<p>Deja, I think the important difference is that the APs do have makeups. Numerous events that high school juniors and seniors - high achieving and otherwise - participate in conflict with the regular AP exam schedule, but the solution is in place. And I don't think the harsher curve effect is all that much of a problem.</p>
<p>I didn't know that the AP tests were graded on a curve.</p>
<p>Couple comments. I agree with others that ACT is fine. But I have had three kids compete at elite level for team sport. all recruited. schedule was always crazy BUT NEVER did a coach ever question an academic committment like taking the SAT. Maybe I was lucky, maybe coaches understood that while we where in love with kids' sports, academics came first. If your coach gives you a hard time, find a new coach or complain to powers that be (if school sport)</p>
<p>The conductor of our local community youth orchestra, in which both my daughters have played, regularly scolds the kids for taking the spring SAT because they miss a key Saturday morning rehearsal just a few weeks before the summer tour begins. He considers it bad planning on the part of the kids to not have gotten the SAT out of the way earlier. What he apparently fails to understand is that many kids must take BOTH sittings, because many schools including the UCs require SAT and SAT Subject Tests.</p>
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BUT NEVER did a coach ever question an academic committment like taking the SAT.
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<p>Most likely, a coach's policy will depend on the sport , and how the athlete fits into the team. For example, if she is the team's top runner and point scorer in cross-country, then her absence will impact the entire team. Her absence could make the difference between the team winning or losing the meet, and qualifying for a subsequent meet. In such cases, it makes sense that a coach would object to a SAT absence, but this type of policy should be made clear early on.</p>
<p>I agree with Bay on the impact one team member can make. In our city, no one would dream of holding a competition on SAT testing day. OP, have other families registered their disappointment with this timing? We've had meets on SAT day, but not until the afternoon....</p>
<p>You all continue to amaze me. So-called "academic" groups expect everyone else to move their schedules to fit these tests (that are OPTIONAL) but those groups don't adjust their schedules for anything else.</p>
<p>You seem to fail to realize that at the high school level, sports and other extracurricular activities play an almost equal role in the education of a student as the academic side. Why is it that the entire 12-year education comes down to a single test?????</p>
<p>Our school board has scheduled graduation for either the Sectional or State Track meet weekend the last 3 or 4 years. This has caused kids to make a decision and at times makes for some rushing around. One of my friends last year qualified for the State meet held on a Friday. He participated in the prelims, but then drove the 2.5 hours home just in time for graduation. If he had qualified for the finals, my guess is he would have stayed.</p>
<p>If optional academic activities expect to be accomodated by other extracurricular activities when it comes to scheduling, then those activities also need to accomodate the sports and other activities. It has to be a two-way street.</p>
<p>Yeah, hops-scout, there is in fact a reason why they call it SCHOOL, not "minor league training camp."</p>
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Most likely, a coach's policy will depend on the sport , and how the athlete fits into the team.
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gotta disagree with you a little bit here - the coach reports to the Athletic director who then reports - in our case to the Superintendent, high school principal and ultimately the school board. Our Athletic director is very cognizant of scheduling league games on SAT day - confilcts do occur but rarely.
This is a "Cultural" issue. If the culture in the school system allows sports, music etc to continually call the shots then this is the sad result.</p>
<p>My daughter came late to a Sat am field hockey game her senior year -as a varsity starter - the coach understood and there was no issue - in fact girls from both teams came late. The game was only held on that date because of a rain out and they needed to get it in.
There is a county wide track meet in our county in May of each year. They run it Friday night and Sat afternoon to accomadate the SAT schedule.
It really is not difficult to get everyone on board.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>You seem to fail to realize that at the high school level, sports and other extracurricular activities play an almost equal role in the education of a student as the academic side.<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>This is nonsense. A high school without a sports program can still be a pretty good school. Maybe not as much fun on Friday night with no football game, but still an effective school that can get kids into good colleges and educate them for life in the modern world. But a high school without academics is no kind of school at all. It would be just another community youth rec league team.</p>
<p>Athletics is nowhere near equal to academics in educational importance.</p>
<p>Try to schedule it out of town if possible, or do December test let schools know reason and then forward scores, but do not rush them.</p>
<p>hops, I love sports as much as the next person. More so, probably. Both my kids have played since they were 4, and both play for their school teams now. But kids need the perspective that very few high school players will compete professionally, or even on the college level, and so let's get our priorities straight: Education first. In no way should athletics, except for the relatively few recruited athletes, be seen as equal to the academic side of HS.</p>
<p>At our school, there was a major conflict with an out-of-town band performance and the PSAT. Enough objections were raised to get accommodations for the dozens of kids who were in band and wanted to compete but also were not going to miss the PSAT. Those kids/parents love their EC, but, really, education has to come first.</p>
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You all continue to amaze me. So-called "academic" groups expect everyone else to move their schedules to fit these tests (that are OPTIONAL) but those groups don't adjust their schedules for anything else.
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<p>Guess what. Sports are OPTIONAL, too. </p>
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You seem to fail to realize that at the high school level, sports and other extracurricular activities play an almost equal role in the education of a student as the academic side. Why is it that the entire 12-year education comes down to a single test?????
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<p>And, why do you seem to think that any single game is more important than 12-years of education?</p>
<p>The SAT is offered 7 times per year, the ACT is offered 6 times per year. In our school district, most sports teams' schedules are set by the beginning of the school year, and usually the meets fall on the same weekends year in and year out. Although I recognize that some students need to repeat the SAT, an elite athlete would be remiss for not planning ahead with regard to taking the test on a weekend that does not conflict with an important meet. Our teams in nearly every sport are competitive at the state level, so in many cases, the results of the top athletes' performances at a meet/game can be as important to college admissions as a SAT score. Last year, our h.s. sent 38 athletes to Div. 1 schools. Granted, each school will have different prospects for their student/athletes, making the SAT vs. sporting event evaluation variable.</p>
<p>As the parent of a soon to be DI athlete we planned on the April ACT date because teachers in our very large and competitive school district feel the students are best prepared for the test at that time after that year of class preparation. Yes...there were sports conflicts but we held firm and said this was it! And yes we also had a conflict with June SAT with State track meet but since she was so prepared for ACT and did well on that we chose not to take it.</p>
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It really is not difficult to get everyone on board.
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I don't see how you can make such a generalization! Every school, every administration, every athletic/music/EC director has different opinions & policies in place. Many are completely inflexible & will sacrifice the tippy top athlete who needs time off for testing or academic competitions. Meaning kicking him or her off the team, regardless of the impact on the rest of the squad or the impact on that student's college resume/application. I'm very glad it worked out at your school. That's certainly not the case at every school.</p>
<p>My Div 1 athlete flew around the country for three years with his travel team and played varsity for four years of high school. So he pretty much had year round obligations, especially on weekends, since the end of 8th grade. We never had a problem scheduling testing, as every coach knew part of being recruited was getting the best gpa and sat scores possible (for each individual athlete). As a matter of fact, one travel team he was asked to play for regularly held SAT tutoring sessions for the players to ensure they were prepared. The HS coaches all put the SAT first. I guess we were lucky. I will say that my son's PSAT and SAT scores really made him attractive to certain schools so I would advise parents to do two things: prepare for both tests and take them early. In any case, the OP here seems happy with the ACT score so no problem. I think the NCAA requires the SAT for all athletes though, so plan ahead if this is indeed the case. And, if I had a child with a coach who intended to punish kids for missing practice or competition to take the SAT, I would certainly have a discreet word with the principal if I had a good relationship with him/her requesting a change in that policy.</p>
<p>Sticker shock - this is how I see it - public schools are run by the public. That is you and me. If you elect a school board who has this philosophy then it will trickle down to the administration, athletic/music directors, coaches and teachers.
I realize that my kids were fortunate to attend a school where athletics, music and many other activites are encouraged. I realize that they were lucky to have coaches and AD's who understood the importance of academics and SAT's etc....
It works - it is a matter of attitude. Are there conflicts? Sure, was an athlete ever kicked off a team or lose a starting position for SAT's - nope.
The SAT calendar is made up in advance - the Saturday's really never change. It isn't that hard. Really.</p>
<p>If it isn't working at your school - take a step and make a change. It is good to be involved.</p>
<p>SAT is not required by the NCAA. The ACT will work as well.</p>
<p>Yep...ACT is just fine!!!:)</p>