<p>OK, just had to say something about the North Carolina magnet school person’s blythe statement that if a kid is the smartest or most successful among his friends, it’s time to change friends. Aaaugh!!! I am not advocating that children should be hanging out on the corner sniffing glue and playing X-rated video games with self-destructive slacker buddies, but come on: Are those really the values you want to convey to your children? What about kindness, creativity, loyalty, empathy, and working hard and being goal oriented irrespective of how academically “smart” and “successful” they are. The notion that school smarts is the central criterion for friendships, and that the smart kids should move on if they happen to be friends with less smart kids really offends me. Smarter person does not equal better person, or wiser person, or better friend material in my book. I want my kids to cultivate values that lead them to look for a whole lot of different qualities in the people with whom they surround themselves. </p>
<p>I realize this is a bit OT on a thread about raising children who are successful students, but couldn’t let the notion that maybe parents should try to move their children out of groups in which their children may be among the smartest go unchallenged.</p>
<p>you reminded me: one thing I wish we had known: sophomores can take the PSAT. It’s standard at some of the “wealthy” districts in the next county, but not something we knew anything about. Even if your students’ school doesn’t specifically offer the test for sophomores, there is nothing to stop them from signing up and paying the fee. And I’d definitely recommend it!</p>
<p>Currently I am a collegiate athlete, getting a fairly high GPA and as a sophomore I am getting some pretty nice internship offers. I feel like my parents did a great job raising me.</p>
<p>1)As has been mentioned before, reading was always a priority in my house. My parents read to me daily until I was about 7 or 8. My mom would take me to the public library at least once a week during the summer to make sure I always had an adquete supply of books.</p>
<p>2)Family Dinners-Im surprised that hasn’t come up more often. With very few exceptions my family and I always had dinner, together as a family. The dinners were probably the biggest bonding time of the day and they are the biggest thing I miss when go away to college. Even with conflicting work, sports or school schedules we would have dinner together even if it meant eating later in the evening. </p>
<p>3)Sports-My parents at a very young age put us into at least two sports a year. It had a number of benefits. It integrated us into our community very well. My best freinds are ones that I swam with, played soccer and went to school. My sister and I had long, fun happy summers that were fun mostly due to sports.</p>
<p>I don’t even think there is a problem with a little video game activity, esp among the pre- or early adolescent set. They have to cooperate to play a game, as well as plan and organize, which are great skills to build. No, I am not advocating playing first person shooters, or Grand Theft Auto, but there are plenty of tamer games that are really just fine.</p>
<p>There seriously is more to life than studying all day, stressing about grades, fretting about Ivy League colleges. I think it send a bad message to kids for them to think this kind of success is all their parents care about.</p>
<p>Start preparing your child for the SAT’s and PSAT’s early, like 9th grade. I think there is enormous value in preparing kids for these type tests and doing well in them does much for the child. My first child pulled fabulous scores without any prep. My second did not have any prep but did not do as well and as a consequence did not get into the colleges she wanted most to attend.My 3rd and 4th child were prepped and did well and had great self esteem as a result of their work and results. They did Princeton Review and Kaplans and Huntingdon all to different degrees. I know there are some who poo poo these programs but for my children learning about the tests, how to take them and the exposure to multiple tests was a great help. It also helped them in the classroom. I feel there is much value in exposing your child to plenty of test prep early HOWEVER the CHILD MUST UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THIS AND WANT TO PARTICIPATE . I had converstions with my last 2 sons about the prep, tests,their progress and they were not overburdened with working after school or weekends or participating in too many activities.They did not do anything they did not want to do. With Princeton Review they administer multiple tests and you can actually see the improvement. The boys did it all themselves and I’m very proud of their commitment. There were good results.</p>
<p>I am from Canada where college grades are not on a curve or adjusted in any way. I understand this is not the case for U.S. colleges. Does anyone know more about this than I do and can you explain this system to me?</p>
<p>If your student doesn’t have Asian friends or in classes with alot of Asians to push them, then you are in trouble. Doing a little profiling are we Marian. Are there some socio-economic groups we should avoid? Don’t want to get stuck in the wrong group. </p>
<p>I think each student everywhere needs to get treated as an individual. Even in families what works for one kid might not work for the next. </p>
<p>In my estimation it takes alot of work from the parent(s), student, teacher(s) and peers to help you suceed. But in no means is there a cookie cutter approach to sucess at the high school level or any other level.</p>