<p>Hi Everyone- I can’t keep up with everything from the past couple of days, but I have read all of them, and have sent good thoughts to those who have shared your struggles.</p>
<p>We got through the AP tests, but now DS has a big chemistry test tomorrow, and then tons of stuff to do for Christian Leadership, which is one of his hardest classes, and the one he has the lowest grade in as of now. He goes to a Catholic college prep school, so religion is a requirement, but this is a special class he had to apply to take. I can’t believe how much work it is. His Calc teacher is going to give a 2-day final next week which is going to be ‘similar’ to the AP test. No joy in our household yet.</p>
<p>He has been to 2 proms, one more to go this weekend. I think he is prommed out, and sick of buying corsages, but they have been a fun interlude from studying.</p>
<p>Ama, I loved your advice. I think we will go to the coast for the day the week after next. We haven’t been able to so something like that in forever. </p>
<p>Haystack- would love to hear more about Trinity University. It has been on the list forever, and everything about it sounds wonderful, but we don’t know much more than the website. We live in the PNW, so none of their college reps seem to come this way. It may be tricky to try to visit, but I think San Antonio would be a great city to be in (and warm and sunny, which is one of the requirements).</p>
<p>(Bulls fans here, so our basketball hearts were broken; now we are going for every team to beat the Heat, and going for the Spurs because they are so old, they deserve it).</p>
<p>Dad: we got that from Case too. We have been getting stuff from them weekly and I don’t think they are on our list at all. A kid that is a senior at their HS got a full ride at Case for theatre but lost it because he didn’t know he had to apply to the school before the offer was valid. His mom is an idiot. $41k a year down the toilet.</p>
<p>You are all talking greek to me now- spurs? Mavericks? Lakers? LOL. </p>
<p>Some perspective on Trinity (TX). Know a young man from here who went there. He had a very hard time his first year coming from a liberal Northeastern school. It took a year for him to find his people there. He grew to love it and even stayed in TX after grad.</p>
<p>nellieh…I know what you mean…Spurs, Mavericks…lollol
I think it’s Basketball…but I may be wrong…
I once found a jacket in my coat closet and wore it out…didn’t know where it came from…it was blk and red…matched my outfit and was warm…somebody said …“oh a Bulls fan are you” and I looked at them crosseyed…feeling silly I asked why they said that…it was a basketball jkt from the Chicago Bulls…funny too cause my Mom is from Chicago…but I had No Clue as to what they meant…</p>
<p>I’m getting anxious about upcoming June tests. DD has barely done any prep or practice for the ACT, and even less for the SAT (2d time SAT and 1st time ACT.) I’m trying to walk a line between getting her to understand how better scores = better options/possible merit $$, while not freaking her out and putting too much pressure on her. I think it’s giving me an ulcer!</p>
<p>One of DD’s friends took a test prep course from a local place - I just looked it up, and it’s a very intense place, focusing on the 2400 crowd. It cost 3K! I couldn’t afford that even if I wanted to. DD took a “big box” basic SAT prep class, but only made it to half the classes. Mostly, it was an opportunity to force her to do the practice tests and pay attention to it. Did anyone’s kids take one of those high-intensity classes? Did it help? Part of me is feeling like I screwed up and I should have done something like that. (I have SUCH mom-guilt! LOL)</p>
<p>anniezz - Don’t have mom guilt about not signing your D up for a high intensity, high cost class. I don’t have any experience with those, but I can only think it would add more pressure if they didn’t do well, especially because of the cost. I also think one has to weigh the anticipated merit aid one might get…would have to result on $750 per year to pay for itself. More, of course, would be great!</p>
<p>ACT prep classes around STL, MO are: $425 range for one at a local private high schools (one of D’s friends went from 26 to 31) and a private prep instructor at $80 for two hour sessions (similar results for another of D’s friends, up 4 points, I think). Most kids take the ACT in the midwest.</p>
<p>anniezz…the courses are expensive!!! if you can get her to do a Full practice test every 5 days (they are long) and then go over her answers that is just as good…get a book or look up online the Strategies for the tests…the ACT is more fact based and the SAT is more conceptual thinking based…
Mine did horrible on the SAT and very well on the ACT…and she is taking both again but concentrating of the ACT prep…
see which one your D does better at and focus her energies on that test</p>
<p>ASK her which she feels better about…make the conversation friendly and safe for her…then go together and get some practice books or get them on line…
Maybe reward her after every test she does…
With vacation coming she should have more time and be less stressed herself…
No ULCERS Allowed on this thread…</p>
<p>anniezz: I too feel the prices are really high and if it is worth it. I don’t feel guilty about not signing in S for one of those, but I did think about it going to Jr. year. My S was dead against the spending. I think the prepbooks and practice will help. I also feel the test prep courses can help in as much as getting students to sit down and do the practice tests in a timely manner. So if your D is the type who is responsible to do this her own with some help from you- that is the best way to go. If she needs a structure, then may be she can sign up for some thing more affordable. Also, Does your D’s school use navience? There is some online test prep available- I don’t know if shcools need to buy it seperately. If you have Navience, it would be a good thing to check it out.
Good luck to your D</p>
<p>Morning all! D2 is in snoozeland; no exams for her today so she’s catching up on much needed zzzzz’s.</p>
<p>MDMom: I wanted a “special” Sweet 16 gift for my girls as well. Unlike many in the area, a car with bow wasn’t an option D1 likes nice things and knows her accessories, so we ended up getting her a Coach bag. Classic & she’ll be able to use it forever. D2 is not a “thing” person and quite frankly isn’t a “money” person either (she’s got two years of gift cards in her wallet and puts every check she gets in the bank because she doesn’t spend.) She does like watches though. She had been interested in the “skeleton” type watches so we ended up getting her a nice one of those. </p>
<p>anniezzz: no extra guilt! You’re doing just fine & I guarantee you that you’re way more involved than the “average” parent in the process, because you’re educating yourself.</p>
<p>I did sign my kid up for an individual tutor…not sure it was very helpful—the only thing it did was to force her to take a practice test once a week…but the other stuff…like, the tutor gave her vocabulary word-book and pages to memorize each week…forget it…never happened…so, who knows. She isnt taking the SAT again until October, and she has told me “no more tutors”…i just hope she takes out that vocabulary word-book over the summer! The reason I thought to get the tutor, was after seeing her prepar (not) for the AP Euro exam last year (as a sophmore) (which she basically did nothing…really…nothing!)…I figured she needed an outside force to structure her to at least practice a bit. She essentially did “nothing” again for her AP’s this year…so, we’ll see what worked…her doing “nothing” or her having “some” tutor/practice forced upon her…(the tutoring was not thousands of dollars, btw)</p>
<p>Longhaul there was a chemical explosion at a plant 10 miles from my house about 20 years ago. I was sitting around with a bunch of friends and all of a sudden it felt like a MAC truck ran into the house. Went outside and didnt see a thing. Couldnt figure out what happened. We were just outside the evacuation area. Glad your family is OK!</p>
<p>Walker great news on the calc wtg, D13a! </p>
<p>STEM I hope you get some answers! My D also had her tonsils and adenoids out for sleep apnea. </p>
<p>Haystack looking forward to hearing your trip report to UM-TC. Im trying to get my S to consider it, but he wants to go South (although hed make an exception for Boston.)</p>
<p>Dadotwo I think Case is definitely worth a look for your S. Its very research focused. Its an especially good choice for anything pre-medical your S is psychology? Lots of bright kids from all over. A very good choice for an ivy-caliber kid that needs aid, but doesnt qualify for need-based aid. </p>
<p>FEE WAIVERS S has received them from CWRU, Pitt, Wittenburg (talk about stalking!), and a VIP invite from Washington and Jefferson. Something came from St. Johns, but I tossed it before looking at it. </p>
<p>APPLICATION ESSAYS The summer program S is attending has an essay writing component to it. With the assistance of a college professor at a top university, S will leave the program with three polished admissions essays! Knowing this makes him turning down the Chinese program a little easier to deal with essay writing is his weakness.</p>
<p>MOVIES apparently learning has ceased in OH too. S said they are watching Star Wars in Physics and another movie I never heard of in Euro.</p>
<p>My son did ok with prep on his own. And by on his own, I mean with me setting the structure. What he didn’t do and doubt he would do even with a tutor/paid prep was review his incorrect answers to understand why those answers were wrong and why the correct ones were correct. Now if the for pay services did that review, I think it would be worth paying for. The big prep books had too much information for him. The best use was for the practice tetsts they had. What worked for him was reading both volumes of Direct Hits and he read both Crash Course books for the ACT and SAT. Still waiting on his SAT score but his ACT score was pretty respectable.
If you’re aiming for closer to 2200+ or 33+, I think professional prep is necessary. It’s my understanding that after a certain score, it’s less about actual knowledge and more about familiarity and technique with taking the test.</p>
<p>Walker - Congrats on making it to Senior year.</p>
<p>VIP Invites - S’13 received one of these from Tulane and a couple of others (can’t recall as they were off the list schools). Anybody know what that means exactly? Is that just trying to get you to pay attention or will fees be waived at some point, but just not now?</p>
<p>Woohoo, Walker! Im curious for those that end early/late . . . when do they go back to school? (Not that you want to think about that!) Ss school ends the of the month. . . next year starts August 20-ish and theyre done before Memorial weekend (probably earlier that week for seniors.)</p>
<p>My S scored 33+ on the ACT without professional prep really no prep at all. If theres a huge disparity between an initial score and a goal score, then maybe it would be necessary. From what Ive heard, most kids score 2+ points higher on their second attempt on the ACT with no additional prep, and some even higher on the third try just the familiarity with the test helps. If they need more than 3-4 points in any section, I would imagine some sort of outside help would be in order. </p>
<p>I, too, am curious about these preferred apps that dont mention a fee waiver. So far, S hasnt gotten any from schools hes interested in anyway.</p>
<p>Two weeks until the SAT Subject tests . . . I had to ban my S from skyping with his gf to make him take a look at the content last night. I had to remind him that if he wanted to apply early, hed probably only get one shot at those. </p>
<p>D has the SAT II books in the back seat of the car, riding around with her everywhere she goes. I guess when they make it up to the floor of her room, that will be progress.</p>
D1 likes nice things and knows her accessories, so we ended up getting her a Coach bag. Classic & she’ll be able to use it forever. D2 is not a “thing” person and quite frankly isn’t a “money” person either (she’s got two years of gift cards in her wallet and puts every check she gets in the bank because she doesn’t spend.) She does like watches though. She had been interested in the “skeleton” type watches so we ended up getting her a nice one of those. </p>