<p>Good morning and Happy New Year. </p>
<p>D got her ACT score. It wasn’t as high as her practices, so she’s bound and determined to increase it. Probably a do-over in June. </p>
<p>Have a great day, everyone and may 2011 be your best year yet.</p>
<p>Happy New Year! We had a great time in Boston. Thank you all for helpful suggestions on what to do there.</p>
<p>D will be taking Latin Lit 2 - Virgil. And German as independence study. Advanced Calc 2, done with Adv Physics 1 and 2, Done with Advanced Chem 1 and 2. She will also take AP Euro, AP Lit, and a Workshop or two.</p>
<p>Happy New Year everyone!!!</p>
<p>We stayed at home and made special appetizers, watched a movie (not one I liked, but hey, I’m a mom in a family of guys). At 11:00, we went into the kitchen to put together our food and talk and celebrate, etc (my vision was a meaningful conversation in the last hour of the year - talk about accomplishments of the year past, goals for the future, maybe a walk or two down memory lane. cue family-bonding music). My 2012S went up for a quick shower while we all got the Hors d’œuvres ready. All of a sudden we notice a drip coming down from the ceiling and look up to see a spreading wet spot and sagging drywall. I went tearing upstairs to tell S to turn off the shower. By the time I got back down, new leaks and sagging spots were springing up all over the ceiling and the other two boys are frantically pulling out bowls to put under leaks. One leak came through where we have a hanging light over the counter with the snacks, so the food all got drenched with yucky drywall water. </p>
<p>We had it kind of contained by 11:45, at which time we just sat on the couch and watched some inane guy in Times Square talking about getting ready to countdown to midnight. Then we stayed up until about 12:30 and did have that fun talk that I had envisioned, so I guess it all ended up OK. </p>
<p>We decided that since it happened before midnight, it was the last bad event of 2010, not an omen for 2011.</p>
<p>I swear, next year I will plan something fun!</p>
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<p>I like how you think! (Sorry to read about your leak. Ugh.)</p>
<p>PN - What a memorable event! I admire you for your calmness about it. We also had a few unfortunate incidents during the last two weeks of 2010. A little dent on the car by someone who lost control on a snowy road, our garage door opener giving in, our neighbor’s fence falling off in the strong wind. All waiting for my attention come Monday. Good news among these, my kid got a driver’s license! YAY!</p>
<p>Happy New Year to All!</p>
<p>Congrats to PN on keeping your cool! I hope all the incidents are smoothly resolved for Igloo and family.</p>
<p>Multiple extended family members came down with food poisoning after a Christmas Eve gathering…we had a nice Christmas, but the last week has been tough. D was only mildly impacted, she’s busy with homework and helping out. We had a very quiet New Year’s Eve, and are looking forward to a great 2011.</p>
<p>Oh, PN, so sorry about the leak! And glad it was contained in 2010! And I’m so glad you got to go to Boston after all, Iglooo! Are there colleges under consideration there? </p>
<p>D’s SR year looks like: AP Art History, AP Psych, Shakespeare, Honors Chorus, Botany, Independent study in voice, and one other. She dropped French this year after finishing French 3-- the teacher is awful at our HS, but it may come back to haunt her, so we shall see. D always works like mad and does wonderfully well whenever she can, but the teaching quality makes an immense difference and if she can’t get useful extra help in some subjects, she’s lost. We’re always winging it…at the worst, maybe our experience will help others down the line. </p>
<p>We went to hear her perform in a concert last night, then she and a friend came with us to a lovely and sedate party up the street. Left before midnight, a toast at home and crash…now it’s springlike warmth outside–a harbinger of good I hope! Happy New Year!</p>
<p>PS-- horrible about the food poisoning, so sorry to hear that!</p>
<p>Oops, I referred to PN’s leaky ceiling when responding to DB’s post. Sorry! That’s what I get for speed reading! PN, Glad to hear that the leak didn’t deter you from enjoying the NYC festivities!</p>
<p>PN - What a bummer about the leak. Did you figure out the cause? Like iglooo, I’m quite impressed at how calmly you retold that story and that you didn’t let it ruin your night.</p>
<p>iglooo - Congrats to your D on the license!</p>
<p>Mom2M - How horrible about the food poisoning. I wouldn’t want to be the one who made that dish!</p>
<p>Wow PN! That didn’t take long to cause chaos or clean up. I’m impressed! </p>
<p>Iglooo – congrats! I have a feeling that we’re YEARS away from a license here.</p>
<p>The 3 options for French next year appear to be independent study or class (teacher’s choice) or to just not take it. D is leaning toward the former option. Independent study options tend to be lots of work for the teacher, so I hope she really wants to do it. I also hope they don’t schedule it on Wednesdays. D’s school has classes only 4 days a week, and leaves Wed. for off-campus research, but since only about 1/3 of the students take advantage of it, lots of teachers use it as a catch up day. D has plans for next year (well, more like schemes at this point) so Wed. won’t work.</p>
<p>If she doesn’t take FL, she could take an elective, either econ or another science, perhaps the second semester of organic. I think it’s win-win, so I think I won’t fret too much.</p>
<p>D is taking a risk on her FL. She dropped Spanish this year after completing Spanish 2. Between her LD and a terrible teacher she felt there was no way she had the skill to go on and pass 3rd year Spanish. Also with her alternative dual enrollment program she has had to make some touch choices. For Jr year after taking a Math each semester she has 4 more units of college credit to chose from. This has to include her language, science and any electives. She took Math and College Composition this fall and will take another Math and Enviromental Science in the spring at the local college.
Prepping to take the January SAT. Her tutor feels her Writing and Reading should be strong enough to be one and done. They are working on the Math.
Regarding SAT 2’s. We had figured she would not take any since I don’t think any of the schools on the present list require them. The SAT tutor said D might want to take a few anyway for the Univ of Ca system to make her a more desirable applicant. I am not sure at this point what she will do. She could take the Lit and do well but I doubt the Math or any of the Sciences are going to be areas of strength. Any other UC applicants?
The list is pretty vague at this time. She thinks she doesn’t want huge or tiny. For H bottom line is cost and he is encouraging in state publics or nearby state U’s with reasonable OOS tuition. I feel she would do better at a smaller private so merit aid will be a must for us.</p>
<p>I was under the impression that the UCs (starting with the hs class of 2012) will no longer be requiring SAT IIs. (Of course, there are many other schools that do require them.) However, I’m not sure non-required SAT IIs would be helpful or useful for the admission process, especially if a student has AP test scores or grades from college classes (such as kids in a dual enrollment program). If I am incorrect about the SAT IIs for the UCs, would someone kindly let me know?</p>
<p>D spent some time prepping for January SATs. Mostly just doing practice test sections. Still hoping for one and done, but not optimistic on the math. On the other hand D is not looking forward to getting back to class and restarting the nightly homework grind. My older D went through this junior year as well. The academics pick up in difficulty, the ECs kick up in intensity and it is like the transition to HS all over again. I am hoping the second half of the year D can get the stress under control and get back to having fun with the academics.</p>
<p>Between the trip to Boston and Xmas, the only study my D did was to take a practice test to decide if she should go for Chem SAT2 in January. Gwen, Yes we made it to Boston a day later and No, not a college tour. Visiting friends although our host couldn’t resist driving us around the famed institutions. Thank you all for congratulations on my D’s license. Glad to get it out of the way.</p>
<p>Happy New Year Everyone!</p>
<p>Finally yesterday, DS started his homework. He has to cram about 4 days worth of work into Saturday and Sunday…but that is his usual MO. Last night he told me to “relax, you worry too much”. </p>
<p>So sorry to hear about the leak Igloo. That sounds like a big job to fix. Please update us with “what the plumber said”. I am wondering if they are going to have to replace the ceiling after the pipe is fixed?</p>
<p>IDK if DS did any prep at all for the Jan. SAT (though he had told me that winter break was when he had planned to prep). The proof will be in the pudding. We have a deal, if he gets lower than a 650 in critical reading, then he accepts and works with a weekly tutor to prep for the June test. If he makes a 650 or better on his own then I will leave him be to continue to do it his way. I am already looking into securing a tutor (oh me of little confidence)!</p>
<p>I had heard from others at my son’s school, that third quarter (January 25- March 31)is the most stressful of all for the Juniors (since there are so many large papers and projects). I am already twitching!</p>
<p>DS told me last night that he wants to attend a “name college”, though he dosen’t have a clue yet which one. He wants a very academic school and dosen’t care either way about sports (divisions). This is a start for him…he would never even think about which colleges to apply to before. I however, have a “fluid list” that I have been playing with…casting a very wide net (top 20 to third tier). Time will tell with this one since his test scores may be the ultimate gate keeper for him (he will most likely graduate HS with having taken 31 academic classes including 17 honors classes plus 12 of the most rigorous AP classes in the top 3% of his high school school class)
I tried to explain to him that despite his high school record, no “name school” is going to accept him if he dosen’t bring his SAT CR up to a minimum of 650. I think he is starting to get it but I believe the January exam will be his real eye opener. Sigh.</p>
<p>Good Morning!</p>
<p>seiclan -
Sounds like my son, but his quote is more like - “Don’t worry mom. I’m good.” </p>
<p>We’ll see if there’s any schoolwork being done today.</p>
<p>BU/BC - Yeah, my son says that ^^^ too!!! Meanwhile, I am debating if and when to wake him up today. I don’t think he should sleep past 11 AM when 1) he still has work to do and 2) he has to get up at 6:30 AM tomorrow. If I did not wake him, he would sleep until 1 PM! Do you guys let your kids sleep until the day is gone?</p>
<p>I am not looking forward to the next few months at all. I think the pressure is going to happen and happen fast. We have the new “attutude”, drivers license and the procurement of a junior prom date to deal with 
A perfect example of how we must somehow stay calm and teach the balance of life and work. </p>
<p>My issue is more of “work” goes beyond classwork now. SAT prep, college visit, a little bit of a life plan - am I really asking too much? {{{{yes…as they sleep away the day}}} it’s better in my book to get the sleep today instead of xbox!</p>
<p>First, thanks to all for sympathy re:food poisoning. I wish we could narrow it down to one dish, we have it narrowed to two. Since it was an extended family gathering, we aren’t going to worry about it. We have a couple of extended family members who thought I was a little crazy about food being really hot or really cold, especially in the years we travel (about every 3rd year, it’s 1.5 to 2 hurs away). I may buy everyone roaster ovens for next Christmas…I heat ours up, put the hot food in it, and it’s still to temp when we arrive (food thermometer). I bet I won’t get as many crazy (loving, but crazy) looks in the future. (And yes, I’m glad its not my dish. Not mad at the cooks, just relieved).</p>
<p>For UC’s, the HS Class of 2012 is not required to have subject tests. Some GC’s are suggesting the students take them anyway, as an optional “boost”. Some impacted schools/programs may end up requesting them. It’s a little up in the air to me. And I don’t like up in the air. D likely to take two, I doubt she will do three.</p>
<p>I wish she was one and done on the SAT. For most of the schools on the list, she is…but not for the reachy one. And she’s plain insulted by her writing score. So she’s going to retake in March. I have no idea when she will study, maybe in her sleep.</p>
<p>Cherryhillmomto2, I could’ve written your post! I am hoping that a large calendar with all of her important dates will minimize procrastination and maintain some balance.</p>