<p>So nice to get such quick responses, suzy100, keepmecruisin, and 3girls3cats! I really appreciate your thoughts, keepmecruisin. I need to calm down a bit. I think I can look at the 213 as the fluke, not the 230. It is true that she seems to do best in high-pressure situations, I’ve noticed that at piano recitals, theatre, etc. I will be positive and pump up her confidence over this week. Suzy100, I will offer the review phrased as “if you think its worth it” and let her decide. 3girls3cats, her errors in the other sections were vocabulary related and numbers and operations, all identified as “hard” questions. She knows arithmetic can be an issue for her (could be carelessness), and she offered to do some vocabulary (since she was unfamiliar with a couple words), but there’s not a whole lot of time now, and she has a full week and is out of town next weekend. I will try to gently ask if she wants to review those particular areas in the previous tests she took, like you suggest keepmecruisin. Thanks everyone - just what I was looking for!</p>
<p>Congratulations to the GREAT ACT scores!! You must be really proud and relieved. </p>
<p>IJD, some problem here. No time to study for the PSAT. D. has homecoming the whole week. She is seriously distracted. This Friday is the homecoming football game that she feels she has to go. Saturday they have homecoming dance and of course she feels she has to go. She will do some practice after the dance and Sunday, only if she is not loaded with homework. next wed. is the PSAT. So we will just have to see what happens.</p>
<p>Welcome momtwotallgirls!! New faces are always welcome in our semi-stressed, slightly neurotic, occasionally angst-ridden support group. Venting is expected and condoned. :)</p>
<p>Always happy to get a good chuckle from a phone call from school. D2 called and said that she was called down to the office for a random athletic drug test (currently doing cross country). Given the fact that she is…how do I put this politely…“temporally challenged” as a cross country runner, she was incredibly amused that they were testing her for PEDs. Having the same natural smart-aleck gene that I do, she joked that if she WERE using PEDs her times would warrant a refund from her supplier. That’s my girl!!</p>
<p>Wolverine…you’ve got me spitting on the keyboard. Thanks :)</p>
<p>^I’m here all week…tip your wait staff and try the veal!!</p>
<p>oh, and i just looked over yesterday’s practice test again and one incorrect answer was because she filled in the wrong bubble… she had the right answer circled in the test booklet! i’m thinking she was a little less focused yesterday!</p>
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<p>It’s an amazing any-grade score! Your D’s jump from 195 to 230 gives me hope for my D this year.</p>
<p>Homecoming is now over. This week is the last for volleyball so a nice break is coming up for D (and frankly, for me too…vball is a pretty big parent commitment around here). She doesn’t do a winter sport except a once a week indoor LAX league so she’s about to have most all of her after school time available for studying, working and just chilling out a bit.</p>
<p>mom2twotallgirls - welcome. </p>
<p>A lot of good suggestions from other parents. Sounds like your D is almost there (or there already). The test scores – 195, 230, and 213 – all from CB’s PSAT exams?</p>
<p>thank you for the welcome, Wolverine86! and yes, FromMD, the first two tests were administered by the school (all 9, 10, 11 graders take the test at school on the day it is given by CB) and then the one yesterday was a take-home CB practice given to her by the school. i think the other years she was given a practice to take home too, but she didn’t do them. and i forgot to mention one aspect of the high-stakes nature of the test for her, is that because she did so well last year she really wants to repeat - the home practice test score knocked the wind out of her sails a bit.</p>
<p>mom2twotallgirls – Don’t fret! The variation in your D’s scores is well within the standard deviation ([~10pts</a> per section](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Your PSAT/NMSQT Score Report Explained - SAT Suite)). </p>
<p>The difference between NMSF cutoff and a perfect score can be entirely explained by statistical noise. It’s a dirty little secret that qualifying for NMSF is pretty much a complete crap shoot.</p>
<p>Mom2twotallgirls…I actually think it will be a good thing she got a “low” practice score (haha). You don’t want her going in over-confident and cocky. The lower score will re-focus her so she doesn’t make any bubble errors. It’s like the #1 seed in March Madness almost being upset by a low-seeded team and then going all the way to the championship after they get the scare :)</p>
<p>Lol, OHMom! 230 is indeed an amazing any-grade score and I hope my reply didn’t suggest otherwise. Mom2twotallgirls, it sounds like there’s nothing to worry about and yes, I agree with everyone that calm and confidence is key. </p>
<p>Wolverine, you made me laugh!</p>
<p>No test prep here either. PSAT on Wednesday. S has a cold so we are just making sure he has room for rest over the next couple of days.</p>
<p>Congrats on the ACT scores.</p>
<p>latichever…ha, ha about the pianist! Actually, I haven’t delved enough into the Common App this go around to know if one is applying to a school’s music conservatory whether to send in the arts supplement in addition to the scheduled audition. (that will be our situation). Hmmm…</p>
<p>PN, FromMD - great to hear about the ACT scores. Good to see hard work paid off early! Have a glass of wine to celebrate.</p>
<p>Mom2twotallgirls - I would keep calm (and don’t blink). All the scores are incredibly impressive. It sounds like your daughter was distracted. Chances are when she takes the test next week, she’ll be focused. Have a glass of wine to relax.</p>
<p>latichever - my daughter is a-musical, so I’m impressed that your child can audition on two very different instruments. Good luck. Er, just have a glass of wine.</p>
<p>momsings - I think the PSAT is a week from Wednesday, not this week.</p>
<p>Has anyone heard of National High School Honors Orchestra, sponsored by the American String Teachers Association?
My D sent in her recorded piece for audition early this year with $50 app fee.
She was informed recently she was selected to the viola section. It costs $795 to attend this event which will be held in Louisville, KY March 5-7, 2014.
Is it worth to attend?</p>
<p>Congrats on the great ACT scores!</p>
<p>Wolverine86, LOL, I have to try that “superior parenting” line sometime.</p>
<p>D is discouraged because she started a PSAT practice test and got stuck on one of the Math sections. We’re going out for a haircut and maybe I’ll have her review it again when we get home.</p>
<p>Oops, you are correct PN! I had just received the school email about the change in schedule for that day and had it in my mind it was this Wednesday! Ha, ha. Oy, too much going on…It really is on my calendar for next week! :D</p>
<p>D took SAT on Saturday. We had a bit of a tropical storm scare and several other testing sites cancelled the testing. Thank goodness my D’s site remained open, as she really wanted to get this one behind her.</p>
<p>Do all of your kids take the PSAT on the Wednesday date? Mine takes it on the Saturday. I wish she could take it on Wednesday.</p>