Parents of the HS Class of 2017 (Part 1)

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
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Senior Class Selection Question:
In DD’s 7-hour slots, she will have 4 AP classes. There is a 5th AP class (AP Gov) lasting only one semester. She will take “gifted service” for the other semester. Gifted service class is not demanding and class time can be used like a study hall.

The question is… should she take AP Gov first semester and GS second semester? Or vice versa?
First semester is busy due to college applications and essays. Second semester is busy due to scholarship interviews (if we are lucky) and college visits.
Colleges see first semester grade. 2nd semester grade only impact if really dropped (am I right?)
Would it be better colleges see AP gov first semester. Maybe they skimp and not see GS in second semester? :wink:

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At DS’ school, they are supposed to move the colleges themselves. He moved them in June when he created a Common App account. I hope that wasn’t too soon and will mess things up. We’ll find out in August, I guess.

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@eandesmom Thank you. Last week when I was having trouble logging in it seems now that it was because they were updating. D’s Naviance is updated for 2017. And all the counselors are back today, so I may have D ask her counselor.

Oh, the students move the schools themselves. And now I see that the reporting on whether applied EA, ED, etc. is done by the student and accepted, denied, etc. is also done by the student.

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@itsgettingreal17 I believe our GC moved one of my DD’s schools to "colleges I’m applying’ second. I tried to do it with the others, but it won’t let me. My DD handed in a transcript request form to the GC office, so that was when they moved it.

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Our Naviance still is not updated for 2017! I am assuming they will switch it over in August.

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I would do AP Gov second semester so it is fresh in mind for test. Assuming she wants to use credit form test for college and so cares about score.

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@4beardolls Our AP Gov class isn’t supposed to be very tough, and they do special things during an election year fall. But, DS is taking AP Gov in the fall and AP Macroecon in the spring for that time slot–so no study hall option in the mix.

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@jmek15 thank you for your thoughtful description of UofRoch.
Yes, having no sprung floors would stop DD from using the facility.

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Our first semester grades will not be reported before most of the decisions are made, is my estimation. Checking the list, there are only 2 schools that are requesting Midyear Reports. I wouldn’t worry too much about first semester grades, other than to make the entire senior year stress-less as possible.

@srk2017 I got a kick out of your 2-hour Pitt SRAR party over the weekend. I was cracking up. Been there, done that!

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Speaking of SRAR, is MV/Lin Alg considered an AP class? D17 says there is no AP test for MV.

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@2muchquan No, it isn’t an AP class. Welcome to the reason I hate SRARs bc just about every single course on dd’s transcript is ??? “how the heck do you classify this one.”

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Dang. I think it will appear more impressive if D17 (OK, yeah, I) mistakenly mark it as AP, rather than leave it as “regular”. WTH?

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All this talk of LAX tournaments lets me transition back into the thread. DW and I just returned from a 3 day LAX tournament for DS '20. It was quite hot, temps mid 90s and heat indexes higher. Everything went pretty well except for traffic and weather on the drive back. 5 1/2 hour drive turned into an 8 hour drive.

I’ll pitch in for the questions of the day in the opposite order. The college major question kind of drives our college visit list anyway. DD is a borderline NMSF, I think. (Thanks for obfuscating the data college board.)

QOTD: Semesters versus other options
I don’t think that DD cares, but all of the schools currently on the apply list are semester based. In my opinion, I do think kids on the quarter system are at a slight, but real, disadvantage finding summer positions. This might be mitigated by an alumni network if you are close to the college to some extent. I do note that that DS '17, who is on a semester plan that ends before May 1, seems to have had an advantage looking for summer positions.

QOTD: Major
DD '17 had a couple of interests converge into a volunteer role that became a part-time job that seems to have become a passion. A fifth grade teacher reached out to her to befriend a special needs schoolmate. He felt that the special needs schoolmates were isolated in their own special ed room at the school. So rather than starting any formal programs he just made some introductions. This went well and my daughter enjoyed it and found it fulfilling. She also has a love for horses. In high school these activities continued, Best Buddies, Future Teachers club looking at special ed, etc. She then volunteered at a hippotherapy center and found her spot. She was eventually hired by the hippotherapy center, although she also still volunteers there quite a few hours too. This drove her to want to study Occupational Therapy. So…

QOTD: Visits and application (plans):
OT typically requires at least a master’s degree (Master of Occupational Therapy, MOT). In fact, the profession seems to be transitioning to requiring a doctorate (Doctor of Occupational Therapy, OTD). Currently, (soon to be previously?) a few schools have a BS/MOT program. So she has been looking at schools with strong OT programs, even though she will only be an undergrad and not necessarily attend the same school for post grad OT. Phew.

Anyway the list.

I use reach, match, and safety for admission.
For merit chasing I use MAC attack and big MAC attack. MAC attack is a merit aid longshot and BIG Mac attack is some merit aid is likely, chance for something big.
For affordability I use match, reach, and NFW. NFW might stand for No Fiscal Way or No Fiduciary Way. Or something else.

Visited:
Pitt:- Applying. Tied for 4th in OT rankings has OTD, guaranteed OTD admission with a pretty stringent GPA requirement (3.6 OT prereq/ 3.6 cum) Admissions match, Big MAC attack, financial reach without merit.
Vandy: The favorite from visits. Applying. Doesn’t have OT. Admissions reach, MAC attack, financial NFW without
Wisconsin: Probably applying based on the rumor of out of state merit aid this year. Tied for 14 in OT rankings Has MOT, DOT. Undergrad major in Rehabilitation Psych? Admission match, mac attack, financial reach without.
Saint Louis University: Applying, Tied for 25 in OT, has BS/MOT, MOT, OTD. Admission match, BIG MAC attack, financial NFW without.
**Wash U in St.L:**Applying, Tied for #1 in OT, Has BS/MOT(local 3+2), Has (BS/MOT with other schools), MOT/OTD. Admission reach (+ Tufts syndrome), MAC attack, financial NFW without
**Northeastern:/b Doesn’t have OT
Boston University: Applying. Tied for #1 in OT. Has MOT, OTD. Admissions match/slight reach. Big MAC attack,
financial NFW without.
Boston College: Applying. No OT. Admissions reach, MAC attack, financial NFW without.

On the radar:
U of Kentucky: Probably will visit, Applying. No OT. Admissions safety, BIG MAC attack, financial match/safety based upon likely merit of some kind.
USCal: Attending local info, won’t visit unless scholly interview, Applying. No 3 in OT rankings. Has BS/MOT, MOT, OTD. Admissions match/slight reach, BIG MAC attack, financial NFW without full tuition.

UIChicago - local Tied for #4 in OT. Probably not applying. Too local, not much of an undergrad experience. DW is convinced she would be murdered. Keep in back pocket for MOT or OTD after undergrad… Admissions match, merit uncertain, financial match/reach
UofChicago - local She actually wants to do the essays so maybe it is a good fit. DW is convinced she would be murdered and wasn’t pleased a student who died in his room wasn’t found for several days. Admissions reach, mac attack, financial NFW without.

Need another financial safety, but struggling to find one.

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I guess I have convinced my son that 5 AP classes and 1 level 4 class( AP Chemistry/lab, AP Calculus BC, AP English, AP Latin, AP Psychology and Anatomy and physiology/ lab would be ok. 7 credits I guess after hearing peoples schedules on this site he feels it is the only way to keep up. I bet a lot of the kids do sports or work so I guess it is time to no longer procrastinate and buckle down. He doesn’t do sports other than in the spring and has no job. It is a step up from last years schedule since he had one college pre class and 1 honors. I told him if he believes he can handle a top school. He needs to show he can handle the work load. It is amazing how much work he has done this summer just to get a break to play video games. So I believe he can do it. I guess it is better to find out now how he does than in college. I am guess there are other moms and dads with kids that just love video games. I am guessing this will be finally the year he won’t have time. He managed last year so that is how I know he could do a harder schedule.

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Our school only has 6 periods and athletes have that for their last period of the day so 7 AP classes has never been an option thankfully.

DD worked 7 days last week Monday through Saturday at the pool and babysat 6 hours on Sunday. So nothing college wise accomplished.

She will likely continue at pool if she comes home summers so a late finish school just means she can’t teach the first 2 week session

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I finally was able to get into naviance. My son let me in. I looked and most of the schools my son is applying to I really couldn’t give any statistics. I guess people at his school haven’t applied to Rice University before so I guess it is still possible for him to get in. I guess people don’t want to go that far away so no stats to be gotten. I guess you need to go to a big school maybe or private school that has more admittances to top schools. I know they have had usually at least 5 get into bates Colby or Bowden. So maybe that school is kind of like Rice University in terms of stats. My husband wishes he would want to stay near home maybe apply there. He absolutely wants to be far away or at least a few states away. Experience a new place. Others have kids like that.

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@fun1234 Only 2 AP’s for my son. 1st time for AP’s for him. He did not have an interest in any last year.
He is pretty busy, so 2 AP’s will be sufficient. He’s not trying to get into tip toppy schools anyways. So he is what is he is. We are just rolling with it. I don’t know how kids are finding the time and work ethic to complete 5-7 AP classes. My kid would probably have a total meltdown, don’t want to deal with that. I think my kid is the least ambitious student in this group, ha. I still like him.

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@Dave_N I love the analysis. Your DW worries too much! I love the entries, for UIC or UofC…cracking up. On that vein, I find it hard to believe a Temple doesn’t have OT, but who knows about merit this year…I’ve not looked into the latest.

I’d add UWisc to D17’s list if your rumors about merit were better than mine. Do you remember the source of said rumor?

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well if he was like me then he would of taken all college prep classes so I am thinking he takes after maybe his uncle that was the top of his class. I was actually surprised the AP class were not that much harder than the honors classes. The college prep and honors classes had lots of busy work. Coloring maps that were a total waste of time. Though he did have two tutors. I am guessing Calculus will be mostly review and his teacher said latin is easier this year. The on line classes are so easy. They make the notes for you to study, give homework, quizzes take until you get a hundred. The tests you could earn back 30% points The class is hard to pass up. He basically studied on the weekend for AP statistics. I guess If he can’t do it maybe rice university is too hard for him. I have heard chemistry is hard though. I am thinking he may need a tutor for that class. I guess time will tell. I think AP English will be the hardest since he is a math and science kid.

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I love @Dave_N 's thoughtful analysis, too. Especially liked your Big MAC attack vs. MAC attack.