<p>Astromom–No. It was last week’s Economist. It was called “The Ungovernable State.” Unfortunately without a subscription I’m not sure if you can see it on-line.</p>
<p>I did find it on line. If you follow the link above, there is one good article. On the right side of that page is a link to the other article. Both are great reads. Thanks for pointing them out.</p>
<p>bclintonk: Thanks for that clarification. </p>
<p>Kelowna: That Zits really sums it up well!</p>
<p>astromom: Thank you so much for that note of caution. I am going to cite your D’s experience to force my D to take a practice test for the SAT-USH. I’m hoping she does poorly on the practice test, so that it motivates her to study. Hm… that gives me an idea…my D always leaves it to me to score her practice tests…maybe I can make sure she does poorly?</p>
<p>VP:</p>
<p>Hmm … if you do as you suggest, then you’d be like those SAT prep services who’ve been accused of “down scoring” their tests so to show big improvement when the student takes the real deal. I’m sure you meant to add the de riguer smilie :D</p>
<p>^^ Yeah, I have to figure out how those smiley things work. But yeah, you are correct, except I’m worried I may not <em>need</em> to down score.</p>
<p>yes my D is taking USH and Math2. I also also somewhat concerned with Math2, I saw someone mention matrices, I’m not sure if she has covered them more now but when she was doing ACT prep she had not. She refused to bring her Precalc book home from school, she has an APUSH research paper she is also working on this weekend. Maybe if I can get her to take these two practices, and also the Lit this weekend, then we can come up with a strategy for the next two weeks.</p>
<p>jackief - my D took those two tests in May. Her scores without prep (other than taking the tests in the SAT II book from CB) were 770 USH - her teacher thought she’d get an easy 800, and 720 in Math 2. That’s a low score for her in math - but she said that she didn’t finish the exam, and that there were things on it she’d never learned. I’m still annoyed with her for insisting on taking those tests in May instead of June. But the scores are what they are, and I’m not paying for a retake. That was her decision.</p>
<p>Have fun in Cape Cod. I’m a little jealous - no trip for us this weekend. D’s got too much work to do, and S has some parties to attend.</p>
<p>jackie - we’ll be on the Cape in July. It’s one of our favorite places on earth. Enjoy!</p>
<p>I think taking a practice test up front is a great idea. I’m encouraging my D to do the same. Then they know where they stand and can take it (or not) from there.</p>
<p>qialah–thanks for the reference. I love that the Economist has so many of its articles online. It’s not just for economists! 
It’s got great coverage of politics too and I like its broad international perspective.</p>
<p>astromom, that might have been me who was lamenting that he did his SAT ST before his AP exam. It would be exciting if ds’s 690 turns into a 5!</p>
<p>S2 apparently plans to watch the entire last season of Deep Space Nine. We have no special plans - though we will probably go into the city and eat BBQ.</p>
<p>Maybe my kids’ APUSH teacher covered more material - S1 had a 5 on the AP and an 800 on the SAT, S2, got a 790 on the SAT we don’t know yet how well he did on the AP. I think there were more cultural questions on the SAT. S2 also found lots of material on the math exam he hadn’t covered - he omitted 15 problems and ended up with a 610. He’s not even going to try it again, he’ll do Lit instead.</p>
<p>mathmom’s kids clearly had a different experience than my D. But sometimes I think it’s just luck of the draw which questions show up on the AP and on the subject test. My point is that, in our experience, doing well on the AP was no guarantee that one would do well on the subject test.</p>
<p>S2 got a 5 on APUSH last year, 770 on SAT-II. S1 took AP World and got a 5, and a 730 in the SAT II-- but he took it while at a programming competition two time zones away and was clearly focused on other (more interesting) things!</p>
<p>mathmom, S1 took the entire seven (?) seasons of DS9 to college with him. While they watched lots of Firefly, Buffy and Dr. Who earlier in the year, I suspect he’s a rock star right now with all the Star Trek stuff. ;)</p>
<p>I just got an email from Marietta College–the application process is starting already! Its admissions is rolling from May 1 to April 15, and if you apply before June 15, the application fee is waived and you’ll hear back before the end of June. That prompted me to check it out, anyway, although it’s not a good fit for me.</p>
<p>I also had an amusement park day, essentially a school-sponsored cut day. It was the annual Junior Class Trip, to Six Flags Great Adventure. Very fun and very tiring; my legs hurt!</p>
<p>The Zits comic is great. Just reverse the roles for me… my parents and friends are all tired of hearing about college.</p>
<p>How flattering that you got that email! The process is really starting, isn’t it?</p>
<p>I used to love field trip days, especially fun ones. I’m glad you got to enjoy one today.</p>
<p>Isn’t it good we all found each other, us special breed of folks who never tire of college talk?</p>
<p>Keilexandra - my D’s school went to Great Adventure this week too - the physics and AP physics classes! Glad you had a fun, if tiring day.</p>
<p>My D had a great day at the amusement park also, very little physics and a lot of fun. The senior class had a school sponsored beach day. It was great weather for both.</p>
<p>We’ll see how our data point falls on that AP vs SAT II samplings we are compiling, I appreciate hearing everyone else’s experiences.</p>
<p>Booklady, I’ll wave to you in July!</p>
<p>Jackeif - glad your D had a great day. Cool about the school-sponsored beach day. D’s school doesn’t have one of those, unfortunately.</p>
<p>ACK! :eek: Just looked at yesterday’s mail. Son’s senior portrait is scheduled for Monday, June 15. </p>
<p>I’m gonna reschedule. Emotionally, that’s too soon for me. Heck, school only ends on Friday, June 12. And, practically-speaking, he’s scheduled to get his bottom (last) braces off on June 12. If the ortho changes his mind, I don’t want him sitting for his portrait with braces 3 days later. Lastly, I need more time to digest all these poses and wardrobe changes and packages. Good grief. Whatever happened to girls in a drape and guys in a tux?</p>