<p>Michele Hernandez is renown as a very expensive college counselor, who authors lots of books and articles and blog posts. Back in 2009 the NYtimes [url=<a href=“Before College, Costly Advice Just on Getting In - The New York Times”>Before College, Costly Advice Just on Getting In - The New York Times]wrote[/url</a>] about folks beating down the door to pay $40,000 for her services, and I doubt the price has gone down since then.</p>
<p>Good thing we’re on CC so that we don’t need to waste $$$ on college counselors!</p>
<p>I have a friend - daughter just completed her 2 nd year @ SUNY ESF. Until she matriculated, I’d never heard of it either. She is a landscape architecture major. Syracuse was too expensive & Cook College @ Rutgers was OOS for landscape architecture, so ESF it was. </p>
<p>The kid loves the courses & campus…just hated biology class to date; as the dad reported to me.</p>
<p>Found out something kind of disturbing today. I will preface this by saying that I have wished that the orchestra program at my D’s school was an after-school program versus being a scheduled class. D dropped orchestra this past year because she could not fit it in her schedule. I just found out today that it is impossible for a kid to make Valedictorian (and probably top 5) without being in either the honors orchestra or honors band classes all the way through. I am assuming this is correct. The woman who told me has a child that graduated last year who was the Val, and she is very connected and smart. I don’t think there is anything to do about it, but I find that disturbing.</p>
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Amen!..</p>
<p>AFAICT, the main purpose of college counselors is to nag kids into writing reasonable essays (and manage parental expectations). For some families (not ours) it’s worth the money to not have to take on the taskmaster role. (And for some families it’s necessary because kids stubbornly won’t listen to parents but will listen to the outside expert. Again, that’s not us, thank goodness!)</p>
<p>Suzy, that’s very disturbing. It’s doubly disturbing when you consider that more often than not, the opposite scenario is true: kids can’t end up as val if they DO continue in orchestra, which is treated as an unweighted class. It feels like a you-can’t-win-scenario.</p>
<p>My own issue is that D’s school treats too many cool activities as classes rather than clubs. Writing and editing the school newspaper requires a class–which conflicted with honors math last year when D tried to sign up. Same with yearbook, robotics, orchestra, and I don’t know what else. She is taking an immersion class in coding and robotics this summer and is loving it. But she can’t fit a class in robotics into her schedule next year and there is no after school club dedicated to either coding or robotics. (She is taking AP Comp Sci though.) I’ve told her to look into starting an afterschool club; we’ll see if she does.</p>
<p>3girls3cats, that reverse scenario would really bother me as well. And there is no parity across the fine arts offerings. Orchestra and Jazz classes are offered at the honors level (i.e., extra weighting) but that’s not true of any of the art classes which seems completely arbitrary and unfair to the kids whose interests lie there.</p>
<p>When did these kinds of activities (orchestra, chorus, newspaper, yearbook, etc.) become classes? So many kids who would pursue these get shut out because of scheduling problems. I wonder if they make these classes (instead of after school activities) because the schools were having a hard time getting teachers to stay after school to moderate them. </p>
<p>Sorry for the rant. Feeling ranty today. :)</p>
<p>I see on the College Board website that SAT scores from the June 1st sitting will be released tomorrow. Does anyone know what time the scores are likely to be released? I’ll be on an overseas flight from mid-morning onward – will I have to wait till I land to learn my kid’s scores?</p>
<p>I think SAT scores release at 5 am central time, but log on much earlier or you might have trouble getting through.</p>
<p>We have 2 orchestras and 3 bands, all of which run 5 days/wk, so after school would be impossible. Though there is also jazz band which is an after school EC. But all grades in our district schools are unweighted so kids are free to choose courses without these kinds of considerations. The problem for us was that choosing music meant there was never any time for art classes for my older D, which was sad. S15 is taking art and woodworking since not in the HS music program. At our local private HS they run band 0 hour, before school.</p>
<h1>3598, thanks for the warning on the National Society of High School Scholars. DD received her invitation to join today.</h1>
<p>Suzy, that’s ridiculous! Why do they only weight orchestra and band? Yeesh. </p>
<p>I have my own rant on this issue. In D’s school, every other language class has an honors level associated with it but for the language D studies. She misses out on the grade bump every single year she is in this class. At least D’s school doesn’t rank and there is no traditional valedictorian.</p>
<p>D just finished her 3rd day of her summer ballet intensive, and is now sleeping like a baby after 6.5 hours of dance. The first day stressed her out to the point she wanted to quit. The Ballet instructor, an older gentleman in his 60’s, is no pushover as he dismissed students for side buns, tights other than pink, those wearing tanks and shorts sans a black leotard, those who did not bring their pointe shoes the first day, and the list went on and on and on. He actually had them line up with their bags in hand. He would look at them, then if they had on shorts and tank to lift up their shirt to show their leotard. He then asked them to pull out both of their pointes for inspection. </p>
<p>By the first 20 minutes of class, there were only 20 out of about 40 students left, including Bunheadgirl. Parents began lurking outside the studio room windows and door trying to vy for the instructor’s attention. Once the first session ended 1.5 hrs later, ballet guy invited the parents into the studio and asked how he could help them.</p>
<p>Of course, the parents complained about the treatment of their dancers and expected more professionalism for the money they each paid. Ballet guy told them that they each got their money’s worth as each student and parent received on 2 occasions requirements to participate along with a listing of what to wear or bring to each class. He pointed out the contract each student and parent signed stated NO EXCEPTIONS and students not adhering to the requirements would be exited from the class until attire, hair and shoes met his standards. </p>
<p>Many of the students returned for the sessions after lunch in perfect form. And of course his favorite students are the ones who showed up prepared on Monday, my D included. D now arrives each morning with an extra leotard, pointe & ballet slippers, several pair of PINK tights, bunhead hair stuff, and Kleenex. </p>
<p>Ballet instructor already demoted dancers to a lower class level amongst tears and pleading. To which he replied, “Welcome to the real world of dance.” Since those girls were moved down, they were essentially cut from PPC. It’s going to be a LONG 8 weeks,and I hope it’s worth it to be part of the pre-professional level of a dance company. </p>
<p>Several of the current PPC dancers told Bunheadgirl and others in the class that Ballet dude is the hardest and strictest amongst the instructors and if they survive his class past week 2-3, they WILL keep their spots. The session started on Monday with almost 40 dancers, and is down to about 20-24. Thank goodness for prorated refunds.</p>
<p>^^^ That sounds like hazing! Does it really matter if a kid dances in tan tights instead of pink? </p>
<p>I love that my D’s dance studio is NOT that strict. She isn’t planning a career in dance, so it’s strictly recreational for her.</p>
<p>That sounds intense, Bunhead’s mom! I did have to smile though. My ballet teachers were equally strict back in the day. I’m not surprised that he questioned their attitude and seriousness if they showed up in tanks and shorts. Obviously your daughter wasn’t as nonchalant!</p>
<p>Bunhead- all I can say is WOW.
Mihcal1- last year my daughter took the bio SAT and she was able to get her score at about 2am if I recall ( she just happen to look).
Suzy- that’s crazy! Our school does not require students to be in honors band/ orchestra in order to be the Val or in the top 5. What if your kid does not play an instrument or enjoy music?
3girls I am with you. Although our school offers AP level art and music classes, if you happen to take regular it can bring down your GPA.
Today my daughter had her first driving lesson and it went well. Right now she is swimming at a friend’s house which makes me happy considering she hardly goes out during the school year. Wisdom tooth girl is making some progress. She is eating better and talking more rather than grunting. Although she is swollen, it seems to be less than it was.</p>
<p>@mihcal1, it’s not a dance studio, but a lower level of a professional company. Students try out and given conditional spots contingent on the summer intensive. Those who make it are official members of the dance company as pre-professionals. Those who don’t make it, go back to their ballet school or their previous dance studio. </p>
<p>It’s not hazing in the least. D has been required to wear a specific color of leotard and tights since she was three and has been a student at 3 different ballet schools/companies between MN, TX and back in MN. They all pretty much have very strict standards regarding hair, dress and shoes. Some schools and instructors are more lax than others, but those associated with companies expect the students to act as if already a part of the professional company by adhering to requirements. It will be as such if D decides to dance in college. We already checked out several college/university dance programs and a majority also have expectations and requirements for auditions, including attire and some, even hair. And, at this level of dance and age of dancer, they should know better–especially when it comes to packing one’s ballet and pointe slippers after attending an orientation, receiving a class bulletin/syllabus and signing a contract that listed attire and shoe requirements for class and later on, the summer performance. </p>
<p>So, in my opinion, Bunheadgirl’s instructor/company is truly preparing these dancers for auditions and expectations at the college, pre-professional and professional levels. </p>
<p>We may not like the methods and want our students to receive a bit of leeway, but like any teacher, I’m sure he must come off strong in the beginning to let these 14-17 year old kids know that the professional dance world is serious business. We also must look at the expectations of an ex-professional ballet dancer, now ballet instructor who is old enough to be the grandfather of each of these dancers. His expectations of adherence to rules and respect for instructors are, I’m sure, pretty high. And being a professional from Russia-- well, you get my point. </p>
<p>As far as being moved to lower level classes, well, that has to do with ability. My own child may be cut in the next few weeks, and like I said, thank goodness for refunds.</p>
<p>BunHeadMom, wow, that is incredibly impressive! Is your D trying for a career in dance?</p>
<p>I have a close friend whose daughters are very committed to dance. She has complained about studios where discipline is lacking and the girls don’t show the requisite commitment so I see where the instructor is coming from. The real world of dance (and music for that matter) is too competitive for me though! I’ve watched wonderfully talented kids work and work and then find themselves demoted or not accepted. I am in awe of those who have the temperament and ability to weather the hard parts and stick with it.</p>
<p>mihcal1, I want to correct my earlier post. SAT scores release at 5 am EASTERN time, not Central. Sorry.</p>
<p>3girls3cats, that is so frustrating about your D’s language classes! I’d be mad about that. I’m finding out that that bump is important! That would be particularly bad for my D, who loves French and is thinking about minoring in college.</p>
<p>Bunheadmom (that name always makes me smile), that is some serious dedication on your D’s part. I hope it all works out for her this summer!</p>
<p>michal1, safe travels and here’s hoping for a good score!</p>
<p>twogirls, glad the wisdom teeth thingy seems to be going well and that your D15 is having some nice down time. Good luck to her on the driving as well. My D takes her test for her license next week. Fingers are crossed! I had to get her tonight from work fairly late - I’m ready for her to be able to do that on her own!</p>