<p>My son will also be taking the ACT Saturday…and he did some of one ACT practice test. The parts that I worry about are Reding and English…I think he will do ok in Math/Science…IF not there’s always June :). On Saturday we scheduled tours in June for University of Utah (#2 pick), Utah State University (not one of his top picks), Weber State University (his safety) and University of Colorado-Colorado SPrings (#1 pick). We will also try to get ot University of COlorado-Boulder and Colorado State sometime as well. His major of the day is mechanical engineering or biomedical engineering or robotics or game design…YIKES!!</p>
<p>Mom0f24Boys, There are a lot of fans of UMBC on the Jewish B student thread. I think a search there or some questions might be helpful. The parents there are extremely helpful even if your student is not Jewish or a B student :)</p>
<p>Just got back from the Counselor’s office at son’s high school. It seems like S will need to take four more classes as a senior to graduate on the distinguished plan, next year. They normally take seven courses each year at his school, so he will have a lot of free time in senior year. Any suggestions on what he should do to help himself in admissions in his spare time? </p>
<p>I found out that in addition to four admits to Stanford, there are a couple to Harvard, a couple to Princeton and a couple to MIT at his school this year. One to Yale and one to CalTech too. Then, several to Columbia and the other Ivies. Everyone in the office seemed really happy about the results since the school is only about seven years old.</p>
<p>D13 was going to take the ACTs on Saturday but her junior prom is Friday night. Clearly not good timing on the school’s part. So she is now taking them in June the day after her finals finish. Ugh!</p>
<p>D13 now thinks she wants to go to school in an urban environment, a total 360 from her visions of rural bliss…</p>
<p>Let the games begin…</p>
<p>Perazziman, So your S only needs 4 more classes to graduate? But he can still take a full course load if he wants right? I wouldn’t let him sign up for just 4. Schools like to see continued, if not increased, rigor senior year. If there are no electives that he’s interested in, is it possible to take 1 or 2 college classes? I don’t even think my son’s school gives the option of not taking a full load regardless of how many credits are actually needed to graduate. All the kids will graduate with more than the minimum number of credits required. (Unless they got some Fs)</p>
<p>@reeinaz</p>
<p>At my school seniors are only required to have 5 “classes” (really 3/4 if you schedule multiple lunches in that time) I’ll be in and out of school in 3/4 hours. 9am-12 or 9am-1250 depending on the day or semester.</p>
<p>Perazziman - Agree with reeinaz. I’d still urge son to take a full course load. Out local schools (private and public) don’t permit college bound kids take less than 5 academic courses.</p>
<p>My son has finalized his list - 7 schools total. I wanted 10-14 schools. Hoping his counselor will encourage him to find more safeties. My advice is falling on deaf ears.</p>
<p>After intense number crunching, I just think the state schools will not be financial safeties based upon the tuition increases and the likelihood he’d take more than 8 semesters. Many of our directional state schools he could complete in 4 years with his AP credits IF he knew a major. I think it will be him being undecided more than getting into required classes that would be the downfall. I am envious of those with a good state system and low cost. </p>
<p>We are planning a summer visit to Bama. If that goes well, then I can sleep easier. He is very picky, but easy going. I really didn’t think it would be this difficult. He definitely has a much different reaction in person than he does reading about the schools and viewing websites.</p>
<p>Even though my son needs just a couple classes to graduate, he will still be taking a full load (or more). I am under the impression colleges look at strength of senior schedule, and also hopefully it will help them adjust to the rigor of college. Perazziman, if I were you I would ask the counselor what the students from your school, who got into Cal Tech, Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Princeton took/did their senior year.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone, for the information. He actually only needs three courses, Physical Education, Government and Spanish III. They are required for distinguished graduation (highest level). The only science and math courses left at his high school, that he hasn’t taken are AP Physics and AP Calculus. He definately wants to take Calculus, so I said four courses to graduate. He loves Physics, so he will have no problem with taking it. That is still just five courses, two of which are soft. </p>
<p>He has already taken Honors Chemistry, Honors Biology, Honors Physics, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Computer Science I & II and Pre-AP Pre-Calculus. </p>
<p>tx5athome, that is a good idea, I will check with the counselor.</p>
<p>Agree with those above about senior schedule. My D only needs two classes next year to graduate with an advanced diploma. However, she is still taking seven classes and will graduate with 36 credits. (Advanced diploma=24 credits) Most colleges we have talked to want you to continue taking classes in the five core academic areas through senior year regardless of how many you have already completed. D will finish with 7 math, 6 science, 5 foreign language, 5 history/social science, and 4 English credits.</p>
<p>My son’s school requires a full course load as a senior. Right now he’s supposed to be taking Honors ENglish (AP if it fits), Chemistry, Calculus, Govenrment/Economics, Bible, some elctives, and I can’t remember what else. He took AP Physics this year because they couldn’t fit chemistry into his schedule. I told him he can’t slack and needs to keep up thee great work he’s done so far!</p>
<p>At the info session at U. Delaware last week, the admissions officer said that the rigor of the senior year schedule was the single most important factor in admissions decisions, and that they want to see students taking a full academic load in all of the core subjects, and not slacking off senior year.</p>
<p>^sacchi, Thanks for the information. Thanks to everyone else too. I will make sure he takes seven classes. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to get around taking fluffy Government, Spanish III and PE, they are required for graduation. Since he has exhausted all the science and math course offerings, the only thing left to take are easier classes. Hopefully, the colleges will notice that he is in this situation because he did not take any soft classes over the last three years. The boy has essentially taken all the advanced science classes that others take in their senior year at his school.</p>
<p>^^^ That can be explained by the GC in his/her letter. Are there any duel enrollment classes he can take?</p>
<p>Thank you (again) to all for the heartfelt words about the staff member at Step-D’s school passing away. It’s just so sad. I had regular contact with this person and she was the type that was always unfailingly smiling and helpful and happy. She won “Most spirited Staff/Faculty Member” last year at the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon I put on for the school. She will be very dearly missed. </p>
<p>In other news…I so do appreciate the feedback on Pitt - However, as more and more of you are chiming in…I started thinking…What if more than one of our kids end up there together? So fun. ( However, I ban all of your kids from pursuing an Athletic Training major. Ha. Step-D’s major is competitive as-is without your smart kids to compete with! ha ha 
) </p>
<p>perazziman - I second Youdon’tsay’s advice about dual-enrollment with a local CC. Can he take a community college course for credit? That might be a great way to take an upper level course and it would surely boost your S’s senior year transcript. I’m not for taking a community college course ‘just to take one,’ but in this case, it sounds like he has truly run out of options at his high school and needs to look elsewhere for a challenge.</p>
<p>perazziman: doesn’t your HS require english each year? or did he double up one year and already knocked that out? Seems to me that English is one of those classes than colleges want to see on the schedule each year.</p>
<p>Ditto to what folks have said about the rigor of the senior year course load. The importance of the senior year schedule has been emphasized at some of the college info sessions. The dual enrollment option should be a viable alternative to taking weaker offerings at the High School.</p>
<p>Another option we have available in our state are virtual school courses. The state runs them and they follow state standards. It may be possible that there is a virtual offering that is not available at the local High School. I am not a big fan, but my 6th grader is taking a virtual course so he can take Algebra in 7th grade and, so far, not too bad.</p>
<p>RobD, You are right, I completely forgot that after AP English Language, he takes AP English Literature. We are back to four required to graduate. Adding AP Physics and AP Calc, that is still just six subjects, most of them very soft subjects, including PE and US Government. It does not seem like a very challenging year to me.</p>
<p>Laurendog, my condolences to your Step-D. It must be very difficult for her and her friends.</p>
<p>My D is looking into some sort of independent study along with her 5 core academic classes for next year - AP Calc BC, AP Eng Lit, AP French, AP Psych, dual credit physics. Along with her 2 sports and other EC’s, it will have to be enough!</p>
<p>blueshoe, do you mean your D took 7 year-long math classes in 4 years of high school? Our HS doesn’t offer that many!</p>