<p>Just to clarify about AP scores, they haven’t arrived here in CA yet, but I gather they’re on their way real soon. </p>
<p>Hemmed and hawed and finally decided to do a bit of helicoptering. D1 and I visited Pitt last fall when she was a rising junior, too early to fill out a free app when she was visiting. She was told that she’d be able to apply for free this year. The Pitt admissions web page to ask a question wasn’t working, so I called admissions to ask what to do. My fig leaf to explain why it was me asking and not D1 was that D1 was out of the country.</p>
<p>10yo D has already read two of her three required books but it is like pulling teeth getting her to write the reports. S’s books are still sitting on the counter. Both kids are big readers and have been reading up a storm the past few weeks, just no interest in what they need to read. </p>
<p>S finished one brag sheet for a teacher rec. One more to go. He is assuming the second teacher he wants a rec from will agree to write it, but he procrastinated in asking and by the time he got around to asking the teacher was off grading AP exams for several weeks and not at the school. So he left e-mail and VM messages but hasn’t heard back. Of course, the second teacher is the one who worked very closely with S on extra projects at the school and whose rec would be most valuable, imo. Hopefully, S will hear from him soon. </p>
<p>No AP scores via mail yet, but we live on the east coast.</p>
<p>No obvious summer reading here, unless you count ShawD’s listening (with ShawSon) to an audio version of The Bro Code. But, she’s plugging away on ACT practice and got a 33 on the reading section without Ritalin. That was always her weakest section, so she was thrilled with herself. In addition, she discovered that the math section has matrices, which she’s never covered and so will have to learn. She’s unfazed. I see real brain development and maturation taking place before my eyes.</p>
<p>But, I’ll have to ask if there is assigned summer reading. ShawSon, now in college, listens to several audiobooks a week. Not all highbrow, but he gets constant input.</p>
<p>mykids love audio books and we always have one going in the car. Right now it is the last Harry Potter book, which they have both read a zillion times, but I only read it when it came out and have forgotten most of it. </p>
<p>A friends son who never read is now hooked on audio books. Not sure if listening is as good as reading, but any exposure to books is good in my opinion.</p>
<p>I plopped the summer reading on S2s suitcase that is headed for DK tomorrow morning. I also downloaded one book to an itouch he’ll be using while there (this is a work around for not using text messages as it’s so expensive internationally… the itouch has no rate plan and allows email). He hasn’t cracked any of them, however he does work full time so I’m not complaining a whole lot. His father will be on the trip with him and knows he needs to get the reading done.</p>
<p>S3 needs to start, but he’s enjoying the last of his lazy summers as a rising freshman. In the past he’s gone to camp, or taken academic classes at colleges. He didn’t have anything he really wanted to do, so I thought one last summer of slumming it would be nice! He works with the HS Robotics team one night a week. Other than that it’s been movies, bowling, and parks. I couldn’t be happier for him!! :)</p>
<p>Every once in a while I close my eyes and can picture all three in arm floaties at the pool in the shallow end, where we would spend our summers. It’s hard not to want to go back to that… until I want something from the store and realize that those floaties have been replaced by car keys Everything in life has a season. My biggest challenge is to realize what season it is and enjoy it while it’s there, instead of always looking for the next season.</p>
<p>blueiguana - Love your last paragraph. How true and how guilty I am of both wanting to return to a simpler time and also not appreciating the present season. Thanks for the encouragement.</p>
<p>Interesting about brag sheets. I wonder if ShawD needs one as her high school is small and the teachers write half to two-thirds of a page written narratives. So they know her reasonably well. But, I suppose they may not know about her ECs and some of the challenges she had earlier in her life. I’m not sure how one would bring up the challenges in a brag sheet.</p>
<p>mamom, I have two dyslexics in the household and listening is the best form of input for them. ShawSon, who couldn’t read until 3rd grade (and was admitted to Ivies), uses audiobooks whenever he can in his courses. He loved and loves to have people read to him and went from listening to The Lord of The Rings to co-authoring a fantasy novel. Listening for him is the only way he can be an outstanding student, although it is much slower. But, in our house, we now all listen to books.</p>
<p>S never starts his summer reading before August, but at least we have the books already. OTOH, his resume to give his teachers for LORs is done. It ended up being 3 pages. He’ll have to cut it down for the college applications, but for now it’s fine. He has a draft of a college essay done, but needs to work some more on it. I think essays will be his weak point; because his “voice” is a little too formal and “bookish”. </p>
<p>There are 3 colleges on his list that we didn’t visit, but I am not sure if we do any more visits before he gets admitted.</p>
<p>We are heading out tomorrow for the last of our vists. It will be a whirlwind 3 colleges but only official tours at 2. We are just going to swing by the third one on our way home. Its not near the top of the list but since we have to drive by it might as well check it out.</p>
<p>D started on college essays yesterday and summer reading without much prodding so it was a good day at our house. Still waiting on AP scores but not expecting much on Calc but expecting good scores on US History.</p>
<p>SUmmer for my rising senior is made up of diving, going to college visits, working (self-employed), a short summer program, a long vacation, and doing prep work for next year (both debate and English lit) plus finishing up two classes from junior year. For my rising freshman, it is mostly swimming and diving and volunteering with swimming. She will also go to the long vacation and several college visits (probably). </p>
<p>We have Virginia Private College week here in a few weeks and we are deciding where to visit.</p>
<p>My son went outside to see if the mail came and did not shut the front door. No AP scores but a snake (18 inches long) slithered in the front door. Total hilarity (SP?) trying to get it back outside. I’m still laughing.</p>
<p>Speaking of houses, do you know how great it feels to get your Spring Cleaning done…even if it’s the week after 4th of July? :)</p>
<p>D and I tackled it together this week…I hate cleaning, but am pretty fussy when it comes to a clean house. Spring of Jr year set us back, but now…ahh, life is good.</p>
<p>(Except for my office, but I’ll tackle that this weekend…always something!)</p>
<p>Hope you’re all managing to stay cool. I think the heat/humidity helped motivate all the indoor work. Did some yardwork Tue and about died.</p>
Everything in life has a season. My biggest challenge is to realize what season it is and enjoy it while it’s there, instead of always looking for the next season.</p>