<p>I have officially starting the countdown till DS’s last day of Junior year. He is done after his final exam on June 8, in exactly two weeks. I am ready to shut off my alarm. That said, the dogs all are used to being walked at 6:30 AM so I will probably not get to sleep later anyway. </p>
<p>DS has been driving himself around for over a year now but I still am not used to it. He has not done any long distance driving though. I am thinking when we drive to Orlando this summer to visit my daughter we should let him drive. The trip takes a little over 3 hours from home.</p>
<p>I am quite sure that the colleges only look at the SAT numbers/score and nothing else. They just don’t have time to do much more. Tomorrow is SAT score results from the May test. Keeping my fingers crossed for all our kids. My son took subject tests so I am not as anxious (as I would be if it was the reasoning test). It is what it is. </p>
<p>Wow, it is Memorial Day weekend already! Time is just flying by!</p>
<p>Delayed. Check out the threads in the SAT Prep forum.</p>
<p>I feel like punching something. DD doesn’t mind. She’s doing her nails.</p>
<p>She really did miss the mawkishness/serendipity question, which serves us right because the only reason she was retaking was to try for a perfect CR. Because, you know, that’s what matters.</p>
<p>SAT strategy question. Once again, DS is taking a test without much prep. He took the SAT as a sophomore, and his scores weren’t great, so he has focused on the ACT. While that was thought to be a good strategy at the time, he has really developed into a great essay writer and his English teacher suggested he go for the SAT again. His true strength is math, though. With only one week to take practice tests and “cram”, do you think he should focus on his weakness, or try to get a really high math score? I feel that if he can blow math out of the water, he can spend the summer working on the CR portion. His English teacher thinks he should work on his CR, since he will obviously do well in math. I say there is no such thing as a lock on a high test score. If he does it my way, it ropes him into taking the test 3 times. If he does it her way, it could be done this time.</p>
<p>“Hello, poorsinglemom, it appears that you have not posted on our forums in several weeks, why not take a few moments to ask a question, help solve another member’s problem, or just join a conversation?”</p>
<p>Lol. I was actually feeling guilty about not posting when the above reminder popped up. Ok, mom. I hear ya. </p>
<p>Congrats to all the students (and parents) out there who finished APs, SATs, getting DLs, getting through prom/s (note to self: stop projecting prom issues on others!!), making Honor Society, and getting great jobs or internships for the summer (or even bad internships and yucky jobs). It’s such a lovely sense of accomplishment and you should all feel very proud.</p>
<p>A shout out of support to everyone out there struggling with natural disasters in their area! </p>
<p>It feels so odd, and somewhat intimidating, to hear the long list of things my S should be doing but can’t because he is abroad. I, however, am happily answering the SAT question-a-day with decent results. I am equally sure my S hasn’t answered one. </p>
<p>S’s schedule for the summer is so busy that I am beginning to really panic about the college application process (plus, it’s looking like there will be almost no time to tour campuses). It’s too bad there are no post-junior-year-abroad gap-semesters available to make up for the time lost as far as standardized test taking & prep, college tours and college applications go. </p>
<p>This board is so great. I’ve been reading many of the stories and checking out links and they are so terrific. Thanks Everyone! PSM</p>
<p>PS,</p>
<p>Had to miss my book group tonight in order to attend a school board meeting - no wonder I am a little moody!</p>
<p>MizzBee: Thanks for your advice. GC does hand out a questionaire type informal resume so DD will go with that instead of a sample letter. Our GC asks for a form with teachers names on it, so students don’t have to corner, er, I mean ask, each teacher one by one, yet, I still want her to talk to them and let them know she’s requested their help. </p>
<p>RE: Your DS and the SAT, I’d say it might depend where he wants to apply to colleges. Some schools are fine with the total score. If he can nail math and get that great total score, that’s awesome. Other schools actually hold CR in higher esteem than math because they claim the math is “easier” to prep for and conquer with class time. (I don’t agree, but…I’m not in Admissions.) Some schools still discount the writing section as “too new and experimental” so that score holds less weight than CR or Math. (Again, I disagree!) With limited time, I’d focus on the strengths = maybe just focus on a few new strategies for CR. Also look at themes that show up as essay prompts again and again. I’m sure he’ll do better than he did the first time, even with little prep. Best wishes!</p>
<p>Poor Single Mom - You are not alone, we feel like our family is behind, too. I’ve read so much info. it’s starting to blur together. The good news is, there are nice view books that admissions depts. can mail and video tours online, even if you don’t get to all the schools before your DS must apply. (One counselor suggested we don’t visit all the schools until DD is accepted! Said we shouldn’t waste too much time until we know she could go…I think he has a point as we can gather lots of info. without stepping onto the campus. I’m sure admissions will help, too. In an ideal world, we could see it all, but not always possible.) I also like the “chats” from students themselves and reading the online college newspapers, tweets, etc. to help get a feel for the campus. Yes, you may not get a complete view, but we’ve gathered lots of info. that way. Also, ask on these forums. people live around the campuses and they can describe the community to you…Best wishes. Hang in there…</p>
<p>MizzBee: Have him start by doing a timed practice math test. Make sure he knows how to do every question he missed (there may not be many). Then focus on whatever area he is weakest in. He may not need much more math prep - just keep doing practice tests to get used to the types of questions.</p>
<p>You will still have time to do some CR and writing prep as well. I think the writing is the easiest to improve once you understand the test format. Again, look in detail at the writing questions he missed on the practice tests. Learning to look for a few details (tricky subject/verb agreement, etc.) will help a lot.</p>
<p>CR will be harder to study for in a short time. If he needs vocabulary practice, it is not too late to review Direct Hits. It is written in an easy to read fashion and even if he doesn’t have time to memorize words, the examples in the book will stick in his mind. </p>
<p>My D12 is also taking it again and hasn’t done any additional prep yet. She wants to improve her CR score and assures me that all the reading and vocabulary in AP Lang will help. Hopefully the same for your son. Let’s hope it is the last test for both of them!</p>
<p>Re: score delay - I didn’t even tell DS they were supposed to be available today, since he’s so snowed under with work. Now I have to keep my mouth shut for two more days. He got two projects in yesterday, two more due today.</p>
<p>However, panic ensued last night: his host family in the Arctic emailed and was confused about the dates - they thought he was coming a MONTH later (they emailed back and forth with numbers, but not months: “I’m flying out the 31st, and will get in on the 2nd” “Great, that sounds good.”…DS points out to me that June doesn’t <em>have</em> a 31st). We’ll see if it’s all sorted out today…I told him there’s almost nothing that’s unfixable, but boy, was he in a state. I was thinking we’d done really well this term with anxiety (it’s an issue for him), but, well…never mind. </p>
<p>mspearl, thanks for your eloquent post. It’s an issue I think about often, with both my sons.</p>
<p>I answer the SAT question a day only for English, I don’t even bother trying the Math, don’t think my daughter even knows it’s in her email! I do find it help me with my writing!</p>
<p>Met with the college counselor last night - she had a few more colleges than I had found but also had some I already rejected. Of course any school I reject my daughter is instantly interested in especially if it is on the counselors list. She can’t visit all these schools so she’s either going to have to bite the bullet and take the time to read their information and other sources about each school or she’s going to have to take my word for it. I think the counselor had about 20 schools on the list, we’re not visiting 20 schools and there’s no way she’s the type of kid to fill out 20 applications, I know my daughter. Should be an interesting summer!</p>
<p>Today is the last day of classes. D is singing pirouetting all morning. She has a four day week-end. Graduation is tomorrow ; the seniors don’t have finals.</p>
<p>Athletes are getting likely letters already at D’s school. I do envy them, by September they will know where they will be heading while I have to wait until April.
Why didn’t I push D to do steeplechase?:)</p>
<p>Pamayawaa, your D is right. Oldest D told me that her knowledge of Latin is why she did very well on CR. I took the CR section of the SAT once. I noticed that many of the “hard words” were French words.</p>
<p>mimk6, yup, the Arctic. He’s off to far, far northern Canada to work on a language preservation/education project. He got a grant to pay for most of it. Now we just need to make sure he can get there (and I’ll be nervous until I know he arrived - he has to negotiate a plane change and an overnight hotel stay by himself…). But what an adventure!</p>
I’ll go check the threads. I wonder why?</p>
He got two projects in yesterday, two more due today.</p>