<p>collegeshopping, I’d post something on the general parents forum to gather more opinions. But my gut reaction is that the GT designation isn’t going to count for much, if anything. Possibly your D’s high school profile makes a huge deal about the GT program and how the pedagogy differs from non-GT offerings and how GT on the transcript designates courses taken in the GT program etc etc etc. Even if the school profile says any of that, I don’t think the adcoms will look at your D’s senior English AP but GT-less course and declare that an irredemable blot on her academic record. They’ll be too busy complaining about all the other applicant’s resumes. :)</p>
<p>Seriously–she should take the teacher who isn’t a total pain. It’s her senior year, she shouldn’t be miserable.</p>
<p>I am not sure what GT means –
however this teacher sounds out right mean spirited and abusive…if the weighting on the AP Eng Lang IV is the same…I would say BAIL.</p>
<p>Fog…GT is the symbol for the Gifted and Talented Program. I know the school’s profile does go into detail about it as it a very well known program in our state and seems to be respected in the “GT” circles. For example the summer reading book and current discussion liturature in the Ap Eng IV class is the same as my daughter’s Eng II class in 10th grade. It is 2 of 8 books that will be duplicaitions. Which is really the one reasons the switch is possible because that huge book has already been read! I checked with GC and she would still be listed as being in the GT program. I think most Adcoms would not even notice the dropped GT or maybe assume that class was not offered in GT form. The larger problem to me is that 8 kids have already moved out. Certainly it should tell the GT coordinator something, but the last day to change is Tuesday, so I can’t fight that battle right now, just this one.</p>
<p>^^ ah ha got it. Both of our kiddos have IEPs for GT…and later we moved out of publics into privates…</p>
<p>That teacher sounds bad–however bad it is–you dont have time to fight the school–Just help your student rescue the year.</p>
<p>The teacher could be “testing” everyone and trying to shake the dead wood out…however I am not a fan of this kind of abusive language…and since so many dropped, it is unlikely your student is being over-sensitive.</p>
<p>So while 2 books are repeats–that makes the year a little lighter AND with apps…why not take advantage.
Hope you and your student can find a good solution…still being in the labelled GT program seems to cover the bases…will the hs profile detail a AP Eng IV GT course?
Good luck!</p>
<p>collegeshopping – you have indicated in other posts that your D is looking at some very competitive schools. Will the other students from her school, applying to those same schools, be staying in the English GT class or dropping it?</p>
<p>If the teacher is going to make your D’s life miserable…then you and your D need to make a decision that takes into account what impact it will have based on those she is “competing” with. </p>
<p>What does the GC suggest?</p>
<p>(By the way…I agree with the poster who stated this tactic might be a weeding-out process on the part of the teacher. 26 is a farily large class for specialized instruction — lots of college-level papers for the teacher to review along with whatever other classes she teaches.)</p>
<p>Just have your D tell the teacher that her opinion matters because she is freakin’ gifted and talented and her comments are sure to stimulate the minds of her peers.</p>
<p>DS is looking at applying to maybe 5-6 schools (no Ivys); in fact, his safety is actually his favorite. At least two of these schools use the Common App, but you can also just do the school’s own app.</p>
<p>So . . . after reading all the “issues” on here with having enough space to get all your info in, etc. etc., how many Common App schools does it take to make it worth it to use? If we’re only doing 5 apps total, would it be less of a headache just to use each school’s own app? What do y’all think?</p>
<p>26 is the whole GT population of seniors. Very small selective group. (3500+ students in HS) I would have thought about the weeding out too, but these kids are extremely bright and have been togehter for a very long time and have been labeled “best of the best.” I think she is just mean…lol She is meeting with the GC and AP on Tuesday…we will see.</p>
<p>My D finally sat down this week and looked at the Common App and SUNY App. She made a list of the schools on her short list and noted that quite a few offered Early Action and said she’d probably apply to 3 or 4 of those. I realize it’s different than ED, but is it easier to get in EA? She would have the admission process over with quicker, but still have the spring to decide. It’s not like she’s at the very top of the app pool, really compared to some of the students I read about here, but she’s on track for most of the schools she’s applying to, I just don’t know what the benefit of EA would be other than to make her feel better with an acceptance earlier. We’re not really looking at the privates, while she could get in, even with merit aid it would be too much in loans and she wants to go to grad/med school and wants to try and go debt free til then. </p>
<p>At least she looked at the apps! Her GC had them hand out reference requests last semester and speak with the teachers personally about them. This way that’s all in their files and the teachers are not bombarded in the fall. The school is trying something new and not sending the schedules to the kids before school starts, only the first period class so they know where to go. It’s driving her nuts. School doesn’t start until the 13th!<br>
I used Amazon to buy the books for the PA English class she taking through Syracuse Univ. (from what I can see it’s a freshman level writing course which will be helpful to her as English has never been her strong suit!) and the 2 books were over $50 each! I managed to get them both used for around $65 - they do look like reference books that she will use throughout her college years though. And now this year with the budget cuts, I have to pay for the AP tests for the 3 AP’s she’s taking. Cheaper than the college credits, but something we hadn’t planned on.</p>
<p>So mad I could scream…I can hardly breath. Schedules were posted today. On Saturday so they don’t get calls from parents before schools starts. There was a lot of trouble getting classes because of overcrowding. Students were sent to the community college, put in virtual classes, electives changed. Nothing was done however without a call home. Silly me, I figured no call meant no change.</p>
<p>Schedule posted for S2 shows 6 not 7 classes… not good in the world of admissions. Had we been told LAST week, we could have enrolled in a class at the college similar to the one he lost (C++). Early release, or study hall, may not be uncommon in some schools. It isn’t done here. When the GC goes to compare who has had the most difficult schedule and S2 only took 6 classes, with the mess this year I don’t trust she’ll remember that it wasn’t his choice. Colleges in turn see a kid who’s coasting his Sr. year.</p>
<p>To put it in perspective, the classes he does have are AP lit, Calc AB, AP Physics C, Spanish V, IT Prog/Dual enrolled, & US Gov’t… The class he’s missing is C++. This could have been taken online through the cc IF we’d known.</p>
<p>Sorry for the rant…just makes me so sad that our kids bust their butts only to have overcrowding cause a problem… I really am sad for him. His first choice school was very clear a full schedule was needed. :(</p>
<p>I feel for those poor Drake people who are workingm hard and their idea of a new campagin isn’t quite playing out like they had thought…</p>
<p>^^
As far as EA–just about every school that has EA - swears that there is no difference in the % of students accepted from EA and that EA should not be used to “game” the system. The schools say that the EA is meant to be for students who love the school, have researched everything and believe its their first choice. That said, every year I have heard people ask the same question about advantage. </p>
<p>I am pretty sure too that people have posted stats and there can be advatnage to the applicants admitted EA–I have read that the advantage EA is best measured looking at the yield. If the school has a high yield–EA is the way to go–</p>
<p>Without knowing much about the schools and your students stats–I would consider IF is a top choice and the stats are well into and above the 50%, then applying EA will help…its a self selected group. And really the added benefit is having it done, there is less pressure for most of the year because the student is in the college of choice–
If the stats aren’t in at the top of and beyond the 50%, then there probably is no advantage…
Perhaps have her rank the schools by preference and also by her match/safety etc. If she’d be happy at any of them, then maybe have her apply EA to both one of her favs and a safety</p>
<p>^^
Blue Iguana, that is so sad–because your students schedule is clearly rigorous. Will the guidance office include a statement in with the transcript saying that due to overcrowding and scheduling, that your student could not get the full selection? </p>
<p>I know our student lost not only the 1st choice for a slot (MEHAP) but also an alternate due to overcrowding and classes taught 1x a day (conflicting with another course our student wanted as well).
My husband spoke with the Principal, because we were at a loss (our GC was NO help–and told us 1)it didn’t matter to college apps, that 2) the GPA was “set” and 3) it didn’t matter that it would affect our kiddo’s wanting to be in the top 10%–She was soooo LAME and combative!)<br>
The Principal helped us find something for the slot–and said the college counesling office would attach a notice that the schedule was not the one the student wants due to crowding etc…
IF your students GC won’t do that–I do suggest that ot be added into the miscellaneous as a SHORT 1-2 sentence statement so at least its covered somewhere else.
Also–maybe a Virtual class can be fit in? I don’t know what C++ is…so perhaps thats not possible–however maybe something leaning towards your students potential major could be added?</p>
<p>As for us–our kiddos are sleeping–and its 9:45am…they went to bed about midnight.
Ooops–Kiddo1 the Sr just appeared.
Let the games begin :rolleyes:</p>
<p>holliesue, meant to tell you after your previous post about your D’s affinity for “red-brick,” that my D also LOVES the red-brick-buildings, laid-out-on-a-quad, leafy-green, traditional image college campus! Bell-towers and clock-towers score bonus points. Lovely, traditional on-campus chapels earn mega-bonus points.</p>
<p>So far, most of the schools on her list (small Midwest LACs) fit the bill, and I know this will factor into her decision, even if subliminally. She and I are both very affected by visual surroundings, and we love all things old and traditional (both born in the wrong century). :)</p>
<p>Thanks fogfog - Often the validation of someone else saying ‘yup, that stinks’ can be very helpful.</p>
<p>Right now S2 is writing an email to his GC. She will be getting swamped with them. He is telling her he knows this in his email. He has figured out that class A (which he didn’t get) is offered during class B. Class B is taught again by the same teacher during the block he has free. IF there is room in class A, and class B during the open block they MAY let him move. I doubt it… if so why wouldn’t they have scheduled his classes this way to begin with. It’s not a conflict where classes are not offered… They are just full. I’m curious why Srs were not given priority. That’s what I really feel is ‘bunk’. I’m also just burned that we were not contacted in enough time to add another class.</p>
<p>A notice from the school a couple of weeks ago stated they were ‘hoping to get a full schedule for all students’. I guess instead of giving Sr’s priority, they assumed they didn’t need the classes to graduate. It gave the impression that no changes or additions would be made. I’m sure a note will be included on his transcript. What the heck do you do when you can’t even add an elective?!? Because of after school EC’s he can’t really come home… so that’s two hours on block days that technically he’s not supposed to be on campus. So much for paying more for a home to be in the best school in the county.</p>
<p>Oh, btw… C++ is programming, but it’s aka Adv Comp Math and falls under a Math elective. Seems odd, I know, as he’s also taking IT Programming. That’s dual enrollment and Javascript. He’s engineering, so both classes are helpful.</p>
<p>visited Allegheny College yesterday. Beautiful campus, very well maintained. Nice mix of older renovated buildings and newer buildings (lots of red brick:) ) D met with a theater professor and got a tour of their one year old building. Great theater. Really informative tour guide. Very friendly staff and students everywhere. Ate in the student union dining area (a la carte) with a coupon given to us by admissions. D was impressed with the school.</p>
<p>Missypie & fogfog- thanks, good points! I also think having the EA date as her goal may give her the added push to get her essay done. And having an admission or two would be a weight off of her shoulders.</p>
<p>Cooker, this can be so nerve-wracking, can’t it? </p>
<p>Don’t know if this will work for your D, but here’s what we’re doing this Labor Day Weekend. D and I plan to spend the entire day Sunday getting “caught up” and organized on all-things-college. We don’t like doing 30 minutes here, 45 minutes there…we prefer to clear the whole day for this, and if we finish early, no problem.</p>
<p>We will check our calendars and then email schools where she wants to arrange 2nd visits (including overnights, sitting in on classes in her major, attending an afternoon/evening music EC, etc). We will complete the grid we started of deadlines for all apps/docs for the 6 schools she’s applying to. We will factor in her school’s deadlines for receiving transcript requests, etc. We will add tasks and deadlines for me (FAFSA, Profile, etc) plus self-imposed deadlines for getting stuff to the accountant (I’m a small business owner, which makes it more complicated.) We will add a column for each school’s music audition-dates. In other words, we’re going to figure out where the heck we are in this process and exactly what needs to be done when.</p>
<p>In addition, she’s spending a few hours today (Sat) and a few hours Monday continuing work on her Common App essay plus one additional essay (which she’s committed to having finished by next weekend).</p>
<p>To make Sunday’s work more pleasant…we are (today) baking a yummy treat to enjoy during tomorrow’s work session, we’ve selected favorite music to play as we work, and have picked a movie to watch afterwards as our reward. I’m also cooking today so tomorrow will be a great dinner of easy-to-reheat leftovers.</p>
<p>For us, blocking out a chunk of time to do this work, and finding ways to make it more pleasant is at least half the battle. Maybe you and your D could do something similar next weekend?</p>
[quote]
Some of her teachers even addressed the issue themselves on the first or second day of class. “First come, first served” is the motto. And, “Don’t expect a rec letter with less than two weeks warning!”
[quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, I’ve heard of teachers telling kids, “I can do XX letters. After that, I’m sorry that I’ll have to say no. I want to do a quality job on the ones I write, and I’ve learned from experience that XX is my max.”</p>
<p>My D’s GC has also said, "Please don’t come to me after the deadline I’ve given you, and beg me to do something for you as a special rush favor. That’s not fair to me, and it’s not fair to the hundred-plus other students whose requests are stacked, in order, on my desk, and who DID meet the deadline.</p>
<p>I respect both of those staff members very much for communicating clearly, and early, how this deal is going to be done.</p>
<p>D finished essay and sent it to her creative writing teacher for input. Teacher loved it, just made some suggested grammatical changes. D will make those changes this weekend. Then needs to write up the 150 word description of her EC (Odyssey of the MInd). Then the app will be done. School doesn’t start until this coming Friday for her, so then she can request guidance do their part. Creative Writing teacher has agreed to do recommendation for D (also was her director in two plays). Phew…things seem to be moving along and D will get all apps out by end of October for sure!! YAY!!!</p>