<p>Hi 2012ers–I have a college D 2013, but I should probably start hanging out here as I have a HS 2012 D as well. She is trying not to panic about the PSAT, but doing some self studying. Unfortunately she had a bad cheer fall last winter (competitive club) resulting in a concussion which kept her out of school for 2 months. She didn’t fully heal for 6 months so we opted not to do summer prep. Trying hard to give her perspective. Sister was commended, but that is not likely for her given last year’s experience. I am just grateful to have her back to normal. We’ll use PSAT as benchmark for tutoring instead. Thinking of all the nervous kids and parents out there–wishing them all well.</p>
<p>My D1, UF '10, is at this moment taking her LSAT’s. She was very nervous about them this am. She went to the testing site with a neighbor who is also taking them (though it is his second attempt). I told her to just do her best. If she is not happy with how it goes she can always take a prep class and retake them in December. She had done some limited private tutoring but for the most part studied on her own since she is working full time and exhausted after a 9 hour day (1/2 hour commute each way). I am keeping my fingers crossed for her. She is not looking for IVY league law school but she has not taken a standardized test like this in …5 years!</p>
<p>DS (hs class of 2012), who opted to postpone his first SAT sitting until January, slept until noon today…</p>
<p>DD is in the middle of the SAT right now. Funny morning, though. We can never get her to eat a good breakfast, but this am I got up early and made her a full breakfast, she ate it all up and even said “thanks.” We sent her off with her adm ticket, id, calc ad three sharp No. 2 pencils. Keeping fingers crossed.</p>
<p>Mizz B: you are doing the right thing - even tyrants get kudos if the trains run on time.</p>
<p>wow… that’s over for now. D unfortunately had the experimental math section. Math is not her favorite. Why couldn’t she have the experiemental CR or Writing? I think that may have tainted how she feels about the test. So much math for a person who doesn’t like math very much. But she thought the Writing and CR went well. She is starting to think she may have to take it again. But I think she won’t need to study for the PSAT. She said she is going to crack open her PSAT book over the next few days, but she has just spent the last 5 months studying for the SAT, so hopefully she is ready for the PSAT.</p>
<p>D thinks the SAT went “ok”…whatever that means. She’s not interested in looking at the PSAT booklet right now, but will look it over later in the week. It’s been a long week around here, out of town company, family wedding reception yesterday (we helped plan, decorate, serve–clean up continues today, but not for her), she needs to finish her homework, practice her driving, and get some rest today.</p>
<p>chrissyblu: DD had the same experience - experimental math section. She feels pretty good about the CR and the W. She said three of the math sections were fine, but the fourth was tougher, or maybe she was just tired. She is hopeful that it was the experimental section. PSAT on Wednesday!</p>
<p>After speaking with parents of kids who took yesterday’s SAT at the two different locations near us, I changed my son’s January registration to the private school one (at a cost of $24). Seem’s that the line was so long at the public school to check in that they all started late and didn’t finish until 1:30 pm. Kids who took the same test at the private school had less kids to contend with on check in, started the test on time and finished at about 12:30 pm. Wish I had thought of that when we originally registered (since both schools are equadistant from our home and neither school are my son’s school anyhow). </p>
<p>LSAT did not go well for my daughter. She came home and signed up to retake it in December.</p>
<p>Good morning. My D said the SAT was “OK,” too. :rolleyes: She also said that it threw her for a loop to find the first section was math. Apparently she had been starting all her practices with CR. She said she felt off balance and is convinced she did poorly on that section. 
(Maybe it was the experiment.)</p>
<p>Oh well, 18 days 'til we know…</p>
<p>Here is a tip that maybe helpful to some kids. Have them bring some energy booster snacks or drinks to the test. </p>
<p>My nephew was plateauing out on his SAT total scores(practice), but he would randomly get high 700 for different section of tests. His tutor noticed a pattern with him, at each setting, his test result would get worse and worse because he was tired, not because he didn’t know the material. Last spring, they had him drink some energy drinks between each test. He went up 200 pts, and also did very well on subject tests.</p>
<p>Many kids lose focus when they are tired, and it did the trick for my nephew.</p>
<p>What kind of energy drinks? I am not familiar with them at all. Do you have any examples of types or brands that would work well? Only problem that I foresee is that caffiene is a diuretic…it makes you need to “go”…not good for sitting in a long test.</p>
<p>D2 is going to bring some granola bars, nuts and water. H is a health nut, so he likes to find nature way of boosting energy. 
I will ask my SIL. I would try it during a practice test. But my main point is to make sure they have enough energy to make it through the long test.</p>
<p>DS’12 just came down stairs and said he’s been studying for the PSATs. Woohoo! Will wonders never cease? So happy he is taking this on all on his own. He self scored the verbal and did pretty well. Seems with a bit of extra studying he could well be over the range we thought for the SAT’s in March. Yeah!</p>
<p>This may be something to put in your memory books. This year, my older D and I were searching for a carpet remnant for her dorm single and couldn’t find many. We went to Home Depo today and they had a TON of them. They must take remnants from the jobs they do and finish the edges and sell them. At Thanksgiving I will have her come and pick one out and we will take it back to UCLA for her room. Much nicer than the icky carpet in her room.</p>
<p>Well, D has run out of time to practice the PSAT. Driver’s ed every afternoon 3 -6, the class ring ceremon tonight, and pops concert on Tuesday night. Oh well, it is what is. (or will be)</p>
<p>In other news, she might have a boy in her life. :eek: They exited the SAT together on Saturday and as they parted I overheard him say, “well, maybe we’ll meet-up at the dance.” They did! They “hung out” and danced together at Homecoming on Saturday. GULP. At least she’s always ina good mood now. ;)</p>
<p>DougBetsy - Glad to hear your D is in a good mood with the new guy in her life! D had her first boyfriend this past summer and her first heartbeak. The guy broke up with her the last day of her SAT prep class. It was a few days before she was showing her horse in a big final competition so it was not one of D’s better weeks. I hope all goes well with your D and the guy she likes.</p>
<p>Just in case anyone is considering going this route, D did take the SAT as a “standby” tester on Sat. I called CB on Friday, and they told me that there would most likely be space if we got there early (2-3 extra test booklets). They also told me to send D with a check, NOT to fill in the credit card info. (You have to fill in a paper application and bring it with you to the test site.) So I sent her with a hefty check (the standby fee is about the same as the SAT fee itself) and the proctors wouldn’t take it. I think we were supposed to seal it in the envelope that comes with the paper application.</p>
<p>I called CB when she got home, and was told that they’ll bill me. When I get the bill in the mail, I should call and give them a credit card number. They won’t release the scores until I do so. Her scores are likely to not be available for an additional 2 weeks.</p>
<p>She’s registered for the Nov. test, but we’ll move it and change it to a subject test in January or in the spring. The problem is that the weekend calendar from here on in is very crowded with EC activities.</p>
<p>I hope this helps someone!</p>
<p>ds will take SAT and ACT this fall. in lieu of subject tests, ds will also take ACT Plus Writing in spring. has anyone come across any schools that won’t accept ACT Plus Writing in lieu of subject tests?</p>
<p>^Yes. The following link provides a good list of colleges that require or recommend SAT subject tests, in lieu of or in addition to the ACT test. JHU and Georgetown strongly recommend 3 subject tests.</p>
<p>[Compass:</a> Admissions Requirements](<a href=“SAT Subject Test Requirements and Recommendations - Compass Education Group”>SAT Subject Test Requirements and Recommendations - Compass Education Group)</p>
<p>Actually, PCP, that Compass list is not completely up to date. For example, Brandeis stopped requiring SAT 2s a couple of years ago, but they are still listed as requiring two.</p>
<p>I think a more reliable list is found on the Common App website: <a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/MemberRequirements.aspx[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/MemberRequirements.aspx</a> Of course, any school that doesn’t accept the Common App isn’t on that list; for those, you need to check the school’s website.</p>
<p>I’m not sure there’s any point in taking the SAT if you’re planning on using the ACT. We definitely heard at Yale that they want ALL of whatever brand you’re taking. So if the student wants to send ACT scores, they only need ACT scores (with writing) and no SAT scores. If you send SAT subject exams, they want all SAT scores including SAT I scores. I would guess the opposite applies as well.</p>