commute for at least the fall semester - and being limited to classes in the afternoon/evening for the fall semester.</p>
<p>ddahwan: From what I know about colleges, they do want to see continued rigor of classes during senior year, so yes, if a student took AP classes as a junior and had the opportunity to take them as a senior, it would matter. How much importance is placed on the classes and test scores- I think it varies from school to school, but I think most colleges look to see if a student has challenged him/herself and expect this to continue through senior year. Senior year scores would not be available until long after admission, but are used for placement/credit.
I’m also in the camp of the student pacing him/herself as well as taking classes of personal interest. I guess it’s best to talk to the guidance counselor and colleges of interest to see how that would affect admission.</p>
<p>jaynebe–I was so busy on my AP soapbox that I forgot to say that I’m sorry you didn’t have a positive experience at Accepted Students day last Friday. It is a large school for sure, but no excuse not to personalize the experience to whatever extent is possible. Good luck at Elon! I can’t wait to hear how that goes. BIG difference from UMD in so many ways. </p>
<p>DeskPotato–Everyone gets UMD apps in by November 1–that date is drilled into our kids. Just stiff competition. </p>
<p>This is sorta kinda off topic but inspiring (to me!) Someone on another thread said “bloom where you’re planted.”–first time I heard it and it resonated lol! Then our tour guide on Saturday said “you can make a large school feel smaller but you can’t make a small school feel larger.” Others had heard it before but I hadn’t. Food for thought…</p>
<p>My S2, currently a h.s. junior, is not taking any AP’s this year. He is taking just two honors in Math & Science. Next year as a senior is when he will take AP’s for the first time and will be taking 3. Oy, hope it works out ok!! </p>
<p>Liny: correct me if I’m wrong, but for kids going into the engineering field I don’t believe it matters as much about AP exams…my impression is that most schools frown upon AP credit and want you to take THEIR colleges courses, even if they are a repeat to what was taught in h.s. so that the child has a strong review of the material. They may accept one or maybe two AP credits, but overall they seem to discourage transferring too many AP’s over to college. Isn’t that right??</p>
<p>^^Cheermom: my kids would sleep until 12noon if I let them which I believe they have done once or twice…I usually wake them up by saying “Good evening”!</p>
<p>Chochipcookie: I have always been of the mindset that my kids should take the classes in HS that challenge them appropriately, whether that was honors or AP. They need a rigorous schedule, within their own capabilities. They need to keep learning, to not be bored in school. I was never looking at it for college credit. Delaware accepted the score of 3 for credit, so DD walked in with 6 AP credits. Even if DS gets great scores this year, I don’t think it will change the curriculum he will pursue in engineering - it’s really all decided for him already - not too many choices. Definitely not looking to skip college level classes, even if they are intro classes. It’s going to be hard, so he needs a good foundation. Maybe they will count as elective credits (but not to test out of required classes) - that’s pretty much what happened with DD’s AP credits.</p>
<p>If a school does the housing lottery or registration according to how many credits you have, then I suppose it could really help to walk in with a lot of AP credits.</p>
<p>Do you have a B student who tests great and could go for more selective schools with a super-rigorous schedule (and wants those schools) or a B student with more average test scores? What’s the target? What are the goals? Work backwards from there.</p>
<p>For majors like engineering, physics, computer science- there are programs that do not accept AP credits and want all students to take their introductory classes. However, many students at more rigorous programs have taken the AP class in high school, so your student may be in a class with these students. If the student has an interest and can do well, it may be good preparation to take the AP class, even if it is not possible to place out by exam in college. I’m not familiar with many engineering programs, but I think the more rigorous ones expect a student to have taken AP Calculus in senior year.
I agree with Linymom to let the student choose his/her level of rigor- as long as he or she is being personally challenged- as well as apply to the college he/she is most likely to be prepared and successful at- and look at those requirements.</p>
<p>In UMiami while they will give the credit for AP Cal AB/BC if the result is a 5 they recommend retaking because they say that Math in college is different than Math in college. I guess engineering requires a strong Math background, so it might not hurt retaking some of it (anyways at this point this is just wishful thinking because AP results will not be available until July).</p>
<p>Cheermom
I think a small school that is part of a consortium or has cross-registration with another school can feel bigger…</p>
<p>One last comment (from me) about AP exams: yes, our school states explicitly that it expects all students in AP classes to take the exams. It’s all about the HS ratings–we’re on the Newsweek and US News lists–but the school doesn’t pay for the exams and really can’t force students to take them. My impression is that seniors are much less likely to take them than sophomores or juniors unless maybe they are trying to get enough college credit to graduate early and know that the college they’ll attend will award credit. Some AP teachers seem pretty desperate to get seniors to take the exam. For example, D’s AP Enviro teacher says he will give an automatic A on his final to anyone who takes the AP. My H found this quite unethical–essentially it’s buying an A for the $95 registration fee. My D did register for that exam, though, so it works! She argued that she’d have less pressure during finals week and could concentrate on her other finals. As I said, she’s a lousy test-taker and midterm and finals weeks are torture for her…</p>
<p>Hi all, just chilling reviewing serveral days of posts superficially after a day of mom undergoing some major surgery.</p>
<p>Chochip: At least at TAMU in Civil engineering taking Calc AP credit is discouraged but by law the school is required to give credit, I’m not sure what the minimal score is. In S’s program we were told that there was no problem waving the chem requirement with AP Chem and even physics if HS physics C was taken with the minimal score. My S didn’t take AP Chem or Physics C so he was out of luck with those. I cannot tell you how valuable the AP Calc has been. It is a double advantage since the Physics classes also require calc, so it really helps not learning it for the first time as you have to apply it to physics. Now that my S has withdrawn from this semester he is still able to keep up with calc to prepare himself for when he goes back. He had considered taking the AP credit to make up for the lost semester but has decided with the challenging courses he had added multivariable calc to the mix might be too challenging so he is hoping to be able to cruise through the calc class that he is now sort of self studing for. </p>
<p>As for honors vs AP Spanish I would say as others have it would depend on the differences in the class and your daughter’s ability in Spanish. In our schools I have heard that it is primarily the native Spanish speakers who pass the AP test. However passing the test is not the only reason to take the class. From my experience many colleges do look for the most rigorous schedule. However if the HS weights honors and AP the same then chances are both count equally for most rigorous schedule. </p>
<p>Cheermom: As for requiring testing, that strikes a nerve with me. While my kids were in school our school began to required AP testing and put teeth in it by not giving students the weight of the class if they didn’t take the test which I think is beyond unfair. The district does subsize the test cost and will pay in full for kids on reduced lunch and subsidize further for families paying for more than 3 tests but the concept is in my opinion utterly ridiculous. While the district will never say so I learned at some meetings that the state honors schools that have close to 100% of kids taking the classes testing. Mind you the reward has nothing to do with how well they do, just that they take the test.</p>
<p>Are any of you familiar with the URJ camp Harlem. S2, now fully recovered from mono just returned from a great weekend there as part of the Olim Fellowship program. He thought it was incredibly beautiful.</p>
<p>On another note, those of you with elderly parents and false teeth. Guard them like a hawk if they go into surgery. Mom left the regular floor for surgery and then ICU. I had taken most everything out of her room but teeth were still in her mouth when I left last night. Fortunately today I thought to go back to her old floor to get them. The nurses began calling the night shift and pre-op when one quick thinking nurse checked the trash. Yup, housekeeping threw them away when they cleaned the room. Now that was a diseaster averted.</p>
<p>I was emailing last week with a Hillel rep, I think from Lehigh (before DS made his decision) and he mentioned that he will be working at Camp Harlam for the second time this summer.</p>
<p>Love the URJ camps. DD can’t wait to get to her camp (Eisner) again this summer - she’s been there as a camper and then staff every summer since 2005, except for the summer she spent in Israel with NFTY and her camp friends!</p>
<p>LINY, exactly the same for S2 who began going in 3rd grade. He wouldn’t even consider going to summer school to catch up after missing this semester. But really I don’t blame him at all and he did commit to counselor this year as part of Olim. So no worries if he graduates a little later. BTW he had a great time at Eisner, last year.</p>
<p>My D really liked Macalester, enjoyed the classes she sat in on, thought the dorms were great, really nice kids, met with a classics professor. The area is very nice, the oldest reform congregation in Minnesota is only a mile away. Active Jewish group on campus. She felt she would definitely be happy there, but we are still going to Wellesley for their accepted students open house, and also going to Reed sometime before the end of the month.</p>
<p>DS, who fits this thread, still trying to decide between Ursinus, Wheaton (MA), Goucher and Hofstra. Claims he is doing more research on the schools, but I doubt it. We are going to try to get to Goucher, which is the only one he hasn’t seen, but very hard to pin him down because in rehearsals for spring play.</p>
<p>This is hard enough with twins, really salute and admire those with triplets!</p>
<p>For many schools AP credits in sciences are just a way to get a heads up on standard Freshman science and math classes so don’t worry about the credit. Easiest AP credits are Economics and Psychology</p>
<p>Both myself and daughter are graduates of Macalester and my son is a graduate of Goucher. I should note that Goucher is more Jewishly active than Macalester but both are fine schools. At Macalester, a student who is interested in Jewish activity is going to have to be more assertive in getting things started.</p>
<p>I am really pleased at how my son grew at Goucher. He went into school interested in education & Chemistry, Decided he really liked Chemistry and did well enough to get most of the prizes. Then he graduated and went into Teach for America. A big plus is Baltimore and the large community of Goucher alums who still are in the city. I also liked the fact that everyone lived on campus all four years as it created a sense of community.</p>
<p>If there is a weakness for Macalester it is the housing situation. Most upper class students end up off campus and that reduces the sense of community at the school. this was a problem in the 1970’s and is a problem today and reflects its landlocked campus. (There is no way for Macalester to build more housing without tearing down a neighborhood. </p>
<p>I should note that my youngest is now considering transferring from community college and is looking at Goucher, Washington College, Clark University, Allegheny College, and Gettysburg, She would have looked at Wheaton but it was too late for her to apply as a transfer. She is very independent and both works 24 hours a week and takes 3 classes. The key for her and all students is being ready to study and finding what they love to study. I wish your twins well in their decision</p>
<p>Many schools will strongly advise or require engineering majors to take the colleges Calculus, physics, etc classes. However, some will allow them to skip the core/basic class and move up to the next level one. Or some schools have an intensive class that packs 2 semesters into one, and students who took the AP class and did well may be encouraged or allowed to take that one. Similar is true for premed students. They will be encouraged or expected (depends ont eh school I think) to retake AP bio, chem, probably physics, etc. The best advandage of the APs is the credit many schools will give that helps a student with adnvaced or preferential registration. My s’s were “listed” on paper as a class higher than they actually were due to AP credits, so they got to register with the class above them. Sweet. Congrats and good luck everyone!!</p>
<p>Jym626- class registration preference is probably the biggest perk of AP. while it does not help much the first semester (at least at UMiami) it will help future ones. My friend’s daughter has a lot more choices (mostly with times and teachers) because she get to register a lot earlier than her friends.</p>
<p>I just wanted to report back about our recent visit to William & Mary. The school had an admitted students day yesterday where current W&M students were paired with one or two admitted students and went to class, walked around, chilled and had lunch, from approx 9:30-2. My S and one other admit were paired with one current student and it worked very well. My S had a good feeling about the school, the casual dress of the students, the “feel” of the campus, the fact that the student body was a varied mix (some preppies, some artist types, hipster types, etc), pretty good food. From our last visit I had remembered W&M as being more preppy (not saying there’s anything wrong with that) but I didn’t get that feeling this time. I didn’t see an overwhelming number of Lacoste, Vineyard Vines, Southern Tides, Ralph Lauren clothing. While he was with the W&M student, we met with a current student who is an officer in W&M’s Hillel. He said that he, personally, had never run into a problem feeling like a minority, nor had he heard of any instances of that happening. He said the administration is very supportive, Passover food was available in the dining halls, they had a well-attended Seder open to all, they have weekly Friday night dinners cooked by the students that ranges in attendance from 10-40 kids, there’s an unaffiliated synagogue directly across the street from the campus. Overall, we left with a very good impression of the school and that our S would fit in well there and should not feel like an outsider. </p>
<p>One other thing I wanted to mention, and I realize it’s off-topic, but I just wanted to bring it up. I know it’s been mentioned before, but it’s very important to try and get the kids to pinpoint at least one or two passions and emphasize those passions in their resumes and, if it works, into their application essays. We tried with each S to make them concentrate on one or 2 interests in their resume and then build on that interest by having a couple of short internships in the summers leading up to 12th grade. For example, one S likes to cook, so he concentrated on that passion by doing a monthly blog, by interning for 2 weeks each in the summers after 10th and 11th grades, one time at a restaurant and the other time at a catering company, and he used that interest in his main common app essay. My only regret is we didn’t start working on that process in 9th grade, we waited until the middle of tenth grade to really get our sons to work on that. It wasn’t a particularly fun process either. Admissions has gotten so competitive, that you need to grab any edge you can get to differentiate your student from the thousands of others applying. I thought the application process was bad 4 years ago, but it was worse this past year, more applicants, lower acceptance rates, I’m really glad we’re done with the college application process.</p>
which I believe they have done once or twice…I usually wake them up by saying “Good evening”!</p>