<p>We’ve found it easier to take back to back exams. Standardized testing takes a different frame of mind than other analytical work, so getting into that mode and staying in it is easier than bopping in and out of it. (That’s one of the reasons I’m annoyed about the 10 day gap between the October SAT and PSAT. That’s a long time.)</p>
<p>I agree that these exams require a different mindset than what is required during the rest of the school year and for some kids it’s easier to take them all at once. The PSAT is pretty short and not so exhausting that it will leave D depleted. For her, I would rather that she get rid of the testing as soon as is reasonable. It can be a distractor from more important and interesting activities/work. </p>
<p>Of course the best laid plans…:)</p>
<p>Re: timing of test taking. I think my son liked having the SAT the first week of Oct, then having a weekend to look at the PSAT, and then taking the PSAT the following weekend. (Liked is perhaps not the correct word…)</p>
<p>He prepped for the SAT as I feared he would have difficulty with it and he shocked us both by scoring far above where his GPA would suggest he should have scored. NMSF was never a serious consideration so if it is for your student, you may want to prep for that exam as the timing and format differ from the SAT.</p>
<p>I think my son would agree with IJustDrive & 3girls/cats in that he liked to stay in the mind set of standardized testing. He took a break of two-three weeks after the PSAT and then re-engaged for the Dec 1st SAT. He actually put off getting his learner’s permit last fall as he wanted to finish up the SAT.</p>
<p>Here is the info on the Q&A service. I think the report can be ordered up to five months after the exam date, in case anyone neglected to order the May report.</p>
<p>[SAT</a> Scores - Student Answer Verification Services](<a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board)</p>
<p>I’m very upset. </p>
<p>Got an answer from the school board - they denied D’s request to take the AP online course. The reason they gave was: “Essentially we have not approved exceptions that would provide an unfair advantage to certain students by way of artificially increasing GPA or class rank.”</p>
<p>I am offended by this remark. My D. wants to take honors or AP because honestly that’s the only way she can be challenged in this county. In fact, so far, only AP courses challenged her, because that’s the only way she can put herself to compete with students in other areas. The teachers teach AP seriously for that reason. (and they don’t do well - I mentioned that her school never had ANY student passed an AP physics or calc exam before.) Yes she has high GPA, but that’s a by product. That is not her goal. She just loves to learn, that’s all. In a place like this, she worked hard and all her past APs (including some hard ones) she passed with 4 or 5, and now she is determined to do well in calc and I think she can. What is wrong with that? </p>
<p>Plus, I know several of my friends’ kids took online AP courses before - not just once, not just twice. One boy took 5 online courses. (the truth is the classrooms in our county just don’t challenge some of them.) I don’t understand why those kids were allowed to take online AP classes, while my D. isn’t. What makes her “special”? </p>
<p>Now she is put in a regular world history class, not even an honors class, because that’s the only world history class that doesn’t conflict with other of her classes. When we went to info meeting for that class, the teacher said bluntly that if you want an A, you will get it. You will never have to do any homework. The class project is to draw a mona lisa. As long as you draw one, you get pretty much 100% in the project. The students in that class obviously have very different academic goals from people like my D. </p>
<p>What to do? She can drop that class, and do an AP environmental science, which isn’t a class she would chose, but at least she will have better classmates, and the teacher will actually teach. It’s not her favorite subject, that’s all. Maybe it’s an easy AP? I don’t know. This whole things is just very upsetting.</p>
<p>DD took AP ES last year (the test – the course preparation is more complicated in that she took a couple of different classes that covered much of the material but not all of it and not an AP ES course at all). The course is often seen as easy in high schools, but the material can be deep, and it’s an interdisciplinary course where the public policy implications of the science are key. It sounds more worthwhile than honors WH as you describe it. If she likes, she can still take the on-line class (and the exam) even though she won’t get high school credit for it. They can’t stop her from taking the class, and if they’re giving the exam, they’ll probably let her take the exam. So if she doesn’t need the credit, taking AP ES (or a study hall) and taking the on-line class not for credit is an option.</p>
<p>FWIW, D ended up taking the AP ES exam (and the two science classes that had much, though not all of the material) because of a scheduling problem last year. So your D is not alone in this!</p>
<p>My D did the signing up for the SAT online, so I didn’t see all the details, but she signed up for the Nov. one and said she did pay an extra amount (I think $15.00) for extra information. She says she isn’t sure what extra information that will be.</p>
<p>hersandhis,
That really doesn’t make sense, but it does seem like the county is basically telling you that they don’t believe in the quality of their own online classes…if taking one will artificially inflate a GPA. You mentioned that you know of other students who have taken them. Do you know if they thought they were worthwhile? In our district SOME of the online courses just aren’t considered to be up to par with the regular (in person) classes. I don’t have personal experience with it, just what I’ve heard.<br>
It is so frustrating sometimes when the schools have their set rules, that don’t seem to allow for what might be best for our students.
Unless you can, and want to appeal, she could take the easier course, with little homework and use that time to self-study for the AP test, or just go with the environmental science course (I think I’d choose the latter).<br>
There are a couple course that I wish were offered for my D, but I’m hoping she might get enough credits in college for the courses she is taking and testing for, that it will free her up to take a couple of those once she gets to college.</p>
<p>Herandhis- why do they think that your daughter would have an unfair advantage? Why can’t they just open the online course for anybody who wants to do it? Our school does not give on- line AP courses as far as I know, but many kids self study for a course and take the AP test, and it is not factored into the GPA. The teacher who is teaching the regular class sounds like a doozy- surprised she gets away with it.
Shoboe- sounds like she paid extra to get a copy of the test.</p>
<p>Herandhismom, that would make me pretty mad, particularly what seemed to be the suggestion that she was just doing this to increase her rank. That’s just short-sighted and silly.</p>
<p>Apparently they don’t think like we do. I think it was insulting that they feel D’s incentive of taking an AP online is the boost up her GPA. It is just ridiculous. </p>
<p>@twogirls, In fact the same teacher also teaches AP world history! I do hope he doesn’t teach AP the same way he teaches the regular. He probably doesn’t.
I also think exactly like our friends here - everyone should be given the opportunity. IF they denied other people, or if other people didn’t request, that is not our fault. </p>
<p>Thanks everyone. It feels good to know it’s not just me.</p>
<p>herandhisMom – my concern with substituting APES for WH is that APES is usually considered an elective (extra science course) whereas WH may be a required course that a student must have in order to graduate. If you’re in CA, WH is included in part “a” of the a-g subjects required for UC eligibility.</p>
<p>Herandhismom,
Your D’s school may say no to an online course but that doesn’t mean she can’t self study for an exam in a course that interests her. My D13 self studied AP psych, art history, human geo and US govt. She took all but one exam at her school. One she took at a neighboring school. She scored 1 3, 1 5 and 2 4s.</p>
<p>DS15 emailed me today to ask for me to pay his Oct SAT registration. Apparently today was the deadline for internationals and CB made me fork over an extra $30 because he’s taking it abroad. Ugh! They have made a killing on my family over the last 8 years!</p>
<p>Herandhismom, I agree, that is insulting and unfair. The idea that a school would suggest that a student’s motivation in taking an online class was to inflate gpa! It’s even worse that they didn’t sort this out well before now so that she might have had an option to find a different class that worked out with her schedule.</p>
<p>Will she have enough credits in history without this class? Is there a possibility of setting up an independent study with the teacher to get the AP level class? I don’t think my D would be able to handle that WH class. I’d steer her toward self-study or an independent study or AP ES.</p>
<p>Like mihcal suggested, WH is a required course. If she doesn’t take it this year, she can take it next year. </p>
<p>Apollo, yes she can self study. But since it’s a required course, if she doesn’t get credit, she will have to do it again. that doesn’t make sense. She can self study Econ, maybe she will do that, either this year or next.</p>
<p>@3girls, yes, that’s so insulting and it really makes me mad.
She is talking to her school counselor today. The counselor suggested ES yesterday. so that’s maybe the thing to do. </p>
<p>D showed up in the regular WH class. even the teacher recognize it’s not her place. He went and asked her why she was in that class.</p>
<p>DD and I visited her counselor yesterday. She dropped Spanish V and wanted to start Arabic but it wouldn’t fit in her schedule. She will try to fit it into her schedule next year. She did get into the IB Environmental Sciences class. </p>
<p>The counselor also gave us her Naviance password. College rep. visits will begin Monday with over 200 colleges scheduled through November. The counselor recommended that she start to attended a few of these sessions. DD asked me to help her figure out who to visit. I couldn’t believe it.</p>
<p>The school also gave the juniors the practice PSAT and registration booklet.</p>
<p>herandhis,</p>
<p>I’m really sorry to hear the school is being so difficult. Is there nothing you can do? No one you can appeal to?</p>
<p>herandhisMom – Maybe the best option available to your D is to talk with the WH teacher, stay enrolled in the non-honors WH class that fits her schedule, get her easy A, and fulfill her graduation requirements. Concurrently, maybe the teacher (whom you said also teachers WHAP) can give her supplemental material to help her self-study for the AP exam. If the teacher offers supplemental study sessions before the exam, your D could also attend those. </p>
<p>Then, when it’s time to apply to colleges, she can explain in the “special circumstances” part of the Common App that course conflicts prevented her from taking honors or AP-level course. Alternatively, she could ask her counselor to mention that in the counselor letter. The colleges will see her AP score and know she went above-and-beyond what the HS offered to her.</p>
<p>It’s sad that HSs don’t always offer options that are perfectly tailored to each and every child. But sometimes they don’t, and we have the do the best we can and make lemonade from the lemons!</p>
<p>Last day of 2-a-days tomorrow. I’m exhausted from driving back and forth to the school all week. And we’ve carpooled with another family! The kids are tired and sore but enjoying their new teams. School starts on Tuesday. We have minimal school supplies and no new clothes. I think I’m in denial…I want my summer back!!!</p>