<p>DougBetsy - I have the opposite of you with my D2. She is my kid that is all over the place so I am a bit fearful for the college aps next year. I have told her that since she is working to be recruited for a D1 equestrian team that she needs to be serious when it comes time to getting the aps done. D2 has matured over the past year and I think she will continue to grow during her junior year so maybe it will not be as bad as I am anticipating!</p>
<p>D1 not only had all of the applications for 12 schools when applying last year, but she had songs, monologues and dances since she was auditioning for musical theatre programs. She kept all of this straight on her own, but I realize she is an exception.</p>
<p>I highly doubt that a school that would take DS over 6 hours to get to is worth our time. It may be a lovely school with a terrific fit for DS, but there are many. We are a very close knit family…he won’t be going to a school that is more than a half hour from an airport OR a 5/6 hour drive. We are a half hour from Fort Lauderdale airport and anyone who has older kids in college, knows about the complicated logistics of getting to and from colleges during holidays and god forbid, emergencies. We are not going to be playing the “planes, trains and automobiles” game. Distance from home is not the issue. We have no problem sending him to any college within a half hour of an airport (that has major jets that connect with Fort Lauderdale). </p>
<p>I was born in NYC and grew up in New Jersey. I went to Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania. I know that you can really take for granted how easy the access is to so many wonderful schools in the tri-state area. I hadn’t realized what we were giving up when we decided to relocate to Florida. I feel a little sad about that now but I am quite certain I will feel better in January! ;)</p>
<p>If you take the 78 and the 287 and stay on the west side of the river until you get to the Mid-hudson bridge, you can get from Newark Int’l Airport to Poughkeepsie in an hour and 35 minutes. I have done it. (If you hit a lot of traffic, it can easily be two hours) If you prefer, fly into Albany. The point is that Vassar is not cut off from the world. You can take the commuter train straight from Poughkeepsie to NYC any day of the week if the Big Apple is your thing.</p>
<p>Just picked up DS at school. Today was an early release day (school gets out at about noon and the teachers have planning time in the afternoon) but, the AP Chem kids have to stay after every early release day to do Chemistry labs.</p>
<p>Seiclan: Earlier this week, I had to take my DS into school 45 min. earlier so he could collect some data on an AP BIO lab - something a potato.</p>
<p>waving hi to DougBetsy, a fellow buddy from the 2010 group. I have the reverse situation: D’10 was much more involved in the college search process, while S’12 still has his head stuck in the sand. When he comes up for air, I have to be careful not to bombard him with college stuff. It’s going to be a fun ride!:rolleyes:</p>
<p>On campus, the library is a must-see. There’s a lake on campus (and a farm) if you feel like exploring. Lots of restaurants on route 9, and the Culinary Institute of America is nearby if you’re a foodie.</p>
<p>So 2012 Daughter has been at her new school for 8 weeks. (She’s at our state boarding school for gifted juniors and seniors). The demands of her courses are significantly higher than those in her previous school and her grades have been suffering, however she seems to be getting a handle on almost of all of them and her grades are heading back up. All except math. Today she changed math levels from “precal for AP” to “precal”. I’m thinking this wasn’t a bad idea because she will probably go from a C/C+ to a B+/A- and I don’t think colleges will think the latter class is any different than the former. She still will take calculus next year - just AB rather than BC. She does not plan to major in math, science or engineering. Only about 30 kids at her school take the precal for AP course, with fewer taking higher math as juniors. The vast majority take regular precal with a few in even lower math. I don’t think her change in classes will make a significant difference in admissions, do you?</p>
<p>I would support the level step down. Regardless of what colleges might think, it is more important for her high school education that she actually learn the math. If the AP/BC track is too fast for her and she is lerning only 75% of the material (as a C grade would indicate) that is a big concern, and it might spill over into science courses where she needs to use the math. Taking the AB track means she is still in a more rigorous math program than is offered at the top level in many HS around the country. I am not an adcom, but I would guess BC Calc is not a make or break in admissions decisions for non-engineers.</p>
<p>Absolutely let her step down-- she needs to really grasp the math and she also needs to feel comfortable at her new school. Those two things will have a much better result than pushing for the look of rigor at all costs.</p>
<p>I am having a problem reconciling my son’s “attitude” toward the whole college prep process at this point. As most of you know, he is very motivated but lacking drive, a very paradoxical combination. I don’t know if this is Y chromosome related, age related, birth order related or just his way of trying to be independent. As a parent, it seems like a train wreck in slow motion but, maybe (hopefully) I am wrong. He is my youngest of three and each of my children are so different. </p>
<p>The latest issue is that he has told me that he intends to do his own prep for the January SAT. He dosen’t want any tutoring or formal SAT prep. I think this is a big mistake. He is very strong in the math section and probably the writing section but weak in the critical reading (about a 150 points lower on a timed practice SAT simulation test). You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. I suppose he could do this his way, probably not get the reading score that he needs to get into the schools that he would want to attend, then do formal prep for a second SAT in June or most likely October of senior year (since it will be very tough to prep for an SAT when he is studying to take 5 AP exams this May). IDK why this kid won’t take my extensive advice (learned here on CC for the past 4 years)!!! He has to do it all his way, his terms. Frustrating to me. I sometimes get envious when I read about your 2012 kids who are willing and happy to take your advice.</p>
<p>seiclan, it might not be much consolation, but I’m letting D study “her way” for the October SAT. (And, by extension, the PSAT.) So far, not so good. She’s making a half-hearted attempt at best. Sigh. I think once she sees scores come back lower than she wants she’ll buckle down for the spring or fall. </p>
<p>In the meantime I might as well tell this coffee mug what I’ve learned from CC. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>It is a consolation DougBetsy! Sometimes it seems that mine is the only kid who does this (since so many of my friends kids are going to weekly test prep). Since I am moving his October SAT to January, hopefully his PSAT will be his big wake up call. He probably wouldn’t qualify for NMS anyhow because his CR score will be too low. I too have a very well educated coffee mug! :)</p>
<p>I am trying to learn from this. He likes challenges but prefers to go it alone. Against my better judgment, I am allowing it. We set up a “to do list” on Sunday’s and revisit on Wednesday to adjust for weekly school work. If the work load is less, he has to do more SAT.</p>
<p>cherryhillmom - you said “we set up a to do list”? My son would balk at that for sure. WE is not in his vocabulary these days. He is a I/Me kinda kid. Good for future independence but frustrating for a type A mom!!!</p>