<p>We had statewide testing yesterday here in Michigan. D is trying to reach that magical ‘32’ (from her current 30). Sounds like it was a difficult test - especially the science. </p>
<p>These kids have a lot more stress (and many more choices!) than we did as kids. We took the ACT once (whether we wanted to or not) and I don’t think my parents even knew we were being tested. </p>
<p>Now there seems to be so much riding on the results of standardized testing for so many kids. (Although I am grateful for the ACT - since her scores are higher than her GPA would indicate.)</p>
<p>If your D is trying to raise her score to qualify for the Presidential, my advice is to have her take the test as often as she can. My D’s composite score stayed pretty constant even though she had some wild swings in the subscores - there was always one subscore that dragged the composite down (and the four subjects took turns being the “problem” subscore). Then the last time she took it the planets aligned and her composite score jumped 2 points. None of her subscores on that test were higher than her highest subscores on previous tests, but the content of that particular test was such that she was able to put all of those highest subscores together in one sitting. You never know when you’ll get that “magic” test.</p>
<p>Thanks, Beth’s Mom. I needed your words of encouragement… My daughter’s dream is to follow her brother to Bama. She really needs a 30 on the ACT in order to have this opportunity… She earned a 28 the first time she took the ACT and then a 27 the second time! UGH! To make matters worse, just days before finding out her score on the second test, she was diagnoised with a wheat allergy! Geez, the junior year is stressful enough without that diagnosis! Anyhow, she said her timing was off the second time she took the ACT. She is taking it for the third time in April. Let’s hope the third time’s the charm. :)</p>
<p>How about trying the SAT? Some kids do much better on one vs the other. The SAT can be “gamed” more that the ACT is my understanding. I know that my son did some practice tests on the SAT and studied the strategies and ended up doing WAY better than we expected. I think the ACT is more factual based- at least that is what I have heard. Son didn’t end up taking the ACT as there was no need after getting his SAT score so I can’t say for sure.</p>
<p>Our GC hinted that the April and June tests were historically the “magic” test for most kids. I’m not sure if that’s because of the test content or if the kids were just getting the hang of it by that time of the year. Good luck to your students!</p>
<p>My D didn’t do particularly well on the PSAT (175ish) - is this fairly indicative of how she might do on the SAT? If so, I am guessing it would be better to continue to focus on the ACT.</p>
<p>And you can get a better idea if you pull the PSAT report and look just at the math and critical reading sections (and add a 0 to the end) as those are the only section that Bama considers on the SAT for scholarships.</p>
<p>Boymomx3, my daugther has heard that rumor too! I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is true.</p>
<p>My daughter took the SAT before taking the ACT…Her score on the SAT was low compared to her ACT. She is a math and science kiddo. She says the vocabulary on the SAT is what did her in. She is determined to keep taking the ACT until she gets a 30. She won’t even consider other schools at this point. And my son? Well he is slowly getting used to the idea of his little sister following him to college. :)</p>
<p>LOL…my son has been adamant about NOT wanting my D to follow him to UA (I’m so proud…not) - but I told him he needs to get used to the idea. If she gets the scores to get the scholarship I am not telling her she can’t attend. I’m pretty sure they would rarely cross paths.</p>
<p>*My D didn’t do particularly well on the PSAT (175ish) - is this fairly indicative of how she might do on the SAT? If so, I am guessing it would be better to continue to focus on the ACT.
*</p>
<p>Don’t let that stop her from taking the SAT. My younger son scored much higher on the SAT than he did on the PSAT. Also, keep in mind that only the M+CR are used for merit, so practice those two sections.</p>
<p>ProudBamaMama…your son will get used to the idea. They will rarely cross paths, especially if in different majors. But, even if they’re in the same major, they still won’t see each other much. </p>
<p>My older son and younger son rarely ever saw each other UNLESS they set up lunch together…and they even worked at the same place and rarely saw each other!!!</p>
<p>It’s not like high school. When my younger son was a soph in high school, he loudly declared that he didn’t want to go to the same college as his older bro. He was tired of being S1’s “little bro”. When he realized that that wouldn’t happen at Bama, he picked Bama.</p>
<p>Trust me, if my D gets her ACT score up, she WILL be attending Bama - NO DOUBT! At this time she won’t even consider another school. I have told my S that with him loving life at Bama so much, he should want that for his sister, too. I think he is softening a bit.</p>
<p>DD took it yesterday here in NC and is scheduled to take it in April too. She has a 31 now but we are hoping for the 32! I heard the March scores only come through the mail and will take 5-8 weeks! Good luck to your DD ProudBamaMama! My DD already considers herself part of the Crimson Tide, just hoping she can earn that full tuition scholarship!</p>
<p>Son took the ACT yesterday. He thought it went well except for the science section.</p>
<p>He also found out his SAT scores were up. Unless 'Bama changes the Presidential cutoff for 2014 he’s golden. Now, had he just prepared a little for the test…</p>
<p>Thanks NC Mom. Doing the Tarheel to Tuscaloosa thing in April to watch some softball and visit DS. Younger brother may now have more interest in going. I told him he could room with his brother if he went and he quickly came back with “Or brothers”. A true frat boy before he even steps on a campus.</p>
<p>My son took the PSAT, the Plan, ACT/writing, SAT, and SAT subject test biology-M his sophomore year. He did much better on the the Plan and the ACT than the PSAT and the SAT. That’s when we decided to concentrate on the ACT for his Junior year. The funny thing is, the SAT subject tests must be more like the ACT (not tricky, straightforward, little vocabulary) because he got a 770 on his biology-M. This score is more in-line with his ACT scores (31 as a sophomore, 34 as a junior on the Feb ACT). Like all of you guys, we’re waiting for the results of his March 5th ACT. I sent him in with his social security number in his pocket to put it on the registration hoping that he might get an online score earlier than the one via mail. I called the ACT and they told me that if my son put his social security number on the test that it would be matched to his social security number for his existing online account and his scores would appear there and we would not need to create a new account when we receive the paper scores. What they said was if you already have an account but fail to put your social security number on the March 5 test (which is optional to put your social security number on) that when they send your scores they will ask you to create a new online account. You’ll have to call the ACT and tell them you already have an online account and they will merge the two accounts so all your past tests and your March 5 test will show up together. So I keep checking his online account looking for his scores. But it will probably be about two weeks. If I see them in his online account before we get them in the mail, then I’ll come back on and let you all know.</p>
<p>About the March 5 ACT science section, i’ve read online and heard from my son’s friends that they thought that the Science was particularly hard. My son’s best subject is the science section and he told me he finished 10 minutes early and had time to go back and check it over. He told me he thought it was the math that was the harder section. He also thought that the writing prompt was a difficult subject to write about in that it was hard to relate it to a broader public policy or community context.</p>
I think he is softening a bit.</p>