<p>Speaking of AP Stats… D comes home and says that she has to retake the AP Stats final tomorrow. The teacher gives the odds of winning the LOTTERY (very low). Kids taking notes, then he says and this is the odds of the 4 kids that CHEATED on his final won’t get caught (lower than the lottery). Then he tells them he has created a new test and they will be taking it tomorrow. He will see if the 4 new top scorers, who had identical scores, will set this curve as well. He made an entire Stats problem around it without naming names. D says they so flunked the IQ test trying to cheat a stats teacher! Of course, only two kids are Juniors, so those kids are sweating bullets!</p>
<p>Ooops meant to congratulations Mommydearest! So nice to have such desirable options!</p>
<p>wherenext, sorry for your D to have to take an extra exam with everything else going on. Not criticizing the teacher because I’m sure I wouldn’t know what to do in this situation, but seems unfair to the kids who didn’t cheat. At least the teacher is doing something I guess instead of just looking the other way which wouldn’t be fair either.</p>
<p>Thanks STEM! He sure is taking the bull by the horns at 30 other kids expenses. D is just counting it as another practice test for the AP exam.</p>
<p>Wow wherenext. Good for your D! That is really a mature way of looking at it.</p>
<p>Okay, so I’m trying this half-screen replying trick to see how it works. Otherwise I get lost in everything I want to remember to reply to!</p>
<p>Tanning- Glad to hear, SteveMA, that your daughter is just using the tanning booth for a brief time. My Dad is going through radiation now for his fifth battle with melanoma. Every day I kick myself for the many, many days I laid in the Texas sun with baby oil on my skin. 
I get checked yearly and I worry that I will get skin cancer and not be here for my kids. How I wish now that I had listened to my mother! So anyway, good for you for limiting it. :-)</p>
<p>We are having “prama” around here, so I’ll be glad when prom is here and done. We’re having a slew of girls over to get ready (hair, makeup, dresses etc) and we’ll serve some light snacks, and then the dates are coming over (some girls have them, some not) and we’ll serve heavier snacks and get all the pics taken. </p>
<p>@blueshoe- love the vignette about the admissions counselor offering admission. How much fun would it be to deliver that news in person like that! 
Made me smile.</p>
<p>@Sacchi- Thanks for the link- I added it to my Google Reader.</p>
<p>@lacrossemom- We are also not doing the SAT subject tests. None of the colleges that we are looking at seem to think they are important. The poor kid is barely hanging on at this point so I don’t want to add to her stress unnecessarily. Hopefully we’re making the right decision!</p>
<p>@MDMom- Finals and AP tests in the same week? Wow! Talk about pressure. Hope Jr does well!</p>
<p>MegPMom- Deep breaths! When D had several meltdowns during her hell week last week, I just kept trying to remind myself that it’s better for them to get the stress out than keep it in. And learning to cope with the pressure will help them when they go to college. Hang in there and vent as needed! The school year will be over soon.</p>
<p>@wherenext- aw, that was really sweet. I agree with you- how lovely it will be to see these kids have the many good things come their way over the next year. It will be a year of hope and celebration for all of us. :-)</p>
<p>@Mommydearest- YAY!!! YAAAAAY! Very glad for your S! Let us know when a decision is made.</p>
<p>wherenext, why not just make the suspected cheaters retake the test???</p>
<p>Like there isn’t enough going on this week, yearbooks are here. Talk about a distraction …</p>
<p>Wherenext I agree that you D has a great attitude in the face of an unpleasant situation practice makes perfect! </p>
<p>My D got her yearbook, but I think I forgot to send a check in for S oops! Hopefully they have extras to buy! </p>
<p>Between my stuff and his stuff, S and I have just been crossing paths, so no time to discuss the summer programs. I think he just wants to get through the AP Art History exam. I did say to him I still cant believe you got in, and he replied thats what you said last year apparently other people dont think Im as stupid as you do! Smart-*ss! I hate to be a pessimist, but I just try to keep in real, especially when the odds are not ever in your favor!</p>
<p>They were permitted to skip morning classes if they had an afternoon AP exam, so he was leaving just as I was getting home. I told him to do good and I got the usual yes, Mommy Dearest. I get lots of interesting looks when they do that in public. I never should have let them watch that movie. lol</p>
<p>He said he got a 5 on the practice exam for Euro, which is good since he hasnt done anything outside of class for that. He said hes not feeling a 5 on the Art History because the essays are 60% of it. Hes sure done everything he can to prepare, and thats all anybody can do. Well see what he has to say at 4:00. I think the kids are going out to celebrate theyve been doing after school sessions and all day Saturdays for two weeks, so they deserve it!</p>
<p>The summer program options:</p>
<p>Option 1: 4 weeks residential - all day immersion in Chinese Mandarin, plus an ongoing component throughout the school year. By the end, he will receive college credit for Elementary Mandarin I & II. S really wants to learn the language and his HS doesnt offer it. He thought that if he got accepted, he would also apply for summer abroad in China next year. S dislikes Spanish and was quite happy when he couldnt fit it in his schedule this year. He feels like he should have at least 3 years of language though, so if he doesnt do Mandarin, hell reluctantly take Spanish III next year (also a dual credit college course.)</p>
<p>Option 2: 6 weeks (not 7 like I thought) residential looks like they will get college credit for at least one class Calculus, I assume. There are hands on engineering projects in different fields which is why my S applied as his school does nothing in terms of science fairs, etc. Theres also college prep stuff SAT prep, admissions interview prep, essay writing prep (yay!), and personal advising. I didnt really realize the goal of the program until I was reading about it in depth last night they are trying to engage high potential kids in STEM AND prepare them to apply and gain acceptance to tippy-top universities. This is fabulous, except for getting in is only half the battle we still have to worry about paying for it. I just dont want him to go to this program and come home thinking some schools are beneath him. Thats not his personality, but it will be hard if all his summer friends are aiming high - kwim? </p>
<p>Both programs have planned social activities. I think the STEM program might have more in terms of field trips and weekend stuff, but Im not sure. </p>
<p>I think hes leaning towards the STEM program for a few reasons: a summer with like-minded kids, cool hands-on science/math stuff, and the prestige of the university. The decision is totally up to him and I wont sway him either way, but just for talk any opinions?</p>
<p>@MommyDearest - Tough choices! It seems like some programs want to see you have interests outside of straight STEM choices and that Chinese studies programs sounds pretty awesome to pair with engineering. I think I would steer him that way. But, like you said, it’s his choice and neither are a bad option! Which one is cheaper? lol</p>
<p>Thanks RobD.</p>
<p>@MommyDearest, DS has attended one of those “high-octane” summer programs for a couple of years. He too is just not a tippy-top-minded kid, but he has LOVED being with like-brained students. It’s worked out fine. One of his best friends from the program was admitted to Harvard this year - DS was very happy for him and at the same time very confident that it was no shame to not be going to one of those places if it wasn’t the right place for him.</p>
<p>Son thought the AP Chem Multiple choice was harder than he was expecting. He also said, he was not in the “mood” for taking a test. O well. Secretly, I don’t care about his AP test scores, since I want him to take these subjects in college again. I look at them as review before the SAT subject tests.</p>
<p>I attended a meeting at S13s HS this morning and part of the meeting included the Principal making a presentation on AP testing.</p>
<p>There will be something in the vicinity of 3400 AP tests taken at the HS over the next two weeks. Each grade has about 600 kids, but almost no Freshmen and very few Sophs take AP classes. So, excluding Freshmen and figuing in a few Sophomores, I think the average works out to about 2.5 AP tests per kid. I think this shows the emphasis this school is placing on AP courses (and tests since they are footing the bill for all the testing).</p>
<p>dadotwoboys- Wow! your schools pay for the tests? My bill for two kids in public school this year (5 APs between them) was about $100 per class. They probably don’t want to offer AP to frosh and soph classes because it is really variable as to how they will do. Our school is the same way except for AP Human Geography (9th) and AP World (10th). We were lucky to have a bio teacher that told the administration that my DD13a needed to be in AP classes in 9th grade or she would have totally been bored for two years. I secretly don’t care too much about the AP test either but I’m not telling my kids that! </p>
<p>The BIG TEST is tomorrow. DD13a is having one last tutoring session but mostly to tell the guy thanks and give him a gift :). He has been wonderful and we probably could have dropped the tutoring awhile ago but he is so great, my daughter kept going. He (and her most excellent AP calc teacher who recommended the tutor) made her rediscover the fact that she does love math!! She has made 5’s on every practice test except one and then only missed a 5 by one point. I sure hope the AB/BC test is easy for everybody out there!</p>
<p>AP Chem- DD13b took it last year. The teacher was awful and they had maybe one or two labs. My DD gave up mid year. Only two kids got a 3 on the exam and she was not one of them. I know now to really ask some questions about who is teaching the class.</p>
<p>Question…Does anyone out there know anything about NYU Abu Dhabi or anyone that has gone there?
They are coming to D’s school and I have researched the programs and read all the Literature…she met the admissions officer last year and was pretty excited…but it’s not like I can do a Visit with her…
So any data is greatly appreciated…</p>
<p>Good luck to all the test takers this wk and next.</p>
<p>Quick question - Where do your kids take the AP tests. We have to drive our kids to a church near the high school to take the test. I think this is very strange, but the high school says they have no room to give the AP tests in the building and it is up to the kids to get themselves to and from the tests.</p>
<p>AP tests: We pay (ouch!!) but at least they are given at the school.</p>
<p>Walker - we have Calculus tomorrow also. Son doesn’t seem worried and is actually watching reruns of some sitcom right now. He said he needs to check a few formulas. Once he found out he could get enough credit with a 4 he has relaxed a little.</p>
<p>Mom24Boys - AP’s are taken at the school although they are given in a special corridor and they have to be at school about an hour early. Kids who are bus riders do have to provide their own transportation to school.</p>
<p>All AP tests are paid for by the district. AP tests are not optional at our school if you take the test you must take the test.</p>
<p>They make room at the school. Class schedules are juggled to make it work. School District pays (a very large public school district) and all kids in an AP class must take the test (even seniors)</p>