Yep, we have a noticeable upward trend in C26’s grades since the adhd issues messed uo freshman year, but are hoping a decent SAT score will help for their target school too. If they can maintain their PSAT score it should be ok - it’s a little above the 75th percentile for the particular program they are interested in - though they want to try for a higher score just, I guess, to prove to themselves they can.
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S26 got his Nov test score today. He beat his goal and is done testing, except for the school day test in the spring. He’s my third and final kid and it is a nice feeling knowing we are done prepping for the SAT!
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I did take a gander at the pre Covid score on the CDS and they seemed much more realistic than the 1520/1590 25th/75th%ile scores for the 25% of the kids who chose to submit.
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S26 got his Nov score. Its slightly less than his August score which imo is a pretty decent score for him. Kid finally decided he is not going to try for SAT anymore. He needs to focus om his current school courses more, bring up a couple of C+'s to B’s, which is very much doable, if only he would stop forgetting to submit assignments on time or not postpone studying for the tests for the last minute! 
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Try Heimler’s history on youtube. My D25 used his videos last year before the APUSH exam and says they were extremely helpful. She got a 5 on the exam.
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Busy here! D26 just finished up HS gymnastics. Report card is expected to be decent. A few B’s in her AP classes - but she is confident that she can improve.
Took the PSATs score are lower than anticipated- but she hasn’t studied or pre-tested. But is in contention for NMS.
One huge disappointment is she did not make NHS. She has a ton of volunteer hours (coaches a full year youth sport, teaches Sunday School, section leader at VBS). Has a very high GPA. Is in clubs at school and 1 varsity sport. They denied her for lack of school involvement. So annoying. Some friends made it. They lied about their volunteering and have just barely eligible grades but do 3 sports a year.
We have attended 5 college tours so far and a few college cheer clinics. So far she would be happy attending 3 of the schools we toured. Laster this week we are taking a recruiting call for STUNT (cheer adjacent sport that is NCAA and eligable for scholarship and treated like an actual sport not activity/ club) and will schedule a tour. Also have a few more tours this winter
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D26 has finished up her first full weekend working at Walmart and I think we have found a winner in this part time job. D26 said that the training is not intense like it was at Taco Bell. She worked alongside a more experienced employee all day today and next Saturday is more on the job training with a supervisor. Said she walked 6 miles today at work. Had a 1 hr break. Likes it so far even if her feet and knees were sore by the end of her shift.
So far so good!
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I went to Taco Bell with my son this weekend. And everyone was going crazy the drive thru line was nuts.
Apparently a car 2 ahead of me ordered 197 tacos… the stress that was happening.
Glad Walmart is a better fit.
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If it makes her feel any better, I’ve read in several places that NHS is almost a throwaway award. The requirements vary so much from school to school that admissions officers tend to glaze over it, as opposed to being impressed by it. Some really high-stats kids don’t even bother putting it on their common app anymore.
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How fun that you have high school gymnastics. My D26 is a former gymnasts (quit around age 12 — after Level 8, training Level 9) and I often think she may have stuck with the sport if high school gym was an option here. But, alas, it is not offered at her school or in our school district. She is a diver now though, so at least all that flipping and twisting is going to good use!
Hope your D had a good season, and good luck with her upcoming cheer stuff!
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We noticed if you participate in track you automatically seem to make it. Honestly students with average grades in b level Classes - no clubs - bs volunteering are majority of the club.
So glad to hear it’s not considered that important..
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Gymnastics at our HS is very small. And the club gymnasts say very different from club - the stress level is way less. If an athlete is getting recruited it’s typically form club not HS.
My daughter has never done gymnastics - lol, only cheer. She joined sophomore year and really enjoys its. Typically competes vault and floor.
Is awful at bars and has a basic beam routine…
And that seems to be the age a lot of girls end gymnastics - it’s so time consuming and physically demanding.
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D26 said she’d like to put her participation in the school ‘ambassadors’ club on hold until January while she adjusts to working 15-16 hr/week on Saturdays & Sundays + balancing that with her workload at school. I think that’s reasonable. Her first pay day is tomorrow!
I don’t know how mega-achieving students do it…how do they find the time to participate in a million things all at the same time AND get straight A’s in all of their honors/AP/IP classes at school? Maybe they just don’t sleep that much? Maybe that’s what’s driving students burning out before they even get to college? Just something I’ve been noodling on in my head lately.
We’re going on a campus tour at U of A on 12/1. Looking forward to that.
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It is important to find a new balance, it is great that your daughter recognizes her need to rebalance every thing and is giving herself the time to do so!
In regards to this mega-over achieving students - most would label my D26 and her friends in that catagory it just depends. My daughter is in bed by 9:30 every night. She generally doesn’t get home from the skating rink until 7pm. One of her friends is up past midnight every day. The other two besties fall somewhere between those times🤷♀️.
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My kids probably fit this category. D24 was #2 in her class and D26 is currently #2 in her class.
They are very self motivated and dont waste time. They are either doing something, studying, or relaxing.
They dont meander. Even if they’re relaxing, they just relax. They understand what they need to do and are very efficient.
They know how much to study (and will do 20% more than that) but will find breaks.
It’s hard to explain but they are very disciplined but can find time to hang out with friends or sleep in late. Their friends are similar so it’s very normal.
They value time and use it wisely.
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I am jealous! Two of my three kids are the exact opposite. Not self motivated. Procrastinate and waste time. They know how much to study – and will do 20% less than that, lol. That being said, at least for S20, these types of kids find their way too. (Although I guess it still remains to be seen for D26, but I am cautiously optimistic!)
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Lol that’s my kids!
The difference is that S22 would get things done somehow, he was high stats, was able to always manage his very active social life and extracurriculars too. But no, he wasn’t this highly organized kid, he just always got the job done. So I never nagged him for anything.
S26 on the other hand still does not know how to get a handle on all the things that he needs to do. He has shown improvement in the past couple of years. But I still need to remind him of things here and there. He is definitely not a kid who can be involved in multiple things at the same time.
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There’s a high achieving YouTuber who talked about how she managed to do all her activities and mange sleep. Basically focus a ton on time management and schedule things. No endless browsing on YouTube/IG.
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Our D26 is one of those driven students and sometimes it concerns us in terms of potential burn out before college. #2 in her class, part-time job, 2 extra-extracurricular (clubs) and a passionate hobby.
She’s in bed on weeknights at 10:30 but can be up doing homework on weekends until 1:30am. She watches almost zero tv but does spend in-between / break time on YT.
We continue to tell 100% perfection is not realistic, sustainable nor healthy. She knows all we ask is for her to give it her best and told her ‘best’ doesn’t mean 100 grades.
It’s a self-driven thing. Neither of us have that type of drive and go out of our way to not cast that on her.
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Not sure how my D26 does it. She commits 15+ hours a week to her sport, works 4 hours a week, is involved in a few clubs, and is carrying a challenging courseload. Something has to give, and it’s been SAT prep.
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