Welcome! Sounds like an exciting summer and a great variety of schools to visit!
You’re lucky they have their license already. Drop off for the SAT this morning was hairy- a bit more overwhelming than anticipated so I’m glad we went early. S24 drove himself to the SAT’s so I did not even think to anticipate the traffic and crowds of the test site.
D27 has one more full week of classes. She has had trouble with her foreign language this term but luckily has pulled her grade up the past few weeks and I’m so proud of them.
1 Like
My S27 finished school on Wednesday and then was off on Thursday afternoon for a four day retreat with a church group. He starts his summer job next week, and we really need to work hard at getting his required driving practice hours in this summer so he can get his license by the end of the summer. With S25 heading off to college, I really need S27 to be a driver!
My other goals for him for this summer are to take a few practice tests (PSAT/SAT/ACT) to see where he stands and what type of prep he wants to do. He’s always been a more methodical thinker and I don’t think he will be fast enough to be a super high scorer on the tests, but some practice may improve things. I also want to start some college research with him this summer and help him start building a list. S25 was very independent in his research, but S27 will be more like my D22 was, who needed someone to sit down with her and help her get started with how to even make a search spreadsheet and think about the process. S27 is pretty sure he wants to go for some kind of engineering, so that should direct our search.
3 Likes
Luckily my S27’s SAT testing site was at our high school which is less than 10 min away! He did say there were lots of students, none of whom he knew, so maybe not from his school. Now to have him put final touches on his first coach email, send that, and get packed for his trip-busy day!
1 Like
It wasn’t so bad, just not what I anticipated. She saw some students she knew from town after testing so she was in a decent mood. She’ll be at camp when AP and the SAT scores come out so that will be interesting. Good luck with recruiting! My son went through college recruitment and it’s easier yet harder process.
1 Like
School ended for 27 about three weeks ago (New Hampshire private). So we have been traveling around and enjoying spending time together. They have already decided to change courses and have now requested:
Physics
AP Lang
AP Gov
Honors Integrated Math 3
French 4
Programming (required to graduate)
4 Likes
27 wrapped up, 25 graduated and we are off for a weeks vacation, including first college visit tomorrow - whirlwind of a few days
We also had a party with people from 4 states in there…
2 Likes
Welp, D27’s AP pre-calc grade is in and it’s grim. She went into the final exam with a C average; but could have eked out a B in the class if she’d gotten 5 or fewer questions wrong (out of 50) on the final. She got 6.
I’m trying really hard not to lecture her about the many, many poor choices she made on the way to earning this grade. But I also know can’t be allowed to make those same poor choices when she takes Calc next year. (She’s locked into AP Calc at this point; there are no options at her school for kids to step off the accelerated math track and still take 4 years of math). I foresee a series of difficult conversations in the future.
3 Likes
First 2 college tours are in the books..a 3rd happens next week before a long break until late August! I think kid is actually somewhat excited by the process now. yipee
4 Likes
You are busy! Did either of the tours mention possibly having SAT’s not be optional for F26 application season? We went on a tour in April and that was shared during the presentation. It was at a NE flagship, which is one of the reasons we started testing early.
1 Like
Both still said test optional but we are visiting in CO right now!
Fwiw im assuming super selective schools will increasingly ask for scores and those with higher acceptance rates will continue to be optional- especially with demographic trends in northeast (it’s going to be harder to fill seats)
My 27 likely will apply to a couple of schools who already require them, so are all in on test prep
1 Like
Summer is underway for us. My 27 finished up a few weeks ago. Grades are in, and he was satisfied with how he wrapped his year after things were a little bumpy this winter. He missed quite a bit of class for his winter sport, and it showed on his grade reports. I think he’s finally figured out how to prioritize his school work and the end results have helped him connect how that will pay off in the long run. We’ll find out what classes he will ultimately have next year in a few weeks. His school asks them to make their selections, then the full faculty meets to discuss every student and their planned courses for next year before approving the desired schedules. I’m optimistic he’ll get his classes because he really shifted gears for the final quarter, but we’ll see. He did put together a pretty rigorous load.
I think my original plan to knock out a few college visits this summer is likely to fall apart… We may squeeze in one from the list. He is going to join us when we drop off his older brother at college in August, so we’ve tacked on a visit to Macalester since we’ll be in the neighborhood and I’m not sure when, if at all, my 27 will make it out there before senior year. I contemplated adding the Univ. of Minnesota to the schedule, but I think he will get in a visit to at least one large state public later this summer on a school trip instead. I really don’t see that being the path he takes - he’s just too unclear at this point about what he’s interested in, and it feels like given the size of some of these state unis, you sort of need to have at least a bit of an idea of what you’re interested in to navigate the bureaucracy well. We’ll see though - I think he’ll start getting a better idea of what he likes and dislikes this fall.
As for SAT testing, etc., he is not taking any official tests until the fall I suspect. His school discourages early testing with the exception of recruits in only one or two sports (definitely lacrosse, maybe hockey?), which is a very different approach than the one we took with my '25, who took his first SAT at the end of sophomore year, I think. I do plan to have him spend time doing practice tests and work on the Khan Academy SAT prep. We may sign him up for the late August date if it looks like the practice tests are going well.
@challengingvenn - good luck to your kiddo in Philly! My 25 will be there as well. He is super excited for the opportunity.
3 Likes
Went to tufts today… there will be a re-assessment on test optional for class of 2027
They said they were in year 6 of 6 in a study of its impact. They said nothing changes for rising seniors (class of 2026 for HS) but up in air for 2027 and beyond.
1 Like
I can see how they can go either way. We haven’t visited yet, but Villanova’s website did show they will require for class of 27. I’m guessing it will be a mixed bag for our students. S24 did submit to all but D27 may not. It will depend on each situation.
She got her schedule for next year. She could not get Spanish honors in her schedule so had to drop down. Her guidance counselor said it shouldn’t affect her application and they will note the reason in their letter. But whatever happens, happens. Otherwise she is happy with next year’s schedule. She has the best teachers for her AP classes.
1 Like
I would take that as a win, sounds like a good counselor who knows how to explain scheduling conflicts…AOs, it is my understanding, get these issues! Hopefully will be an easy-ish good grade:)
1 Like
good to note! Hadn’t seen that one yet.
1 Like
@longview43 Good luck to your kiddo too! This is our first time so we don’t know what to expect–and they are worried about not getting there early enough to get their backpacks 
. I am driving a group there from Indy, so it is going to be quite the adventure! Going to squeeze in a college visit in Philly (Temple) while we are there.
New York trip youth orchestra trip was successful last week. The Carnegie Hall concert seems like a bit of a boondoggle (they did great though!), but they got to do some cool field trippy kinds of things while they were there (Hudson River dinner cruise, broadway musical, NY Philharmonic playing the music for the Empire Strikes Back).
2 Likes
Well I suppose it’s time to stop lurking and start participating since the class of 2027 forum is heating up! The school year wrapped up last week and it was a good one. D27 was super locked in this year and went into finals with a nice cushion, so she expects solid grades. Signed up for the December SAT and she claims she’ll do some prep this summer. She’s my independent kid so I tend to trust that she has it all under control until proven otherwise.
We’ve toured two schools so far - Duke during a family trip (big no for her, which made me laugh because hi, the acceptance rate made that decision for you) and the local flagship UW Seattle which she liked a lot but feels is way too close to home. We’ll tour Berkeley while in the Bay Area this summer (another microscopic acceptance rate especially as an OOS kid) but won’t really kick off tours until next spring. She has pretty strong feelings about the type of college environment she wants and I’m silently disagreeing with some of it, so it should be an interesting process. Looking forward to getting to know y’all!
4 Likes
Ha! You are a better parent than me:) (mainly kidding as I do try hard not to be judgmental but also not sure I’d describe myself as silent).
seriously though, sounds like you have an organized kid with ideas which is awesome!
That sounds like a great trip to NY. I would love to do all those things…except play in the orchestra, but would love to watch. Good luck in Philly!
@L_NewEngland thanks for the positive feedback…helps me help D27 as she was disappointed as she likes to challenge herself. I am happy with the counselor so far of her. They discussed colleges today and she agreed with her list. I have her horror stories of other counselors. This was also an impromptu meeting as D27 didn’t want to worry about her schedule while at camp all summer.
@BestCoast2730 Sounds like you are off to a good start despite the taking Duke off the list tour. We had a visit like that this year but because it was too small, lol. Congrats on the solid grades!
1 Like
That is great that your D27 has already been able to meet with a counselor about colleges. I don’t think our (large public) school does that for rising juniors. I’m not sure they are around at all over the summer. I feel like I am having to do a lot of “encouraging” at this point, but I think he is at least a bit excited that some of his athletic contacts are actually getting back to him. Each coach email/recruiting survey seems to take a full day at this point…I assume it will get more efficient as he does this more.
2 Likes