<p>My D started the IB programme today and judging by the hour long sermon we have just had on Theory of knowledge I think she is going to like it.</p>
<p>^ I agree Suzy and 3girls. It’s out of control!!</p>
<p>3girls – my D read that book and complained about the very same things that you mentioned. Then I took a look and I agree as well.</p>
<p>Welsh pixie, which subjects did your D choose? My son chose his today - HL math, physics and music and SL history, Eng Lang and lit and Spanish. I’m a little concerned about HL math. He’s a good but not phenomenal math student. His standard levels are in his easier subjects. He actually already took the last two as a sophomore in the U.S. Unfortunately his school doesn’t offer HL Chinese B and they wouldn’t let him take HL Spanish as a 4th HL because music is so time consuming.</p>
<p>I think kids need to concentrate on BOTH classes (ones that are interesting and challenging) AND appropriate ECs. The ECs lend texture and shape (not to mention personality) to their lives. But schoolwork needs to come first – in a lot of ways, it’s their job. Looking at Naviance, it’s clear that above everything else, grades matter.</p>
<p>Speaking of ECs, one of D’s is blowing up. It’ll all be very good if it comes together, but she decided to start something new, and there’s a lot of pieces to put together. She’s getting a lot of negativity from friend (as in “that’s never going to work or happen”) and I’m doing a lot of cheerleading and strategizing with her (over the phone and Skype).</p>
<p>Kids need to be kids. They should learn to work hard and study in high school. They should learn to socialize and navigate different types of people and personalities. They should do things because they’re fun. They have the rest of their lives to be responsible adults.</p>
<p>3girls,</p>
<p>I too read Cal Newport’s book. In fact, I rushed out to buy it, hoping it might give me insight into the holistic nature of my son’s application.</p>
<p>After all, I thought the 10 years my son has been acting professionally, (TV and film roles people would know), would have to show something unique about his character, perseverance, and even talent. </p>
<p>Quickly, like in the first chapter, I learned that Cal dismisses and even looks down upon, all kids with performing arts backgrounds and athletes, even ones doing it on a professional level. His feeling on these hobbies like dance, acting, and music and sports is that they are things your just born able to do innately or can learn with practice. </p>
<p>Even if you do it well or get far in the field and have dedicated hours of your free time to get better at it, it’s less spectacular in the eyes of college admissions officers then if you start your own company or do biochemical research. </p>
<p>He may very well be right. I suppose time will tell if that part of my sons life is something that a college will regard as unique or valuable to it’s community.</p>
<p>Apollo, my D chose, HL English Lit, French, German and History, and SL Maths and Chemistry. She is not into science or maths but she loves languages. I think the TOK enjoyment comes partly because her English teacher takes the class. It is quite ironic although she is British she has never had an English teacher, she has had Irish, Australian and the last 2 were American (from New York).
She has arranged some CAS hours, she is learning Swedish from an ex-pupil this is an advantage to being in an international school someone always speaks an unusual language.
As I understand it Maths Hl is very hard but doable with enough effort. I work in the school and the Hl Maths guys (and it is always guys ) say the trick is to practice every night, and ask questions if you don’t understand. It also helps if you like Maths, as that is where most students struggle, they are doing it because they have to not because they want to.</p>
<p>shacherry – That seems like a very good book for you (and your S) to ignore. It doesn’t speak to you situation. IMO, substantial accomplishment in any field (and professional acting certainly qualifies) is a plus. It adds interest, certainly.</p>
<p>I think this is a lot like the baby books we used to browse several decades ago. You’re not going to agree with everything any “experts” say, and there will be some “experts” who have absolutely nothing to say to you. Take what makes sense, and leave the rest. (They’re all going to college somewhere, YK?)</p>
<p>OK, this may be a stupid question, but I have to ask: for purposes of “validating” a PSAT score for NMSF/F, does it matter if the SAT test is taken prior to the PSAT?</p>
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<p>This is an odd perspective. There is a reason why there are arts supplements and recruited athletes. I’m sure talent didn’t hurt Jodie Foster, Brooke Shields, or John McEnroe from getting into Yale, Princeton, or Stanford. </p>
<p>I believe he’s wrong about anyone being able to develop some skills and ability. Practice makes perfect, but daily hours of practice will not make me a credible piano player. </p>
<p>Would he dismiss math ability–highly valued for college admission–as just another skill that’s innate or improvable with practice?</p>
<p>I have to believe that adcoms can see through resume padders, prefer people who develop a few passions, and certainly don’t disqualify applicants with one special skill. After all, you can’t practice violin for five hours a day without sacrificing other ECs. And I’m sure no school will disqualify an applicant with a high-level talent who is otherwise academically qualified.</p>
<p>Suzy - If I remember correctly, taking SAT before PSAT is ok within the required time frame. I think it’s one year before the official PSAT date to December of the following year (10/2012 to 12/2014 for the class of 2015).</p>
<p>Good question suzy. </p>
<p>And thanks for the answer FromMD! So say if they take the SAT in November or December this year, it’ll be okay, right?</p>
<p>Yes, Max. That should be fine. </p>
<p>You don’t have to have PSAT equivalent of SAT score. I think the cut-off SAT score was around 2000 (?). Also, they don’t take ACT score.</p>
<p>Thanks FromMD! I’m about to sign D up for the October SAT which is 2 weeks before the PSAT so wanted to be sure.</p>
<p>^ taking the SAT in November or December of this year is fine. Is anybody else as stressed as me? My daughter has practice every morning from 6:30-10:30 ( until school begins), she has a " board meeting" today for one of her clubs, a yearbook meeting tomorrow, and freshmen orientation mentoring on Thursday. I also scheduled a driving lesson in there someplace, and next week she begins SAT prep. School has not even started yet! Oh- I forgot about the sports meeting one evening that parents must attend. I have already been to five years worth of sports meetings- they are all the same. Throw my job into the mix and I am totally crazed!!
I agree that adcoms can spot somebody who is padding a resume, and I can’t imagine that they would dismiss kids with a special talent- makes no sense to me. This is just way too stressful for me. If we all sit back and relax ( ha!!) we will see that the process works- they will all find a school to go to that is a good fit for them.</p>
<p>I wanted to make sure my info is correct and found this from the NMSC web site.</p>
<p>See item 7. This is for kids who took the test October 2011. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf</a></p>
<p>Re: Cal Newport. I haven’t read the book you all are discussing but I did read myself and get for my D, this one: [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]How”>http://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Straight-A-Student-Unconventional/dp/0767922719)</p>
<p>I thought many of the ideas were really helpful. Has my D read it yet? No…too busy! But I encourage her to try to read it soon because it really does have some great strategies for saving time reading, note-taking and studying.</p>
<p>The window has tightened some since 2011, but generally there’s a year window around the PSAT. D’12 took the October 2010 SAT the weekend before the PSAT and it worked out very well. This year there’s a bit more of a gap, but we’re planning on the same timing for D’15. If all goes well, all testing will be over as of the PSAT (with the exception of AP exams, and perhaps an SAT Subject exam). These kids have too much to do to spend time testing!</p>
<p>IJD, lol about the baby books! It brought back memories of What to Expect When You’re Expecting and What to Expect the First Year and how all the professional, really smart moms would freak out about the various developmental milestones listed each month. Ha! We all learned to figure those out.</p>
<p>My problem with this guy is that he writes with a certainty, even an arrogance, that rubs me the wrong way and that he profits from this canned nonsense. But yeah, the best thing is to ignore the stuff that doesn’t make sense to you. I just felt a need to call him out and I wondered if I was crazy in my reactions. I guess others have had some similar reactions.</p>
<p>His guidance is supposed to be aimed at “ordinary” kids. That’s why he sounds almost hostile to those who excel at sports or music. His point is that these are extraordinarily competitive venues and that it makes more sense for the “ordinary” kid to target something unusual and do it exceptionally well (read: at an adult, professional level). He posits that it will take a lot less time and talent to do this and that the payoff will be equivalent to that experienced by the exceptional violinist who isn’t concertmaster at the top-rated youth symphony.</p>