<p>GoAskDad congrats on the All-State-my son made that one year and it was a wonderful experience.</p>
<p>Our HS offered no AP’s when he was there and now offers 4-she will probably take 2 of them as the other two aren’t in subjects she would be taking.</p>
<p>My son self-studied for a few AP tests and passed them but only one with a high enough score to get credits at his college. I also wonder since we go to school until mid-June without factoring in snow days what these kids do after the exam in early May-he found there was material covered that was on those exams after he took the test-I prefer she sticks to the dual-enrollment classes offered as these are taught with our school calnedar in mind but she wants to take the “most rigorous” schedule offered and so she feels she has to take the AP-I think she should go have a long chat with her GC about this as perhaps taking the dual-enrollment classes would be considered most rigorous-she doesn’t want me involved in this as she will “handle it”-</p>
<p>I don’t think it matters whether your student takes APs if they aren’t available to him. It’s just important that his schedule shows that he has challenged himself. There are many different ways to show this.</p>
<p>No but if they are and they don’t take them? That is the issue she needs to address and she needs to talk to her GC-same one that worked with her brother and should be well trained by now! :)</p>
<p>talking about AP behind schedule, it’s serious here, because of snowdays. In APUSH, they’re not even doing WWI yet!!! :eek: D. is really worried. so she is reading ahead in a big way. However, she did a sample test. The MC part was good. The weak part is definitely 20th century. But overall she has hope to get a good score if she puts more efforts on reading beyond her class. She is also going to take SAT US history.</p>
<p>We received a message few weeks back from D’s IB coordinator strongly recommending against kids taking self-studied APs. Her point was that kids usually don’t score well and sometimes takes time away from the subjects they should be studying. </p>
<p>“I don’t think it matters whether your student takes APs if they aren’t available to him.” IMHO, this is a true statement providing all other aspects of students are equal – if student A takes no AP (not available at school) but has same GPA/test scores as student B who took APs (available at school), same GPA/test scores, I don’t know if it matters. I do wonder, however, whether student A would have difficult time getting to the same GPA (wt) and test scores due to rigor. Again, just my two cents.</p>
<p>In our school district, many college bound kids take 1 AP starting 10th and some will start taking at 9th. All of D’s friends took at least 1 last year (Govt), and taking 2-3 this year. She said a couple kids are trying to take 4 (self studying 1-2), she thinks. </p>
<p>@Max - my D’s at Vietnam war as of last week before the break. I think they covered WWI many weeks ago.</p>
<p>D is <em>finally</em> on spring break and is starting to review for AP exams (as well as catching up on other work and SLEEP). She’s taking two this year. Her school teaches no classes that are labelled AP classes, but lots of kids take exams. Her APUSH teacher recommended taking APUSH, and it looks like that one may require more review than APES, where she’s learned almost all of the material in her science classes. (She has to learn some of the legal/public policy stuff, but they’ve learned a lot of that in class too.) My elder took zero AP exams sophomore year, so this is a big change here.</p>
<p>There’s a definite trade-off between study and sleep going on here. I’m inclined to let her sleep until 1 and no later.</p>
<p>Good luck to all the class of '15 who is studying!</p>
<p>FromMD, Your D’s class is doing well. My D. has a LOT of self study to do. She is reading WWII in the textbook now. Last night we watched Tora! Tora! Tora! as a supplement .</p>
<p>Our school offers only selected APs and only 2 for sophomores. D could have taken one but chose not to and pursued other, more challenging coursework instead of Physics B. What I’m finding interesting is that very few kids are choosing to take APUSH next year. </p>
<p>Pepper, I would think that taking 2 out of 4 possible APs would be fine but you can check with your guidance department to confirm.</p>
<p>@Max - Tora! Tora! Tora! as a supplement… Great idea! Add “MASH” to cover the Korean War and Forrest Gump for Viet War – your D should be set for the test!! :)</p>
<p>I have a S13 and a D15. Yesterday we sent in the deposit to hold my S13’s place at UCONN. Hope to take a little break from CC till my D is more into this process. See you all later!</p>
<p>Just visited 4 schools in Iowa and Illinois–had a wonderful time with D even though she did not LOVE the schools we visited. D found specifics she liked about all. </p>
<p>D also received an email from her English teacher recommending D to work on a writing project for some type of contest next year. They’ll discuss the contest in-depth once D returns to school on Wednesday. </p>
<p>This same teacher (Dr. M) is offering a Jane Austen literature course next year, but confided in D that she may not have enough interest in the course for it to be a viable class option, but does for an EC, and asked D to head the club. </p>
<p>You know who we’re asking to write an LOR when the time comes since D will have this teacher next year for both semesters. </p>
<p>D’s school does not offer AP classes, so do not have to think about it; however, all classes during 11th & 12th grade prepares students to do well on AP exams if they choose to take the tests.</p>
<p>DW and I have a DD '12 and DS '15. I’m mostly lurking once a week or so, to kill time in the mornings. I cruised the “HS Class of '13…” thread and made some interesting observations between this year and last year.</p>
<p>1.) The average number of colleges applied to, seems to have gone way up. The consensus being well into double digits. :eek:</p>
<p>2.) Many seem to be arranging most of their visits for AFTER acceptance vs. BEFORE application. I guess that’s a consequence of the Common App? but the prevalence of kids criss crossing the Country after the fact and before Decision Day is … different.</p>
<p>We learned a lot through DD '12’s experience, which we managed to muddle through with fantastic results as she is happy, engaged, enthused and excited to return to her choice as a Sophomore. And that result contributes to our confidence for a much more streamlined and efficient process for DS '15.</p>
<p>Just finished visiting our 8th school- 4 in February and 4 this past week. We visited 2 large schools in Boston which she liked, and wants to re-visit. One of them was so packed that it was hard to hear the tour guide. We will definitely return. She loved two schools in Pa that we will have to re-visit. Right now she is just trying to figure out city vs no city, etc. We still have 8 more schools to do junior year before she narrows down her list. She will probably apply to one or two that have not been visited. I feel a little silly visiting 8 schools when she is only a sophomore, but the list is too long to save for junior year. This process is going to be very stressful. It was much easier with my older one. Visiting schools junior year will also be hard because in the fall she will have SAT/ACT and in the spring she will be studying for APs. We will have to make the most out of the February break and fill in one or two more when she has a free day. Trying not to stress in front of her, which is why I am posting here!! I advised her not to get caught up in the college talk at school because the only thing that will happen from it is increased stress!! She is an amazing kid ( as they all are) and in the end it will work out.</p>
<p>From MD I think whether or not to self study for AP Tests really depends on the student-in my son’s case he passed the three he took but only one with a high enough score to get credits at his college-other schools policies would have given him the credits. I have learned the hard way not to take anyone’s general advice-so your IB coordinator may well be right for the general rule of thumb but not in a specific case.</p>
<p>I do wonder what these schools do after the exams in early May when they are in class until mid-June. </p>
<p>My daughter has an interesting choice whether to take AP Language and Comp or Honors 11th grade English. She has signed up for the AP but if she takes that with the amount of reading they do it is going to impact heavily the rest of her schedule. So if she takes the AP I would advise her to not take the extra Math class-which schedule is most rigorous in that case-I guess the reflex answer is the one with the AP and one math-I may argue it is the one with Honors and two math classes-if she takes AP that math class needs to become something easier. </p>
<p>The only thing I need to find out from the GC is if she will indicate my daughter took the “most rigorous” and if not my daughter needs to understand the implications of that. I am against her taking the AP as she hates to read unless it is useful-I cannot see why she should do this to please the admission people at schools that she really has no shot at-and that is the reality I want her to understand without making her cynical. I have seen from the latest admission results that kids from her school aren’t getting into the “dream” level schools-and I am OK with that as she was given this choice before she picked her HS-I was clear after going through this with her brother that where you go to HS matters to where you go to college-for many reasons. I have no issue with that-I am fine with that really. I just need her to understand that-I am not being negative I am being realistic.</p>
<p>Pepper - which would she enjoy more: AP Lang, one math class, and an elective, or Honors Eng and two math classes? I’d go with that - it’s better to feed the interests she has.</p>
<p>Pepper - I agree with your views on self-studying. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. I think some schools allowed self-studied AP exams and some don’t… But not 100% sure. </p>
<p>BTW, below is admit % for this year’s incoming students if anyone is interested. I find it depressing…</p>
<p>Stanford 5.7
Harvard 5.8
Yale 6.7
Columbia 6.9
Princeton 7.3
MIT 8.15
UChicago 8.8
Brown 9.2
Darthmouth 10.1
Duke 11.5
Penn 12.1
Northwestern 13.9
Cornell 15.2</p>
<p>FromMD, that <em>is</em> depressing. Egads. IIRC, Stanford was at about 9% when my son was applying to schools. That seems depressing enough.</p>
<p>Quick re-intro: I have a college S11 who’ll graduate with a master’s in urban planning this May and a HS D15 whose major interest is theater, although she wants a liberal arts school (whew). I’ve been lurking for a while, but it’s difficult to keep up with you all!</p>
<p>My H has taken our D15 on college road trips the past two summers. The trips double as “motivational” college tours (his description, vs. “informational” tours when she’s older) and quality time for them both. He did the same for our son when he was in HS. I think it’s been really helpful for them. It helps college seem real and shows what’s possible and what’s necessary to get in some of these schools.</p>
<p>High School softball season officially began for D’15 today. 1st game was scheduled for yesterday but was rained out. </p>
<p>It’s sunny and a balmy 44 degrees with a refreshing breeze out of the northeast making the wind chill in the mid-upper 30’s. Welcome to Spring; at least its not flurrying.</p>