<p>momof2inca, you and I are on the same wavelength…same story in our family, where S took it in 10th and 11th, was commended, got into Stanford EA; daughters are just going to take it once this Sat., and I don’t have any great hopes for them. I have asked them several times to sit down with the practice test but no dice. Perhaps after they take it they will get motivated to prep more for the SAT? I figure, if they don’t care that much about it, and would rather IM or go shopping with their friends, then they don’t want to go to the colleges where high scores would put them, anyway…</p>
<p>I sent my S to a 2 day PSAT prep last weekend, so I’m interested in seeing if it helped his score. They gave them a test first thing and he didn’t do that great on it, but he said he really learned a lot in the training.</p>
<p>patient, yeah, and I’m strangely relaxed and okay about it. I learned the lesson about fit, fit, fit and now would no more push D into a frenzy about getting into a “good” college through prepping and worrying than I would have held S back from retaking the SAT because his first score was beneath his expectations. Every kid is different and my D would probably get along great with your D’s. 
Are they going to be looking in California, too?</p>
<p>MomofFour, I think the junior scores of the PSAT are kept separate from the sophs and freshies. I think I remember on S’s 10th grade score report that it compared his score to junior stats, which leads me to believe that other grades are not factored in to the states’ curves. Makes sense that they would be “pure.” The SAT’s though, I believe are different in that they take everyone’s scores who took the test that particular day, regardless of age or grade, and mash them all together.</p>
<p>my D also was pretty relaxed about the PSAT soph yr and yesterday…no prep at all, that I witnessed (though the prep pamphlet sat on the kitchen table for weeks). She has really approached the PSATs themselves as prep; she’s already got her CB test prep book and has said she’ll set her SAT goals and work out a prep plan after she gets the results from this year’s PSAT. Totally reasonable to me; she is a strong student with good grades in an academically rigorous school, but she is not likely to hit NM range from yesterday’s test. The SAT math section will need her attention; CR and writing will each likely be 700+.</p>
<p>It’s a challenging balance act these kids have to manage, and a fine line we parents have to walk to know when to encourage/support/nudge/nag or back off…</p>
<p>Interesting range of opinions about test prep. I have developed a healthy respect for the importance of the NM and the opportunities it presents. Older s was a NMF but chose a school that gave need-based NM money, so we didnt get much. Younger s is thinking about med school down the road, and realizes that having merit money for undergrad would be very helpful, to save the $ earmarked/saved for education. His PSAT score last year (10th gr) was respectable, and he seemed to have the possibility of making NMSF this year with some prepping. I felt that it was worth the time and $ to give it a shot. So, he did some formal prepping/tutoring to prepare, and was encouraged to go ahead and take the Nov SAT as well, since this stuff would be fresh. Did he want to go to tutoring? Heck no. Did he find it helpful to learn strategies? Absolutely. He, too, found the CR hard, and doesnt know how he did (he’s a math kid, not an English kid). But I know he gave it his best shot, and if he doesnt make it, well, he did what he could. </p>
<p>I didn’t realize there was a Sat test (his school doesnt offer it). But knowing him, he’d prefer to do it in school than have to give up another Saturday. </p>
<p>I found the tables interesting from last years tests–looks like the curve for the Sat test was a little more forgiving. they claim it was to equal out the difficulty of the tests. I wonder…</p>
<p>jym626 - I never knew there was a Sat test until last year either (S took it on Wed) but I seem to remember the general consensus on CC between the Wed/Sat takers was that the Sat test was somewhat more difficult in certain respects - I just don’t remember the details.</p>
<p>It’ll be interesting to see what the people taking this yrs Sat test think. I wonder how people can determine which was harder since no one will have seen both tests</p>
<p>I have a healthy respect for NM too since both H and I were. But my kids seem to be less concerned about it and they all seem to have a relatively secure sense of themselves and what they want, so I respect their choices. Momof2, I am fairly relaxed too (well, it depends on what day you ask 
). I know that they are looking in both CA and elsewhere. One I definitely see at an intellectually alive, friendly, challenging LAC, of which there are at least 50or 60 both in and out of California! The other…is quite the puzzlement! An evolving story which I am VERY excited to follow with all of its twists, turns, and moods!</p>
<p>patient-
My s has a secure sense of himself and what he wants. He wants to play paintball and have us pay for college at a 40k/yr school ! :eek:</p>
<p>LOL. Mine might substitute “shopping” for “Paintball” and we’d be in the same boat!!</p>
<p>patient, are they twins? </p>
<p>Saturday, we hit the road for a few days in Northern CA. (How’s the weather today, short sleeves okay during the day or bring a heavy jacket time?) Hitting the road after the PSAT, stopping first to see S in Berkeley for the weekend, then up to UC Davis, back down to UC Santa Cruz and then down to Cal Poly SLO. At the end of the week, we’ll visit Chapman University in Orange. At some point, we’ll look at Pepperdine (been there already but not recently), Cal Lutheran and Occidental. This week should help us narrow down whether she likes really big or quite small, woodsy or suburban or urban, if you count Berkeley (which she won’t apply to). Will be meeting with coaches at each school, too, which is a whole new deal for us.</p>
<p>It was glorious and warm today. As one of my co-workers said, “Looks like summer is finally here.”:)</p>
<p>They are twins (fraternal), and yes the weather is lovely–warm, but bring a light jacket for the evening and early morning. The time of year when you have to change from cold to warm to cold weather clothes at least 3 times per day!
Have a great trip!</p>
<p>Thanks! It’s been really warm down here, too, for the past two days. This summer we visited S in Berkeley and I was freezing the entire time, so you just never know with the Bay Area, I guess.</p>
<p>By the way, I just learned yesterday from D’s counselor that the PLAN – which is a pre-test for the ACT – is geared for high school sophomores! Where was I last year (and where was D!!) when they announced that. She’s still going to take it and we’ll have to extrapolate the scores somehow to take into account she’s a junior. Sigh. I was very chagrined yesterday when I realized I dropped the ball on that detail. Then I reminded myself I was in recovery last year from S’s wild college application ride. Sort of took the year off. Now, we’re getting it together for D, who still has 18 months to pick a college. But the testing merry-go-round seems as intense as it ever was – and throw in the athlete factor!. Looks like I need to get a spread sheet together or something. :0</p>
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<p>California public school parent here–PSAT is given in the gym on a Wednesday, it’s optional for freshmen and sophomores, and highly recommended (but still optional) for juniors. Parents pay $16, but waivers are available for kids who have need.</p>
<p>Going through a dry run on a standardized testing situation is a good idea, judging from what I saw on Wednesday (I helped proctor the test). Kids learn about things that don’t have anything to do with the test itself, like:</p>
<p>remembering your ID, calculator, batteries, etc.;</p>
<p>bringing enough sharpened pencils (preferably WITH erasers);</p>
<p>dressing in layers (nothing like freezing your buns off at the PSAT to help you remember to dress in layers for the SAT–you never know what the climate at your testing center will be like);</p>
<p>realizing that following the directions of the test-givers is of prime importance! Two kids had their tests taken away–one because she didn’t stop immediately when the proctor said to stop writing and another because she didn’t keep her test booklet closed during the break like the proctor instructed.</p>
<p>Best to learn these kinds of lessons before you show up to take the SAT/ACT for real…</p>
<p>Ellenemope–that was a great summary. I have the pencils sharpened and I trust the calculator batteries are okay (but will check about an extra) but that note about the proctors and stopping immediately could probably save someone some trauma!</p>