<p>ExpactCanuk, did your son ever consider Mount Allison? One of my good friends is a dual citizen whose brother is applying to college next year. Curious to know if you considered it, or know anyone that went there?</p>
<p>College4three, I’m sure if your child is that motivated to get into a top tier school than although there may be balking, the test will get taken until
the desired scores are achieved.</p>
<p>Hi whenhen - In fact, my son has been offered a spot at Mount Allison. 
We know it only by reputation, and will be visiting their open house in March (and will proceed on to visit Dalhousie, where he’s also been accepted (and where a high school friend is a math prof.)</p>
<p>BTW, I found [your</a> list of ‘safety’ schools](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/16046396-post34.html"]your”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/16046396-post34.html) to be very helpful (it’s bookmarked in my browser as “whenhen’s list”). My son has also been accepted to one of those schools, deferred (understandably) at still another, and will likely apply to one or two more.</p>
<p>thanks, guys. I can always count on the level heads around here. I will check in frequently and try not to complain too much, although you may hear the heavy sighs from Long Island.</p>
<p>college4three: I know these kids hate testing, but it is so worth the re-testing, especially on the ACT. My DS protested a lot (perhaps you heard the protestations since I am also on Long Island), but he practiced and each time his score went up in the area he had especially focused on. Only on the night that he got his acceptance to his #1 choice with a nice academic scholarship did he tell me it was worth it. </p>
<p>On the other hand, my DD never wanted to practice and she was fine with “good enough.” She’s my B student, but I know she could have done better in HS if she had worked harder. The good part is that she really cares in college and will be graduating this spring. And she made dean’s list 3 out of 7 semesters so far.</p>
<p>Hang in there.</p>
<p>More on the ASA boycott - a statement issued today by Fordham’s Fr. McShane: “As a Jesuit university, Fordham has always been devoted to the pursuit of wisdom and learning, a pursuit that is dependent upon and advanced by spirited, principled debate between and among scholars. Therefore, although the University certainly recognizes and reveres the freedom of conscience of the individual scholars who comprise its faculty, it stands resolutely in opposition to the call for the boycott of Israeli universities recently advocated by the members of the American Studies Association. We believe that boycotts of this kind seriously undermine and hinder the efforts of any intellectual community to fulfill its mission in the service of wisdom and learning.”</p>
<p>C43, when S1 took the SAT junior year he took it cold, no serious prep except for prep for the PSAT, when he went into it I conveyed that this was just to get a baseline of where he is and where to focus attention for future testing. I tried to keep as little pressure on the first outcome as possible. He went into that first test pretty much knowing it wasn’t going to be the last one. BTW for him his score actually went down from the first to second test but he got his highest math score on that second test so in the end the first test though very respectable didn’t count at all. He tested a total of 3 times, all junior year. For each take he had a different focus. The third was overall best and 130 points better than the first. So, if a top school is the goal then more than one take is just part of the process. It may not be the case for all students but it is less pressure that way.</p>
<p>College4three- It is hard to wait on those scores. I don’t have any advice though, because it is out of anyone’s hands. Hopefully they will be fine. If she chooses to take them again, great, but some students feel they have just had enough of it. Just know, that no matter where she ends up, there will likely be top caliber students, and challenging classes.</p>
<p>On another topic- has CC stopped recording new posts under the username? Did I miss some announcement of a change?</p>
<p>Well in another moment of panic registered DS2 to re take the SATs next month. Spent the day doing a practice ACT and decided that was not the path to go.</p>
<p>Also told him he didn’t have to take SAT 2s, but I reserve the right to change my mind again.</p>
<p>And I still want this yrs PSATs.</p>
<p>It’s a good idea to take them (SAT 2) just in case, if he is ready. A good time to take them is right after finishing the course or AP course in the topic. You can take any up to 3, so he may even agree to take 1 or 2 at a time. That way the test session isn’t so long. </p>
<p>Many schools want either ACT or SAT and 2 subject tests. This way, he’s prepared if he decides to apply to a school that requires them.</p>
<p>Pennylane2011 - I know it was much easier with DS 1, he took both at the end of 10th grade (self studied for Chem and Math 2). There are no clear choices for DS 2. All of his APs are English or social sciences (school does not offer AP US and he is not doing AP World). So even with 4 APs by the end of this yr and possibly 7 more next yr, he would have to do a decent amount of self studying with no clear path of doing well. Also, Lit is the most obvious choice and I heard it has a horrible curve. He dropped down to non-honors Spanish 4 this yr, so I don’t think a language is an option. To bad they don’t have SAT 2s in econ or philosophy. The plan was to take the ACTs, but he would have do a lot of prep just to get close to the same range as his current SATs. </p>
<p>It’s ironic, I have advised a lot of my friends’ kids to take SAT2 as earlier as 10th grade and am advising one of my own to possibly not.</p>
<p>That’s a tough one. I have heard that native speakers take the language tests, so it would be hard to compete with that. One I can think of is Math 1, especially if he is going into humanities, so he would not need Math 2. Preparing for that might help with the math SAT too, so it would not be studying an extra subject. There may be overlap with the literature one/CR too. He doesn’t have to decide now, just if he adds schools that require them to his list.
I agree that Saint Mary’s College of MD may be the most affordable choice because of in state tuition. I think FAFSA does consider having 2 kids in college, but in account with your total income.
Elon tuition is lower than many private colleges, but I don’t know about merit aid. There is an Elon Fellows program that he may be eligible for.</p>
<p>expatSon took World History at the end of 10th grade, as he had just completed a second year of World History study.</p>
<p>He came home and complained that no one had warned him about the Ottomans being on the test –
he had to make do with a 780. :)</p>
<p>Similarly, he wrote U.S. History at the end of the 11th grade.</p>
<p>Expat - Did your son end up needing any of the SAT2 scores? DS1 needed them in only a few places ad that was because he was applying to engineering programs.</p>
<p>Just a thought on SAT2’s. The SAT2’s and the SAT are offered at the same time so you can only sit for one or the other but I’m sure you can sit for 2 and possibly 3 SAT2’s on a single date. If the SAT scores are where you want them and you aren’t sure if you are applying to a school that will required the SAT2’s there is no harm in taking them and possible benefit. However if there is still an effort going to raise SAT scores and no clear need for SAT2’s the regular SAT might have a more wide reaching benefit. As was already mentioned many schools will use the ACT or SAT2’s so if the ACT has solid scores again SAT2’s may not be needed. It’s all about strategy, and I’m so glad to be done with this! Good luck to all of you going through it. And always keep in mind that even if things don’t turn out as dreamed things usually do work out. Wonderful students often don’t get into their dream school but life goes on. As is often said, love that safety!</p>
<p>
He didn’t ‘need’ the SAT2 scores for any of the schools to which he has applied thus far, but we thought it prudent because:
- expatSon is much smarter than his (<3.0) GPA suggests, and we wanted something to demonstrate his abilities
- he typically tests well – sometimes very well.
<a href=“e.g.%20-%20he%20initially%20struggled%20through%20AP%20Env.%20Sci,%20earning%20a%20C+%20for%20course%20work%20–%20and%20then%20wrote%20a%2098%%20cumulative%20trimester%20final%20(rather%20surprising%20his%20instructor)”>size=1</a>[/size]</p>
<p>Expat - You are describing DS1 to a tee. For him I looked for schools that valued test scores. He got into 8 of the 9 schools he applied to (waitlisted at Wash U which was a last minute addition because he thought he should have a reach). He also got merit at 7 of the 8 - U Pitt being the exception - near perfect SATs and perfect SAT2s couldn’t get past not being in the top 10%.</p>
<p>Merit at LACs seems so much more complicated - I liked schools with a formula or at least a clear track record like Case Western.</p>
<p>He is retaking the SATs because I know the writing score (which is least important) should go up. It was below his 10th grade PSATs which he didn’t study at all.</p>
<p>New topic/question. Looking for thoughts.
My third child S1, is now a HS freshman. I am moving into new academic territory with this child. He appears to have the highest upside academically. My two D’s were not as accelerated as he appears. As I am in unchartered territory, I have a question for you all.</p>
<p>Looking to sophomore year, What is proper course load for my son? He now takes three honors and Spanish 2 as frosh. With his schedule(varsity sports and Student government) he can take 4 academic classes during the year plus one more in summer school. Is 5 classes the expected load from top schools? What about honors/AP? How many AP’s should he take as a sophomore? Is two ap’s and one honors enough? Is there an art to juggling the load?<br>
Thoughts and suggestions please? Our school has counsellor planning meetings in January. Wanted to get the thoughtful insights from the group. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Hi Socal, good to see you here! Our strategy was very much colored by us living in probably the only state where class rank is so highly regarded. Both of my kids had either sport or band to fit into their schedules and these did take away from the academic possibilities in their schedule. Neither did summer school. My older S took one “regular” class at the start of freshman year because we were concerned about him taking on too much, we were green and this is what was recommended. We quickly learned, at least in our HS that if the student doesn’t need to take a regular class, particularly an academically strong student, the more advanced classes (in our schools honors would be equivalent to preAP) were the way to go. We however had only one AP option for sophomore year with the rest being pre-AP. In our school the advanced classes did a much better job in preparing kids for college and that figured into the decision along with the extra weight that came with these classes that influenced rank. Also, depending on the level of colleges your son looks at, keep in mind that most of the top schools want the GC to indicate that the student took the most rigorous course load that the school offered. From everything we heard schools didn’t penalize kids if they attended a school with few advanced options but that they would be looked at less favorably if they didn’t opt for the rigor that was offered. So to answer your question I would weigh the level of colleges your son is likely to be applying to against what he feels he can do well in. My older S took as many as 4 AP’s concurrently, younger son took up to 2. We also had a dual credit option that younger son went with but that is a whole different discussion. The only thing that I would say is that taking advanced classes that the student cannot do well in is probably not an advantage. It depends a lot on the student. …I don’t know if that helps but this was our experience and neither regretted their course selection choices…with the exception of the one regular class that my older S took.</p>