<p>2girls, are you trying for some particular scholarships that have specified scores to qualify or to qualify to be considered? Or just thinking that a better score generally puts your D in a better position?</p>
<p>No we are not considering specific scholarships. I am looking for her stats to be at the top of the applicant pool ( LOL) just in general- not for specific scholarships. Once the test scores come in we can see how this plays out. </p>
<p>We visited SUNY Bing once and will go back again before she applies. I don’t want them to think we are using them as a safety. My husband and I are SUNY/CUNY grads and my older D is at a SUNY, so I think Bing will see us as a SUNY family ( as opposed to private schools) which may be to our benefit ( in terms of them not thinking she is using them as a safety).</p>
<p>celesteroberts, UW-Madison is a pretty awesome safety! I knew somebody who went there and I was on the campus many moons ago for a work matter. I loved all of the Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in the area! Beautiful place, well regarded too.</p>
<p>3g3c, I’m sorry about the meltdown. Sometimes I think the kids recover from them way faster than we do.</p>
<p>I just now started to talk to my D about TASP, got the phrase “6 weeks over the summer” out of my mouth and got shut down immediately. 
Not interested.</p>
<p>We looked at TASP. It looks very nice, but the application … D. said she didn’t want to deal with it at this moment.</p>
<p>Maxwell, we had the same conversation about RSI. (Talk about your long shots!)</p>
<p>Tasp? Rsi?</p>
<p>^ very competitive academic summer programs with a long app and interviews. D shut them down here too. She wants an academic program this summer but 3-4 weeks and definitely no interviews!</p>
<p>suzy100, just a comment on airbnb: there are great finds on it but also issues. We’ve found apartments or rooms through them 5 times. 3 out of those 5 were excellent but 2 were problematic. One place was dirty. The other was very casually run–the woman we were renting from said she couldn’t be there to meet us but would leave us a key and gave us a very vague description of where she would leave it. All this was done over a very static-filled phone message. When we called her back asking for more information on where to find the key she was very curt and impatient. We couldn’t believe it especially since there were a number of reviews on the site saying how sweet and helpful this woman was.</p>
<p>Another possibility for those travelling during the summer is to find rooms on college campuses–we did a family road trip last summer and stayed in 2 different college dorms in Canada, both reasonably priced.</p>
<p>My daughter never had any interest in these academic summer programs so I never pushed them. Some of her friends go and she basically makes a face. She tells me that she works very hard during the school year and during the summer she just wants to be a kid. Can’t argue with that. She works in a camp and tells me that it does not feel like work at all- she just loves it. Happy is good!! She also makes a little money which is always nice. </p>
<p>I just asked her to take an ACT math test and she snapped ( happy does not last long LOL). She completed her SAT math test last night and still has a CR test, an ACT English and an ACT reading test to complete. She also has two tests Tuesday. She said she will let me know when she has time- I will respect that and not push. I need her to take at least 1- 2 more practice ACT math tests before December 14- but we still have time. </p>
<p>I think we will be done after February 8. I take back what I said about taking a third test- it will create unnecessary stress in my house. Thanks for listening- I apologize for obsessing.</p>
<p>My daughter just got an email from Whitman College in a town called Walla Walla in Washington State. What a fun name for a town!! I have no clue why they targeted my daughter and where they got her email- I guess CB. I did sign her up for mailings from one or two small LACs - maybe they share names?</p>
<p>My D. always loves (!!!) summer academic programs. It’s part of her life. She’s heard about TASP. A couple of her CTY friends told her about it and they all loved it. She was certain she would apply. But when junior year work load became a reality, she was just overwhelmed and decided to do something with simpler application. She did apply for NSLIY though. It’s another very competitive program. I think anything that’s free will be competitive.</p>
<p>@twogirls, WallaWalla? so funny!</p>
<p>Twogirls…Whitman is a great school. My D loves it there as a freshman. Look into it!</p>
<p>Walla Walla was known for it’s onions and is in a beautiful rolling hills area of Eastern Washington. However, the big draw now is wine. There are at least 20 tasting rooms downtown and a lot of great restaurants. The wine is excellent in general, some of the best in Washington State. Walla Walla is a long way from a big city however, so you have to be ready for that…</p>
<p>My daughter won’t be applying to school in Walla Walla Washington ( how cute is that?), but I must say that the wine is making me reconsider!!</p>
<p>twogirls,</p>
<p>When you refer to asking your D to take one or two practice ACT math tests, are you just talking about sections out of one of the practice books?</p>
<p>Yes I am talking about a one hour math test from the ACT. She refused to do it today because she had too much other SAT/ACT work and I did not push.</p>
<p>BHG tutors 2 students in regular chemistry. One was failing and the other had a D+. They each raised their grades significantly–the one that was failing aced their recent chemistry exam, and the D+ student now has a B-. BHG is so proud of them, and I of her. She’s getting another student next week to tutor in Latin.</p>
<p>BHG how wonderful! My daughter also tutored a girl in her chem class last year and helped get her grade up. She is a peer tutor at her school ( they get paid $15 an hour) but very often gets kids who call her directly ( not through the school). Right now she is not tutoring anybody. </p>
<p>BHG must be so happy for the two students! Latin is very helpful to know, I would imagine.</p>
<p>I continue to be amazed at the Saturday afternoon prep work that some of your students seem to be doing for the ACT and SAT. Is this driven by the student or parent? My dd13 did very little prep (took 3 practice tests the weekend before) and my s15 isn’t motivated yet. Are your students looking to get a specific score for scholarships? Or admittance into HYPS? Does all the prep stress them out? I’m truly just trying to get a grip on what the appropriate amount of prep is for the test to be a true representation of the students intelligence and ability.</p>
<p>I keep trying to post, replying to a list of posts, with quotes, and I keep messing it up…meanwhile getting further behind…so, here are some random replies:</p>
<p>Gym: At D’s school, if there are in the IB diploma program, they are exempted from the PE requirement. Marching band can count for kids that need it.</p>
<p>BHG, It’s so great that your D is having such success as a tutor. Isn’t she the one who also volunteers at a senior center of some kind? Very admirable!</p>
<p>Walla Walla…schools (and the general area) in Washington state seem to have such a great vibe. I have never been to the area, but just things I’ve read and heard. Maybe someday we’ll make it out there, but for now, it’s just too far for me to imagine sending my D off to school there. </p>
<p>I like the idea of not testing multiple times, and I am starting to think (realize) that merit aid isn’t likely to do much for us as the schools we are looking at either would give us more in need based aid, or the merit that would help is super competitive. D is taking the tests the 1st time basically cold and considering them her practice test, to see where she stands, then decide how much to invest in studying for a retry. I think she just also needs to have an official test to force herself to focus on it.</p>