<p>DD 14’s show opens tomorrow night and DS’11 comes home tomorrow for spring break! Tonight, DD’14 handed over the reins of her NHS presidency. Still one more NHS event for her but with the end of NHS and the show this weekend, there is light at the end of the tunnel of craziness. I just hope she enjoys every minute of the shows this weekend. She’s been doing theatre with this group since she was in first grade so being the director of this show is really the culmination of her theatre life so far. And there’s a little girl who so reminds me of DD when she was little! It’s been so special to be on this journey with her. Now if we can just have the whole cast healthy for the shows this weekend since the lead missed the last rehearsal last night!! But DD took it all in stride and as she wasn’t stressed, the rest of the cast was relaxed about his absense!</p>
<p>Harvard has been doing some soul-searching about grade inflation recently:<br>
[Substantiating</a> Fears of Grade Inflation, Dean Says Median Grade at Harvard College Is A-, Most Common Grade Is A](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2013/12/3/grade-inflation-mode-a/]Substantiating”>Substantiating Fears of Grade Inflation, Dean Says Median Grade at Harvard College Is A-, Most Common Grade Is A | News | The Harvard Crimson)</p>
<p>After the Harvard bomb threat, during finals last December, some folks posted speculations that the perpetrator had called in the bomb threat to get out of taking a final because he was afraid he might get a B+.</p>
<p>Lots of data on grade inflation at this website: <a href=“http://www.gradeinflation.com%5B/url%5D”>http://www.gradeinflation.com</a></p>
<p>@Barnardmom - hip-hip HOORAY! Congratulations!</p>
<p>Congrats on making it Barnardmom! </p>
<p>Agentninetynine, great news!</p>
<p>Congratulations, Agentninetynine!!</p>
<p>Congratulations to BarnardMom. That’s a great accomplishment! Have an early champagne toast on the Captain and enjoy!!! </p>
<p>Off to Philly early tomorrow morning with D. The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend which will help make the visit more enjoyable.</p>
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<p>I’d like my DS’14 to end up somewhere where that is an option for him, because I think that would be ideal. But I don’t think it is at his current top choices. </p>
<p>Congrats BarnardMom and Agent!</p>
<p>Wow @2016barnardmom! Congratulations! What an accomplishment!</p>
<p>Congrats to BarnardMom and Agent! So happy for you!</p>
<p>Son '14 took BC calculus as a junior and got a 5. He already has been told by the department chair at the school where he will attend that with the score and his high SAT math numbers, he should go right to Calculus 3. That pleased his HS teacher, who, we joked, probably taught Newton. Seriously, she has been teaching the subject forever, and she gets high AP scores from kids who have no business scoring that high. But she really knows her stuff. When she retires, there will be a huge hole to fill in the math department. Son '14 said she is one of the reasons he wants to double major in math (the other major is econ). He always loved math, but she (and his honors pre-cal teacher) closed any holes he had in his background in the subject. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, Son '14 said there was an interesting discussion in his AP econ class yesterday regarding saving and his generation. He said that his teacher pointed out the average 20-something does not think about retirement so he will not be saving in most cases. This got him thinking about retirement (and he’s 17). He said he is sure this will come up again in class, and he wants to point out that you can get a great college education at any school depending on what you put into it and for the price you want it. He said that too many kids cannot start saving for retirement because of college debt. He wants to use his brother as an example of what one can do – take a full scholarship to a state school, study abroad on its dime and graduate on time without debt. If someone questions how good was his brother’s undergrad experience at Alabama, he’ll point out that it was good enough to get him into UVA and Georgetown Law, that his former roommate just interviewed with Harvard Business and that his best friend is one of the most sought-after PhD candidates by Stanford, MIT and other top programs. All three graduated without debt. Nice to know that Son '14 listens when we talk about debt.</p>
<p>@mathmomvt - if your younger son is a hardcore math person take a look at the schools who teach classes like this vs non research calculus. This is a description: </p>
<p>The honors calculus sequence MTH171Q–MTH174Q, allows students to learn calculus and simultaneously introduces them to how research mathematicians think and their techniques for solving problems. It is not just for mathematics majors, but for any talented student who wants mathematical insight to be part of their intellectual tool box. The four semester sequence is quite challenging, but awards 20 academic credits (instead of the usual 16) and includes the material from a fifth course – linear algebra (MTH235). (Linear algebra is, along with calculus and Fourier analysis, among the most powerful problem solving tools in mathematics, and is normally required for math majors. It is waived for students who complete the 170 series. Non-math majors also benefit, since for some this accelerated sequence is the only way they can fit linear algebra into their program.)</p>
<p>This is a 5 credit class - whereas most classes are 4 credits. I believe the requirement is 730 or higher on the math sat and/or a 4 or 5 on AP BC</p>
<p>WOW! I can not believe all the post in the last week! …I just read over 100 post! Great news all around …Barnadrmom - so wonderful to here that you are done! What a relief! Congratulations.</p>
<p>Congratulations to everyone on acceptances and scholarships! Being part of this forum makes me feel like I am part of a huge family. I love all the stories …I am up on a high when I read great news and right there feeling compassion for those who do not receive the news that we were hoping for. I am a firm believer that all of our children will end up at a school that is right for them.</p>
<p>My son just got accepted to Brandeis ( mid year ). It is a reach/ 50/50 school for him. I am not sure how I feel about the mid- year acceptance? He now has 4 acceptances, 1 deferral, and 6 waiting to hear from…</p>
<p>Captain! I am ready to board the SS indecision…Cosmopolitan please…and keep them coming…</p>
<p>“If someone questions how good was his brother’s undergrad experience at Alabama, he’ll point out that it was good enough to get him into UVA and Georgetown Law, that his former roommate just interviewed with Harvard Business and that his best friend is one of the most sought-after PhD candidates by Stanford, MIT and other top programs. All three graduated without debt.”</p>
<p>@momreads - Wow! Wish your son could talk to my D. I definitely will be sharing that with her.</p>
<p>@momreads, it seems that your DS can give his own econ lesson. =D> </p>
<p>So much good news! So happy for you, Barnardmom, agent99 and onlyone mom! </p>
<p>go2girl had a one time job at age 14 where she made $2000 being in a commercial. We explained to her the benefit of opening up a Roth IRA and showed how that $2000 would be worth about $25000 (if my memory serves me…I could be off) when she was in her 60’s. Being the pragmatic girl even at that tender age, she opened up her first retirement account. Definitely check in with your own CPA–you’re never too young to save! My guess is that colleges can’t touch it either!</p>
<p>I’m so glad I found this thread!!! CC has been so helpful throughout the college search and applications process, both for D (only child) and myself; lately I’ve been cruising around CC thinking, “Why isn’t there a thread for people like us who are waiting for decisions?!?!?!” I can’t believe it took me this long to find it :)</p>
<p>This is our first -and last- time through the process and it’s SO different than it was for me back in the 80’s!</p>
<p>D is waiting to hear from her top choice schools and it’s excruciating. She submitted her RD apps way back in November, so it’s been a long wait. Only a week or so to go - ugh!</p>
<p>I only read back about 10 pages, so I’m not up to speed on everyone’s situations, but congrats to everyone whose kids are accepted so far!</p>
<p>@go2mom, I love go2girl’s story - opening a Roth IRA at 14! $-) </p>
<p>@onlyonemom – Not sure I understand what you mean by mid-year acceptance. He doesn’t start until January? Isn’t that odd? What’s the point of that?</p>
<p>My kids have had roth ira’s since their single digits. As a business owner they’d do a little work here and there over the years, and I always matched their paycheck into IRA’s. They probably have more money in their than most people in their 20’s! A little bit over time can really add up when you aren’t really paying attention! Compounding interest has been their friend. I believe last year they made 21% interest - I have them invested aggressively in a growth fund. </p>