@inthegarden Glad you liked the book! I love it too!
@AlmostThere2018 I’m just plain in denial about the SAT. D21 and I don’t even discuss it. I’ll sign her up for August and October when I can get into the registration and then forget about it for a while again. So much prep she did already just makes me so bummed. Hours and hours. If, in late July it looks like August could happen, she can go back to it I guess but I will put absolutely NO pressure on her. And, if the tests are in masks which they likely will be (?), I’ll pull her registration. I’m not making her do it.
@3kids2dogs I see your point of view, and I think I would have put myself in that same camp up until the point when I called ACT today and they refused to let me change locations. It’s the new development of waiting on an email with supposed reassigning of locations that has me frustrated. I’m not so good on the waiting and seeing. :lol:
@Mwfan1921 We are in Texas. Most districts around us have cancelled. I’ve heard of three districts and one university that is supposedly still holding June test on our side of DFW.
@inthegarden@homerdog I just bought the book “Write Your Way In” on Amazon used plus tax/shipping for under $9 based on your posts . I thought about checking it out of the library, but I don’t want to have a time limit on reading it. D is a great writer imo, but I think the book may give her ideas about what AOs would like to read about in eassays?
Thanks for the review @inthegarden (and @homerdog), I just ordered the book. My daughter just mentioned essays today. I didn’t want to push her since school just finished up, but I’m happy she had an inclination to start thinking about them.
Glad you two are ordering it! I’m all for library books but, honestly, this is a book that your DCs will want to have on hand for the duration of writing to refer to over and over as she walks them through the process. It’s that brilliant. Not just a book for good information…it kind of hold hands every step of the way, including the final polishing.
I don’t intend to put pressure on my D about this, at least unless she procrastinateds well after our school year is over, but I am asking her to read just the first chapters this week (which she can do in about 5 minutes, being a speed-reader). That’s because the book author quickly de-stresses the idea of this process and I think this reassurance is more than half the battle of getting kids to take the first step. And it might be good if the ideas she presents about brainstorming topics percolate in their heads for a few days or weeks before they have to start putting words down.
And yes, she talks a lot about what AOs want, and it’s probably not what kids think they want, but surprisingly simple things, nothing flashy. That’s a big part of what takes the dread out (plus the step-by-step good-humored walk- through).
For college essays, our school college counselors recommended two books: Write Your Way In and also College Essay Essentials by Ethan Sawyer. Ethan Sawyer has a website with a lot of free resources and held a free webinar today for essay writing. My kids didn’t attend, but will receive a copy of the webinar for signing up.
Today must be essay day, as Reed, Kenyon and Sarah Lawrence held a joint webinar today on essay writing too - my kids received notification from their school counselors and also directly from Kenyon, as one child is on their info list. Not sure if this is common across other schools, but my kids participated and said it was fine - fine = a pretty good review around here
Seems like this is the next step for summer “fun”. Regarding the ACT - the public school where the test is scheduled to be held said the reservation was cancelled over 4 weeks ago when I called the district office today - yet ACT has not notified anyone.
Full disclosure, I have had the “Write Your Way In” for several years and never even opened it up. Thank you all. I will know start reading it. And give it to D when she gets back from her Dad’s.
Re ACT, at this stage, it looks like June will be cancelled and if possible DS will try a July or Aug if it is before school begins. Has anyone just asked for a refund? I assume ACT will give the refund since the tests were cancelled?
@coffeeat3 My D viewed a presentation by Tulane last week titled “How to write an essay that doesn’t suck.” I watched it with her and we both learned a lot and it was really relatable, and definitely set her at ease.
I have now also ordered the book.
When April ACT was canceled and we were given the choice of June or July we took July- I figured June was not likely. I’d love to see kids whose states are more open have a chance to test in June.
Are you all not concerned at all about kids wearing masks for these tests? They aren’t used to them (yet) and D feels suffocated even after being in one for a short time.
I think that’s going to vary a lot depending on the local control of the virus and local politics.
We’re expecting that D will be wearing a mask to class when she’s on campus and won’t be surprised if there’s a hybrid approach that includes distance learning for at least part of next year.
We’ll assume we’re wearing masks in enclosed spaces for awhile. We live in the SF Bay Area, so we’re still pretty much locked down.
D will taking practice SAT tests with mask ahead the next in-person test just in case the test actually takes place and masks are required. IMO, in the big scheme of things, it’s a manageable adjustment.
Everything I’ve read about classrooms in the fall and every photo I’ve seen of kids in class in Asia and Europe show kids six feet apart with masks. I’m sure these test sites will require them.
@OriginalSmother um masks are the new normal. Period. Colleges are even making them with branding. Kids in high school will likely be closer to each other than college kids will since they have passing periods in hallways etc and so many of them in one building. High school kids will indeed be wearing masks.
I read the Write Your Way In book last year and loved it (but got it from the library at the time). I agree it’s a worthwhile read (and as it’s well written, it is also a fun read - my S21 won’t think so, but he also won’t think it’s completely horrible to read, I hope).
yes, @homerdog - I have the same thought about masks. I’m hoping they only need the masks for check in, bathroom breaks, etc. and will be seated far enough apart in testing rooms not to have to wear them for the actual test. Last time I think S21 was at the testing center for 7 hours from check in process to leaving (50% extra time), and I know he wouldn’t do his best on the test if he had to be in the mask for 7 hours. I’m going to sign him up and then wait and see what happens with requirements. He wants to do August and September. I agree masks are the new normal, and my Ds will have to adjust to wearing them at school (one of My Ds is a Kpop and anime fan, and as masks are normal and often used as fashion in Korea and Japan, she already owned two before COVID and won’t mind that much), but I think wearing one for 7 straight hours on a high stakes test for my sensory-avoidant son is just not going to work.
I lean toward SAT and ACT takers will need to wear masks. No matter the distance apart in indoor spaces there is data showing the disease spreads when people don’t wear masks.
I doubt schools will take many risks, and I also think there are going to be far fewer sites anyway because some schools just aren’t going to deal with this at all.
The kids are going to have to get used to wearing masks all day at school. Not sure how it will all play out, obviously they can take them off to eat, but that’s only 30 mins or whatever per day.
Yeah, I was just that parent who called ACT wondering what’s up. S21 is registered for June. Our county in PA is now on “yellow” status which allows for gatherings of less than 25 people. So I would imagine that with masking and other safety precautions, testing could possibly happen if students are spread out in classrooms instead of in a gym.
Anyway, I was told that ACT should communicate via accounts and emails by later today or tomorrow.
He hasn’t tested at all yet. So between this and waiting to see if we can get him into the August SAT, there’s some anxiety. Only because of our in-state options (which are the in-budget financial safeties, merit needed otherwise) such as Pitt and PASSHE. The rest of his schools are TO.
Tried to register D21 for the SAT multiple times this morning. It keeps letting me pick the date and then conks out before I can finish registering, saying that there are now no spots left for the rest of the year. Did anyone else have any success?
. I thought about checking it out of the library, but I don’t want to have a time limit on reading it. D is a great writer imo, but I think the book may give her ideas about what AOs would like to read about in eassays?