She just finished her first year at St. Andrews. Went ok, second semester was tough, classes were hard and she got sick, but she pulled though with an A- average for the year. She only came home for winter break, but now she’s home all summer, yay!
The pool where D17 and D20 work starts full slate of lessons and open swim hours on Monday morning and they will both be there. D17 is the manager, D20 is a peon. That will be interesting.
2094 does your kid know his or her grade for the class?
@nicki20. He knows what his grade is from March…nothing has been entered since in that class which ends next week.
@makemesmart @buddyparent @SoccaMomma thank you for all of the helpful information!
@tutumom2001 Thank you for sharing your experience with marching band! My D is the kind of kid who needs to be busy, or she just ends up procrastinating, so a busy marching band schedule at a big SEC school would be a good thing for her. She’s already reported back that Univ of Alabama is “amazing” and said she could really see herself there for college. She’s loves the bustle of a big campus and big school spirit. She and my husband will also be looking at Ole Miss after she’s done with band camp at UA.
We’ll also try to fit in visits to UGA while we’re on a family vacation and maybe a even few Big 10 schools when we visit my brother in the Midwest in August. I’m currently trying to figure out which of the big public unis are generous with merit. So far, Ole Miss appears to be the most generous.
Just came back from my 30th (!) year reunion and attended the alumnae/child seminar they had on campus while there. My school has a new director of admissions and I liked two slides she put up. One was entitled “Where You Should Not Focus”. On that slide: 1. College as an individual prize or judgement of a student’s worth (or parents’ worth as caregivers) 2. College as setting the final parameters for a student’s potential success. The second slide was entitled: “Your Focus”. On that slide: 1. Reflect on, and appreciate, the quality of your high school education 2.Engage in the practice of self-reflection and relationship building 3.Build a robust college list 4. Present yourself with both integrity and texture 5. Use the process to develop skills for the future".
I loved all the advice give and will have to remind myself of this when I get caught up in the throes of the college application process. I have to remember: I already went to college LOL! I need to find the best school for D20 and her needs and this was a good reminder 
I am so glad School is done. Does anyone or their student like group projects? If so, I’d like to hear the experience. My son has pretty much done all the work on group projects in AP Chem. He even divvies up the work among the group and then asks them for their portions. He’s the youngest in the group! He talks to me about it, but I expect him to handle it. He doesn’t want me to get involved anyway. Teacher doesn’t even question who does what. Everyone gets the same grade.
On another note, driver’s ed class starts soon. Vroom vroom, y’all. 
Yay, he’ll be able to drive to lessons and rehearsal and concerts and pick up siblings and dry cleaning and groceries. Oh the possibilities…
Hope everyone’s enjoying summer break!
@SoccaMomma “My son has pretty much done all the work on group projects in AP Chem.”
In D20’s chem class, she said that she did all of the work in lab because she wanted to make sure to maintain her “A”. Her lab partner got an overall “B” (“A” in lab) in no small part to my D helping her on the group assignments.
I think there is a valuable lesson that sometimes you have to take control of your “project” even when working in group settings. In the long run, your S and my D will benefit from doing the work correctly instead of relying on others to do the work for them.
I’ve posted before about how D20 had a very high “A” in one class to the point where she needed only a 30% or so on a project to keep her grade. She did her share, but no more. The other members in her group were very unhappy as they needed higher scores, but they did scramble around to pull their weight at the end. I think they ended up with a “C” on the project.
I think it easier just to do your share at the end of the year when you know your grade than the beginning of the year
I agree with you @socaldad2002. I think it shows the kind of work ethic that is admirable and it’s reflected in his grades. Hard work does pay off. Also, he’s gained a more in-depth knowledge of the material as he moves on to organic chemistry.
Has anyone else considered Pre-College summer programs? They can be expensive. Some of them are research focused and some award college credit. Most are residential but there are commuter options too. A lot of colleges offer them including UPenn, Duke, CMU, Emory, Boston U, Brown, and JHU. They’re many others too. I’m starting to compile a list for next summer since applications open early fall. I’m not sure if it helps at all with college admission but it would definitely be an enrichment experience to explore campus life and learn something new.
Does spending 1400 on a full educational testing battery count as a summer program? LOL
@SoccaMomma “Has anyone else considered Pre-College summer programs?”.
I think if you can afford it, it’s a great experience. D is doing a short 3 week residential program at UCSD this summer and it will serve several purposes, interesting curriculum at the college level, SAT prep in the evenings offered, and a way to experience the campus and see if she likes that particular college. She will not get college credit but I think it will be a great experience and another thing she can write about on her college essays (hopefully).
I think next summer she will do both volunteer work at a non-profit and intern/work at a for-profit business as recommended by her college counselor. She is a business/marketing type major.
Some of the things her friends are doing this summer include a month in Costa Rica learning Spanish, Galapagos island research, taking AP physics at UCLA, or summer school at colleges back east. These kids are lucky, none of my friends or I got the opportunity to do things type of academic camps and classes in the summer. We mostly went to local athletic camps (e.g soccer) and the like…
D20 taking the SAT in August. I was told to get a “Blue Book” and found two on Amazon: one by the College Board and one by Kaplan. I’m assuming I’m supposed to get the one by the College Board. Am I right? (She has one that’s green and white. I think it’s Barron’s.)
S20 got his ACT score back. He did great and is once and done. He will find out his SAT score mid July but it won’t matter any more. He will have 1 or 2 subject tests next year with AP tests so he doesn’t need to prepare separately.
He has no clue the scores coming out today, I waited for him to text me for his credentials. I am sure he has no idea when SAT and/or AP scores are to be released.
@audballpdx Thanks for sharing the info from the slides. Gotta keep things in perspective. Thank you!
@VickiSoCal Most definitely counts! Love it! Just read an article about some private exclusive high schools in DC metro area forgoing AP classes. Also read about UChicago going test optional and Carnegie Mellon relaxing admission requirements (i.e., demonstrated interest no longer considered nor alumni interviews). Not sure how this will impact DC’20 when they apply but seems some changes are afoot.
@socaldad2002 Those are some amazing opportunities that those teenagers get to experience. I think writing about that in college app essays would get adcoms’ attention. DS will be taking a couple of college classes this summer while living on campus too.
@tutumom2001 DS is using the Barron’s ACT study book and it’s blue. Not sure though if the SAT book is also blue.
@whataboutcollege Congratulations on test results. A great feeling to be able to have at least one box checked. We have set up a schedule of test dates including re-takes, if necessary. Hopefully they won’t be necessary. One and done sounds good.
D20 is probably just about finishing her last exam (NYS Regents Chemisty) as I write this. We finish the school year so late here in NY! Glad it’s finally summer. We’re headed to Nova Scotia soon for vacation – join us for Canada Day in Halifax; the poutine is on me
First semester summer school ended today. Taking driver ed. Wish I had the brake like the teacher does.
@tutumom2001 I checked the college board SAT II book , it is in deed blue. I am guessing it is the same color scheme for all their official books.
@SoccaMomma Thanks! We just hope his essay score is good enough as he didn’t prep for it at all.
@stencils S20 is taking his last final ( English I believe) today also. Tomorrow is a half day and then school is officially done here. Enjoy your vacation, sounds like a lot of fun!!!
Congrats @whataboutcollege !
Enjoy your vacation @stencils !
S20 is still taking final exams. School ends Friday. WhooHoo! Next week, he’s back to school to take a required financial course – he’s supposed to take it this Fall but his Guidance Counselor recommends he take it during the summer. It’s only for 3 weeks, so ok.
I wish everybody a great and relaxing summer. Enjoy!
Congrats to all of the kids who’ve successfully completed 10th grade. I’d like to be excited about summer break but lilD has a summer class as well as IB reading to do. Remember the days when summer meant days of hanging out with friends, sleeping late and going to the beach or the pool? Ya, no. My kids have never experienced that.