Parents of the HS class of 2010 - Original

Parents Forum Class of 20xx Community
941

<p>Happy ending! As son was riding into the parking lot, Coach was pulling out. He made the hand-off and won't receive the obligation. </p>

<p>I "blame" the difference in my kids grades on several things. </p>

<p>First, I believe in the boy/girl learning differences and the educational setting being more suitable to girls. </p>

<p>Next, I made a "novice parent error of inaction" when Son was in 3rd grade. He needed to be in the 97th percentile to place in the highest GnT program. But, being "only" 96%, he placed in the next level down. This placement stuck with him all the way through middle school. I later came to find out that most of the kids in the "high" GnT program were there on parent petition. They actually scored lower than Son's 96. If I had petitioned for him, perhaps the extra challenge would have led to overall better study habits or earlier APs in HS. Son has actually said to me that, in hindsight, he wishes I had fought for him to be in that special 3rd grade group. :(</p>

<p>Son was born at 34 weeks gestation. Daughter had 36.5 weeks. I think that little difference factors in their brain power. Likewise for athletic ability. D is the stronger athlete and was always the healthier baby. No asthma, but Son's lungs have always been "weakish." (To balance D's athletics, Son got a very powerful music talent.)</p>

<p>Born pre-FMLA, I could only take off 6 weeks of work and breast feed Son until his orignial due date. With D being born post-FMLA and at a later gestational age, I could take off 12 weeks of work. This allowed me breast feed her until 2 months passed her due date. </p>

<p>Is there real science at work here? Or just Mommy's guilt? Who knows. Probably a little of each. But, I don't mind. They're both "perfect" kids to me. I wouldn't "fix" anything about either. :)</p>

<p>ETA: I just realized I overlooked a question. No, D's 9th grade load isn't lighter, by comparison, to Son's. She is taking all honors, mostly 10th grade stuff. He's got 2 APs, 3 H, and one regular.</p>

942

<p>DougBetsy - Yay for your S getting his uniform back to his coach in time! Great news! I'm glad he avoided getting the "obligation."</p>

<p>I don't think you have to suffer any mommy guilt - your S sounds like a typical boy to me. My S sounds very much like yours, only younger and with worse grades. He's trying to develop some study skills now, but he resisted any help last year. Hopefully, he'll get himself back on track soon.</p>

943

<p>Thanks. :)</p>

944

<p>Made my heart happy to hear that the cross country uniform got handed off! I was hoping he wouldn't have to face the consequences....</p>

<p>By the way, your thread reminds me of the current one about mistakes that parents hve made along the way that have affected the childs academic career. We have all made those mistakes.</p>

945

<p>I came back to this thread hoping for an update--- Yea he made it!!!!</p>

946

<p>DougBetsy, my S was also born at 34 weeks. As best I can tell, he had no long-term effects. He graduated top 5% of his class and is a Dean's List student at his college. The only effect I ever wondered about was his fine motor skills - his handwriting is pretty bad. But so is his dad's, so that might not have anything to do with being a preemie!</p>

947

<p>Bad handwriting with THIS age group? LOL! For my S, he was getting keyboarding (typing) training in the third grade. Thereafter, the expectation was that papers will be typed. Some of these kids live on the computers, between the schoolwork, social networks like Facebook, email, video games. When do they ever do handwriting except in class and for some exams?</p>

<p>They'll all have handwriting like physicians, unless they take a calligraphy class. I remember learning typing in HS in 1973, not because I planned a clerical career but just because I thought it would prove useful and it has.</p>

948

<p>Bad handwriting with THIS age group? LOL! For my S, he was getting keyboarding (typing) training in the third grade. Thereafter, the expectation was that papers will be typed. Some of these kids live on the computers, between the schoolwork, social networks like Facebook, email, video games. When do they ever do handwriting except in class and for some exams?</p>

<p>They'll all have handwriting like physicians, unless they take a calligraphy class. I remember learning typing in HS in 1973, not because I planned a clerical career but just because I thought it would prove useful and it has.</p>

949

<p>My daughter just emailed me with her SAT plan. Does this sound feasible?</p>

<p>I think this is what I'm going to do...</p>

<p>Take SAT math subject test on Jan. 24th (I have to take 2 or 3 subject tests so I'm going to do math as one of them and this is only about a month after my math class ends so stuff will probably still be fresh in my mind)</p>

<p>Take SATs on March 14th</p>

<p>Take SATs on June 6 (or I could do it just once this year, either in March or June, then again in the fall of my senior year. Unless I do early option applications) </p>

<p>Take ACTs February 7 and/or April 4</p>

<p>and the AP tests are in May, so they won't interfere with studying for any of these.</p>

950

<p>hi there 2Leashes-</p>

<p>Which math is she planning to take? If that's when her math class ends, that is a good time to take it. What other subj tests is she thinking of taking? Since as she knows one usually takes them when a class ends, June is a typical time to take subj tests. Figure out when she will take the rest of those and then fit the SAT I tests into the gaps. </p>

<p>For example if she is taking APUSH, she could consider taking the USH SAT II in May or June. </p>

<p>Not knowing where you live, see if the ACT is offered close to you on those dates. In Feb, it is not offered close to us, only centers in our state are an hour or more drive away.</p>

951

<p>2Leashes, per your post #949, I woudl take a totally different approach, unknowing much about your D.</p>

<p>I would take the ACT in Feb and make sure it does not go to any one else. This will give you a good baseline as where she is and how comfortable she feels about ACT format. I would guess that she woould have her PSAT score by then. With those two scores, you could decide if she should take ACT or SAT I.</p>

<p>Take all SAT II in June right after AP tests. Taking three tests per test day is normal. If her aim is high, make sure she takes Math II. It is one of the easiest to get a 800 per my DD's experiences. </p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

952

<p>Dad II, with score choice available now for college board tests as well as ACT, I don't think ordering needs to be strategized more than deciding when to take the tests at the best point in the academic calendar and also fitting in between other conflicts. </p>

<p>I agree that taking the ACT early is a good idea, or at least look over some of the prep. If taken before the others, you might even be able to skip some of the others.</p>

<p>I'm also not sure if 3 subj tests in one day is normal, and even if it is some kids may do better taking fewer at a time. Over two dates, one could take 1-2 each time. But again, with score choice, if the third test doesn't go so well because of burnout, it could be taken again or another subject. I am just hesitant to plan too much for Sr year but to keep those dates open if needed.</p>

953

<p>2Leashes: Your daughter's plan looks good. March is a great time to take the SAT-I because there are no SAT-II's offered on that date. If she is taking the Math SAT2 in Jan, she might as well try the English Lit SAT2 on that date and see how that goes. Depending on how she does in those tests she could plan out whether to do more subject tests or repeat the SAT-I in June. May would be a good date to do the SAT subject corresponding to her AP course. About the ACT: take it if there is some special incentive (i.e, if it is preferred over the SAT for some scholarships or admission to a specific college she is looking at). If not, and if she does well enough in the March SAT, why bother with the ACT?</p>

954

<p>Some kids prefer to take the SAT2s all in one sitting, others don't. For my olders son one sitting with 3 800s was the way to go, but he's very good at multiple choice tests. Others get wiped out. He took SAT2s in June, but a lot of his friends preferred to take them in May the same week as the APs before they forgot anything. (DS knew he was going to have to review some physics topics which is why he waited.) He didn't bother with ACT as PSAT scores were very good. </p>

<p>For younger son current plan is.</p>

<p>Jan. find out what PSAT scores are. If they are great he'll just take the SAT, if uneven (as they were last year) he'll try the ACT as well.</p>

<p>ACT probably Feb maybe April.</p>

<p>SAT1 - March. Earlier than we did for big brother, but I'd like a second chance in May or June if necessary.</p>

<p>SAT2 - He'll plan on doing three. May or June. He's in AP US History and Pre-Calc so he'll definitely do US History and Math2. He's in AP Bio, and will probably do Bio for the third SAT2. If he doesn't like a score - he can always take something in the fall of senior year.</p>

<p>SAT1 - May or June if he doesn't like March score or ACT scores.</p>

955

<p>Mathmom - FYI - according to the ACT web site, the ACT isn't offered in NY in Feb.</p>

<p>It's funny to see how varied everyone's testing plans are. My D will be taking both the SAT and ACT in December and SAT IIs in June (2 or 3 of them). She'll have time to retake the SAT and/or ACT in the spring if necessary.</p>

956

<p>Yes, all the kids do have varied schedules, but that is because everyone is in some overwhelming EC which interferes with timing. My D did not sign up for December ACTs because her school play is on that day. We are going to have to rearrange everything around her performance schedule. Well, what can you do?</p>

957

<p>Queen's Mom - that's it, exactly - those crazy EC schedules make planning things so difficult.</p>

958

<p>Mine is taking the SAT Reasoning in March, ACT in April, SAT subjects in English, US History and Biology in May, and Sat Reasoning again in June. Hopefully that will be the end.</p>

959

<p>Thanks - I think I knew that, but was just going on the other post. It's not really on my radar yet.</p>

960

<p>Well, I didn't know that until I checked their web site. Feb. would likely have been a great time for D to take the ACT. I knew it wasn't on the school calendar, but I thought that maybe they had overlooked it because it wasn't offered in our school that month.</p>