D is done with AP exams! She took the AP Lang & Comp exam today, and that was the last one! Only 4 more days of school for her before she is out for summer break. I’m so glad that this year is almost over and I can’t even imagine how happy she is.
S20 is in school until next Friday, but once he gets out, both my kids are going to be done. Next year, he’s going to start high school and she will be a senior! Oh, where did the time go?
We were talking about typing in all caps today. Well I got this text from S: “I GOT AN A IN PHYSICS” Denoting excitement so all caps is OK (and I am thrilled as he was bobbling on an A- - still good) for so long.
@jedwards …so glad they deleted it! I love that they are so proud and involved with this process. Our parents don’t have a clue. UGH.
D is finished with her IB exams. She has an IOP and some other stuff to do with her EE. But you would never know it because she is on the couch watching “Pleasantville”…which she claims she will use as one of her films to analyze for IB Film. Hmmm…It is actually very interesting.
AP English Language reportedly went well, and our bear was safely tranquilized and taken back to the mountains.
(We have more fake trolleys and cruise ship visits here than bears, so it was a little weird. But, there is still a drought, so I can understand bears being thirsty. I don’t know if they hibernate here, since it rarely gets down to freezing in the nearby mountains and winter is more our “growing season” for berries and things.)
We are done with AP exams with AP Lang too!
Others are watching more interesting movies!
DS took microwave popcorns to school from our stash of (old) Boyscout popcorns. I asked, and DS says they watched Shrek 2 B-)
still maybe better than princess bride for him. I liked Finding Nemo.
His grades are not looking good this term… lots of missing homework, unwilling to turn in late, etc. aaargh. ~X(
Actually, a neighborhood mom posted on FB a picture of her daughter’s “99%” percentile score on PSAT.
I was like Yikes! 
X_X
I do hope that the D’s score was high enough for NMSF or Commended.
It would be awkard if she got the “fake 99%” that turned out to be real 96% and not amounted to anything like my DS’s.
D is deep into AP fatigue. She had Lang today (was happy to be done—felt 2 out of 3 essays were v good) and has Comparative Government tomorrow, the class she enjoyed the most this year. Now she’s feeling like she can’t remember basic things and is getting all confused 
I told her to go watch something silly before going to bed early. Getting up at 5:20 doesn’t help!
APs done for my S - AP Lang today - he says not too bad (writing is his weakness - he seemed to enjoy the Physics exam a lot actually). We are glad they are over! He is still at school though tonight working on a project. Tomorrow night is an awards ceremony - of course lots of homework & a Chinese test to study for as well. Regarding movies being shown in AP classes - AP US History showing Platoon & AP Lang showing Capote (the class read In Cold Blood). Not sure S will watch both – personally feel like watching movies should be optional if not tied to a meaty discussion. Still have – in June – state tests in English & History, SAT 2 in Math Level 2 and a couple of finals - along with a concert, science fair etc. another month to go. But then FBLA National convention. We plan to soon visit Carnegie Mellon, Northeastern, RPI, Case, Tufts, UMich & possibly Olin & MIT. Somehow we’ll all get through this - gotta thank you all for sharing what’s going on as well as your suggestions and impressions about things. Today we had a lovely spring day – so I opted to work (and take a nap - don’t tell anyone) outside! I-)
Wow, it took me 2 days to catch up on all the posts. Guess I haven’t been here in awhile! LoL.
So my DD got her ACT score and she got 34 which she is extremely happy with. However, the writing score came later and it’s a 24 (ELA is 31). Not sure if it’s worth it to ask for a rescore. I think about three quarters of the schools she’s applying to don’t require the writing, but since it’s on the score report they will see it. I know the writing scores have been low across the board even for students with higher composites, and the schools are all probably aware of it. She’s always been a strong writer and she scored high on the reading and english sections so it’s a little strange. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
She now has a pretty solid college list. She added a few based on the recommendation of one of the attorneys at my firm who went to Columbia for undergrad (her top choice). She is also adding Howard since based on her grades and test scores she could get a full ride in case her other options don’t work out.
She just finished her last AP test today. She’s glad those are over. Our district paid for them this year which was a nice surprise.
As for summer she is going to UPenn for a 3 week Social Justice program. She got a scholarship through her school district. She also wants to try to intern for a legal clinic. And she’ll finally be taking her driving lessons to get her license. She’ll be doing some college essays too!
I like Facebook to keep up with old friends and love seeing friends’ pictures. I stepped back from posting a couple of years ago when DS was in the thick of things with competition dance. Some of the other moms would post about competitions constantly and it just got obnoxious. So, while I enjoy Facebook for some things, it can be annoying when people take it too far.
@payn4ward I agree. Yikes about that post! I’m sorry about your S’s grades. I think a lot of them are losing steam at this point.
Anyone have any experience with University of Arizona? I’ve heard great things about their dance program and know they allow double majors. DS isn’t 100% ready to give up dance and I’m thinking it is worth a look.
Yay for your son @mtrosemom and your D @MSHopeful !
I feel your pain @thermom. So jealous of all of you whose dc are soon to be finished with school. Four more weeks here…ugh.
@payn4ward: Hang in there. He’s probably burned out. Junior year is a bi*^@h.
Thanks for the info on GW @Whereismykindle. We’ll look into it, but I’m thinking ds needs a more comprehensive campus, especially if he’ll be thousands of miles from home, but it’s definitely something to consider. And @eandesmom, I hadn’t booked any tickets yet, so that’s a relief.
Love, love, love Modern Family. That and The Middle have had some wonderful episodes about going, attending and getting kicked out of college. Claire’s board is fabulous. I think you should go for it @2muchquan. But you can’t show favorites so you’ll need one for fake kid, too.
I’m glad Yogi was safely transported @Ynotgo and not getting into pic-i-nic baskets.
@MSHopeful my son doesnf know one kid in his circle of friends that got a good writing score on ACT this spring.
We are not worrying about it. A 34 is a very good score, time to focus on other stuff!
My older son goes to one of the elite/100% need met with no loans schools. We are pretty average in terms of their financial aid stats that about half of the $72K COA is paid for through grant aid. There definitely are uber wealthy kids but there are a decent amount of kids whose families have basically no assets and the majority fit somewhere in the middle class range. The biggest difference my son has noticed is that some kids hardly ever eat at the dining hall and eat out in the community. Still mostly at moderate restaurants but that does add up if they do this every day. They are very careful to be sure that group dorm activities (concerts, plays, local trips, etc.) are paid for with dorm funds which are plentiful. There are trips across the country and across the world during some of the breaks that are curriculum related. The school pays for everything except the plane ticket and if that is an issue they have funds to pay for kids who can’t. My son went to a very diverse public high school with many middle class kids and few upper and lower class kids and he feels very comfortable.
D is registering for the June SAT today (on the very last day, of course) and wanted to know if she needed to take the essay. She is planning on sending her ACT score to colleges, so she is taking the SAT just to substantiate her PSAT score for NM.
So, does she need to take the SAT with the essay for NM? I honestly have no idea, so I could use some help.
@itsgettingreal17 For public schools getting the DE credit is pretty easy and routine. For private schools it varies greatly but mostly they give credit. For the Ivies and similar level schools they tend to not give much credit if any for DE because they say the courses aren’t comparable to theirs but they also tend to be stingy with AP credits.
@BusyNapping Essay not needed if only taking SAT for NM.
@CA1543 – we have some overlap with your visit list. Have you considered looking at Rochester? It is not exactly next to any of your other schools. Will you be driving to all these places? No Cornell either? I have forgotten intended major.
We still have to get to CMU and the thought of driving kills me but I will not pay $700/ticket to fly there. This begs the question: if I can’t get myself to visit, how will be possibly attend the school for four years?
APs over here…UHS final for two days…prom Friday, and still another month of school. Athletics still in full force, clubs are winding down, but award ceremonies, science symposium, and national competition in Texas still to come. I truly am exhausted watching from the sidelines.
@MSHopeful – I think you are saying here that Columbia is her first choice, so I assume she has looked at the core? My son really liked the school but fears the core could be too restrictive if hoping to double major.
Once this week is over (aargh, still the multivariable final), several of S’s classes do fun projects.
In AP Biology, they design and run their own lab experiment. He doesn’t know the parameters for what can be done yet.
In APUSH, they have a “Conspiracy Theory Project.” They find or invent a conspiracy theory, research possible historical support for said theory, and present it to the class.
In the AP Physics classes (where S tutors twice a week), they build some sort of project. When S took Physics B, he built a rail gun that pretty much worked. Someone made some sort of device that had flames change size in response to music.
Last AP (of 3 total) here as well today. Now has to get finishing details done for Prom this Saturday after State science competition in the morning. Hopefully then we can all get back on a less intense track of living…
@jedwards Arizona’s dance program is extremely competitive. They have a BFA or a minor, but not a major. Not sure if your DS would be interested, but in the fall they have a jazz dance showcase, that includes auditions for seniors. I know a few girls who attended last year and said it was a great experience. Unfortunately, while they were all admitted to the University, none were admitted to the dance program. I think two re-auditioned and one was invited to minor. Not positive though.
http://dance.arizona.edu/students/az_jazz_dance_showcase/
Tulane has a nice dance program with a BFA, major or a minor. I’ve heard good things about Chapman as well.