<p>AP English list: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Foer (to be annotated by the student) , and A Room with a View by Forster</p>
<p>
I like that “Russian Roulette” system. Clever, gets the job done, and certainly makes life easier on the teachers.</p>
<p>At our HS they’re tested on all summer reading books the first week. As you said, though, they’re used to this from freshman year on, so it’s no big deal.</p>
<p>My D does deliberately do her reading late in the summer, though, to have all details fresh in her mind. She’s a prolific (freakish?) reader, so usually reads all 3-4 books in the last week or two before school starts.</p>
<p>Regarding Knowing AP scores.</p>
<p>The AP test is considered the final for AP classes at my S’s scores. So it is more meaningful than just being able to brag to colleges about getting a 4 or 5. Not sure if I will call in and pay the extra money or just wait. Typically, I would be one of those parents calling in.</p>
<p>AP Lit - Brave New World, 1984, Heart of Darkness, Things Fall Apart (We had them all from when D took the class) I believe there are also some poems, but S is gone for the summer at a pre-college program and took the info with him. Some of the summer homework is due while he is gone, so I am trusting him to get it done and e-mailed to the teacher on time!</p>
<p>AP Psych - The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat</p>
<p>Profiles: fogfog, if there are any restrictions or conditions for students taking AP coursework, that should be mentioned. For instance, if students can only start taking APs in their junior year, or if students start in their freshman year. If students are required to take the test to get AP credit, mention that. </p>
<p>Some schools do a breakdown of grade distribution for each class, or for all classes taken by the previous year’s juniors. This is especially helpful for schools with grade deflation. For the range of GPA, showing both weighted and unweighted is useful, along with an explanation of how weighting is computed. A school can also choose to indicate how many graduates are currently attending different colleges, or how many acceptances were received for a college in the last 3-5 years. </p>
<p>Try taking a look at other school’s profiles for ideas on layout and to see if there are any other bits of data your school overlooked. I redid the profile for D1’s school to include a lot more data, giving the counseling office a 2-page version and a 4-pager. We only have resources to do a (black and white) two pager, which restricts the amount of data that can be included.</p>
<p>I think the idea of testing kids on their summer reading is great, but last year S2 read all his books early in the summer and come test time he had forgotten many of the details. The teacher had the test as 20% of the semester grade and S2 was hurt by this. His take on last years experience…Wait until the very end to read the books. This means he will have the assignment hanging over his head all summer (including the papers due on each book) and then there will be a horrible last minute rush to read.</p>
<p>^^
Yes–our kids all have tests and sometimes other written work etc on the summer reading…
If they have read them during the summer–a bit here and there–
Then come the last few days of summer before school starts–they have to re-read/skim the books and check the study guides etc to be sure they know whats what.
Sometimes they use online Sparknotes tests to get an idea of what the teacher might test on (no gurantee-however helps give them a sense of direction) ;)</p>
<p>The method that we’ve found that works is to read through the summer and review them on Spark notes the last couple of weeks before school starts. My son knows he is a slow reader so really needs to do it that way.</p>
<p>Our school does not have any required summer reading for AP classes, which is a big relief here. Summer will be the last time D will have the chance to relax and not worry about homework, studying, etc. until next summer, and after the close-to-burnout second semester, it’s a really welcome break. The feared-for C in pre-calc didn’t happen, thankfully, but it was a close call and a huge stress inducer. Between the one-week church service project she just returned from and the two weeks at Robert E. Cook coming up next month, coupled with college research and preparation for a few college visits (and getting a start on essays) she’ll already have a full plate. I’m so glad that she doesn’t have school work to contend with for the next couple of months - it is really a blessing for her.</p>
<p>AP English summer reading here is Crime and Punishment, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, and The Fountainhead. Son is slogging his way through the first one, his teacher recommended the students read that one first to get it out of the way!</p>
<p>I got a 28 on my ACT.</p>
<p>Math: 25
Science: 25
English: 31
Reading: 31</p>
<p>Sigh…Hopefully, I’ll bring that up to a 30+ in September.</p>
<p>The trip to Pitt went very well. Dropped son off Friday evening to spend the night in the Towers with other students. They grilled outside for dinner, watched “Avatar” and “The Matrix,” and he didn’t go to bed till 3 am. He had a good time and met some people. Next morning, we met him at Alumni Hall where they had coffee, juice, and breakfast breads ready for us. In the Ballroom they had tables from the different schools at Pitt, also campus safety, dining, the Pitt Shop, athletics, studying abroad, and such. We did have a chance to speak to the College of Arts & Sciences regarding the Film Studies major. Afterwards, we attended a welcome session and were broken up into groups to tour the campus. We chose the Upper campus tour because we had seen lower campus on a previous visit (both tours were offered all day). We were shown Sutherland Hall, a newer residence hall with larger than normal dorm rooms. It was really nice, but son said he prefers the Towers because although the rooms are smaller, they are closer to the downtown area. Also, Sutherland usually houses the freshman athletes. We were also shown the Peterson Center where the basketball and other court team sports play, and there is a huge fitness room there. Season tickets for basketball are only $25 for students, however there is some sort of “loyalty points” strategy involved. </p>
<p>We walked back down the hill to lower campus, with our Pitt Pathfinder tour guides Adrian and Chantz leading the way, pointing out all the buildings around us (schools for medicine, engineering, etc…). Afterwards we walked around at our leisure. I really wanted to show my husband the inside of the Cathedral of Learning, One of the Pathfinders called it Hogwarts, and with the beautiful architecture inside it is obvious to see why. It feels almost magical in there! </p>
<p>All students spending the previous night received a tote bag with an information packet, a pass for lunch, and also an application. The Pathfinders apparently had the students fill out the applications that night, which I wasn’t too thrilled about as son didn’t have his essay or rec letters with him. At the Welcome, we were told we could send that all in later, and as long as it was received by October 11 they would waive the $45 application fee. </p>
<p>One question though if you don’t mind. There is no space on the paper application for extracurricular activities. Should I send those as a resume with his other supplemental items?</p>
<p>All in all it was a fun visit. The Pitt Pathfinders really know their stuff, and everyone we spoke to was extremely friendly and helpful. Pitt is still the #1 choice, although we still have at least 2 more schools we plan to visit this summer. </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Just looked up the ACT results. S did very well and they are pretty much equivalent to his SAT scores. Because we are east coast and most kids only take the SAT I imagine S will submit his SAT scores otherwise I would think the admissions folks will wonder why he isn’t submitting SAT. If it didn’t cost money to send them they would probably both get sent. OTOH seeing as the ACT is suposed to be a test of “what you know” maybe with S’s GPA/SAT-ACT mismatch we should send those so they see he isn’t the dope (using this term in an endearing fashion) his grades make him out to be. We will talk to his GC in the fall to see what she thinks is the best strategy would be.</p>
<p>My rising senior who forgot his calculator for the ACT scored a 29 in math (34 English, 35 reading, 29 science = 32 composite) A year ago he scored 27 in math so I expect he would probably normally score 30-32. If he is looking for a merit scholarship in computer science at Purdue (in state), should he take it again?</p>
<p>I would think so, since your goal is merit money.</p>
<p>Just looked at Ds ACT scores…she tanked those as well. Composite was 2 points lower than first time. I don’t know what happened with both June tests but I really wish she hadn’t taken them at all. The only bright side is that her superscore for SAT went up 70 pts which puts her solid for the middle 50% for her 1st choice. I feel pretty good about her being admitted but doubt if she will get EA and even more doubts about merit money at this point. I think admissions counselors are going to look at her GPA compared to her test scores and think that its an inflated GPA.</p>
<p>^Gamom, my S is opposite your D. High SAT low GPA. It is quite a place to be. According to Naviance, S’s safeties are real safeties but both his matches and reaches are hard to define. His SAT/ACT scores are way above the 75% mark while his GPA is usually way below.</p>
<p>^^ It is hard to figure out what the AdComs will think</p>
<p>our student’s testing is securely in the reaches
–and yet the GPA (all honors and AP is at the margin of the middle 50% because of grade deflation…</p>
<p>Having a hard time with "matches’ because everything else is very “safety”-</p>
<p>Very much on the bubble without a hook— so hoping kiddo will be hooked by the end of summer.</p>
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</p>
<p>hard to say
do they superscore the ACT there? Was the writing component strong? Will he take the MAth2 subject test?</p>
<p>S1’s ACT scores are comparable to his SAT scores… and both show a slight gap, compared to his GPA. He has never done well with standardized tests - dating back to elementary school - yet his grades have always placed him in A/B range- even at his respected/rigorous HS. </p>
<p>He will likely take both tests one more time in the fall…if he can find the time and motivation to study for them. He needs to want this…and I am not convinced he is there. Very frustrating.</p>