<p>Do your kids still have finals on the AP courses? My D’s AP classes are having parties of all sorts.</p>
<p>Our HS gives finals in AP courses. They keep plugging away right up until the end of the semester. S is signed up to take the math SAT June 1st. He’s so fried right now with end of the year projects and the school musical. It’s really tough this year - the musical is usually 2 or 3 weeks earlier, but this year it’s one week before finals. All the kids are so frazzled! I felt lucky that S didn’t have any AP tests, and really felt for the kids in the show undergoing AP testing during the week leading up to opening night. The show ends Sunday and his project is due Wednesday, so hopefully he’ll be able to relax after that.</p>
<p>Students at our school can begin AP during their sophomore year. They can take APUSH if they are a year ahead ( took 9th grade honors SS in 8th grade) or they can take AP World if they are taking 10th grade SS as a sophomore. My daughter decided not to go this route so she will begin all AP classes as a junior. Our school also offers the IB Diploma starting junior year. My daughter currently takes honors and advanced honors ( one year ahead) classes, but no AP. Many of her friends are currently studying for the AP test next week in APUSH. I had no idea that the school schedules the timing- I thought it was like the SAT. I have a question about the SAT 2 subject tests because my daughter is taking Lit and Chem on June 1. How much studying do your kids do, if any at all? Last year my daughter took the SAT 2 in bio after taking honors bio and did very well without studying. I think she did well because she worked so hard all year and retained everything. I think she will have the same experience with the Chem SAT because she works very hard, has retained it, and the class has been taught almost at AP level ( as per the dept chair) even though it is honors. In addition to this the class uses the SAT book already and is familiar with it. So… I am not overly concerned about it. What about Lit? My daughter’s reading comp is excellent and she has learned everything on the SAT Lit test- I bought the book and nothing in it was new to her. I told her to read the book and take the practice tests. That’s the plan for tonight- fun stuff!! Does anybody have any experience with the Lit SAT? She is a very strong student but I read on CC that Lit is one of the harder tests, but I guess this is just based on opinion.Good luck to everyone, and a BIG congrats to Max!!!</p>
<p>I stand corrected- my daughter just informed me that freshmen can take AP World if they took 9th grade SS in 8 th grade. This stuff confuses me!</p>
<p>My D13 took SAT Lit. She didn’t study, reports that it is exactly like SAT CR section and her score was similar. She worried a lot more about math2, only got a 790 first time, so repeated it to get the 800 since the scoring curve is so unusual for that test. She is not neurotic really. Its the only test she took twice, even SAT/ACT sat just once. </p>
<p>My S hasn’t started this stuff yet. Trying to interest him in SAT chem test, but no luck.</p>
<p>So somehow your school got exempted from the national AP schedule??? I didn’t realize schools could do that. APUSH was this Weds a.m. all around the country.</p>
<p>I guess there is a national AP schedule? Our school’s AP schedule was changed because of Super Storm Sandy. The kids missed over a full week of school- I guess I just answered my own question. I think a 790 on math2 SAT is outstanding!</p>
<p>Hurricane sounds like a good reason for exemption.</p>
<p>790 would be a good score, except that 15% of math2 test takers get 800 and another 4% get 790. A 790 in math is like a 710 in Lit, fine but not impressive.</p>
<p><a href=“http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/research/SAT-Subject-Tests-Percentile-Ranks-2012.pdf[/url]”>http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/research/SAT-Subject-Tests-Percentile-Ranks-2012.pdf</a></p>
<p>Maxwell, congrats to your D! Count me in the jealousy camp. ;)</p>
<p>celesteroberts, that’s good to know about the math2 test. Yikes.</p>
<p>Celeste I had no idea!! That chart was very interesting. My daughter will take math junior year if she needs to. As of now she will be a bio major but if she switches to engineering she will need the math. Too much to think about right now. She passed the permit test. Don’t know if I am happy or sad LOL.</p>
<p>I don’t interpret the math II scores exactly the same way, celesteroberts. I wouldn’t call a 790 “fine but not impressive.” It’s a pretty self selected test of students who consider math one of their strong subjects. 790 is still a very good score.</p>
<p>I think a 790 is outstanding regardless of how one interprets the scores. Anything over a 750 makes me very happy. My daughter probably won’t attempt an Ivy because the stress would put her over the edge.</p>
<p>Now I feel bad like I was boasting about her score or something. I guess I’ve been looking at this stuff too long, don’t know what’s reasonable anymore. Sorry about that. It was a long year.</p>
<p>In our state, by law public schools start after Labor Day so AP tests over long before school is out. And teachers contact students to get them started on AP work while it’s still summer vacation.Every teacher a free agent around here so they do what they like. Some go like gangbusters to the end with a hard final. Some are done now and watching movies. Some assign large projects to present during exam week.</p>
<p>I’m so happy my son got his license a month ago. The HS he attends is not his ‘home’ HS, so it is not convenient to take a bus and a bit too far for biking. After almost 2 years of ferrying him back and forth, no more sitting in long lines of teens competing to get out of the parking lot first at 3:30, hurray!</p>
<p>My daughter’s school only allows seniors to drive to school, and if you carpool you get the closer spots all year ( they assign a spot each semester). Celeste don’t worry I understand the stress and I know that we often lose sight of things. Right now we are trying to figure out college visits. I am trying to first visit the schools that track interest.</p>
<p>celeste, I understood your explanation of why your D retook the math subject test, although–my D being my first kid who’s naturally good in math–I had no idea about this subject test. My mouth dropped open when I read your line about the 790 not being good enough. ;)</p>
<p>I think your explanation dovetails with a discussion of ACT/SAT scores we had just prior to you joining in and how a score that looks excellent for general admission purposes loses its luster when examined in the light of merit aid. :eek: And math was definitely an outlier on that chart. Only chemistry (9% scoring 800) and physics (10% scoring 800) were anywhere near the math. </p>
<p>On another topic, our HS also allows sophomores to take APs. My D took three this year. Her older brother graduated in 2007 and only took one AP as a sophomore. Because our HS now has an IB program (the only one in our small city), “the most rigorous coursework” now has a whole new meaning. :(</p>
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<p>This helps me understand why our school doesn’t have AP sophomore year. My daughter was put into 9th grade classes in 8th grade for science, english, math and foreign language, but there was no option to do that for SS. So she’ll finish all of her requirements during her junior year, except for SS. And because of this delay, she couldn’t take APUSH this year, but will next year. Then APUSG the following year. </p>
<p>Is this the only AP class sophomores are taking, or is anyone able to put their kids in AP sciences in 10th grade?</p>
<p>In our high schools, until recently no 9/10s took AP, except here and there an advanced math student. But the district was out of compliance with state rules on TAG(talented and gifted), parents got lawyers and threatened to sue, so supt. directed high schools to come up with plan for 9/10s to get advanced instruction. </p>
<p>At son’s high school the plan added honors sections of 9th grade history and APWH as the 10th grade advanced option. </p>
<p>If 10th graders want to take AP chem instead of ‘math chem’, they are allowed to, but not many do. Most kids don’t even know that is possible. My son was encouraged to do this by friends and thought about it, but in the end he didn’t. Every year several top students come in and it’s clear right away they should be advanced into higher science classes, so they are, and may take organic chem at local university by 12th grade, and/or do research with mentoring profs on the side.</p>
<p>AP SS classes are the only APs allowed in 9th and 10th grade. My daughter was supposed to go this route but decided against it and now regrets it. She currently is in honors and is with a group who is not her speed for one reason or another. Too late now- oh well!! In 8th grade she took 9th grade honors math and English. She currently takes all honors with math and English being one year ahead. Our school used to allow sophomores to take AP chem but they discontinued this practice. Next year she will begin AP classes, although honestly her current chem class is taught " almost at AP level" according to the dept chair. For some reason the district decided to increase the difficulty of the class. Many parents are understandably upset because their kids signed up for honors, not AP. I am not upset because my daughter is doing well and she will be prepared for the SAT 2. She is supposed to take chem and lit on June 1. Last year she took bio and her score is actually good enough to use so she really only needs one more test. She just told me yesterday that there is no reason for her to take the lit test- however it was her idea and I already paid! She is currently taking practice tests and I am encouraging her to review the book every night for 20-30 minutes. I think she should just take it and then she will have three subject tests and can use the two highest scores.</p>
<p>I am getting slightly concerned about college, although I do realize that things will work out. My daughter needs a school that is on her level academically, but at the same time is not a pressure cooker. This would not be good for her mental health, and for this reason the Ivys are out ( I understand it’s a crapshoot anyway). So… We will be making a list of schools where she feels at home with the academics, that is not crazy and intense in terms of the " vibe," and where she will find a group of kids who love school spirit but are not into the party scene. This job is scaring me LOL!</p>
<p>@twogirls - our kids still have 1 1/2 yr before apps need to be submitted. So, try not to get too stressed out. For us, we are not spending too much time with “which school” question yet. I don’t feel like D has enough data points to narrow our focus at this point. Our primary focus for next 12 months is getting thru all the tests/school work coming her way. Between SAT/ACT/AP/PSAT/IB and SATII, I counted 13 to 15 tests! Frankly, I am far more stressed about her junior year than which colleges to apply at this point. But, like you said, I am sure it will all work out.</p>
<p>New to this particular forum. Like laclos, a few pages back, avoiding some of the anxiety. </p>
<p>But, question: Any recommendations about PSAT prep? I went on Amazon, and saw all the usual suspects–books by Kaplan, Barron’s, Princeton, etc. </p>
<p>My son took the PSAT as both a freshman and sophomore, and did well. If he improves as much between soph and junior year as he did between freshman and soph, he has a shot at National Merit Semifinalist.</p>
<p>Aside from books–he’s not interested in a prep class–any good online or iPhone app recommendations?</p>
<p>He told me he’s heard the PSAT is in some respects harder than the SAT. Anything to that?</p>
<p>I have two older kids already in college so in many ways it is been there done that, but each is a unique story–nothing unusual about that.</p>