Just dropped my son off at school to take the Bio SAT subject test. He has been studying nonstop for months, literally carrying his study guide around with him. He just called me to tell me that I accidentally signed him up for the regular SAT and they won’t let him in. My husband went to get him–I’m too upset with myself. It’s another four months until he can take the test again, which is right around the time he will be taking the PSAT.
That sucks. I am sorry.
Ouch, I know it hurts. There isn’t much of anything to say that will help ease your pain right now. In the big picture of life, 10 years from now this will be a story told around the Thanksgiving dinner table and hopefully there will be some chuckles.
If this is a one time mistake, just apologize and try your best to comfort your son over this weekend. Do something fun together, go out for pancakes or cook his favorite food. Watch a silly movie together.
If this is a pattern of forgetfulness and errors, you may want to think about all the hats you are wearing right now. Maybe you are stressed out and don’t realize it. I have had stages in my life where I juggled work outside the home, homeschooling, ailing parent, etc and I didn’t pay attention to details as well as I should have. It’s a constant battle as a parent to get it all done.
When it’s time to sign up for the next big test, have your son look over your shoulder as you do the registration. Or give him the credit card and let him do it himself.
Sending hugs your way! I can tell you to shake it off, but I imagine this one is going to stick with you for awhile.
What grade is he in? Why is he taking the bio SAT before the PSAT? Just curious.
Would it have been a good idea to take the SAT that he was registered for?
My take on this, aside from sympathy, is some concern about the stress he is putting himself under for this test. Months of study sounds really unhealthy. If he is stressing this much about one test, the whole application process is going to be very hard on him.
You may not be in a position of influence temporarily 
But when you are back in his good graces, try to help him gain some perspective.
And many colleges don’t require subject tests. Does he already have a school in mind that does require them?
Ugh! I can totally see myself doing this, and I understand how bad you must feel. When something like this happens, I try to put things in perspective. Remind yourself that this was just a test. Nobody is ill or injured. Everything will be fine.
Sorry! Moms make mistakes too. I am sure he is not perfect and now he knows you are not either. Good lesson for him to either sign himself up or to review the information you submit before it is too late to change it.
I make my kids sit with me while I sign them up because our school does not serve as a test site which means they have to choose where to take it. Our fear was that they would drive to the wrong site! Knock wood my older son has not done this. Now to continue the streak with the younger one.
My husband still tells the story of getting to the test site for the SAT with no driver’s license in the pre cell phone era. Called his parents from a pay phone. They were not home. No test. Yes, he laughs. They still roll their eyes because that was his mistake and not theirs.
Everyone makes mistakes.
This is why my daughter always sat with me when I registered her for exams (she doesn’t trust me to not make a mistake). Actually, she would register and my role was limited to typing in the credit card numbers. She always pressed the button.
Probably because he finished high school biology in 9th or 10th grade?
I’m so sorry.
It’s upsetting, but it’s done. Nothing you can do about it. So move on, and he’ll take it in October. Don’t beat yourself up about it - mistakes happen to everyone.
I believe you will be able to register for the Oct. test by next week, so register carefully and have him there with you when you do it.
I agree with the above poster - one day you will laugh about it! (just not now)
My kids did decide to do this sort of things themselves because I was too busy. High school is a transitioning period, from depending on parents to semi independent. They also learn parents do make mistakes.
This is a bummer, so sorry. I guess he’ll do it himself from now on!
I promise you this will be nothing more than a really funny Thanksgiving dinner story in a few years. Breathe.
Thank you all so much for your words of comfort. I cried my eyes out for about half an hour. This is not part of a pattern–this is actually very uncharacteristic of me. I’m usually on top of things. I’m someone who always looks for silver linings, and I have to say the fact that my son is being very kind to me and telling me not to worry about it is so valuable to me–perhaps even worth the missed test, to see that he has that kind of character. Thank goodness it is still 9th grade and not the last-chance SAT of senior year. The reason he was taking this test is because he is in Honors Biology and that’s just what they do in our school. And yes, he will sign himself up for things from now on!
Agree, time to let the teeter-totter even out and let him take on some responsibilities. He’s young, but old enough to start shouldering a few things. It’s the best thing you’ll ever do for yourself and for your son. If you are crying about this, you need to help yourself, too, so you CAN help with the really important things over the next three years as he matures.
Lauriejgs. Kind mom, kind son. You are the worlds best parent!
You have raised a resilient young man. Great quality to have and at such a young age.
Definitely not the worst parenting mistake nor the last one you will make. On a scale of one to ten it ranks low for your son’s future. You will get over it.
Here’s my tale. Son took the Math SAT with his only review being the fall of senior year AP calculus review of precalc math despite our telling him to study the material. He did okay but not as well as he should have given his abilities (gifted kid). So he was to sign up for the test later that fall. He procrastinated until close test centers were full and ended up signing up for the regular SAT again (I don’t know how that happened, but given your story I can now understand- and I think there was something about the math SAT not being available there we found out after it was too late), and at a test center that was further than one still a couple of hours away. His father got the honors of waking up extra early on a December Saturday- cold and snow on the ground- to drive him to the test center where he couldn’t find a McDonalds to wait in. Son later told us he nearly didn’t bother- he had a near perfect ACT score and a high SAT score. Now he has bragging rights to a perfect 2400 on the SAT. It did not get him to apply to more than three colleges or get into his top choice.
So- even gifted students make that sort of mistake. btw- our son signed up for six AP exams his senior year of HS, including AP Biology. His HS had an advanced biology course that wasn’t AP. The Sunday evening before that test he told us he didn’t want to take it and he didn’t. He was studying for so many other AP exams and this was the one he had new material for. He later found out from someone it was easy and perhaps he would have gotten the 5. It made no difference in his college or future. He majored in math for honors and added computer science at our highly ranked in those fields flagship.
So- despite the current trauma you have not ruined his life, etc. He will be mad because of the studying he did, but he’ll get over it. Tell him my tale- HE could just as easily been the one to make the mistake. Be sure he double checks when he signs up for future SAT tests- if it can happen to a gifted (age almost 16) HS senior, it can happen to any other kid, even yours.
Nice to have great kids and since he was just a freshman I understand why mom was doing the work. You will be turning over the reins very soon so he can be in charge- and learn from his own mistakes. It is best to take exams close to the time a course is finished.
btw- one of son’s AP tests that year was for a previous summer gifted program 3 week course he dropped out of because he couldn’t get in the distance running he was passionate about there- he got the 5. A kid we knew never took required US history or the AP version because he took the AP and got a 5 before he was to take either course. Just more tales of how the world doesn’t run on a schedule for everyone.
After all of that- thanks for sharing. Life is full of detours/mistakes et al and still things work out as they should.
My kid was going to an MUN conference across the country and I booked the flight for the wrong date. Didn’t find out till we met the group at the airport. Ended up on a later flight with a huge change fee and missed some events … not my finest moment.
If he takes an AP science junior year that might be an even better time to take subject SAT. That’s when most kids take the bulk of their subject tests at our school.
Glad your son is being so understanding.