You might not understand why I am angry or you might not understand because you are not foreigner. I think PTA 's child can be benefited that is life but all things can’t go. Even good colleges accept academic strong student and good at sports or rich etc… They want to put students in each position evenly so academically great student deserve appropriate. I think student should study hard and academic is center of school, not PTA or sport. I am not happy that all elected students are related each other as a teacher’s daughter or neighbor or friends. Award isn’t important for me but important for children to inspire them. Praises are great cheers than anything. The only cause we can’t have any connection with school PTA things can’t make our kids sad. Everyone tells that if I am annoyed, join yhe PTA group. It seemed to make me angry or scorn me. Anyway thanks for your comment.
I can prove that they are related.
College also has a bar for score. If I have great ability for anything but if I didn’t do well at GPA or standard test, I can’t apply. They don’t give me a credit what I do well. Score can’t be all but without good score, nobody believe me . Then test exists.
Many parents told me that graduation is not big deal , nothing. When I attend graduation , I felt that I came strangers party to cheer them but my child’s shoulder sagged.should I come to there? If it hurt our child? As like me, people who are without connection, we must yield it to them who have strong power because they are PTA? Why i have my child to send the school ? Though All benefits return to them. I don’t know.
A few different things:
- Middle school awards don't matter, but why are you disparaging other people's children.
- Could they be correct about your child's ninth grade schedule? Is it that different from what anyone else would do? Your child is not the first smart one to pass through their halls. Maybe their experience is that kids who take this schedule always quit?
- Find another activity and don't worry about it so much. Maybe try something with chances for excellence but less competition within the school, since your family is clearly not a member of the in-crowd.
First off, middle school awards mean nothing. I’m sorry your child felt hurt but in no way are subjective awards any reflection of her self-worth, intelligence, and work ethic. Even the brightest students will face disappointment and rejection, and being able to cope without personalizing is an important life skill. This is an opportunity for discussion and growth.
As someone previously mentioned, education in the US is much more than grade driven. Kids with perfect stats are regularly rejected by top schools. That is because admissions is looking at more than that. They want to balance their incoming class by major, by demographics, by EC strengths, etc… For better or worse, that’s the system. If that is unacceptable to your child and your family, look at going to university abroad.
Lastly, there are were no freshmen on my daughter’s mock trial team and only one who made the A team for Science Olympics. There is a big jump in work load and expectations in high school. Perhaps your daughter could shadow a team member and learn the ropes this year.
FWIW, I totally empathize with having to figure out the ins and outs of a new educational model. It’s hard enough when you grow up here!
@Jayku,
You have gotten a lot of thoughtful advice here. You maybe too upset to take it under consiferation. I understand that It hurts you when you see your child hurt esp. you feel that the school or PTA does not treat your child fairly.
Like others said, many school awards are not just for academic excellence. They want to make sure other kids are recognized by their good deeds, too. Otherwise, the awards would go to the same few kids every year, wouldn’t it? Having a child who is acedamically gifted like yours is an award for you already. If she continues to do well, she will get into a good college.
I don’t think you should be quick in calling them racists or that they are biased aganist your daughter. Orange County has at least 20% Asian population and 30% of its population are foreign born. It is a very ethnically diverse area. Surely your child is not the only Asian student there. Probably not the only smart Asian students there, either.
This could be the case that you have difficulty understand an American approach that does not always award the smartest kids. When the school turned down your daughter who wanted to join a HS’s team competition saying she takes on a very heavy courseload for a 9th grader, the school probably was honest and meant well for your child. You are upset because you think your child could handle it. Maybe, she could. Maybe she couldn’t.
You are so upset right now that everything the school or the PTA has done was perceived as bias aganist your child. Children learn from their parents, spoken and unspoken. If you continue to be bitter, angry, negative toward her school, it will affect your child and her attitude. They are tons of meaningful activities including volunteer that she could be involved in outside school. Community work is valued by colleges if that what you wonder.
Others have said before, let it go. Adjust your attitude. Keep it positive for your daughter.
Poppycock (if nothing else, you will learn some interesting English expressions…this one means…NOT TRUE).
There are 3000 or so colleges in this country. There is a college for EVERY student who wants to attend a college. Some have something called “open enrollment” which means the SAT is never required.
And look up www.fairtest.org which will show you the growing list of colleges that do NOT require the SAT or ACT for admission. The list gets longer every year. University of Chicago just became test optional. There are PLENTY of excellent colleges where these tests aren’t required…at all…for admission.
But back to this thread. I agree with the poster above. In another thread, you wanted your kid to take all AP courses in 9th grade, and also inquired about IB curriculum…making it sound like these were required for college admissions. They aren’t.
Also…you live in California. If your daughter applies to any UCs, ninth grade grades are not Even used to calculate the UC GPA. So all of this push push push wouldn’t count one bit at places like UCLA, and CAL.
Read what @lookingforward has written about holistic admissions. Colleges want MORE than a strong academic record. They are more and more evaluating the WHOLE application…which includes far more than just a strong courseload, high SAT scores, or all A grades.
Simply put…many kids without a 4.0, or 1500 plus scores are in elite schools. Imagine that.
But moreso…MANY, MANY kids with exemplary academic records get rejected from these competitive schools. Many…because 90-95% of those who apply do NOT get accepted.
Now…the PTO thing. You know…there are a LOT of things at a school that require volunteers. Those who volunteer do not get “rewarded” by having their kids selected for things. But volunteering at your kid’s school is something that is a good thing to do, because many things just wouldn’t or couldn’t happen without parent volunteers. By sitting and NOT volunteering to help, even if it’s only for one thing, you are just letting others volunteer so your kid can have things at their school.
And lastly…if you are THIS upset about your kid not getting on a mock trial team or not getting a middle school award…I really don’t want to hear your reaction if your kid doesn’t get accepted to some college to attend four years from now…or receive a scholarship…or whatever. And this very likely WILL happen.
That’s a bad assumption to make. I’m the son of two Asian immigrants (or foreigners I should say).
No, they also look at grades, standardized tests, extracurriculars, and the essay. I should know this because I just finished the college application process.
Okay, yes, awards can inspire students. But the fact that the awards you’re complaining that your daughter didn’t receive are middle school PTA awards is ridiculous. 1. Colleges will not consider any awards, activities, or grades from middle school. 2. The award is a local, in-school award. That, IMO, should not be put on any college application even if it were from High school.
Yes, colleges have their admissions statistics where they list the statistics of the middle 50% application body. ** Everyone in America, as long as they have the financial resources or assistance to do so, has the right to apply to any and as many schools as they’d like. No one is gonna stop you from doing that. ** Will you get in? Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on what the college is looking for.
You tried and still cannot because the connections you are trying to make have no relevance. There is no corruption.
MODERATOR’S NOTE:
The OP has moved the topic of this thread far from the original question and even still, has the discussion spinning in circles. Clearly the OP has an opinion which is not going to change, so I see no reason to continue the debate. Closing.