<p>For some public schools it can be because of how the schools receive funding from the state. Here in CA schools collect based on average daily attendance, so when a kid has an (un?)excused absence, the school doesn’t receive state per-pupil funding for that day.</p>
<p>^
^
^
ours is a private
–which is why its strict–
Its a tough school with almost 100% of the grads off to 4 yr colleges and there is a strict behavior and dress code etc.</p>
<p>Tonight went to an info session–super uber selective schools…</p>
<p>and cannot believe when the college reps specifically ask the group to NOT ask college specific questions and yet the questions FROM PARENTS where like</p>
<p>“can you tell us about your AP credit–because our state flagship accepts credit for APs…??”</p>
<p>or </p>
<p>" when should my student start prepping for the SAT etc??..“because from looking around the room at the large # of people–I hear about the students who are “professional test takers”…how does my little dear compete…??”</p>
<p>Puulease…!!!</p>
<p>I think you are right SlitheyTove, in that federal funding is tied to overall school attendance so it makes sense for schools that might not have a real high attendance record feel that they cannot allow hundreds of students to perhaps skip school to look at colleges. For schools that do have a high attendance record, I can’t think of a good reason not to be more flexible. </p>
<p>Our school district is also good about educational trips with families too. I’ll be forever grateful for our HS guidance counselor for encouraging our family to take our son out of school for two weeks to go with us to China to visit his sister. It was hard for him to make up but she was right on the money when she said that he would lean more on that trip then he would in the classroom.</p>
<p>S’s school allows 3 excused days for college visits. Although to be honest I can’t imagine taking S out of school for 3 days, regardless of whether they were taken together or individually. He would just miss too much, his regular workload is heavy enough without trying to make up days he misses.</p>
<p>Football starts today and S told us last night he is not looking forward to it, he wants to quit. My first inclination was to make him stick it out this last year. But, then I think it is ridiculous to make him do something he is unhappy doing. Sports have always been a big part of his life, unfortunately sports are big at his large HS and there are lots of boys that travel long distances to play for his school. So while S gets some playing time, he is not starting. H & I do think he could have worked harder in the off season to improve his skills but he didn’t. He has been in PT for knee issues all summer. So he may very well not be able to play anyway regardless of whether he wants to or not. His PT told him to try it if he wants and she would monitor how it is effecting his knee. After an emotional conversation with S last night he decided he would attend practice this week and see how it goes. H & I told him it was his decision and we woudl be happy either way. If he does quit football he will need to do something else for exercise but we will put no other requirements on him. </p>
<p>He got a call from a school last week asking him what his interest was. He had signed up for info on line but hasn’t visited. Friday he got an email from them offering him a free application with no supplimental essay. The school is a safety, there is a possiblity of merit money and they have the program he is interested in so he will apply. </p>
<p>He has some textbook reading left for Ap Economics and two weeks left to it. Not too worried about that but I wish he would work on his essay.</p>
<p>D1 and the spouse left this morning for a two week college/vacation/visit friends trip. Definitely a benefit to the school year getting a late start, though she’s going to be moaning when it’s June and she’s still in high school. Interviews at GWU and Rochester, and interview-less visits to Tufts, Boston U, and UMCP. We’ll see what, if anything, falls off the list afterwards. Watching D1 pack and get ready made me realize that she is entirely ready to go off on her own next year.</p>
<p>In the music-to-a-parent’s-ears department, D1 asked the other day how people get jobs right after finishing college. She then said that it was a big priority to her to be self-supporting after finishing undergrad, that she doesn’t want to move back home. I’m pretty sure I heard angels singing. :)</p>
<p>Senior year started today.</p>
<p>Mamom – We had the same discussion in our house back in May when our son said he wanted to quit football. He was a starter on the offensive line last year as a junior, and this year was slated to be the center – playing with the QB he has played with since middle school. I would not have been surprised if he had been made a captain.</p>
<p>Here in Texas, you can have spring football practice for about three weeks, so ours was the very end of April through mid-May. He went through the first week, texted me at work and said “Mom, I don’t love it anymore. I don’t want to play.” We had a long and yes, emotional, discussion. Not that we tried to talk him out of it, but just tried to make sure he had considered every angle. Our team is expected this year to make the playoffs and possibly go fairly deep towards a state championship. We asked how he would feel if we get to state and he’s not there, etc. etc. He went and told the coaches that day so they could get somebody else started playing at center. To their credit, they did not chew him out or try to talk him out of it.</p>
<p>In his case, he plays a second sport and that’s the one he wants to try and play in college and perhaps beyond. He didn’t want to spend the amount of time that football takes, especially during the fall. We were also afraid that the other guys on the team would give him a hard time, but when he explained to them that he was quitting to focus on his other sport, they were all understanding about it.</p>
<p>Our school starts tomorrow, but football started a couple of weeks ago and they had an intra-squad scrimmage on Sat. Aug. 15. We went to watch – we are still supporters of the team even though he’s not playing. As we were walking into the stadium, he said “I don’t miss it.” So, he made the right decision and we are all at peace with it. </p>
<p>And frankly, it made the college search somewhat easier, looking into colleges now for only one possible sport instead of two.</p>
<p>cgpm59 - Our S said same thing “he doesn’t love it anymore”. He has played since he was 7yo in pop warner. He also plays basketball, but only made team freshman year. The past two years he has played AAU and rec ball. Bball has turned into his favorite sport, but he isn’t good enough to play in college, except rec ball.</p>
<p>Last night we finished a Common App supplement that did not require any essays-just some additional information. S2 was so funny at the end; he could not bring himself to hit “submit” for the first time. The finality of it, combined with the reality of it, really flustered him.</p>
<p>He often acts like this college stuff doesn’t matter to him, and he certainly would never spend time on CC. But there are moments when it is clear that it matters a great deal.</p>
<p>I want to commend the parents who are so understanding and thoughtful about these sudden changes of interest and motivation. Best wishes to your children! It sounds like they know themselves and are willing to take steps they feel are important. This will serve them well.</p>
<p>I feel very much that these kinds of shifts should be expected and allowed, and I really appreciate hearing that coaches and peers are being supportive. I think that it’s sad when people feel these kinds of obligations in HS and push themselves to an uncomfortable limit (especially their health), and also give up other things that in the long run would be more important. A year later in college they can have some really serious regrets. They also usually find out from others that no one would have been mad or disappointed if they’d given it up. </p>
<p>The only reason I could think of someone pushing through would be if their presence really would be the only way the group could have success - like a 3-person academic team that can’t get a sub, or something like that. But so often they DO find someone else, and then that person (who wants it much more) gets to have the experience, instead of the senior who just felt obligated. </p>
<p>In that vein, I’ll say that having had one senior already, and now having my second, I really feel strongly that having those “big triumph” experiences as a senior aren’t as obviously defined as we might think - there are some peaks kids want to reach, like finally making State in a sport or music or whatever competition, or having a leadership role; I’m not saying seniors don’t ever want these things - but so often seniors realize that they don’t really care as much about the experience for themselves any more. I think senior year is a combination of looking forward for your own long-term meaning (whatever that is) and of helping younger students have opportunities, and sometimes that does mean stepping aside.</p>
<p>There are moments where seniors who have put in a lot of time and dedication all the way through do WANT (key word here) and deserve some choice roles - I do believe sometimes it’s right to let them finally have a great part in the play, or be captain of the team, or whatever plum they’ve worked hard for. But we’re talking here about the flip side, about a kid who finds they are ready to move on. It’s very classy to pass on the plum they don’t want any more.</p>
<p>Again, I think these guys are very thoughtful, about their present and their future, and thank goodness people are seeing the strength and honor they are showing.</p>
<p>Update on my D - just the little tidbits done so far on her Common App draft, but getting excited about school and getting in gear. We shifted her college list a bit this past week, will nail it down as much as possible by Labor Day weekend. FINALLY schools are posting their audition schedules and supplements. I think she’ll be in the mood soon and get it done. She needs to decide about ACT, too, but that will definitely not be in Sept.</p>
<p>Otherwise she’s having a lot of fun with our exchange student, and I do think it will help her focus on being a good and happy senior. We’re really glad we did this!</p>
<p>Got her senior pictures on Thursday - they are beautiful. Could we have done it more cheaply? Yeah … but this is done and good and we’re all happy. In many of them she could be a replica of H’s sister whom she resembles; we’re going to make her a collage as a gift, from her “mini-Me.”</p>
<p>As for giving up activites - Volleyball is very popular, but is a “cut” sport…we have two freshman teams, a jv and a varsity. The rosters are on the school website - there are 27 freshmen playing…and 5 seniors. The varsity games are played at the same time as the varsity football games. I think the girls think that if they aren’t being recruited for college play, they just want to have fun senior year.</p>
<p>I would like mine to start doing the boring bits of the common app, and the online apps that are not common (about 4, unfortunately). Trying to let him relax and get stuff done - it’s not easy.</p>
<p>UT84321 - I can imagine hesitating hitting that submit button too. Big step, although it can be changed at a later date right?? I really need to take a look at it. </p>
<p>EmmyBet - Sounds like it is all good at your house. </p>
<p>S is having his sr. pictures retaken the first week of school. First sitting was really bad, head cut off, weird poses, horrible background etc. So next sitting will be 10 poses with the required blue background and headshot for yearbook. If they come out OK I will also purchase some. It has been a few years since I had the kids picture professionally taken so I plan to have the kids picture taken this fall anyway.</p>
<p>Slithy- Hope D has a good trip and it helps her with her college choices.</p>
<p>mamom,
S has knee issues too, he had surgery in Jan and hasn’t rehabbed well and he has a cyst on the other knee now. Preseason started today, I was surprised he went as he was talking about joining Cross Country which is apparently less work, so we will see what happens. Playing on one team a year is mandatory at his hs. Hopefully one of the perks of being a senior is that he will make the team, but maybe not travel which wouldn’t be too bad. I feel bad for him, he has been injured every year in hs. He now has the knees of a 40 year old man. This was the first year he didn’t go to the camp as it just made it worse. We will see if he makes it through the next 2 weeks. D played in college, so I am a huge fan, but it’s his life.</p>
<p>btw- although S did a lot over the summer-classes & working, none of the mass quantities of summer reading or work has been started- never mind the common ap stuff & essay.
also- got a letter that Sr’s had unlimited college visits- what!! I can’t imagine taking off 1 day, plus the forms and the signatures required- every teacher, coach, advisor & academic coordinator for every visit- crazy</p>
<p>mamom–Nope, can’t be changed once submitted. But this was a fairly insignificant form/supplement. But I can imagine that hitting “submit” for the full common app will be a big moment.</p>
<p>Kiddo has just opene the common app–to really do something!</p>
<p>Evidentially while I was hiding under the covers DS decided to make accounts for two of the three applications he’ll submit. He filled out some of the mundane stuff, surfed one of the websites with his younger brother (that’s a first!), looked at essay topics, and <em>gasp</em> wrote a really decent first draft for one! </p>
<p>He has 7 short essays & the long one for the common app so this is not going to be easy. He is not a literary creative student, nor were they encouraged to be in school (very formula-type writing). He just looks at me saying “I don’t know what my ‘voice’ is…”. Not everyone can make a skittle interesting. Not everyone should. Hopefully he’ll find a way to inject some personality in a few. I’m just glad that he’s moving on it!! :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure I posted this pages back but it bears repeating. When I posted on CC that I hated my son’s essay, someone advised me to ask him questions about it, then take notes. Many people have a lot more distinct “voice” when they are discussing a topic rather than writing about it. You can present him with quotes - from himself- that he can add to spice up his essay.</p>
<p>Thanks. I actually told him I didn’t know if I should read it. I didn’t want to inject my words/thoughts into his. I was treading very lightly. I told him what I liked. I asked about a few grammatical things (he was right, I was wrong…as usual!). As this is a draft, and one of the three he’s doing for his ‘safety’ I am not getting worked up about it. He’s doing this set first to get his feet wet. The ones for his reach had great topics to work from and he actually has some creative ideas. The goal is to have good working drafts so when he gets back to school and teachers offer to help, or there is a seminar, he’s ready to go. I’m also going to suggest a good friend read it.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advise. I must have been absent that day. Sounds like a good approach. He is not a ‘vanilla’ kid by any means. They are simply taught early to write with a very distinct formula that takes all the ‘voice’ out. For a right brain kid, that’s tough to overcome.</p>