Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - Original

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
4741

<p>Seems like several of us are hitting low spots this week. I know the incident at Rutgers hit me hard.</p>

<p>My D also wants to take the SATs one more time just to raise her math scores. But since she knows her scores are OK as is she is not motivated to study at all. And I know her math score won’t just magically raise itself. We’ll be having that discussion too but we have a bit of breathing room since she won’t take them until November anyway (huge conflict on the 9th). Maybe your son will benefit just from the passage of time and math maturing. Would it be reasonable to bump things back and use the November and December dates?</p>

<p>Totally agree Emmybet that we need to take care of ourselves. Its true always but especially through this process. And encourage our kids to engage in self-care too. I know my D feels the weight of the world on her shoulders these days.</p>

4742

<p>D has to get the forms to our guidance office since I learned this week that they can’t file them electronically ( ugh)! Also she needs to follow up with the teacher who agreed to write the LOR as she hasn’t filed it yet! D’s all done with her part of the common app ( except one supplement). Now she can get started on scholarship essays!</p>

4743

<p>missypie - D was hoping to finish her common app by Oct 1st as well. Almost there, but the last 5% as usual takes the longest time.</p>

<p>We are however hoping she can submit her priority app this weekend. She had the english teacher review her essay and he really liked it - could see her ‘voice’. So, here’s hoping she can submit the app this weekend!</p>

<p>My job is to order the scores to be sent to the schools. D took both the ACT and the SAT - the ACT is marginally better than the SAT. Both of her EA schools take either - and don’t need subject tests, so currently planning to send the ACT score to both schools. She is planning to take the ACT again (I’ve seen no prep work though!) - and if her score does indeed improve, we’ll send an updated score report. Question on the subject tests - if the school doesn’t request them, do you send the scores anyway? Her scores are not in the “fabulous” category (around 700) - so I was thinking of not sending them unless absolutely required. What do you think?</p>

<p>blue - I completely understand the low feeling. Sometimes, I think we started so early that now we are running out of steam. I try to keep her focus on one thing - currently, it is just getting that priority app submitted - then we’ll worry about the others. Can’t take on too much at one time!! D was feeling a bit low - they found out information about ranks this week and hers dropped a couple. She felt like some of the kids “gamed” the system - but fortunately for her, she has an advisor who talked to her about how important it is that she took courses she was interested in and not just for her GPA. She came home feeling a bit better after that talk. Taking a non-honors course and scoring a 96 dropped her GPA :frowning: But she loved the course and the discussions in that course!</p>

4744

<p>Take a large piece of foam board - the size of a sheet of poster board. Make a poster for a football player in the theme of homecoming that is 100% covered in glitter. That is what my D will be spending hours and hours doing…it’s a multi-day process that will cause our house, shoes, cars, etc. to be covered in glitter for months to come. Maybe I can have D dictate her essay to me while she is working on her poster!</p>

4745

<p>blueiguana, when you wrote "We’ve really researched, visited, etc… beyond what a lot of kids have done. "–I think that’s the key to it all. You (royal you, meaning parents and kid) have done the heavy lifting and understand how it all fits together. If your kid knows the tradeoff–study for the SAT might mean a reach acceptance, but it might not–then you’ve done all you can. If things don’t work out the right way, then it’s a life lesson. It’s all good.</p>

<p>arisamp, since the school doesn’t require SAT IIs and it doesn’t sound like they add anything to your D’s app, I’d vote in favor of saving money and not sending them. </p>

<p>Yesterday afternoon, D1 snapped at me that I needed to stop talking about college stuff. When I came home later in the evening, guess what she wanted to talk about? :smiley: She is pleased with her higher than expected ranking, but she is also moaning about how if she had a higher grade in just a couple of classes she’d be in the top 10%. I bit my tongue, hard. Life lesson. </p>

<p>She was rethinking her list, wondering if she should apply to some more “higher ranked” reaches. That’s the peer pressure of the kids at her magnet, most of whom look to USWNR rankings for their list. We brainstormed for a bit, going through the usual suspects. I’d mention a school, and then say that she just wasn’t that kind of kid (take THAT, Harvard! :slight_smile: ), she’d agree. Sometimes, our parental job is just to be reassuring.</p>

<p>We are all looking forward to seeing “Social Network”, the new film about Facebook. Rave reviews galore. If Aaron Sorkin does not win a Best Screenplay Oscar, I will go out, buy a hat, and eat it.</p>

4746

<p>Bluei- I’m tired, too. Two apps are in (with two acceptances), one to go. I think it’s the waiting that’s exhausting me, and I do’t have to wait as long as most of you. Exchange decisions are typically made in February. Perhaps if is the worry about finances making us so tired? When I think about what I may have to shell out if we don’t get exchange, I practically start to hyper ventilate.</p>

<p>And I’m tired of the stress. Physycs II may just be the death of that kid. Right now grades are ok, but we’re always one bit test away from disaster, so it seems. Od1 hovers close to the bottom of the top 5% and doesn’t want to fall out. I think in a year nobody cares so lighten up. College should actually be easier with time to study between classes and no 6am-6pm nonstop daily schedule. In the meantime, we live with Grumpy Smurf.</p>

4747

<p>I think my son IS hoping for a magical SAT score rise because I have not seen any studying. I have done some token nagging for the SAT but save most of my words for the applications. I really want the rolling and EA apps in right now. </p>

<p>Our school requires a parent brag sheet that helps to inform the teachers and GC about the kids. I think it’s really helpful since most of them just know the school side of our students and our insights can help round them out. It asks for things like giving four words to describe your child and then a follow up question to give an example of how your child displayed one of those characteristics.</p>

4748

<p>blue, I know exactly what you mean. What seemed fun and exciting when we first immersed ourselves in all-things-college is starting to feel…old. It’s really hard to maintain the high degree of stamina, enthusiasm, and perseverance after so many long months.</p>

<p>Do take some time for yourself this weekend, if you can.</p>

<p>After that (this is just me), I would try to keep the focus on bearing down hard on these last few tests and steps of the process.</p>

<p>We ARE in the home-stretch, and while it’s so understandable that we (and our kids) would be exhausted…this is not the time to ease up. We’re so close to the finish line.</p>

<p>My D has done a great job of getting all the app stuff done, keeping academics super-high, keeping up with show rehearsals, etc.</p>

<p>BUT…she has her first college vocal audition in 10 days, and somehow that’s fallen to the back burner. She’s concerned that she isn’t where she needs to be, 10 days out, so we’ve been talking about shifting some other things to back burner now, and making the audition prep her #1 priority starting today.</p>

<p>We, and our kids, can only do so much. I agree with everyone who reminds us to take care of ourselves. I also remind myself (and D) that priorities need to shift on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis. I hate to feel like we’re in “putting out fires” mode, but right now that’s the reality.</p>

<p>blue, I hope you can get some needed rest (physical, mental, emotional) and then get back in the game. The end is in sight, and you and your son are totally on the right path. Wishing you a peaceful, restful weekend.</p>

4749

<p>Missypie, I’m picturing YOU covered in glitter, in a house covered in glitter, muttering, "I thought we were going to work on the applications… :)</p>

4750

<p>Pretty much. I still have glitter stuck to my shoes from when she first had to do this two years ago.</p>

4751

<p>Hi All
I think part of the fatigue besides the apps, testing etc–is it was a really tough week mentally/emotionally due some bad news days. That takes more out of everyone…</p>

<p>Our kiddo has the Com App done and the supplement for choice #1…I had asked kiddo to start choice 2s app (does ot use common app) and got “a look”…
Kiddo is spending the weekend at choice 2 and will be home late Sat night…so perhaps Sunday after all of the hw–we might get a little effort on that…</p>

<p>I did remind kiddo that Nov 1 is coming for EA apps…
and kiddo cannot wait to start the safeties etc way into Nov…as the GC etc will want everything ready so they can help manage all of the schools LOR etc parts before the holidays…</p>

<p>Schools, sports, ECs and apps…I had heard from parents and the GCs that the fall for the Srs is just a tough grind…</p>

<p>Loved the Zits comic (grinding teeth)…printed it out–and will tape it to kiddo’s computer screen so its the first thing to be seen Sunday afternoon ;o)</p>

<p>Sleep, hydration and some vit B and C are in order here.
Hugs all around.</p>

4752

<p>Wow. ShawD told me that she was a little confused about how ACT with extended time worked and as a consequence went faster through some sections and had adequate time on the essay. Well she got 12/12. Until last year, her writing was always weak, but her school is good at teaching writing. I guess it is sticking.</p>

4753

<p>^
Saw your post…and checked…kiddo’s writing score is up. Not what kiddo is expecting.
First attempt was actually 1 pt higher.
Strange as kiddo has had very very rigorous english, honors and Ap–and is now totally nailing it at school–yet no 12 on the essay…</p>

<p>Stil composite went up 2 pts overall…so its all good…</p>

4754

<p>Hugs to all the tired and burnt out moms and kids out there. High fives to those getting good news on ACT scores. Maybe moms and dads need a date night and kids need a night out with friends.</p>

4755

<p>Missypie: I had to laugh about the glitter. My daughter and her friends made t-shirts for spirit day with “Seniors” in pink glitter. Needless to say, I’m still finding glitter in my kitchen a few weeks later. Just remember, we’ll miss this stuff next year.</p>

4756

<p>Weekly, daily, hourly priorities. You are so right, mosb. And I remember the “putting out fires” lifestyle during D1’s senior year, too. Yup, yup, yup.</p>

<p>Good luck on the audition!! I will keep my fingers crossed.</p>

<p>D went on a 2-day school trip and took her ACT prep book. Yay! I was touched that she told me - she knows I’m worried. I will be very glad when 10/23 has come and gone, OFF the list.</p>

<p>Looking over supplements and making some to-do lists. That does help me. Glad to see there aren’t as many supplemental essays as I’d feared. I think once the play is done she can crank a lot of this stuff out. Just have to keep telling myself not to think about it! </p>

<p>In the meantime I feel like I’m back in HS myself helping our exchange student with her homework. I’ve already hit my limit with math - I am NOT relearning advanced algebra! - but the History and English are actually kind of fun. Going to help her get a really warm coat and boots this weekend. She is NOT prepared for a WI winter!!!</p>

4757

<p>Congrats to ShawD! That’s awesome!</p>

4758

<p>Anyone interested interested in FAFSA 101 - go to College Week Live and listen in. Starts at 5PM EST.</p>

4759

<p>Wanted to share that I saw the documentary Waiting for Superman today. Sad state of affairs in education. I recommend seeing it if it is released in your area. And, yes, it made me cry :frowning: </p>

<p>D has homecoming this weekend., therefore I am not expecting much in the way of work on apps. Assuming GC was in (She’s been out all week) D was turning in her EA & Priority apps to GC today. </p>

<p>Luckily, she has some senior days off coming up next week & following, so she can use those days for catching up. (Do others have random senior days off-for us it happens when underclassmen take PSAT/Explore/Plan/ACT- Srs. are off. Actually, all grades other than those being tested are off on those days)</p>

<p>D’s composite ACT score increased by 3 pts. but got essay score today & it went down 2 points. Brought her combined eng/writing down a point as well. She wasn’t planning to send 1st ACT scores, but in light of the drop, would it make sense to send (to show previously higher Essay score?) All other sections went up.</p>

<p>I guess I should be thankful that neither of my kids has a glitter project to tackle this weekend ;)</p>

4760

<p>mommylaw, if the schools superscore, wouldn’t she be better off sending both?</p>