<p>D13 is another one who did extremely well on English (35) but about 50th percentile for essay. But then scored much higher on SAT essay which is supposedly more difficult because it is more abstract and they are given less time. She also had an essay selected as one of the top three in the junior class. I think adcoms must know how variable these essay scores are. Given the very restricted format, I’m not sure one could reliably compare an application essay with the test essay unless the test essay showed lack of very rudimentary skills. At least I guess that’s what I’m hoping. D did say that a senior from her school who is going to Harvard next year got the same writing score she did, so that at least made her feel better. And she is done with testing (yahoo!).</p>
<p>Walker1194–both our twins are STEM kids but one science, one math. There are 3 schools they have looked at that they both would consider attending, meaning they have DS’s major as well as DD’s sport–DD wants to major in biology so every school has that. There are a couple schools that are “close” to each other-3 hours or so that they are both heavily considering. It will be interesting to see how they end up this time next year.</p>
<p>As for the emails-we have been getting some about “apply early” etc. I haven’t paid attention to them (DD used MY email address when she took the PSAT) because they aren’t schools they are considering.</p>
<p>Walker and Steve: I read about your twins with a lot of wonder. I always wished to have twins and prayed for it too. lol!! and finally I am blessed with this only child!!</p>
<p>It’s been pretty fun watching them grow up. Even though they are a boy and a girl in our case, they have been extremely close and had their own language as toddlers, etc.</p>
<p>We are planning college visits in Massachusetts and Delaware this summer, so last night, with credit card in hand, I asked D if she is really serious about considering these schools before I made all the airline reservations:
D (with look of total confusion): Why wouldn’t I?
Me: Well, they are 2000 miles away.
D (still with confused expression): So??</p>
<p>Should have known going away wouldn’t be a problem with this one since she spent 3 weeks halfway across the country at the end of 8th grade and it was like pulling teeth to get her to text us, let alone talk to us on the phone!</p>
<p>Having twins of any variety (nay any multiple set) is like living with an old married couple. They make me crazy some days, but we are so lucky that we have such great kids. Both my DH and I don’t have good or close relationships with our messed up siblings (haven’t heard from my brother in 25 years) so I feel like this ride we are having is balancing out the universe :)</p>
<p>Congratulations to your son, DONIVRIAN! </p>
<p>tx5athome, it’s a pity about the matches, especially when they get so close, but at least he got some good news today!</p>
<p>These days, when families seem to scatter across the continent if not the globe, I guess that most siblings end up separating at one point or another. If not for university, then for job opportunities. I think that although it may be difficult for them at first, especially if they are very close (twins!) it will probably seem quite natural all too soon. I know I’m dreading next fall when S12 heads off and I’m not even considering the day when D13 goes to university. I think it’s harder for those left behind who aren’t taking part in the exciting new adventure (or only vicariously).</p>
<p>Fredicksdottier-such great news for you children to both be rising to the top in tennis together! Good for them. You should be so proud.</p>
<p>All you twin people…I love the yin and yang of twins! So Cool!</p>
<p>Dadotwoboys-I do hope you are feeling better tonight!</p>
<p>DONIVRIAN (and anyone else who knows the math thing)- I have a long math question for senior year. My DD is in AP Statistics this year and doing great. She has H Algebra 2 in 9th, Pre Calculus in 10th. She did not take Calc AB this year for two reasons 1. her pre calculus teacher was horrible, so DD taught herself the class basically. 2. She met with the amazing APCalculus teacher, took the first test (68%) and they reviewed it together. He said that conceptually she gets the higher concepts but had big holes in the nuts and bolts. He suggested AP Stats or DROP AP Lang and APUSH. With Stats this year, there are no more Math classes on this path. DD is scared to go back to AP Calc with her 3 upcoming APs, college apps, MUN conference and club president, fall varsity tennis and a year off from any calculus. They are offering one class of regular calculus but the GC thinks it is a step backwards and it is taught by the same horrible teacher. Can DD blow off Math and still get into a competitive school? She is not STEM focused on writing, studio art, psychology and philosophy. I am worried!</p>
<p>wherenext, I am not the best person to answer your question. Even though I teach in a school, I don’t know anything about the college application process here in US and I am as clueless as any of you who are the first timers(may be more, I myself didn’t go to universities here). That being said, I have read in many college’s requirement that they expect 4 years of math, 4 years of language etc…But not sure about the path that can be taken by a nonSTEM major kid. If your school has IB MATHSTUDIES, that is a good option for your D which is meant for kids not planning to persue math related major in college. AP Calc AB which is more review of precalc + a part of Calculus is an option too. I am sure, here there will be lot of success stories where they didn’t do a math but followed their passion.</p>
<p>Twins would certainly up the stress when it comes to college searches. My hats off to you. My two are 16 months apart, but two grades apart (and polar opposites). I wish they were closer. </p>
<p>Great news on prom Donivraian</p>
<p>Sorry about the loss Tx5.</p>
<p>CBG-Donrivian is obviously the expert in this. I can just speak for my D on Math Studies. She had been in advanced math but really had to put a lot of work into her grades. It does not come as easy as other subjects and D does not have a lot of confidence in math. Studies was extremely easy for her (too easy imo), she really was able to get her confidence back. She was one of those borderline students. The administration tried to put her in methods, we backed her and insisted on studies. Ds friend took AP calc(no idea which one) last year and Methods this year. Methods is giving this math kid some late nights. I really do like Studies. I feel like it is a great recap of all the math she had learn to this point with some new material thrown in. D seemed to think it was great to take this year before the SAT. D is opting for AP Stats next year instead of AP calc. </p>
<p>I haven’t been privy to the emails that D is getting. She ignores them and all the mail that comes to her. </p>
<p>Wherenext, I sympathize with you on the math selections. Where is your D most likely to have success?</p>
<p>Out in Left Field - re: Ring ceremony- yes - cringing is the perfect word to describe what we were doing most of the time. It was a truly awkward event! </p>
<p>tx5athome - Very interested to learn that D1 is graduating from SDSU! Step-D and H are going to tour over Memorial Day Weekend. I was impressed that they set up an individual tour for her, even though it was a holiday weekend! I’d be very happy if Step-D chose to attend, but it’s a long plane ride from FL and I don’t know that she wants to be ‘that’ far away from where she’s grown up. </p>
<p>fredericksdottir - Wow! Great Tennis News! Congrats to both kids! I always wanted to play tennis in HS/MS but I was awful at it! ha ha Step-D plays V-ball and Lacrosse. </p>
<p>nellieh/RobD - Re: Alabama. I have to say that I am truly shocked at the amount of ‘non-southern’ kids that are choosing Alabama this year. Just from reading the 2012 ‘decisions’ over in their thread I am flabbergasted. </p>
<p>Walker - Love the reflection about how your twins balance out your non-relationships with your siblings! That’s an interesting take on the ‘order’ of the universe. ;)</p>
<p>Whew! I made it through the 3 or so pages that I had been posted since yesterday. Talked with Step-D yesterday about her SAT II’s on Saturday. Asked if some of the Biology she took last year was ‘coming back’ to her in her review. She answered “I don’t know that there was that much that ‘could’ come back to me.” sigh…banging…head…slowly… Got her signed up for an ACT tutor that will begin when her school is out. I really hope she dedicates herself to review and I really hope the tutor helps her in demonstrable ways. She has one more week of classes and then a few days of exams and then that’s all she wrote for Junior Year. Yikes! That makes me panic! ha ha Senior year is REAL and it’s ALIVE! ha</p>
<p>ESSAYS If theres a HUGE disparity in quality of admissions essay and essay test score, then I guess that would be a red flag; but, the ACT/SAT essay is forced out in 30 minutes while the admissions essay can be thought out for days/weeks/months, fully edited by the student and looked over by others, tweaked and retweaked, etc. I am a terrible cold prompt writer my test essay would be abysmal. If I have time (lots of time), I can do OK. Im so glad they didnt have the writing section way back when!</p>
<p>LongsX3 your D sounds like me way too logical. Writing is such an arduous task. My S is so chillax nothing stirs him. His process is fine, because he doesnt care about the result! While his process is way better than mine (I stare at a blank screen for hours), but we both have problems with detail. We just like to economize our words! I told my S to make friends with the writing lab in college very good friends! </p>
<p>TWINS My MIL and her sister are identical twins they lived apart a couple different times in their life when my FIL was relocated for work they just couldnt do it and he had to relocate back. My kids have a big age gap my D is going to miss her brother terribly. Weve been through it before for when hes been gone for extended periods and she did not like it. Mr. Chillax wont mind though!</p>
<p>MATH - You all seem to have such advanced curriculums. The highest anyone can go in our school is AP Cal AB, and they dont offer any IB. Next year is the first year they will allow 7th graders to take Honors Algebra 1 Im not sure what theyll offer to those seniors when they get there. They could always do PSEO, but theyd have to have their own transportation. </p>
<p>CASE WESTERN S got the email too. I thought it was funny because Im pretty sure their app has always been free to all who apply! Maybe theyre changing it for 13ers. I didnt notice that it was opened early for them. The only other one we received was from Pitt you can apply for free if you attend one of the summer tour sessions and bring transcripts, etc. </p>
<p>Congrats to the class officer winners, and good luck to those still in the running! </p>
<p>Also good luck to the SAT takers tomorrow! Who all is in on that one? S has an another all day AP study session followed by Prom!</p>
<p>fredricksdottir, congrats to both of your kids on their great tennis!</p>
<p>tx5athome, sorry for your S’s tough loss.</p>
<p>D played in the last of her three straight days of matches yesterday. It was the final match of the regular season and her team needed to win to clinch second place in the district and an automatic berth to regionals. It was 3-3 after singles play, so they needed to prevail in 2 of the 3 doubles matches to win. Number 2 (D’s team) and 3 doubles were down and mounted great comebacks to win and our number 1 team avenged and earlier season loss to sweep the doubles! </p>
<p>Tonight, my D is switching hats and performing along with her orchestra side by side with our area’s professional symphony. Quite a treat for them and our community. School board member will also be there to present D’s school with the blue ribbon award for excellence in music.:)</p>
<p>D is winging it with two SAT II’s tomorrow. No time to prep. Two AP’s, three days of tennis districts next week, and prom on Saturday. Best news…D gets braces off on Wednesday culminating 9 years of orthodontia!!! :):)</p>
<p>wherenext…for what it is worth…my D (Not a STEM kid) is in AP Calc AB now…she WAS a stellar math student…until this teacher…she had straight A’s…until this class…the math is Hard and if she doesn’t do well… it Brings the Whole Average DOWN…so my advise…Pass on a class that will bring down a good transcript…if she is not a STEM kid a good 3 years of math should be fine and she should look for an equally challenging class that she will excel in to replace it…remember big picture…</p>
<p>Congradts to ALL the kids out there working so hard and doing so well!!!</p>
<p>And Best of Luck to all the SAT test takers tomorrow!!!
And AP test testers in the next few weeks!!!</p>
<p>I Love this thread…</p>
<p>Ama308 makes a good point; especially for those that may be apllying for merit/scholarships outside of the very top LACs/Unis. </p>
<p>My wife works on the admissions side at a state flagship. Minimum admission criteria for some programs and/or scholarships is a 3.80. They are flooded with applicants appealing because the applicant had 3.70 GPA but took 10 hard AP classes (which lowered the GPA). Guess what, the applicant with the 3.8 that took only 3 AP classes (only in the areas they were strong in so got A’s and took regular college prep type classes in everything else) gets in and gets the scholarship.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great info guys! I don’t know hat Methods or Studies is with Math. We have something called advance Math concepts but the GC said that it is below precalculus and the adcom would see that. She could take a class at the local college but it would have to be after tennis season. I wish we would of declined letting DD skip math levels in 7th grade with Adv. Algebra 1…Hence, I didn’t let my younger two go up. Live and learn!</p>
<p>Now to foreign language, due to budget cuts last year, she was wait listed for HSpanish 4 and never got in. She was not the only one. the GC is suggesting she not try and take it this year after a year gap and that given her APs there may not be a class offered that will fit in her schedule. Yikes! What to do?</p>
<p>Bluesshoes great tennis news! You and fredricks have some great tennis players! And braces off is a great way to end the year.</p>
<p>DONIVRIAN thank you for your info too. I so appreciate it.</p>
<p>My S was happy to PR last night at the final Track meet of the season. Fun to watch his lanky body run around the track. He asking why are you here? Jeez when have I ever not been there…boys.</p>
<p>Just an FYI re: math - Calculus is needed to get into most good undergrad business programs.</p>
<p>DONIVRIAN - thanks for the info reference math. S is an IB diploma candidate so will have to take either Math SL or Math HL. I think at our school Math Studies is taken in place of Calculus and those IB students have no math senior year. AP stats is offered but is a self-paced course. Only one or two students a year take it. So I think he will decide between SL and HL. Right now S is pretty sick of school and wants to take the easy road. We will see what happens. Although he does well in science and math classes just doesn’t enjoy them but is definately not a STEM kid so we may let SL math be his one slacker class in high school.</p>
<p>Be prepared for a deluge of university e-mails in the next few months! S12 had scads each day from late summer on. He is still getting a few!</p>
<p>laurendog, I don’t play tennis, either! My H does, but the kids just consider him warm up material. I think it helps if you’ve been playing since you were small. </p>
<p>blueshoe, congratulations on your D’s wins! Now on to regionals next week - good luck! My two were extremely happy when they finally got rid of their braces. They kept checking out their new smiles!</p>
<p>Haystack, thanks for the information on the admissions process, every little bit helps!</p>
<p>Good luck to all the SAT takers tomorrow and to those taking the AP tests in the next few weeks!</p>
<p>Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota are all very good business schools. Pre-calc is fine for any of those (many rural high schools in those states do not even offer anything beyond pre-calc). I know that Alg II (3 years HS math) is all that is asked for at UIowa.</p>