<p>AP Lit today for S2. Is more worried about the MC than the commentaries/analysis. He looked at some of the CB practice writing passages and was confident (after three years of IB English, I’d expect so!).</p>
<p>Mathmom, if S2 disgrees with the USH text, good for him. As long as he can defend it on the test, I wouldn’t worry. BTW, congrats on the nice comments about your green garage design!</p>
<p>I paid the $8 last year for scores because <em>I</em> couldn’t wait for the paper report (confessions of an anxious mom!). Both Ss were content to wait, but humored me and called for the scores.</p>
<p>S’s Econ teacher gave the kids some old IB exams on Monday – good stuff. Think he will do well, though he hasn’t begun to study. The teacher has done some review in class, and he got a 5 on an old AP Micro exam. He is very chilled out now that testing is underway. Not sure what’s up with that, but it beats a surly grouch any day.</p>
<p>FindAPlace - nice that you get a gradual lessening of the stress in your home. I’m a little surprised that the change in D’s stress level is so noticeable, given that she still has 3 APs to get through. I’m not complaining though - because she’s more relaxed, I’m more relaxed, and that means that H and S will be happier too.</p>
<p>scualum - it’s really crazy that CA does their standardized testing now. NY doesn’t give those tests past 8th grade, probably because NY has required Regents exams. But standardized testing is usually done in January or March here.</p>
<p>Time to get working on a Mother’s Day gift for my mom. H takes care of his own.</p>
<p>Ds is very chill about it all, but he’s chill about everything so I’m not surprised. He did tell me the other day that the only thing he hasn’t liked about HS is how junior year has been “all about making yourself look good for college.” :(</p>
<p>For the CA standardized tests, our HS doesn’t offer individual boosts to class grades. That’s certainly a direct incentive! In prior years, they have said they’d given some kind of class (e.g. freshman, sophomore) year party, if certain benchmarks were achieved. Many did so two years ago. Last year, there was less forward movement. </p>
<p>You’re right, though. The kids who are most likely to bring those standardized scores up are the ones sweating bullets as they study for one or multiple APs. My S has backloaded APs this year, so he doesn’t get his first until APUSH tomorrow. Based on results from practice tests, it’s lookin’ good. He has a good teacher.</p>
<p>QM - yikes! My D only started studying this week, so I’m sure she understands how your D feels - but she also wants to do well, so despite the stress, she’s making some effort now.</p>
<p>CD - Good luck to your S. I’m sure he’ll do a great job!</p>
<p>I did not pay the $8 for the AP Score last year - it was only one, and I was fairly confident that she had done well. This year it might be more tempting since she’s taking 4 of them and is less confident of the results. I’ll let D decide, but she’ll probably be content to wait the extra day or two.</p>
<p>I am sure D will do well in World even with minimal studying (as long as she’s not nervous). Her AP World teacher has been giving them massive amounts of HW which serves two purposes-getting grades up (if you complete it) and it is all review for the exam. Her English AP teacher, on the other hand has spent no time focusing on the test at all and hit them with a 10 page essay due Monday and worth 150 points (that’s half their grade). D will be lucky to make a 3 on that one.</p>
<p>How are you all planning to minimize stress next fall? My goal for us as a family is to get as much done over the summer as possible, like we did with D1. I’d also like to handle as much as we can ourselves because I don’t have a great feeling about the GC.</p>
<p>FAP, we’ve already started talking about how he can get a schedule change for next year and not repeat this year, with its six APs and new, hyper-competitive sports coach. His grades took a hit, for sure, and, really, he doesn’t NEED six more APs, but that’s what he’s skedded for right now. I think there’s a way for him to not have to work so hard next year. It’s not like he’s applying to Ivies.</p>
<p>I aksed on the '09 thread whether anyone really scaled back the college search and whether anyone regretted it. I was amazed to see some people – on cc! – had applied to only one or two colleges. Totally against cc conventional wisdom. I think we can find ways to make the next year a little less painful.</p>
<p>OK, dumb question, but how long is each AP exam? DS is taking Biology on Monday, and his track meet has just been postponed to that afternoon.</p>
<p>Queen’s Mom, I think my son is probably in about the same frame of mind as your daughter! But I’m very proud of him for making high honor roll each quarter so far this year, so I can’t complain. Youdon’tsay, he would agree with your son, too! The academic and athletic pressure is getting to him. The outdoor track season in Maine is VERY short - only 4 regular season meets, and today’s postponement doesn’t help. There aren’t many chances for him to improve his times for coaches to see.</p>
<p>While I think our GC is pretty good, I am still assuming that my DD needs to own the process - and that I will be right behind her supporting all the way. Anything the GC adds is gravy in my mind. He just has too many kids to support to expect much.</p>
<p>DD will be getting a head start on the apps starting next week. Both the AP History and AP English teachers are spending the last month of the year working on college essays and the like. While it probably won’t result in a finished product, it certainly will be a whole lot further along than my DS was in September of his senior year with zero thought having be put into applications (other than what schools).</p>
<p>With regard to the CA standardized tests, I agree that it is nuts. We have a month to go in the school year- why not push them back two weeks?</p>
<p>We’d already planned to have S working on some of the college application stuff (particularly the essays) over the summer, since the fall period, for better or worse, is heavily weighted with his favorite ECs. There ARE going to be carve out weeks during the summer (like the family vacation) when we won’t even be discussing the topic, unless he brings it up.</p>
<p>Wow Scualum, it’s a great idea for the essays to be forcibly worked on. I wish my D’s school did that. As soon as the APs are over, it’s on to Regents prep. Although she’s going to do well on those, they’re not to the same level, but the teachers are required to prep, so there it is.</p>
<p>DS already has gotten a start on essays by doing some short ones for the Questbridge junior application. And he’ll be doing more this summer. He totally buys into the idea of knocking it out over the summer instead of putting it off.</p>
<p>Zoosermom: I’m hoping the DD will get at least her Common App essay done in the summer, and her GC is available to review. My personal goal is to stay out of the creative process (definitely a “stretch” goal.). However, I’m a little worried because she seems to do better with at least a little stress, and there may not be enough during the summer to make it her best effort.</p>
<p>Debating visiting some colleges in the summer. I’ve been told that it’s better to visit when the schools are in session, but realistically when they’re in session, D’s in session and weekend trips from CA to the East Coast simply aren’t feasible.</p>
<p>Youdon’tsay, thanks for the link! I guess because our season is so short, there are lots of conflicts between June 6 SAT, graduations, proms, and athletic competitions up here. I wish things could be spread out a little more.</p>
I’m sure he’ll do a great job!</p>