That’s tough. This year does feel high stakes for sure since it’s the last set of grades before applications. There are SO many good and even great schools that he’ll still get in to and probably with merit awards.
1 Like
About 3 weeks until AP exams start. No studying going on in this house yet. The APUSH teacher is finally starting review days tomorrow. D25 and only 2 other kids have signed up to go so far. So many kids in our school are in spring sports, but it is still surprising that only 3 kids are going.
Our AP Calc teacher is going on paternity leave any day now so that is also unfortunate for these kids.
Good thing is that after these AP tests, the grades are pretty much done, and the kids will be able to breathe for the last few weeks of school.
2 Likes
It’s interesting to me how different schools prepare their students. If prep for your daughter is after school, does that mean they’re still covering course content in class?
My daughter took her last AP calc unit test last week, and her last AP bio test unit test yesterday. All assignments from here out are prep for the AP exam. Both classes will take their finals just before APs begin as prep for the real test. But, schools around here finish pretty early, and after APs they move right into the real final exam period.
Good luck to all of these juniors. If they’re anything like my kid, they’re tired and ready for a break!
2 Likes
So sorry for your son and the bad timing. I hope he’s feeling better soon. This end of year crunch is so brutal. S25 was still up working when I went to bed last night and was up, showered, and studying when I woke up at 6:00 this morning. I have very low hopes for his APUSH exam, as the course is his lowest grade of the year. But at this point I’m just about him surviving the school year. I sure didn’t have this much work or pressure at his age!
Hang in there 2025 students!
6 Likes
Ugh, I totally relate to the knife’s edge feeling of this semester! I know he will be fine & the stakes are not really that high. And… if his grades go down this semester, the top half of his college list might need to change. Which is fine, really. But also stressful.
6 Likes
We’re in the same boat - academics ratched up, it’s getting harder to find the time for everything, sports is pulling a lot of time away. Sigh. There’s just so much. Add to that my guy is recovering from an injury - likely over it now, but he’s lost his spot on the relay team and may not get it back, the coaches are worried about whether he’s really back at full strength so he’s not getting put in meets and he’s just really bummed for the way his track season is going. It feels like there isn’t a lot of happiness opportunity right now, and a lot of stress.
We have school for a good bit of time after APs - I think the last day is June 12th this year. So he’ll have three or four weeks of school to finish out. I hope he’s still got a little in the tank and doesn’t just let it all go, those last few weeks could make the difference in his grades. And I hate that I’m thinking that way, and am trying to not drop that stress on him, but still. I just want him to have some time to have fun too. It shouldn’t feel like this all the time.
8 Likes
I 100% agree! The amount of stress these kids feel their junior year is insane! I know it wasn’t like that for me.
In my kid’s AP classes (5) only AP Music is ready to start review next week. The others are all behind and the kids are stressed about that too.
Add on spring music shows and it just feels like too
much. My kiddo can’t wait to go to college so he can relax 
4 Likes
I feel your pain! S25 is struggling with motivation this year. Has been sick a LOT. Missed 13 days. 3 were the last 3 days of last quarter and at least one makeup assignment was missed. He will probably finish with 2 or 3 B’s. Also regretting encouraging him to take AP Euro. He always got high A’s in history but didn’t love it. This class IMHO has an excess of useless facts to memorize. He has a B. I am not a believer in taking every single AP class offered even if you are not going to go in that direction. In this case advanced history would have been fine. He has some reaches- USNA. But they have a very well rounded look at candidates so am hoping even with a few sprinkled B’s over 4 years he will have a shot. They don’t want only a bunch of brains with nothing else at the military academies.
Edited to add- ironically despite the struggle he is being honored by the American Legion for scholarship in his JROTC unit and just got his application for NHS appoved. Fingers crossed the ACT score comes in high so he can be done.
3 Likes
Heh. Our school’s last day is June 25th. So, yeah, there’s time for a whole other unit after the AP exams. It’s… challenging for the kids.
4 Likes
They took their last AP Calc exam last week in anticipation of the teacher going on paternity leave. I think they’re just reviewing now.
AP Lang they’ve been preparing all year for the exam in class doing various things.
APUSH they have an exam next Wednesday and I think 1 more unit to squeeze in before the AP exam. They’ll be cutting it close but at least they’ll get through all the content. Hopefully the Saturday sessions will be helpful.
We also have review books for all of the AP’s she’s taking.
So after those 3 exams D25 just has honors physics, Spanish, Bible, and her dual enrollment (really hard) exam. They get out of school June 7 I think.
This!!! I have a kid and has borderline grades in a couple key classes and it seems like a couple very small things can have a big impact on GPA…
And I am sure it all will be fine and workout, but I do really feel that knife’s edge analogy..
4 Likes
The burn out is real. My son is teetering between an A and a B in three subjects including 2 APs. Normally he could just lock in and focus on getting those grades up but with spring sports and studying for ACT, he’s done. I’m trying not to pressure him anymore than he already is. Prom is next weekend. He needs a break.
4 Likes
do they really do a bunch of new content? My kids APs do still have work after exam (also have late June end dates) but nothing super hard or substantive..at least in the past..
For AP lang they work on a college essay after AP is over!
2 Likes
This was us last year - June 23rd. I know we got less winter break this year, but I’m not sure how else they managed to move us back, but I’ll take it.
@L_NewEngland - some of the teachers where we are will do new content - but it’s generally the more fun “enrichment” type stuff. They tend to do a lot of group projects in APUSH and the AP Sciences - I think working more on working together and problem solving and presenting something type skills than typical class might be. I wish our APLang teachers would do the college essay - there’s plenty of time! Instead they leave it to senior year English teachers and by then, there’s not much time if you’re aiming for early action.
2 Likes
Similar struggle here with grades for D25. I told her the goal is to get the same grades as the first semester: As with 1 B. It’s looking like 2 Bs right now. We get out at the end of May and her AP classes just have projects after the AP tests.
1 Like
Last quarter grades are finalized, 3 A-, 1 A+, but surgery and recovery has eaten up nearly two weeks of school. Fortunately this term he will continue pre calc and Honors Chem with teachers he likes. He has two new classes, ceramics and painting, will be easy to make up that work at least. Just hoping he finishes the year strong.
That’s a great idea to work on essays.
D25’s last day of class is May 24 I think, with finals the following week. I don’t think she’ll have any finals though because her 4 AP classes won’t do finals and neither will her art or newspaper classes.
1 Like
S24 parent here. Very impressive list! We also added how many students are actually majoring in majors my kid is interested, poli sci, international relations and history.
I feel you! I had just started another thread not realizing there was this parent thread because D25 is seriously dragging too. I just booked her for a little foot massage/pedi which she appreciates - they need a little extra TLC right now it seems! The home stretch until the end of junior year feels brutal.
2 Likes
Chats with D25 today while prom prepping for tonight:
She thinks she may want to try out for a dance team if not too competitive (so now the list will change, again cause she said dance minor but no team before).
A family studies, child advocacy, or coaching minors sound interesting to her (she still feels she will apply as criminal justice major).
And she is scared of dying in a fire (there was a big fire near her job yesterday) but she does not want to be buried and wants to be cremated and turned into a vase.
Now I have to go fix her hair and help zip her into her dress. She is going to prom with friends.
8 Likes