Parents of the HS Class of 2020 (Part 1)

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
5541

Thanks @socaldad2002 @makemesmart & @fencingmom
Then, I would think it would be more important if the school offered few or no AP classes. So the kid has no APs, but the school doesn’t offer APs, well then they need to know that the kid took the most rigorous classes available at the school.

Still debating whether it’s even worth asking D20’s GC. She will have 6-7 APs, 6-7 honors, but not every AP offered by the school. OTOH, she’s already run out of APs in Math (she’ll take Linear Algebra next year). I think anyone looking at her transcript would say she took a rigorous course load. Is it really important whether the GC ticks the box? She may apply to a lottery school or two, but with zero expectations.

eta: but she is planning to major in engineering.
eta2: What do you guys think? Should I ask?

5542

I would definitely ask for it! @momzilla2D
The most rigorous course load does not equal the most APs, imho. She has taken the most rigorous math (and I hope science like physics too) courses. And my guess would be the GC would say “of course!”
Also, I think engineering is often one of the most competitive majors (if not the most) and course rigor is especially important.

5543

@momzilla2D Well, if you’re curious just ask and say that. What will the GC’s answer afford you? Will the information she/he tells you cause you to act in a different way, plan a course of action? If the answer is no, will you argue that it should be yes? If it’s yes, will your child be applying to different schools?

Generally, I don’t ask of people’s time if the information I am seeking has no bearing.

5544

@momzilla2D, maybe the question is, what would, or wouldn’t, the GC’s answer change? Would your D try to change her schedule to get the checkmark? Or is she, and are you, solidly behind it as it is?

Nobody who isn’t familiar with your h.s. can really answer for you. We don’t know all the ins and outs of what’s on offer at your school, who does or doesn’t take every single AP, how many students there are, how well the GC knows your kid, how many schedules has she or he actually evaluated, and so on and so forth. And we don’t know whether your GC actually DOES split hairs over ES vs CS. (Or, BC vs AB Calc.) (Frustratingly, some do.) A GC doing his or her job right is going to know all the classes your D has taken over the four years, and evaluate her overall schedule in the context not only of what other kids do but what she does/has done, too. If, for example, she wanted to take Super Rigor X sophomore year but some schedule conflict forced her into Pretty Rigorous Y instead, a good GC will still call her schedule “most rigorous.”

From here, it looks as if her course load is extremely rigorous and also reflective of rigor specifically in her areas of interest. So without knowing much more, my two cents is on going ahead and asking. If nothing else, it opens up another opportunity for your D to get to know her GC better, and for that GC to see how seriously your D is taking all this.

Ultimately you, your D, and the GC are the ones who know what schools are on your D’s list and where each of THOSE SCHOOLS places rigor on THEIR priority list. (It really doesn’t matter where any other school does, as you know.)

Sorry for the word salad. :smile: Also, I hate knowing that not everybody’s GC is doing their job as well as they should. Here’s hoping yours does, whatever you decide.

And I see while I was editing that others have said some of the same things.

5545

Thanks @makemesmart @fencingmom & @HarrietMWelsch , all very good points!

Re: Physics…yes, AP Physics 1 this year, AP Physics C next year (after discovering her love of physics this year).
Re: will it change anything? Maybe. She may consider changing her course selection for next year.
Re: GC doing his job. Can’t be sure. D19’s GC dropped the ball twice, failing to send her transcript by the deadline. Same school, different GC. So don’t want to leave it to chance.

Think I’ll have D20 ask the question.

5546

Also, a great many state school applications do not have a “most rigorous” check box.

5547

If the person is at least competent, I always start with the assumption that they are doing their job. But of course I always check in to make sure they’re doing it before something can blow up in my face. Yep, I’m that parent. I mean, a GC has many kids to look after…

5548

I asked our daughters’ GC once (they both had the same one, though there are several at our school - they assign you one based on letter of last name) about the ‘most rigorous’ box since I’d only heard of it here on CC. She claims that at our school they don’t do that? I’m unclear if it’s a box on the college’s form or on the school report that the counselor submits? She said they just give the college the school report that shows what our school offers and the college can make its own assessment based on what the college sees our kid took? I am slightly confused about it but doesn’t really matter to us since, as some have pointed out, my D wasn’t really going to change her courses based on what the GC said, I was just curious.

5549

APUSH is hard. It is a lot of information. Did had quizzes 3 times per week. I am so glad it’s over.

5550

@stencils I’ve got a D17 and D20 also, and excited that D17 will be home this summer too, and also can’t believe she’s halfway through college! Zoinks! I’m unfortunately going to be away for 9 days (research trip) when she gets home but it feels like such a luxury to have her home for the whole summer, and she’s excited to be working for our city/county DA’s office. D17 trying to fit in a last round of work, summer art classes and an environmental science camp before the big application push starts!

5551

@bigmacbeth So unfortunate to hear your D’s teacher was negative about her career aspirations. Hopefully your daughter wasn’t dissuaded by it and that she has other good choices for recommendations. Although the letter may be great, I’d wonder if that teacher would let some of her biases come through on the LoR.

That’s something I’ve been thinking about: How much do you reveal about college/major plans and to whom? In addition to unsolicited advice, which may or may not be helpful, there could be uncomfortable/awkward situations especially when things don’t pan out. I do ask college bound juniors/seniors about their plans but I wonder if it’s too intrusive. Particularly for those not getting into their top choice(s). My DS is very open about his plans and has gotten some advice that he ignored including someone who implied he didn’t know what he wanted to do and suggested another career path.

DS is sooo busy. With school, after school study sessions, homework, music lessons, rehearsals, and performances we have so little time to be with him. Dinners are really the only time and those are rushed. And now that he drives no more car conversations either. He’ll be over this grind in about 2 weeks and I’m so looking forward to it.

5552

@SoccaMomma that is a really good point. People don’t realize the impact of their words on these poor stressed out kids. My older D was approached by a highly respected teacher on National Decision Day berating her choice of college and going so far as telling her that she would never reach her full potential there and is basically going to waste her time and money. My D cried for weeks, had serious buyers remorse after this conversation and didn’t settle into her choice until after her first 2 weeks on campus. That was probably the longest summer of my life. I’m sure this woman has no idea of the affects her words had.
FWIW, this woman was dead wrong and my daughter is thriving and has amazing opportunities. The woman knew nothing about the school.

5553

Yes, you may want to discuss some ways your kid can deflect the questions that will inevitably come up, and keep things close to the vest. People ask way to many questions. Most kids won’t get into their top choices if they are applying to elite schools, so it’s good to keep it to themselves as much as possible.

@SoccaMomma D20 actually just got frustrated and tried to educate her teacher a bit. At her current top choice, Nursing requires the highest stats for direct entry of any of the other programs on campus, including Engineering. People don’t listen…

D20 has senior-itis, and is ready for summer. She is done with testing (including AP, although she has 3 next week…she just isn’t studying), most of the learning is done in her classes, and finals are taking place or done. She has grades locked in. Waiting for an official start date on her volunteer position, and then work diving and gymnastics practices around that. She really wants to work, so we’ll see if she can squeeze anything else in once the rest is in place.

5554

It is a junior-itis thing. They are finally winding down with testing and the end is in sight. It is difficult to stay focused for the last couple of tests. These kids need a healthy summer vacation.

5555

DS is ready for summer too lol and he hasn’t started any of his IB/AP/subject tests yet! Smh!
Good thing is he is pretty much done with IB English (they are watching movies during class, shhhhh…) and his practice tests of IB physics/Latin have been pretty good. One more week to go for school, then goodbye Junior year! Wow!
Happy Mother’s Day weekend! :smile:

5556

I’m surprised how many people post pictures of school visits on social media. I guess I worry too much about posting pictures and then S20 doesn’t get accepted to that school. I’m not secretive with the friends we talk to every day, but I’m not going to put everything out there online. We definitely toured some reaches (Notre Dame, Michigan) so I don’t need people asking about them. I’m also surprised how many kids I see wearing college stuff bought on the tours. I didn’t want to buy anything, but again, maybe I fear rejection too much!

5557

Happy Mother’s Day to all—even if those you mother are not your children in any traditional meaning of the word (your students, those you tutor, your kid’s friends, beneficiaries of your volunteer time, etc). We all need a little mothering sometimes!

5558

The schools we posted tours pics from she will get in.

5559

“I’m also surprised how many kids I see wearing college stuff bought on the tours. I didn’t want to buy anything, but again, maybe I fear rejection too much!”

Me too. A definite no-no in my house. Aside from the superstition issues/fear of rejection, in my opinion it’s a waste of money since your kid likely won’t wear the sweatshirt of the schools he/she does not end up attending.

5560

I’m not sure any school is a guarantee unless it is a CC,