<p>@3girls3cats, you probably “tagged” the wrong suzy. lol That was the reason for one of my “edit”</p>
<p>Yikes!!! Thanks Maxwell! </p>
<p>Sorry to hear about the tough ACT, sympathy to all who were upset and hopefully the curve will be kind.</p>
<p>keepmecrusin, I’m with you in being relieved that it wasn’t offered in NY, D has been stressed with school already.</p>
<p>I feel for all of you and the kids that felt like they didn’t do well on the test. I just think they are under so much pressure from the system they are stuck in. 
D just signed up this evening to take the ACT in April. It took a long time to get through the application. I guess it asks for lots of info! I just told her not to put in any info that she wouldn’t want colleges to see! She was trying to decide which box to check, whether to get the study guide or not, and was a bit upset when I suggested that she should study for it. I think she feels insulted that I would think she needs to study. It just doesn’t seem to be the thing around here I guess! She says she will “if I want her too”…so, we’ll see. At least those who took it today, or even in April, will still have a chance to take it again this year if they aren’t happy with the results…but here’s hoping we can all be done with these tests by this summer!</p>
<p>Sorry about the ACT today. Hope the curve is generous. My D15 never opens her mouth after the test. All she says is its OK. I don’t remember anything now. The only comment about the Jan. SAT was that it was easier than the Nov. one. So i am just praying she reaches her goal. Her dad said no matter what the score is no more discussion about testing in the house.</p>
<pre><code> She is not a test taker and stresses a lot which resulted in her hospitalization and emergency room visits.If she stress too much it results in hormone imbalance and causes lot of problems for her.
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<p>I just realized (after searching and searching on the school’s website) that the ACT date D just signed up for is the same day as Prom! Oh well…It will be a busy weekend!<br>
For prom…how to people usually handle transportation? D doesn’t drive yet, and neither does her BF, and they don’t seem to be in any hurry to get their license. Even if they did, the prom is downtown and I wouldn’t want them driving as new drivers. Is a limo out of line? It seems a bit over the top, but I’m not sure how they’d feel about us driving them. </p>
<p>Tripleamom I am sorry to hear about your daughter’s emergency room visits due to stress. That is just awful.
Shoboe kids around here take limos, car services, vans that accommodate large groups, etc. </p>
<p>I am keeping my fingers crossed for a decent math and science curve on the ACT. For my D, " it is what it is," because she will be done with both tests regardless. She will be doing at least one more subject test, possibly 2, and will use her 2 highest scores. She plans to send in her subject tests plus the ACT and SAT and will let the schools hash it out. </p>
<p>Shoboe the application process takes a long time as they ask so many questions. The big thing with the ACT is the timing. You need to move very very quickly. I heard kids talking about this ACT and it seems that there were topics that some never had before despite being in advanced math classes >:P That, combined with the fact that this math was more “SAT like” but with a bigger time crunch ( for extra fun) made it harder than previous tests for just about everyone. My kid took it in NJ and kids from both states walked out shaking their heads in disbelief. The December math was much much easier according to my D. Hopefully this is not the new norm for a new year. The red book should be updated if the math has changed- the current book did not reflect yesterday’s test. My D felt that the blue book ( SAT) reflected yesterday’s test. I heard a rumor somewhere that the ACT was changing- perhaps this is the beginning of the change (?). </p>
<p>My D is a very strong math and science student and walked out of yesterday’s test laughing about how difficult it was to complete in the time given. Nice to see her laughing for a change!!
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<p>Add mine to the kids not finishing science. She had 6 left to randomly bubble in. She had 3 or 4 in the Math section that she didn’t know and found the reading pretty straightforward. She was pretty happy on the writing section.</p>
<p>@shoeboemom Re prom transportation- With my eldest they had parents drive them downtown to prom. Senior year they had planned to take a limo, but the venue ended up close to home so the kids drove. They didn’t think it was worth the $'s for an event so close. Some groups arranged party buses etc. D2 is not talking about transportation yet. I guess it will depend on what her group is doing. Prom is not till the first weekend in May. </p>
<p>shoboe, in our area, it’s not uncommon for large groups of kids share to limo to the prom. It seems to make sense - most parents don’t want their kids driving so late. To be honest, there may also be a law limiting the time of day/night they can drive with a conditional license. But D has been given a bye to all dances/events by her girlfriends except for the senior prom (they know she doesn’t like them)</p>
<p>twogirls, I heard the College Board was going to make the SAT I more like the ACT (!). The math does seem to be getting harder. That’s what I’ve been hearing - the problems are just more difficult than the SAT in the overlapping topics.</p>
<p>ACT was “okay” per DD.<br>
Just be happy that our kids will not be the guinea pigs for the new SAT orginally to be released in the spring of 2015. The date has been pushed back to spring of 2016.
The new SAT will be aligned with the new common core curriculum; unfortunately some kids will be at a disadvantage because not all states will be using them.
My DS16 just misses this, Yeah-we are one the states so far that has said no to common core.</p>
<p>That is very interesting Slacker- and I heard the ACT was changing- unless I am dreaming LOL. I am so happy that we will not have to deal with a changing SAT 
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<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>Although I have not posted in a while, I try to read the thread at least once per week. I know I’m off topic, but must say working 50-70 hours a week drains me. </p>
<p>BHG will not select next year’s courses until the first week of March, as the school polls the students regarding which elective classes to offer each year. Some courses are offered every year, some every other year, and others never again due to lack of interest. </p>
<p>AP tests–BHG did extremely well on practice tests for European History, World History, and English Language & Composition looks like solid 5’s based on raw scores, and a surprise to her, a possible 4/5 on the Chemistry exam. She was expecting a score of 1 or 2–lol. She HATES Chemistry.</p>
<p>Grades came out and BHG did extremely well first semester–all A’s and a B+ in AP level Advanced Chemistry.</p>
<p>D already has her prom dress and a date. The theme this year is the Great Gatsby, and most are attempting to dress in as close to period prom dresses as possible. </p>
<p>Not sure I will join the FB group unless I create a new user profile, as my current FB is linked to BHG and my DS’s FB pages.</p>
<p>Our ATL trip to visit Agnes Scott is tabled due to losing the day after President’s Day as a make-up day–sigh.</p>
<p>RE yesterday’s ACT: Cancel the scores after seeing them, as BHG thought she did horrid, but gained 3 points over her previous score. I am positive all the kids did well, and the curve should help with the missed questions, as I see a trend based on the posts, and either kids guessed on many of the questions in the dreaded math section, or feel that section more difficult than previous exams. </p>
<p>Do any of you all hang out in the Financial Aid section? I’m reading that thread more & more as we get closer to the Class of 2015 application season. Just think, in 6 months the CA goes live for our children! 
</p>
<p>ETA: Is only me, or does anyone else find the emoticons somewhat creepy?</p>
<p>BHM are we permitted to cancel the ACT after the scores come out? I just figured if my kid’s score goes down then she will simply not use this test. Most schools let you choose what to send- I believe she may have one that wants all scores. </p>
<p>I think these little guys are cute :"> but I agree that a few are creepy. </p>
<p>Sounds like BHG is doing great!!</p>
<p>All those New Yorkers…you’d be surprised how many of us (I know of at least 20+) who drove to NJ and CT so our children could take this one (since many were snowed out of Dec. version). We drove an extra hour so that our D could say test was harder than usual. We can never win! 8-| </p>
<p>Yes but New Yorkers are a tough breed LOL!! We will survive!!! </p>
<p>@Twogirls–it depends on what the student requested ACT to do with the scores for that test date. For example, if a student used score report, then the scores must be canceled prior to receiving the score so the information is not sent to universities/colleges. For the ACT, this is by noon (CDT) the Thursday following the test date. If a student did not request scores sent at the time of siting the ACT, then the student can permanently remove that score from their ACT record. </p>
<p>You cannot “cancel” scores after seeing them if the student requested/used score report: <a href=“http://www.actstudent.org/faq/cxlcollege.html”>http://www.actstudent.org/faq/cxlcollege.html</a></p>
<p>Deleting scores when a student did not request/use score report:
Permanent Deletion of scores: <a href=“http://www.actstudent.org/faq/delete.html”>http://www.actstudent.org/faq/delete.html</a></p>
<p>The above becomes tricky when a student’s HS reports all scores. I think if a score no longer exists with ACT, then the HS must also delete the record from the student’s transcript since ACT no longer can validate the score once deleted. </p>
<p>Let me offer that; I don’t believe there is a material difference in acceptance(s) or merit $ for any score > 30 on the ACT. Up to 35/36. And a 27 is treated just like a 29. So, I wouldn’t stress out over an ACT score. It’s pretty rare that a kid “could’ve/would’ve/should’ve” scored a 32 and got a 27.</p>
<p>^^thanks for the sanity check, @giterdone</p>
<p>@giterdone, I somewhat agree with you regarding ACT scores; however, where I differ with your opinion in th “rarity” of a student going from the high 20’s to lower 30’s, as my D is a prime example. She took the Plan as a frosh year and was anticipated to score between a 29-32 or 33. BHG scored a 28 on her first sitting of the ACT without studying, which is outside the Plan score window. She sat the ACT again without studying and scored 31.</p>
<p>In the above situation, the student is on the bubble, and I would advise to take the ACT again. </p>
<p>Where I do agree with you is when a student’s base score is lower than a 26. In this situation, the window could be 22-26 or 26-30 or 25-29. With test prep, the 2nd & 3rd score ranges,a student may have the ability to score at or above 30, where the 1st ACT score set may increase to an ACT in the higher 20’s with studying. </p>
<p>This is why I advocate testing early to determine a baseline score, and base test prep around said score, test again as early as possible in junior year for a “range”, and determine from that second testing if it is worth the student’s time and effort to continue studying or working with a tutor or accept the test scores and base the college application list on those scores. </p>
<p>I know that the majority of merit granting schools on BHG’s list only offer merit for scores at or above a 30. So, if a student is within 3 points of a 30, I would invest in tutoring and self study to see if it pays off in a higher score, as well as putting the student in line for merit or higher merit awards, especially at schools with automatic merit aid based on test scores and/or GPA, plus test scores. </p>
<p>Thank you BHM as I had no idea!!!</p>
<p>Giterdone as much as I hate and despise the testing, in terms of getting merit I think there is a big difference between a 30 versus a 35/36. That does not mean that a kid with a 30 will not get merit to a school- plenty do and it is a fine score. </p>