<p>sbjdorlo – since your S is pretty close to NMSF cutoff, I would have him study for that because the potential payoff is so huge. He might as well take SAT again, too, and try to improve the math. Most schools will superscore if his CR or W scores slip somewhat. But you might want to wait to retake the SAT until after he’s done his writing class, to improve that essay score too.</p>
<p>keepmecruisin – if your D’s PLAN was so much better than her PSAT, that suggests just having her do the ACT and skipping the PSAT and SAT entirely. As far as I know, all colleges accept either ACT or SAT. Just make sure she takes the ACT with writing, because some colleges insist on that.</p>
<p>mihcal1 – That’s what I was thinking. I think we’ll have to wait until spring for him to retake the SAT. He’s having eye surgery in December, so January SAT is out. March is a possibility but I was thinking May or June. The writing will be better presumably, but I am concerned about math at that time. He didn’t miss any geometry problems when he took it but it will be a year out (he’ll be doing trig or pre-calc in the spring), so I’ll be sure and review the math again.</p>
<p>I think I won’t worry at CR since many schools do superscore. I assume the writing will stay in the same general area on the MC but it sure would be nice to see a higher essay score! LOL</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it!</p>
<p>Wow! This is the quietest this thread has been.</p>
<p>After a summer of searching, H found a car for D2. He experienced a lot of difficulties trying to find a car within the criteria he had set. In the end, he found the exact same car as her elder sister’s in a different color. How weird is it that we have 4 cars. I thought 4 cell phones was excessive. Will be tight on the drive way till college girl leaves on Thursday.</p>
<p>Varsity softball is underway, first game Thursday. SAT test prep class started last Friday. School registration is tomorrow with classes starting on Monday. I think we are one of the first on this thread to start back. Not ready for the " routine" to start. Though it will be a different one, D2 will drive herself to school, there will no waiting at the softball field for her to get off the bus after a game. New normal for me. Feeling sad ( for me) at the next stage in her life. I will miss her chatter in the car. She on the other hand is ECSTATIC!</p>
<p>Sally I have mixed feelings about D getting her license in a week for the same reason - car chat is great, we get a lot of time together to talk there. She will NOT have her own car, but will likely use mine to go to practice a half hour away and that kind of thing, and I am a little sad.</p>
<p>Volleyball practice started last week and is 2 hours a day from here on out. Summer LAX club ends this week. Classes begin the 21st.</p>
<p>D’s birthday is next week and she’s asked to be taken to a large amusement park so we will do that this weekend. She and I and the friend she is bringing all love big roller coasters so that should be fun. I really want to try to sneak to the beach for a quick weekend before it’s too cold but as I look at the calendar it’s not easy to find an open weekend before the end of September. I’m not ready to let go of summer yet!</p>
<p>I’m thinking that there’s no good reason for D to get her license. She can drive with her permit with a parent in the car, we have no “extra” car for her and she can’t have a car at school. So other than our insurance premiums rising and the ability to have her run some errands when she’s home (not likely) there’s not a good reason for her to have her license.</p>
<p>@sally, I know what you mean. Just yesterday I was thinking how much I miss driving the kids around. I especially miss hanging around during sports practices. On the other hand, I can’t wait for S15 to get is his license. I’m not a very good passenger when he drives. So far this whole driving thing has been the most difficult chapter of parenting for me. D13 became a very good driver now that she’s in her own car but I constantly worry. I see way too many people texting and driving which drives me crazy.</p>
<p>IJustDrive your username is uniquely perfect for this topic :D</p>
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<p>I can’t remember if I posted this here…I called my agent for a quote to add D. She sent me an email saying it would literally be 9x more than I pay now. I emailed back to clarify and in 2 more exchanges, she confirmed this. So I went online and got a quote form a different company that was 2x what I now pay.</p>
<p>I emailed the agent back and said I had the other quote and within a week she’d generated another one just a bit more than the one I got myself.</p>
<p>I’m switching insurance companies because that is NONSENSE. I shouldn’t have to go out and get my own quote for them to come down 80%.</p>
<p>It has been very quiet here- glad the noise is back! My daughter has driver’s Ed every day from 5:30 til 7. I HATE letting her drive, but we are supposed to let them drive all the time- ugh( I don’t). She is allowed to get her license in November, but I am not rushing. I am thinking more like the spring. The school does not allow them to drive to school until senior year. Next week she is finished with her camp job and she starts pre- season for fall sports on the 19th. Once camp ends she will have to step up the SAT studying. So far she has been doing vocabulary and an occasional practice test. We are getting my college sophomore ready to go back- it goes fast!
OHmom that insurance issue is insane!</p>
<p>OHMom- we are paying $421 extra per 6 months for the 4th car and I think it was $270 per 6 months to add d2 when she passed her test. We noticed when we added d1 that the rate goes down every 6 months, as they get older and have some experience.</p>
<p>D2 has her own car since she is taking a class at the local science center this year. No transportation provided and no public transport is available for her to use. We were in no rush for d1 to drive. D2 is so much more confident and able, I have a lot less angst over her driving.</p>
<p>We bought a car for our girls to share 4 years ago. H made a promise to D1 that if she secured a free full ride to college the car was hers. Hence, why another car was bought.</p>
<p>BUT, a bit like laptops, we are “one and done”. We insure and maintain the cars. If they want something newer they are on their own. In 2 years when D1 graduates college the title will be signed over to her and it will be her responsibilty.</p>
<p>Got it. It appears that the new company is cheaper for me alone as well, so I just switched today. Awkward cancellation phone call to local agent but she didn’t ask why, I am sure she knows…</p>
<p>Wow, school starting on Monday. My son not for 3 weeks. Anything before Labor Day still seems early to me. </p>
<p>One of the advantages of living in a walkable city is that my son can walk most places, perhaps a disadvantage is that since there’s less pressure for a license I still get to drive him places–even walkable places. But being in the car together means (captive) chats. </p>
<p>My daughter didn’t get her license until she went away to college, which meant peanuts to put her on the policy–plus being a girl doesn’t hurt the premium.</p>
<p>I was surprised that adding D was, as I said, about double what i pay now, and adding S as a third driver, who is 19 and has never gotten his license, is $4 more every 6 months. We do only have one car, so only one of us can be driving it at once I guess.</p>
<p>My D is still 15 and can’t get her permit for a few more weeks. I did promise her that I would take her out of school and get her to DMV on her bday. School starts after Labor Day but fall sports start on the 26th so that’s when summer is basically over. We also have our best conversations while I’m driving her around. I know I’ll miss that. I’m sure there won’t be any conversing when she’s finally in the driver’s seat. I shake just thinking about it!!!</p>
<p>It seemed that adding another car was more expensive than adding D was. It was a bit of a double-whammy, but not terrible. OHMomof2, that agent SHOULD have been fired. Jeesh. </p>
<p>D will be driving herself to school. It worries me a bit because I think that parking lot is like bumper cars sometimes - lots of dings happen there, nothing serious though. I won’t be really missing much by way of talking time with her, because she rode the bus home and when I drove her in the mornings she was barely awake, much less talking. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>D starts next Wednesday, got her schedule today and I feel bad for her. NONE of her friends - even the ones in her wider circle who aren’t her BFFs - are in her lunch period. It’s a bummer because it’s really her only time to connect with them, as she usually doesn’t have any classes with her closer friends.</p>
<p>On a good note, I bought the Fiske Guide the other day and left it on the coffee table. She’s starting to show more interest now, thank goodness. I really need her to drive this process, but thus far it’s been mostly me. That has to change, and I think this is a start.</p>
<p>GOOD TO SEE YOU PEPPER03! Hope all has been well with you.</p>
<p>Keepmecruisin – my D’12 was young for grade and didn’t get her license until winter break of freshman year of college. (And that’s how I know about how much our insurance will go up.) </p>
<p>The schedules are out. The courses are right, mostly. The teachers are less than ideal. I’m not happy, but I don’t think there’s much to be done about it. Sigh.</p>
<p>Our schedules don’t come until the third week in August, but they sent home a junior year course selection list in June so that errors could be corrected. We will also be able to check the schedule on line at some point. She originally signed up for a business law elective - not sure how because she has zero interest in business law. I think she mentioned to the GC that she may go to law school ( she has since changed her mind) so he talked her into this class. Thankfully it conflicted with some other classes so he called her back in to change her elective- she chose a writing class instead. I am hoping that the updates are reflected in her new schedule. On another note, we are planning a trip to UPitt after Labor Day ( school here starts Sept. 9th). I called Pitt in July to make sure there would be tours ( the Sept schedule was not posted) and I was told that there would be tours every day except on Labor Day. I just looked and the September tours are still not posted so we can’t register yet- the calendar shows August tours. Yesterday I called again and left a message asking when we can register for Sept. tours- waiting for a call back. I have to assume that they will post the schedule soon, but it seems kind of late. Usually when we plan these visits we do it a few months in advance- not a few weeks. Oh well… I am sure it will work out.</p>
<p>H and S15 managed to fit in some college tours this summer. They just came back from McGill. H felt the tour was lacking. Did not see the library or cafeteria. Unfortunately they didn’t have time after the tour to snoop around but son still likes the school.
Tomorrow they are flying to Chicago.(U.Chicago and Northwestern)
Anyone else touring this summer. Please share your visits. I’m not sure we will be able to visit all S15 schools. @twogirls, are you planning to visit Carnegie Mellon while in Pittsburg? Would love to hear about it.</p>