<p>Maxwell - I get what you’re asking now. 
I’m not sure how tough the test is. You may be able to search around and find some sample questions. The thing about the AP tests is understanding what they’re looking for in the free response questions - there’s kind of a formula to follow in writing out answers. I’m sure doing a search of CC will come up with tips. At our HS, AP Psych is a 2 semester course. It never ceases to amaze me how different things are at different schools!</p>
<p>AP Laundry! Mom2JNL, I literally burst out laughing at that, especially because I have ruined many a garment in my time.</p>
<p>Sally,</p>
<p>Fantastic on the TOC!! That’s everyone’s goal around here, though they call it something else because it’s a Christian homeschool forensic league.</p>
<p>Mom2J,</p>
<p>:-) 
Dh did AP Laundry, for sure. He’s a much better sorter than me.</p>
<p>3girls,</p>
<p>Cello will definitely continue but we’ll have to see about symphony. Right now, my son’s preparing to do a couple of cello duets for a fund raiser. Have you ever seen 2Cellos on youtube play Smooth Criminal? That’s one of the songs they’re playing. It’s super fun. Hopefully, they can look semi-cool playing it. :-)</p>
<p>[2CELLOS</a> (Sulic & Hauser) - Smooth Criminal - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>@sbjdorlo, it is a cool cello performance. It’s interesting what musicians do with their instruments these days. I remember watching a little piece of Langlang playing his piano with oranges. </p>
<p>Just read things from the other thread, it got me curious - how many APs will your 2015 kid be taking when they finish high school? I think mine will be done with 8 or 9. I just read some kids do >20 APs? my jaw dropped.</p>
<p>More than 20 is insane. My daughter will be in the IB diploma program taking 3 HL classes each year ( junior and senior) plus AP Spanish junior year and AP calc senior year. That equals 8 IB HL/ AP classes by the time she graduates. The rest are honors. Our school will not allow more than 4 per year ( junior and senior). Students are permitted to take AP US sophomore year but my daughter chose not to take it.</p>
<p>Hey 'rents!</p>
<p>I’m part of the high school class of 2013! I regularly post on the parent’s forum for the class, but I decided to wander on over here. A few months ago I stumbled across this blog: <a href=“http://admissionsproblems.■■■■■■■■■■/[/url]”>http://admissionsproblems.■■■■■■■■■■/</a> It’s ran by anonymous college admissions counselors. It’s really interesting to read, and I think that it would be beneficial to read it. We all want to get into the heads of admissions counselors, and here, we have the ability to. Good luck to you and your kids!</p>
<p>My dd will have 3 after Jr year. She and I have disagreed about how many after Senior year. I have personal experience as a student and a parent with Senioritis. I think doing another 2 or 3 APs in senior year is tough enough. She talks of taking 6 additional Senior year. (Some are semester classes but I believe all exams are in May…)</p>
<p>I think 4-6 exams seems reasonable and I even used a link from this site that Duke gives no more weight to students that have more than 5 AP exams. They did the analysis and determined that after 5 exams students do no better at college work than those with less.</p>
<p>Our school requires the students to actually take the AP exam to get higher weight to the GPA average. It also offers Honors classes that are weighted equally to AP. I hope my daughter will realize that after she takes her first exam AP Euro History that finishing up high school with about 5 or 6 APs is just about right.</p>
<p>Man, this thread has been busy since I last posted!</p>
<p>Welcome mom2JNL! Your D sounds a lot like mine. She’s been better lately and I’m hoping the trend continues. It recently struck me that she’s really only going to be around for a little over 2 more years. Hard to believe!</p>
<p>D’s schedule will be lots of AP’s or honors next year: AP Stats, APEngLit, Honors PreAP French, APGovt(1st sem), AP Psych(1st sem), Physics. It’s a tough schedule but she has assured me she can handle it. </p>
<p>I am worried about her balancing such a hard schedule with all of the testing that will go on next year. Our state is sort of in the middle as far as what is needed to make NMSF and she has a good shot at it. Is anyone getting a tutor for their kiddo just for the PSAT?</p>
<p>I am not getting a tutor specifically for the PSAT, but will start tutoring in August and will take ACT in October and SAT in November.</p>
<p>suzy–my '14 son prepped for the Oct SAT during the summer after sophomore year b/c I was concerned about adding full test prep to the school year schedule. The tutor advised keeping the focus on the SAT but did send us a few old PSATs for at home practice, and to get used to the different timing.</p>
<p>If your D is considering the ACT, there is a test date the first Saturday after Labor Day that lends itself to summer studying. The Oct SAT is six or seven weeks after the start of school and I recall my son already being mired in studying and sports, but the fall timing was better for him than the Jan test. And the Oct SAT is two weeks before the PSAT. Good luck!</p>
<p>I don’t get tutors for my kids. They do a couple practice tests before taking the SAT.</p>
<p>If your D is considering the ACT, there is a test date the first Saturday after Labor Day that lends itself to summer studying.</p>
<p>Ooh, I didn’t know this! Thank you CT1417. She did very well on the pre-ACT, so maybe the way to go this summer would be to have her study for this plus the PSAT over the summer.</p>
<p>This may be TMI, and I’m a little embarrassed about this, but I do not have all that much saved for D for school (because of market but also because I’m divorced and ex never paid any child support) and we will need whatever help we can via scholarships to help send D to school. I’m trying not to put too much pressure on D because of this (it’s not her fault) but also want to maximize her prospects, thus the tutor questions.</p>
<p>suzi,</p>
<p>My oldest son is an SAT tutor but I haven’t utilized him for my middle son; maybe I’ll be able to do that during the summer. I definitely plan to continue having him watch SAT math videos and I’ll go over the questions he missed on his practice PSAT in CR and W. </p>
<p>We have nothing saved and it looks like our income will be heading south from it’s already modest level, so I totally get where you’re coming from.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>sbjdorlo, That’s so interesting! 
Where do you get the SAT math videos?</p>
<p>Maxwell,</p>
<p>At this time, I borrow Video Aided Instruction SAT videos from our local library system. It’s a little challenging in that you can only keep videos for up to two weeks. So, I keep borrowing them and my son is slowly making his way through the math lectures/problems sets.</p>
<p>I’m also going to try the Khan Academy. He works through all the math problems from a 2004 SAT.</p>
<p>When my oldest was much younger, I borrowed the Chalkdust SAT DVDs from a friend. At the time, they were expensive so I was really happy that my friend let me borrow them. Not sure how much they are these days.</p>
<p>Oh, and I feel kind of guilty asking my oldest, a freshman at MIT, to help my middle son during the semester. I could pay him but I’d rather wait until he’s (hopefully) home during the summer, or at least less busy, and ask him to help his brother for free. :-)</p>
<p>We’re in the same basket as PN – no overt test prep. But my girls have always tested very well. I’m just not concerned, and there’s SO MANY OTHER THINGS to do with their time!</p>
<p>I wish I didn’t have to worry about it but when you have a child with LDs, vision disabilities, diabetes, etc., you have to worry about it or at least be proactive, particularly if you’re not even sure your kid can make it to college because of the adversities he/she faces. I never worried about it with my oldest. This child is different!</p>
<p>I understand. My S15 is very capable - he’s currently on a gap year in China. My only concern for him is studying math this summer because he’s done none this year. However my D16 is an international adoptee with ODD. I’m at some level of peace with her underperformance because I’ve found a vocational oriented residential college in my state (not a community college) that only requires a high school diploma for admission. It’s basically first come first serve and it isn’t expensive. I want her to become an independent adult but I know she will never be a scholar.</p>
<p>@sbjdorlo, thanks for the information.
And you should pay your older son. :)</p>
<p>Is anybody visiting schools with their HS sophomore? We have a rather large list of schools, so we thought that since we are visiting my college freshman daughter for siblings weekend, we might as well visit a few nearby schools on the list. Of course we are getting comments such as " isn’t this a bit early?" For us, it works.</p>