Love this thread! Let the kid save their mental energy for coursework, where they might actually learn useful things. I can’t say I ever learned anything from a standardized test, and learning is what I’m about. Lots of professionals in the college business are happy to see such tests finally being deemphsized.
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Yes, I agree!! In the great scheme of things it really doesn’t matter.
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It’s a tough one but we believe in supporting mental health. If he doesn’t get the score he was hoping for (100 more than his last score), that will be that. I may ask if he wants to try the ACT again but he was feeling pretty defeated after that test so it’s not worth pushing. Everything will work out. We still don’t have scores and he is out with his friends probably for the night…
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That is so frustrating, all that hard work!
Finally got the scores, went up 90 points but not
where he wanted them to be. I think he’s done testing. I’ll ask him in a few weeks if he wants to try ACT but will probably just apply TO. At least we know now, and the test prep did a pretty good boost, just hoped for more. His PSAT translated to 1200, frustrating…. Onto the next step of this journey.
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It is frustrating but glad to have it behind us. So glad so many schools are test optional. I think my son is done testing and will focus on working on apps and senior courses.
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My journey included a PSAT score which was well below his. When I walked into the guidance counselor’s office and saw the two numbers underneath my name, I kept looking back and forth between name and numbers – there had to be some sort of mistake (there was not).
Fast-forward a dozen years, and NASA management is grudgingly going with my outside-advisor recommendations for needed improvements to the Space Shuttle (e.g. that parachute which pops out the back on landing, which it didn’t have to start with). Somehow my PSAT scores never came up in the course of the week-long meeting ; )
About all kiddo needs to understand at this point is that their success will not be determined by standardized test scores, but rather by how hard they work in whatever course of study they undertake, as well as in whatever endeavors follow. Fortunately (in contrast to some other CC threads), the parents here seem well suited for imparting such thoughts… and maybe already have. Why am I even still talking?
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Day 5 of summer scrubs day camp was today. Not a whole lot to report from The Child. Lunch was sandwiches. Lots more lectures today. They all had to wear scrubs today for a group photo at end of the day. She said there were people taking pictures and shooting video off and on all week, so I’m pretty sure she’ll show up in a promo video for the program for next year.
Totally fantastic summer camp. So grateful she had this opportunity. It’s solidified her desire to practice medicine, but it won’t be as an MD/DO.
Right now this evening, she’s working a 6 hr shift at the golden arches and has an 8 hr shift tomorrow, too.
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Thank you for the kind words and story of your success. He has persevered in many areas of his life already and will continue to throughout his life.
It’s just maddeningly what this test does to our psych. The pandemic has made it even more difficult if you are analyzing scores, even with test optional. I found some data on scores before the pandemic and his fell at the 50% mark and between 25-50 for his top two favorite schools. Now it’s below 25% due to TO because only higher marks are turned in.
Ok, moving on now so we can focus on strengths and things in our control. I know he’ll end up where he is supposed to be anyway.
What a great experience for her! Good job Mom for finding this opportunity!
Really sounds like it was a valuable week for her. I am curious if they spent time talking about different paths into the health care system (RN/NP/PA/MD) or was it more focused on the actual hands-on stuff that applied to any path?
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It was more focused on MD stuff along with practical hands-on lab stuff. No presentations from RNs, NPs, or PAs.
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Today, D24 is learning the lesson of “You have to request time off ahead of time.” MIL & my sister are coming over later today for dinner (DH arranged it before we knew what D24’s work schedule was and DH kind of totally forgot about D24 working anyway). So she’s asked basically last minute if she can leave at 7 pm instead of 10 pm. We’ll see how that goes. School of hard knocks!
D24 & I both got an email from U of A announcing an online “Application Launch Event” at the end of this month. On 6/29 & 6/30 for 2 hr each day in the afternoon. Read the email and thought, “Holy ___, it’s gettin’ real now!” Schedule for 6/29 is this:
- 1:00-1:05 - Welcome session
- 1:05-1:45 - Why choose Arizona?
- 1:45-2:30 - Ask a Wildcat Student Panel
- 2:30-3:00 - Meet Your Recruiters
Then on 6/30:
- 1:00-1:05 - Welcome session
- 1:05-1:45 - Preparing for the application
- 1:45-2:30 - Supplemental application breakouts
- 2:30-3:00 - Application troubleshooting & help
Am going to ask D24 if she wants to attend that. They’re also going to have a series of application workshops on 7/11, 7/12, and 7/13.
If she does decide to attend U of A, she’ll live on campus freshman year and then will live w/my sister for free the remaining years.
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True… and becoming just a nurse is a huge accomplishment, no easy feat, and should not be even remotely dismissed as something that needs to be necessarily added on to later… just sayin’
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Agree with you 100%. Kids need to learn to work with diverse personalities, to communicate, to manage their time, to gain independence, to manage their newly earned money, etc. And as you said, get a dose of reality.
And just because a kid may not have a manual labor job after college, it all still applies. Because guess what DC? You may hate your post-college job, want to call in sick, etc.
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yes I agree. I am a nurse and we do so, so much. Nurses have much more face to face time with patients. We also do most of the hands on things (blood draws, IV’s, even intubating in some cases). We can’t prescribe medications but a lot of the time we’re telling the doctors what meds to prescribe.
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What does the U of A application require other than grades and test scores? I know it is TO but requires them for merit. Do they have supplementals? It is on S24’s long list and he still may apply regardless. Likes what he sees online but would def have to visit if he got in and was strongly considering it.
I have no idea what U of A means by supplementals. But will find out soon!
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My kiddo had a lazy start to summer, where he did not have to do anything the first week. This coming week, I am going to start to nag, erm, encourage. He needs to practice driving. He needs to work on merit badges. He is unsure about getting a summer job.
I am thinking of taking him on tours this summer to UW LaCrosse, UW Eau Claire, and St. Norbert. A weird mix but it will just get the gears moving and hopefully he will start to get a feel. All three of these are a drive from where we live in SE WI. He might want to stay closer to home and if so, he seems to like Parkside.
Younger bro is taking 9th grade PE in summer school and Older bro finished his first week of job training for BSA summer camp.
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It’s nice that you have so many options in state!
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