Parents of the HS class of 2010 - Original

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
6381

<p>Qmom: I hope your D feels chipper again soon!</p>

<p>psychmom: My S found there was no way of getting through 12th grade English without taking Lit of some kind, so he bit the bullet and will take AP English Lit next year. The fact that he really likes his AP English Language teacher, who will also teach AP English Lit next, probably has something to do with his decision. HOWEVER, he will only be taking four AP/college level classes: AP English Lit, AP Chem, AP Macroecon and Multivariable Calculus. (3 AP sophomore year, 3 AP + college level math junior year.)</p>

<p>If she finds another Lit class to her liking, why not take that? It’s sounding like either the HS is super competitive or the GC standards are sky high. If that’s the environment, that’s a tough one.</p>

6382

<p>I agree that if there’s another English class that interests her more and/or is a bit easier, she should consider taking that instead. While AP Lit wouldn’t be impossible with that schedule (especially now that Chem has become Enviro), if she goes into the class expecting to dislike it and be overwhelmed it’ll probably end up being a self-fulfilling prophecy.</p>

<p>
and now I’m off to take AP Psych!</p>

6383

<p>Yeah, D’s GC was pushing Lit next year as well. We capitulated even though D was not so interested in it. I don’t think the schedule is that horrendous, but if she doesn’t want to do it, take her out of Lit.</p>

6384

<p>Not sure if I read correctly, but if your daughter took AP English Lang this year, and was deciding on AP Lit for next year, the GC may have wanted her to stay for the following reason : apparently it “looks” like one is dropping down a level in rigor if they take an AP in a subject one year, while dropping down the next
we were told that it would actually be preferable to go the other way around if both AP’s are not wanted
my daughter had the same dilemma (and had the same response from the GC here)
</p>

6385

<p>Thank you so much for the responses. As far as the senior English classes go, there really isn’t a middle choice here
she either takes the AP Lit or takes 2 electives. She avoided taking AP Eng Lang this year
perhaps guidance feels she has to “prove” herself in this regard? </p>

<p>I’m thinking of suggesting to her to either keep the schedule as is, or drop the Lit and switch back to AP Chem. She wants to concentrate on Econ and Asian Studies in college, so there is no preference either way in terms of her future major. The AP Micro should stay; it’s all year long but only a half-credit so I am thinking it can’t be that taxing. The math and Spanish have to stay. She is clear about not dropping science, her favorite subject.</p>

<p>She is in contention for the very competitive schools ( A/A- average and 33 ACT) so I believe this is why the guidance counselor feels she needs the Lit. She, herself, is not competitive and doesn’t want to reach for the really tough schools. We’ve found a school she really loves (Conn Coll) and it seems likely, at this point, she’ll go for ED there. </p>

<p>The school is a large,competitive public HS on LI
I only talk to the guidance counselor once a year! She does write a letter of rec, but I really am not concerned about that
I just want DD to have a schedule that’s challenging for her but not overwhelming, which is made more difficult by the school’s inherent self interests in promoting APs, as well as the expectations from colleges.</p>

<p>It sounds like her schedule is “doable”
that is helpful for me to know! I guess I have to get a better read from my daughter about the degree of uncomfortability she’s feeling in regard to the Lit
whether the negativity will result in her blowing it off ( not unheard of with my daughter!) or whether she feels she could rise to the occasion.</p>

<p>Thanks again! Wish I found this site sooner!</p>

6386

<p>hi everyone, belated Mother’s Day wishes. Back from the U Chicago Jr visit day. Congrats K on TASP. Good luck to all taking or having taken APs this week. D is coming down with a touch of a cold, H and I have been sick and he is on some antibiotics, she has Latin on Fri.</p>

<p>More on Chicago later, but I really liked the U and the neighborhood. Didn’t get a reading from D really. Also went with a friend and her dad from our school.</p>

6387

<p>jackief,
Interested in your Chicago impressions. DS#1 is a 2nd year grad student there and lives in Hyde Park.</p>

6388

<p>I thought my D would have loved TASP too, but I couldn’t convince her to apply. Keil, I’m sure it’ll be an amazing experience for you, and you’ll have to let us know how it went when it’s all over.</p>

<p>CD - very impressed with your S’s cooking/catering skills. </p>

<p>QM - sorry about your D. Must be something going around with all of our kids getting sick now. Hope she recovers soon.</p>

<p>teenage_cliche - good luck on AP Psych.</p>

<p>Jackief - welcome back from U of Chicago. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts about the school.</p>

6389

<p>S1 took AP Lang junior year and Honors English senior year. He regretted Honors English and thinks he should have taken AP Lit instead, despite the dreaded poetry analysis. At his school, Honors English was a joke, he tuned out and got Bs. He says if he took AP Lit, there would have at least been interesting discussions and he probably would have had a better grade.</p>

<p>An Econ/East Asian Studies major will be expected to do a lot of writing. Are her writing scores strong? I can see why the GC would want her to take an AP English course, esp. since she has/will be taking APs in every other major subject area. Can she contact Conn College and see what they think? If she’s really thinking ED and she’s a very strong candidate for the school anyway, it may not be such a big deal. </p>

<p>When my kids were young I told them that no matter what they decided to do when they grew up, they needed to write well.</p>

6390

<p>I think the U Chicago jr visit day was good and worthwhile to attend.</p>

<p>to momof3sons- I loved the Hyde Park neighborhood! So many restaurants (although D isn’t as adventurous as I wish) and walked through many of the streets, it reminded me a bit of Beacon Hill. Did seem a bit far of a walk compared to some of the smaller campuses we have visited, especialy if you are in one of the buildings in the south of the campus.</p>

<p>There was an intro talk by the dean of the Physcial Sciences division, who told us about all the prizes etc that professors in that division have won, but he could have at least added a few examples from other areas. This was one of the areas where we saw a big focus on science/econ, which is true I guess, but would like more breath.</p>

<p>Talk on student life wasn’t what we expected, thought it would be more of a student panel but it was two staff members, one plans orientation week and other programming, the other does some similar capacity with advising.</p>

<p>Tour was ok if you like architecture, didn’t go into any dorms but I guess they are all very varied so one wouldn’t give you a good impression of the others. Our tour guide was very good and he is also in some improve troupes. We did sit in a little classroom and he did tell us how most classes are in similar rooms. We did walk by some classes in progress.</p>

<p>Escort to lunch went pretty much the same route as the tour and told us about the same buildings. We were assigned to one of the dining halls as I guess most/all? students are. It was fairly small with an ok variety of offerings, not sure it would be good to eat all your meals there. All dorm residents are required to have a full meal plan as Counting Down mentioned elsewhere, there was an article against this in the curren’t newspaper issue.</p>

<p>The timing wasn’t too good as by the time we were brought to the dining hall that time period was half over and there was a rush to the next session. We went directly to D’s next session and I left her there and returned to the main hall for mine.</p>

<p>D then attended the session on athletics, crew coach was not there, I went to the admissions talk where I heard basically stuff I already knew about the essays and deadlines etc. Crew is club sport (as we knew) but is well funded and is trying to become varsity.</p>

<p>At the end there was a student panel, this was good. All the students we encountered were not very nerdy and it seemed that a good variety of students can all have fun on campus. The newspaper articles fed the stereotypical Chicago, there was a big article on the scavenger hunt and we did see several artifacts around campus, as well as an article about the quiz team and how many of them intermarry :slight_smile: </p>

<p>I don’t know if D would want to consider the school, they definitely gave us the knowledge that they are tops in their fields and students can overachieve if they wish to (one girl on the panel had completed 2 majors plus a masters in 4 years, and was off to Georgetown for a JD/PhD program) and has the intellectual atmosphere that D likes, intense but not stifling. </p>

<p>It was an easy trip, southwest into midway, one bus to campus. We stayed at the international house which was basic but close to campus and reasonably priced. D could be comfortable doing it herself, but my bet is that she will pick a rural school driving distance from home. She did like the quarter calendar and says that she would like this or the 4-4-1 or 4-1-4 calendar over semesters.</p>

<p>I also asked an admissions officer (while D was at the athletics session, that’s why she didn’t do it) about the schedule conundrum for next year and the answer was that as long as she is taking a challenging load lack of science and history would not be a problem. Still need to get her to send off a mail to some other colleges under consideration.</p>

6391

<p>psychmom- from our school with the rest of the load your D is taking, AP Lit would not be required for entrance to Conn Coll, but each school profile is different. I echo contacting the school, preferably your regional admissions person, and seeing what they say.</p>

6392

<p>psychmom: If your daughter drops AP Lit and takes AP Chem instead, she wouldn’t be doing any English in senior year. I know at our school it would not be possible because there is a graduation requirement to take at least 4 years of English. </p>

<p>Also, I paste below the relevant portion from the FAQ page of Connecticut college:</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>A: The most competitive applicants are those who have maximized their high school’s curriculum and taken the most demanding courses available. We expect applicants to go above and beyond their high school’s minimum graduation requirements and continue on in all academic subjects all four years. Does this mean that we deny students who do not take a lab science senior year? Of course not, but the strongest applicants are those who have a full academic load senior year (English, math, lab science, social science/history, and foreign language)>>></p>

<p>[Connecticut</a> College : Admission - FAQ](<a href=“http://www.conncoll.edu/admission/adm_FAQ.htm#anchor688]Connecticut”>http://www.conncoll.edu/admission/adm_FAQ.htm#anchor688)</p>

<p>I do completely sympathize with wanting to lighten the load, but perhaps she could drop a couple of the other APs?</p>

6393

<p>interesting vp, I think Conn Coll will be one of the schools where D sends her own schedule question (as it is also on her list)</p>

<p>I don’t see their common data set, if anyone has a pointer please share.</p>

6394

<p>psychmom, finally back!</p>

<p>I’m wondering how many APs your dd has under her belt and how many she took this year. </p>

<p>Agree with vp that no English senior year wouldn’t be allowed at ds’s school.</p>

6395

<p>Since psychmom said she’s from LI, I’m assuming English is required at her D’s school too. I’m pretty sure 4 years of English is required to graduate in NY.</p>

6396

<p>Back to the AP Lit dilemma: She most definitely would have to take English her senior year, but it would be the choice of 2 electives; for instance, she could choose two from College Composition, Popular Literature, Intro College Research, Creative Writing, Literature through Cinema, among others. I guess these sound pretty light, and considering she didn’t take AP Lang this year, she should try the AP Lit. It’s true she will have to do a lot of writing in college.</p>

<p>Thank you for all the help. Looks like the poor thing will have to do Lit next year!</p>

6397

<p>Youdon’tsay, She has only taken 2 APs, so I am concerned for her to have such a difficult schedule. The strength of her record rests on language study, having excelled ( straight A+'s) in both Spanish and Japanese, as well as taking Chinese at a different school weekly. She also teaches ESL.</p>

6398

<p>Ditto the four year English requirement at our HS, typically met with one class per year.</p>

<p>Wow, huge snafu at our HS regarding AP English Lit tests, though. It turns out the Asst Principal only ordered enough exams for one class 
 and there are three of them. Since payment had to occur back in March, and since this is roughly the same number of students that typically take the class, how on earth did this happen?</p>

<p>So now 2/3 of the students will have to take it late. I wonder now, since I think most are seniors, whether they will just blow it off. Apparently the Asst Principal had to do a real song and dance not to get a huge fine from the CB. I presume the families will not have to pony up the late fee.</p>

<p>News flash. The Asst Principal has submitted his resignation. His hours had been cut the last year and his wife, a teacher, has been pink slipped.</p>

6399

<p>Wow! This is a private school?</p>

6400

<p>No, it’s a public high school. This Asst Principal has had other issues so the general consensus will likely be he won’t be missed.</p>

<p>But meanwhile, I’ll need to get him to sign off on S’s online MV Calc class options for the upcoming year, since S will likely begin the work a few weeks before school begins in September.</p>