<p>Sunnydayfun</p>
<p>We visited Chapman last month. Small but nice campus in a nice neighborhood. Lots of beautiful new buildings and more in construction. They guarantee housing for freshmen and it sounded like lots of sophomores still live on campus.</p>
<p>MY D isn’t taking any SAT subject tests this time around. I can also guarantee she won’t be doing any SAT prep over the summer.</p>
<p>She will probably take the SATs next January and if there are schools she is interested that require them, will look at subject tests next spring.</p>
<p>Ok so the chem SAT is Saturday and her study time is almost zero LOL. She took a practice test last weekend and has reviewed a little from the SAT book. I am hoping that the studying that she does for her class helps with the SAT. Meanwhile she has 5 tests on Friday so how can she do SAT work? It seems as though everyone is in the same boat- limited study time. I guess I do not understand how they can study for this given the enormous amounts of schoolwork and tests that they have! Now she says that on Friday she will take one more practice test. At this point I just want this to be over with!</p>
<p>@twogirls, your poor D! she still has finals?! My daughter is done - practically, even though she still goes to school everyday next week. But she is taking the SAT history. Good luck to everyone who will take the test this Saturday!</p>
<p>My daughter has 4 tests tomorrow and 2 on Monday, and those are not finals!! She has 5 Regents exams ( NYS tests) and a Spanish final and is done June 18th!! Plus she is writing a Spanish cookbook!! Tomorrow she is doing a practice chem test after school and then we will call it quits. She has a Sweet 16 tomorrow night. She is surprisingly happy considering all the work she has. School officially ends June 24 but she is done on the 18th.</p>
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<p>Some colleges allow kids to place out of introductory courses or other requirements based on SAT subject test scores. e.g.:
<p>^^^^Wow, my DD would burn out with such a workload! I say this with kindness, but has your daughter read any of Cal Newport’s books? [How</a> to Become a Straight-A Student: The Unconventional Strategies Real College Students Use to Score High While Studying Less: Cal Newport: 9780767922715: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight-A-Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719/ref=pd_sim_b_2]How”>http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight-A-Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719/ref=pd_sim_b_2)</p>
<p>[How</a> to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country’s Top Students: Cal Newport: 9780767917872: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-College-Surprising-Countrys/dp/0767917871/ref=pd_sim_b_1]How”>http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-College-Surprising-Countrys/dp/0767917871/ref=pd_sim_b_1)</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> How to Be a High School Superstar: A Revolutionary Plan to Get into College by Standing Out (Without Burning Out) (9780767932585): Cal Newport: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/How-High-School-Superstar-Revolutionary/dp/0767932587/ref=pd_sim_b_4]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/How-High-School-Superstar-Revolutionary/dp/0767932587/ref=pd_sim_b_4)</p>
<p>My D is an A type that freaked out under a strenuous workload. Last term I discussed Bunheadgirl with a friend and her daughter, who just finished her sophomore year at Wellesley. The daughter gave Bunheadgirl the first two books listed above, and I found Newport’s third book via his website and purchased through Amazon.com. Bunheadgirl cut her study time by 50-75% using methods from all three books. She also learned to write papers and finish projects quickly. She’s happy, not stressed and has more free time for other activities, and to hang out with friends. </p>
<p>Big bad tests are over, excepting finals next week.</p>
<p>Bunheadgirl had last pre-finals tests and homework assignments last week. This week’s homework time is set aside to polish/edit papers, speeches, and presentations as well as study for next week’s final exams. Also, class time this week is used to review study guides in each class and to get assistance on any weak areas. Presentations, and speeches began this week and end between finals next week. For example, D’s English and math finals are next Monday, and she drew Tuesday to present her English paper. Some of Bunheadgirl’s classmates just started their papers, presentations and projects, which is a bad sign due to the requirements. I hope they finish on time. </p>
<p>D gets out of school in 9 school days (June 12th). The last week of school includes the high school trip to the amusement park, cleaning day, and last day of school/year book day. The kids know on the last day of school their possible grades for the semester, but have to wait until official reports are mailed for cumulative GPAs.</p>
<p>She’s done! She’s done! She’s Done! Now just (very nervously) waiting for the grades.</p>
<p>D isn’t taking any SAT IIs this year, but one good reason to take them is to bolster the record in other ways. Great SAT II scores can show some depth of knowledge in a standardized way where the school isn’t well known or the kids grades may not be perfect. (That’s the same reasoning as for AP exams, but the content tested is different, and may give other meaning). Also, a high SAT II score can balance and OK but not great SAT reasoning score. No one thinks that the kid who got 680 on the math section of the SAT I but 800 on Math II can’t do math.</p>
<p>Three finished school softball on Wednesday afternoon…lost in the State Quarter-Finals. She pitched 5 innings of relief allowing no runs and singled in her last at bat of the season - so individually she ended on high notes. Team finished 12-12 - the best record in quite a few years.</p>
<p>History term paper grade was reported to be a 93…Three was hoping for a few more points. She was up until past midnight Wednesday night completing some English essay on The Great Gatsby which was due yesterday.</p>
<p>Finals are next week. Club softball begins this weekend, so she’ll play softball on Saturday & skip Sunday’s games to study.</p>
<p>Collegiate softball recruiting season will be in high gear beginning next weekend - Three has showcase tournaments both weekends and recruiting camps midweek - luckily school is done. She’s been sending out coach email’s for the recruiting camps/showcases - responses recieved from the DIII schools have her added to their watch lists for the events…this should be fun for her to get some looks from schools she’d like to attend - her school list is similar to every high achieving student here on CC.</p>
<p>Best of luck to all on finals/projects.</p>
<p>Threesdadgood luck to your daughter!! My older one played varsity softball and played with a lot of travel kids, some of whom were recruited so I know how intense and stressful this is. Congratulations and best of luck!! My older one chose not to try out for a school team so now she just joins school sports for fun. </p>
<p>Four tests (?) today for my 10th grader and 2 on Monday. Tomorrow morning is the chem SAT. Good luck to everyone!!</p>
<p>@IJD that’s a good comment.
@mihcal, Nice information! </p>
<p>Do you think if a student goes to a well known high school (like TJ in VA, or MB in MD) and is one of the top students in that school and good ECs doesn’t need to take the subject SATs?</p>
<p>I think that if the school’s web site says that SAT subject tests are required then it does not matter what HS you graduate from or what your rank is- you need to take it. The fuzzy area is when they say " recommended." My friend’s daughter got a huge scholarship to an east coast school’s honors program and did not take the subject test even though it was " recommended." That was 2 years ago- maybe things changed.</p>
<p>h&hMom - if the application says SAT II scores are “required” “strongly recommended” or “recommended”, I would go ahead and take the SAT IIs. I don’t think high school your kid attended matters much in those cases. If it says “not required” then its up to you. May not help but wouldn’t hurt to provide IMHO.</p>
<p>I think FromMd is right- " recommended" means that it’s probably a good idea to take it. I think it’s good to take these tests unless you are 100% sure that you are applying to a school that does not mention them.</p>
<p>Good luck to those still finishing, and to the kids involved with sports - especially with recruiting initiatives! That must be a bit nerve-racking, so good luck to your D Threesdad!</p>
<p>My D finished and her grades are all in and she did well. Got her first “B+” (although it’s weighted as an A+ because it’s an honors class - pre-AP Calc) and that’s fine with me. She started her job and we’re are planning our girls-only summer trip (with younger sister and maybe a friend or 2). We’re going to check out a few schools and then spend the balance of the week at the beach. And there will be a little PSAT/SAT prep over the summer as well, but it all should be pretty relaxing. Junior year is going to be a bear!</p>
<p>Suzy I am getting the shakes whenever I think about junior year. That’s why I come here- it’s like a support group and it helps calm me down. I think I will feel better tomorrow after the chem test because I can cross it off my list. We have to leave at 5:20 for her haircut appt and she promised that she would do a practice test first- but she is busy reviewing for a test that she does not have for 2 weeks. She keeps telling me not to worry because she does not need the full hour. I am losing it…</p>
<p>threesdad- congrats to your school for reaching the quarter finals. We are finished with travel ball for this season- softball girl leaves tomorrow for 6 weeks in Europe. Her team is not to happy, she bats 4th in the line up. Good luck with the college recruitment. Coaches can start to talk to her after her sophomore year is complete? We have a pitcher friend with Ivy stats that I am sure will end up being recruited by the Ivies. So exciting for her!</p>
<p>D2 is skipping the Sat 11’s tomorrow- she didn’t prepare for the exam this week. I suggested that she refund me the fee and she compromised by buying my lunch today.</p>
<p>I will have both my d’s flying at the same tome tomorrow. At 3 pm softball girl flies over the pond, college girl takes an internal flight In Argentina to Buenos Aires. Tomorrow is going to be a long day till I hear they are both safely where they are meant to be!</p>
<p>Ijustdrive- woo- hoo for summer. To those on the last stretch hang in there!</p>
<p>Congrats to all who are done! D is in the middle of finals and is taking the Chem SAT II this weekend. I hope this is not a mistake. Her chem teacher has been holding targeted review sessions after school to cover areas they haven’t learned in class but then is telling them not to try and study those areas and to focus on what they’ve studied in class. I guess it’s luck of the draw what shows up on the test and if it’s (mostly) what your class has covered, you do well. D’s class has been pretty rigorous but from what I hear no curriculum is a perfect match for this test. I’m pretty sure that no matter what, D will come out of the test certain that she hasn’t done well.</p>
<p>After finals are over next week, she’s off to Europe with her orchestra and then back to start her summer program. I can’t wait.</p>
<p>D still has two more weeks of school. Some classes are still going full speed. AP Stat is completely done. D is running on fume right now. </p>
<p>She decided to go ahead and take SAT II tomorrow - US Hist. I don’t feel she is fully ready… She is doing the final review right now. </p>
<p>Summer plans… Well, light prep work for SAT/ACT/PSAT until August. Not too many practice tests though. Also, plan to get her some help with math course she is signed up to take. I don’t want her to have heavy workload over the summer. Just enough to keep her mind active. That’s the plan anyway…</p>
<p>My daughter also takes the chem test and she has not studied much. She takes honors chem and yesterday she brought in her Barron’s book and stayed after school for extra help. She had a few questions from the practice test- stuff they had not learned yet. 3girls is right- it’s really the luck of the draw. If they are lucky the test will have material that they have learned. So far I have not met anyone who feels prepared.</p>