<p>Bulletandpima, what about the kids who don’t have to keep their heads in books?..and they work a job…and they have a girlfriend…and they are involved in many other activities not necessarily academic? I am not going to ever apologize for a kid that just happens to be one of those that does it all, and does it extremely well, and is just as happy and well adjusted as other kids.</p>
<p>Chocoholic, obviously you didn’t score a 36 or your post would make sense;
What will they outside the restroom? What did you mean? Have a hard time communicating, do you?</p>
<p>Scout 59, funny you should mention those very traits, because our high school has programs in place to recognize those very traits! I would say they are placed at just about the same level as academics.</p>
<p>Why is it so hard for most people to accept the fact that there are kids out there who are the total package? Mine isn’t the only one. It is what it is.
Should he be diminished to make others feel better? What about how he feels by having to be diminished? Why is just being who he is, wrong, because who he is just happens to be the total package? Why should he not be accepted for who he is? I bet you want to be accepted for who you are!
I wish I was able to use real names as I guarantee you, those like my son will become a recognizable leader somewhere in the future.</p>
<p>SpacedoutSax,</p>
<p>I think you missed my point. My point was about the exact kid you described. I was stating to be a success you need to be well rounded it is not just about 1 part, but the entire picture. Colleges want the kid who gets a 36, holds a job plays sports, volunteers and has a life outside of academia. There are many stories of how did the kid with a 33 on the ACT and a 3.6 GPA get in before the kid with a 36 and a 4.0? Easy, because the kid with a 33 was well rounded, and the 36 had nothing on his college application, but great scores. Universities are concerned about incoming freshman being able to transition, they have done studies showing that the most successful student is the one that has many EC’s b/c they can juggle time management.</p>
<p>Now reality is there are kids that get a 36, have a 4.0, work part time and play sports or an instrument. That is the ultimate dream student which every university will jump to get. </p>
<p>That was my point stating it is about the whole student, not just about whether you are the state champ for track or the debate team</p>
<p>Btw, scout59, your reference to a country club makes me lol!! I am a single parent who is struggling my way through life to give my son a better life. We are in no way superior to ANYONE, except maybe in being blessed with an extremely high iq. BTW, s tutors bunches of kids and refuses to take money for it, because he feels that he is making the best use of his gift that way. So integrity, yeah, its there. Compassion, he helps anyone who needs help with anything, yeah, its there. Wit, its there if you are smart enough to understand it. We joke about the fact that he was born without an “art gene”. But that has actually taught him about persistence as he was required to take art classes, and you know what, he FINALLY, did well.</p>
<p>Thank you, bulletandpima. He just happens to be one of those kids!!</p>
<p>Congratulations on your kid getting a 36 and being a total package and all. That’s a terrific achievement. But there is also no reason to flaunt it. It is clearly not “just about the best accomplishment a child can make”, and the attention that your son received is excessive. It is, after all, only a test, and I have seen first-hand very little correlation in college between how intelligent a person is and how well they score on their standardized tests. I would be much more proud of the fact that your kid seems to have grown up to be a very generous, loving individual who goes out of his way to help others than how he scored on a particular day. As soon as you enter college, NOBODY cares about your test scores, your GPA in high school, and whether or not you got a 36 on your ACTs. If your kid has learned to be a friendly, down-to-earth person, however, that will be carried with him for the rest of his life.</p>
<p>“Wit, its there if you are smart enough to understand it.”</p>
<p>I forgot to add another value I admire: humility! And that one is especially hard to print up on shirts…</p>
<p>In all honesty, SOS, congrats on your son - he sounds great, and your pride in him is well-founded. I’m just trying to say that you might want to back off the publicity a little bit.</p>
<p>
Why does celebrating someone who did better than he did on the test “diminish” him in any way? Why can’t we be happy and pleased for someone who does something unusual without saying, “Oh, they should celebrate me, too”? Why does it diminish anyone to acknowledge that a 36 is rare (and yes, is different than a 35)? Does it diminish Ed to report that Tom finished first in the track meet, even when people know that both Tom and Ed participated?</p>
<p>Isn’t this the kind of thinking that leads to the “Everyone gets a trophy” mentality? That says, “We won’t keep score in this game” (while the kids themselves know exactly what the score it)? </p>
<p>BTW, this mentality has also been shown not to enhance self-esteem, but to destroy it. If we celebrate everything at the same level, then real achievement loses meaning (no, not mentioning the ACT specifically). Kids then figure that whatever they do deserves praise and celebration, and when they don’t get it, it’s a rude wake up call. (When’s the last time you were celebrated for turning in your work reports on time?)</p>
<p>I think that a 36 is noteworthy, and does not require anyone to feel “diminished.” If you kid does feel diminished, then that is his own problem. To paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.”</p>
<p>However, the private v. public nature of the achievement makes it more difficult to publicize the test score than the sports score. </p>
<p>OP, if you want the media to know, alert them. Privacy concerns may be stopping your s’s school from doing so.</p>
<p>You’re right. A 36 is a phenomenal accomplishment. woo. pat on the back.
Yes, intelligence should be emphasized far more than athletic achievement.</p>
<p>" Why is it so hard for most people to accept the fact that there are kids out there who are the total package? Mine isn’t the only one. It is what it is.
Should he be diminished to make others feel better? What about how he feels by having to be diminished? Why is just being who he is, wrong, because who he is just happens to be the total package? Why should he not be accepted for who he is? I bet you want to be accepted for who you are!
I wish I was able to use real names as I guarantee you, those like my son will become a recognizable leader somewhere in the future." … but why should he be exalted? Unless he’s an incredibly shallow person, which you do not describe him as, and i sincerely doubt he is, I don’t see why there should be a public fuss. That is all.
I KNOW there are kids. I am friends with many of them. Arguably, I am one of them. I just don’t see the rationale for publicly celebrating individual academic achievement at this scale. It’s a PART of the overall accomplishment of getting into college. And I believe THAT accomplishment is suitable for public knowledge, because it represents so much more.</p>
<p>Here, I have met several perfect SAT scorers, and I know a couple from home. I asked some, yesterday, if any of them had any public recognition for their accomplishments. Of those (more than five), one had … and she thought it was completely unnecessary, though nice.</p>
<p>On both scales (ACT and SAT), this corresponds to roughly the top .02% of test takers. So, a sincere congratulations. I hope my playing devil’s advocate hasn’t pushed too many wrong buttons.</p>
<p>Athletic accomplishments are, of course, given somewhat more coverage because there is a sports page, an equivalent regarding academics would probably not be successful, nor would it, probably, be all that interesting.</p>
<p>To all: please realize that WE did not make any of the publicity happen. He got phone calls to be on TV, radio just picked it up on their own, I guess, we weren’t even contacted by them. We almost always attend our Board of Education meetings to support our school and that award and standing “o” was a total surprise. The newspaper knocked on our door so we answered.</p>
<p>Thank you, Chedva, and believe me, he doesn’t feel diminished by anyone, what I am saying is that others (like in this thread) want to sweep it under the rug. I cannot help the amount of publicity other than by hanging up or not answering the door. We are just not rude that way. </p>
<p>Rightnotleft, I am sorry but I disagree with you based on sheer numbers. How many get into college?..and how many get a perfect 36? If the same numbers got a 36, would there be any publicity? I think not.</p>
<p>Tha SAT is just not as big of a deal in our area. He is in the process, having done well on the PSAT and is now a qualifier so will take the SAT in the fall to see if he goes on to be a semi then finalist. We have several every year that are finalists and it does get some coverage, I would say probably 2/3’s of what the ACT gets.</p>
<p>Oh, and did I mention that having skipped grades in elementary, he is younger than his classmates?</p>
<p>Scout 59, I wish you had the opportunity to know us in person. We are very humble people. As I said, being a single parent, with no help from DAD, we are of the most modest of means. He wears no “brand name” clothes, etc. He has to do without a lot that other kids take for granted, cell phones, Ipod,etc. I work two jobs to give him the opportunities we feel will help him get the education to give him a better life than I have given him. BTW, he is getting an Iphone with my latest bonus. Its a bday present so don’t tell!!</p>
<p>If the publicity really is community-generated, then more power to you! However, you did write this in an earlier post:</p>
<p>I am having jerseys printed up with the number 36 on them. </p>
<p>That’s actually the kind of reaction I was questioning - not the newspaper articles or the Board of Education ovation. Most of the superachievers I know would not be happy about wearing a jersey emblazoned with their ACT score.</p>
<p>…the jerseys are for me and my mom, he doesn’t wear jerseys! Will I wear them in public? probably not, but if you think my having these printed will make a difference then I will take your advice and not have it done. I certainly would not want to be guilty of doing any harm to those who might see a 36 on a jersey of a proud mom and God forbid, they smile because they realize how proud I am. Or who knows, what would the printer think?! Maybe I should check in with you periodically and you could let me know what is the right way to celebrate his future accomplishments…and there will be more…because God knows we wouldn’t want to offend anyone. You may be right, if I am on vacation or even at the grocery and was caught wearing a jersey in our school colors with the number 36 on the back,can you imagine how many people would whisper and talk bad about us!! Nobody cares what I wear or what the significance of the number is. No one else would give it a second look. But we would know…is that what bothers you about this? I am just so happy to have found an expert on the protocol here on cc. You seem to be quite the expert!!</p>
<p>I finally figured out what bugs me about this thread.
It is too obvious.
If a student has all the attributes that go along with being an excellent student and high achiever, advertising high or even perfect test scores is superfluous .</p>
<p>Its like if I had a t-shirt printed up with my bra size- 34DD.
Redundant. ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>SOS, I had hoped that you would see why your quip was offensive and did send the “discussion” into a negative direction. In time, you’ll find out that this community is especially prone to offer LOTS of congratulations and support, but is somewhat reluctant to have its collective nose being “rubbed” in. </p>
<p>People who frequent these grounds DO know what an amazing feat scoring a 36 represents. However, they also know how the attitude of parents in the face of success can be caustic, often through the denial of facts that will become more clear after the application process.</p>
<p>For what it is worth, I hope you will recognize the dynamics of this board and find better ways to uncork its wealth of information and positive support. I happen to believe that you’ll find the information to help a superstar with perfect scores especially helpful. </p>
<p>May I suggest a new approach? </p>
<p>For all we know, we could soon celebrate his discovery of the anti-aging wrinkle creams or weight loss that would make you happy.</p>
<p>So you must live in my area to quote the article!!! Obviously you know us!! So you can tell everyone how true this info is!!! I have found most other threads here to be VERY helpful!!..okay I just found out who you are. Enough said!!</p>
<p>SOS, I do not live in your area, but CC seems to have a number of interesting stories --as well as characters-- originating in … Ohio.</p>
<p>I was sincere about hoping you’ll use all the resources this board could offer as you guide your son towards his dreams. I happen to think that you should be able to expand your son’s college horizon well beyond Purdue or Ohio. </p>
<p>However, while “they” might come knocking on your door, it will be better to look “them” up and prepare the best you can. </p>
<p>The beauty is that most paths have been walked on before, and that the experience of others could help … a lot!</p>