<p>One more thought for cooker: Her GPA is a big factor in becoming a finalist also, so I agree that studying for finals is a priority!</p>
<p>emmybet: another great post, thank you for the insight from your friend, the SAT coach. Here’s hoping the handful of questions S has done will be enough.
kathiep: is there a Kaplan guide for super- lazy student’s??</p>
<p>D doesn’t really believe in studying for these tests. I, for one, have given up asking her. It’s too frustrating. She does well on the tests - I can’t help wonder how much better she could do if she did prepare just a bit more !! Oh well…</p>
<p>She is taking SAT IIs in June. Doing Math II and Bio. Believes that the prep she did for AP Bio should be enough and she never needs to study for Math II. H was bugging her about studying for these this past weekend - and she was too fried from the AP tests to bother.</p>
<p>fogfog - interesting thread about the GC at your school. We met with my D’s GC yesterday - H feels like we needed to touch base with him, make sure everything was going ok. The GC is a very nice man - but cannot really help us out a lot - CC has been great in that regard. GC was actually asking me how we found some of the schools on D’s list. We did get a couple of interesting points from him - (1) D needs to attend a seminar he’s going to host in Sept/Oct on interviewing - he thinks she needs to get a bit more comfortable with interviews and (2) all paperwork should be in to him by end of Sept if she is planning on applying EA. Was a good meeting, just to keep him in the loop on D’s plans.</p>
<p>IMO, there’s such a wide range when it comes to taking the SAT, some kids can just wing it without much prep and do great, while others really need to do practice tests, study vocab and think about test taking strategies. But if I were to bet money, I’d say that the majority of kids fall into the latter group.</p>
<p>airsamp,
As far as the SAT II for Bio, I’d agree with your D, that if she did well in the course and felt prepared for the AP test, she doesn’t need to study any more because the SAT II is an easier test. The Math 2 can be another question, just because it tends to be tricky and kids in higher math might not have seen some of this stuff for quite a while. I think she should at least get an overview of the types of information they cover and how they structure the questions.</p>
<p>Definitely doing practice tests can be very helpful - in the everything you can do could help kind of way. My comment is just that these tests are designed to cover material HS’s teach, so usually doing well on the tests is really based on doing well TESTING. Practice tests can help that, or with some kids it just makes them feel discouraged. My friend says there’s as much value in doing 10 problems randomly and seeing what you get as there is in taking the entire section. She had my D do 10 questions a day as often as she could, just to keep in practice. Also it’s important that with ACT guessing is GOOD and with SAT guessing is PENALIZED. ACT does not take pts for wrong answers.</p>
<p>We will definitely be one-and-done on SAT2s. But if she finds she likes the tests, she might try SAT1s in the fall (highly unlikely!). Her ACT is fine, won’t ever be amazingly high, so we’re hoping this one will go up a bit and that will be it.</p>
<p>Have I said often enough how glad I’ll be to have this done with? SO many variables this next year … I know when they’re in college a lot of things happen, too, but parents can be much more in the “Oh, gee, good luck with that” mode. </p>
<p>Beautiful weather here in WI. Thinking about a trip today to the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo - all 14 species of world cranes, a lovely spot.</p>
<p>cooker, D1 is like your D–planned on just using the ACT for applications, took the March SAT for NMSF purposes. She didn’t study much, but her score was high enough to confirm for NM purposes. Now she’s considering taking the SAT again in October, thinking that she can improve enough to make retesting worthwhile. </p>
<p>50isthenew40, GPA is something of a factor, but it’s a squishier factor. D1’s school deflates grades, and C’s are common. Still, every year anywhere from 30 to 50% of the class makes NMF. Failing, though, would definitely be a problem. :)</p>
<p>My S took the SAT in March, the ACT in April. He scored slightly better on the ACT. Both exams showed he really needs to study the vocab. He’s taking the SAT again in June, I haven’t seen him crack open the blue book since the 1st time he took the SAT. With just finishing AP’s , two projects due this week and finals the week of the June SAT. I sure hope he will spend some time with the blue book…positive it won’t be opened this weekend with all the Graduation parties on the calendar.</p>
<p>On the GC issue, our S is in a small Catholic Private school. He has about 155 students in his class. We met with GC right after the holidays and he gave the same word for word spiel that he gave on College night that I attended his freshman year. He showed us how to search colleges on College Board, gave us the scholarship info sheet, just the basics that we already knew. The school does not subscribe to Naviance. I agree that you would expect more from a private school. I am so grateful that I found CC, with all of the wonderful information and insights I have learned so much. </p>
<p>I’m having difficulty narrowing down the college list, but hoping this will go better once we start visiting some of the schools and get a feel for things. He’s 85% positive he wants mechanical engineering but the artistic side of him is finding graphic design to be pulling at him. I’m having trouble finding schools that offer both, especially in the western part of the US. He want OOS and is leaning towards the pacific nw…any suggestions?</p>
<p>sjba16: Have you started a new thread with your question? You could get a lot of great info outside of this little group.</p>
<p>^^Has your son considered architecture? It can speak to the left and right side of the brain he seems to be tapping into…
This is actually more than a stab in the dark as it’s what my brother ended up doing.</p>
<p>sjba16: For SAT vocabulary, you might want to try two books called “Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT” and “Direct Hits Toughest Vocabulary of the SAT”. Each one only covers about 200 words, but they words are chosen well and they’re covered in a way that is pretty painless and easy to remember.</p>
<p>Good Morning All</p>
<p>Second cup of coffee here for me and everyone has left for the day—One my way out soon </p>
<p>We have our appt with the GC for next week.
Happy about that and hope to see a smooth transition. </p>
<p>Our student has asked one fo the teachers for the letter of rec, and she said yes. Our student has to ask 2 other teachers, and evidently there is a school form for this kind of thing.
So kiddo is heading to guidance today to pick up those forms.</p>
<p>Finals are approaching…</p>
<p>Hope everyone has a great morning ;o)</p>
<p>S told me last week that he had asked for recommendations (school form here as well) from his AP English Lang teacher and his AP Calc teacher. Both accepted. He hopes they will write good letters.</p>
<p>The sun just came out after almost 48 hr of rain/drizzle :)</p>
<p>Band (well, all instrumental music) banquet tonight------finally the last big “end of year” event for all 3 of our kids :D</p>
<p>So it’s good to guess on the ACT?
I gave my S the suggestion of doing a few questions a day on the SAT2’s, and he’s been doing it!!!
His SAT scores are good, but I think he can shine on the ACT. Strategy-wise, he tends not to leave anything blank, but I want to give him the correct information. And how is the ACT essay compared to the SAT version? More is more?</p>
<p>Tomorrow at 5am…tick tock…</p>
<p>the SAT/SAT2s scores are released online…</p>
<p>anyone have score in that pool? Our studentt has 3 SAT2 scores coming…</p>
<p>I mentioned when the scores would be up to several of my friends and they all looked at me like I was nuts. I was thinking ‘Yea, like you are NOT going to be up looking now that you know?!.’ 
I mentioned it in passing to S2. He is up around 5:20am for school. If the scores are not quite what he wanted I don’t think I’ll tell him before he leaves for school unless he asks. Otherwise, I may write the score in dry erase marker on his bathroom mirror This is where we leave important messages as it’s hard for him to miss! lol.
Here’s hoping for no disappointments for our students and maybe a pleasant surprise along the way! 
Peace</p>
<p>S finally received his letter notifying him that he was a high-scorer on PSATs. Whats the best strategy for choosing the 2 schools to notify? He’s borderline in our state to make semi-finalist, it depends on where the cut-off falls. My guess is its a waste to notify any of the larger schools on his list. My thought was perhaps he should choose some LACs where they might like to see an applicant who shows them some interest. However, his scores on the SATs were significantly higher than on the PSATs, so maybe he shouldn’t bother notifying any schools. If he makes semi-finalist, he can choose some schools then. Any insights?</p>
<p>S took the regular SAT. I will be up checking results but I am usually up then anyway. I will probably not leave a note if scores are not good. We use soap to write notes on the mirrors, never thought of using a dry erase marker.</p>
<p>Blueiguana - your S is up early for school. My kids would die if they had to get up so early, H wakes them about 7.</p>
<p>SDMomof3 - Not sure what the strategy should be. I would think you would want to send the reports to schools of interest that offer money for semi and finalist.</p>
<p>Thanks mamom. That is probably what we will do; I just wonder whether there is any benefit to doing it if S does not end up being a semi or finalist…</p>
<p>Hi Everyone,
Last time I checked the SAT score was released at 2 AM PST or PDT. So, I was under the impression the score is available 0:01AM eastern time. No?</p>
<p>Another thing: I need some help: how to make your kids write college essay in summer?</p>