One more post-college tour update. S19 is dismayed that he has to go back to high school next week. “I’m excited to start college now! One more semester of high school is ok, but THREE?!”
Thank you for you supportive comments. It’s so nice to have a group of parents who “get it”. She will go again at the SAT next month and I will have her try the ACT too.
@toomanykiddos Has she really studied? Has she taken practice tests and then reviewed every single question she got wrong? For every math problem wrong, has she practiced more problems like that so that she will get them correct from now on? Sometimes kids think they are studying but it’s not effective. If she is truly upset and really wants to get a higher score, I bet she could do that if she has the time.
I’m not trying to be snarky at all. I just want to point out that maybe she could try a different way to prepare for the test. S19 took four real practice tests in real time that I proctored for him at our library. He took notes on every question he got wrong. And then he practiced those types of problems on Kahn. It’s very time consuming but it can make a big difference. I don’t want to see any student feel bad about their testing scores and, certainly, some kids just struggle with these multiple choice tests but, if she’s a strong student, she can probably study her way to a better score.
Group bootcamps are not always the best way to study. I’ve heard that time and time again. Sounds like she’s been working but maybe not as effectively as she could have. No one’s fault. I’m sure she was following the tutor’s plan and trying her best but these group classes don’t always have the best tutors.
@toomanykiddos not sure if this has been mentioned but more and more schools that are pretty decent are test optional. That might help your D when she decides where to apply. Not everyone is great at STandarized tests. I had a friend’s D get into a top school with not so great test scores, but everything else was stellar including the opportunity to do an interview. so you never know.
@sdl0625 @toomanykiddos I completely agree with that. Interview! Write great essays! All I was trying to say is that maybe your D’s prep class didn’t do her any justice. Kids are way more than their scores but, if possible, you just want to get her scores into the ballpark. Then, everything else can shine.
@homerdog it is possible for a student to study well, systematically and still not perform well on tests. It’s not as simple as you make it out to be.
@carolinamom2boys I just know that there are group classes that are not that effective. What I was trying to say is that maybe studying a different way could work. I don’t know if @toomanykiddos’ D got a fair shake. Maybe she would feel empowered to know that she could try studying a different way, that maybe it’s not that she’s “bad” at standardized tests but she unfortunately ended up with a bad teacher.
Sometimes it’s not what we say or suggest, but the way it is said that is troubling .
I don’t think anyone here is troubled by the way @homerdog said it. We are all here to help each other and look at different strategies that may work here and there. Thanks @homerdog and others for keeping this thread active and positive.
Well, the GC snagged S19 today instead of next week as she told me was the plan. She showed S19 my emails from this week that included his college short list. She then went on to tell him all of the stuff he already knows about applying and timelines (#thankscc!).
Apparently, she came up with a list of 27 schools. This was after my sharing with her his parameters, the many schools we already visited, the short list, and the whys. And she really pushed DeSales University. Which, okay. S19 attends a central PA Catholic high school so pushing a PA Catholic college would be a thing? And it wasn’t anywhere on the visit/short list so she had to suggest something?
S19 visited two Jesuit colleges (one was the school Mr. InfiniteWaves and I attended) and decided that not only did he not like them, but he did not want to attend any Catholic college anywhere. He has no interest in DeSales.
Oh well. I thought she might provide some additional insight.
@ThinkOn as a parent whose child does not test well, I find her statement troubling. You may disagree and that’s fine.
We decided to postpone D’s ACT - it just seemed pointless with little to no prep and it was stressing her out all week since she had so much homework. We rescheduled for July 14th. I would much rather have been done but hopefully by this summer she will realize the need to prepare a lot more.
Also, not sure if i mentioned this before, but when we were going over her wring answers on her last ACT (order the score report) we saw that if she had just one more correct answer on her math section she would have gone from a 32 to a 33. :(( Oh well, maybe that will give her the motivation to work more next time! Oh - and she was going over some wrong answers with her tutor and they think they found a question with a wrong answer. D is going to bring it to her math teacher to see what she thinks. Not that the ACT people will care, but maybe it will make D feel a little better. :))
@carolinamom2boys I really want to let this go but your last “statement” is troubling about my “statement being troubling”. What do you mean? What is troubling about suggesting a different way to study? If a student is distressed about their scores, why not try something else? I know MANY kids in our neighborhood who have increased their scores by 120+ points by using the Xiggi method which I described.
I’m really not interested in being bullied on here and people can take my advice or leave it. I come on CC to get advice from people who have been there and done that. I cannot tell you how many wonderful people have reached out to me via PM to talk about how to study for these tests. I’ve traded PMs with many tutors and almost all of my local friends use tutors and know what works and what does not. Of course kids can go to terrific schools without stressing over their test scores. But, if there’s a student out there who really, really wants to try something else, why not give another option? I don’t go out of my way to check my snark. I just write what I want to write. Not trying to offend and anyone who is offended by suggestion is being too sensitive. It’s not personal.
@homerdog since you don’t want to let it go , here’s your answer about what I felt was troubling .
"@toomanykiddos Has she really studied? Has she taken practice tests and then reviewed every single question she got wrong? For every math problem wrong, has she practiced more problems like that so that she will get them correct from now on? Sometimes kids think they are studying but it’s not effective. " No one is bullying you. We have a difference of opinion. IMO, which is clearly different than yours , suggesting what might be helpful rather than interrogating her on whether she did something would have been less troubling to me. You yourself said that you were not trying to be snarky . Why say that unless you felt that you may be misunderstood as snarky ? So there is your answer. Do with what you will.
I am not offended by anyone’s comments. I came on to vent and release a little frustration. I think it’s great that we have this forum to vent, share, and make suggestions. She’s a great student who in general doesn’t test well. I know she’s putting her time into the boot camp, but admittedly probably not much more than that (as far as SAT prep goes). So over the next few weeks I will try to encourage her to do some independent preparation.
I will also relook through our list to see what we have for test optional schools and see if there are any tweaks we should make. After taking the day to think about this, I have realized that if a school can’t see past her SAT scores, then it may not be the right fit for her. She embodies what a great student is- she has a love of learning and becoming involved in her school. I don’t think one day of testing should make her feel less about herself, nor do I think a school should hold that so strongly that they don’t consider her. As I said, if they do, then they may not be the right one for her.
^^ It makes me very, very happy that the first two likes on @toomanykiddos #7314 came from @carolinamom2boys and @homerdog, given the preceding dozenish posts.
Sometimes, we really can all just get along. =D>
So this just occurred to me… do you think if you take SAT subject tests and do well that it helps if your SAT scores are “low”? Now of course I’m wondering if I should have my son take two subject tests - Bio (M) and Math 1 or 2… Seems if he did well it might supplement his SAT score which isn’t as high as it should be. Just a wondering…
I found this website that was up to date and had good info about subject tests and it started me thinking…
it was a blog on compass prep dot com and had an article that was up to date about schools requiring SAT subject tests. There was also an article about the different subject tests and particulars about the test.
@toomanykiddos
Yes soooo much to this… 100% agree with you!
I have realized that if a school can’t see past her SAT scores, then it may not be the right fit for her. She embodies what a great student is- she has a love of learning and becoming involved in her school. I don’t think one day of testing should make her feel less about herself, nor do I think a school should hold that so strongly that they don’t consider her. As I said, if they do, then they may not be the right one for her.
@InfiniteWaves I’m loving your #thanksgc
I haven’t even discussed anything with my sons gc. She is the gc for all of the IB students grades 9-12, so about 400 kids. She met with him the beginning of February to discuss scheduling for next year and to begin the college conversation. When my son told her we had already visited schools and were talking about where he was going to apply she said “Oh well you are ahead of the game…” This is why I hired an IEC and I’ve completely happy with that decision. Now his gc is out until the end of April (shes been gone since the end of February). She took extended leave for shoulder surgery.
Just wanted to pop in and say hello! So happy this thread is alive and well! My DS19 is doing well and will be taking the SAT for the 2nd time soon. We haven’t visited any new schools…Jr year has been crazy busy. We have been networking and showing interest in his top college choice alot. My oldest DD14 graduates next month and I just wonder where the time has gone! I remember dropping her off in her dorm and literally crying so hard that I wondered how I got to my hotel room. It literally felt like the first time I left her at daycare. I’m so over that now & I’m ready & excited for my next two children’s college journeys!!! So I’m back to learn from everyone and to share in our journeys!