<p>I think there was a discussion recently on this thread regarding Vera Bradley luggage. I just got an email that the rolling luggage is 20% off with free shipping. Just thought I would pass the info along in case anyone was considering a purchase.</p>
<p>amandakayak-our school has the same grading that yours does, and they call it a 4-point scale. Kids who have AP credits would have, for example, a GPA listed as 4.2 on a 4 point scale. So, the weighted classes take the GPA above the range of the scale.</p>
<p>Happy St. Patrick’s Day one and all.</p>
<p>My latest daughter story: She received a package yesterday with a bathing suit she had ordered on-line. She goes into her room to try it on and yells “Hurray!” I call up the stairs “Does it fit?” and she yells back “Yes, it looks awesome! You’re going to hate it!”</p>
<p>I’m enjoying my crazy, wonderful, daughter more than ever these past few weeks. So, while it will be nice to know where she’s accepted, I don’t want to wish this time away. I find myself thinking too often about how quiet this house will be next year.</p>
<p>50isthenew40 – I’m mostly a lurker but couldn’t help but to respond to your post about enjoying your daughter during this crazy time. I am probably more anxious about waiting for the college responses to start coming in than my daughter is (she’s moved on to being stressed about the prom- very appropriate!), but I am trying to enjoy every moment with her. I miss her already! She is my oldest and I have another younger daughter, but of course, things won’t be the same without her. This year has been a huge one of growth for her; mostly due to obstacles and challenges she’s had to deal with. Although it has been a year of ups and downs, I’ve been happy to see her deal with it all. I will feel better that she will be more prepared for college and the challenges of being on her own, when the time comes - a very short 5 months from now!</p>
<p>Happy St. Patrick Day and congratulations to all who received good news!</p>
<p>S has his AIME this morning.</p>
<p>Then later, the last parents/teachers conferences. </p>
<p>Then, S will try to register for his APs. Last year there was some glitch: half the class was seniors, and the online thingie accepted registration for English Literature but not English Language for some of the students.</p>
<p>This year, there is another glitch with Music Theory (self-studied, since he is attending a pre-college music program). </p>
<p>Hope it works out, so he can get some credits for next year.</p>
<p>I know that some of you have children who won’t settle for anything less than a 5 on AP exams and others who have children who will attend schools that don’t give any AP credit. But for the rest of you: as soon as your child has chosen a school, print out the school’s chart of AP credits and also a list of required core courses. Then you can help him formulate his study strategy. </p>
<p>For example, Son’s school gave credit for any 4s or 5s. I told my son to concentrate his studying on the tests that he thought he could a 4 or a 5 on. Four 3s would give him no credit, while three 1s and one 4 would give him three hours of credit. If the chosen school gives no credit for Art History, don’t waste study time on it. If the school gives 8 hours of credit for a 5 on Bio, spend the time studying for Bio. </p>
<p>Cynical method, but it worked well for Son and now I’m plotting and planning for D.</p>
<p>Amanda: When the procrastination leads to missed sleep for you, it’s NOT okay. I would recommend checking with your school’s guidance department to see whether they report the WGPA on a 4 or 5 point scale. </p>
<p>I agree with Missypie’s strategy for the AP tests. Your kid should also consider whether he or she wants to take the credit for certain courses. As we have discussed before, sometimes it’s better to repeat the HS level again, especially in math and science courses.</p>
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<p>Right…I guess I didn’t finish my thought about printing off a list of the school’s required core courses. If a Bio major has to take certain core classes and a 4 in AP Euro will tick one of these off, but Art History won’t, focus on AP Euro. And some just give too much bang for the buck to pass up. At D’s school, a 4 or 5 on Psych gives you 8 Psych credits. Only one class is needed in that category, but if the extra credits give you a leg up at the next class registration, go for it.</p>
<p>Happy St. Patricks Day - everyone is a little Irish today!</p>
<p>I am sorry to hear about the car incidents -accident and break in. Although it is a pain to dela with, thank goodness nobody was hurt.</p>
<p>Missypie - I LOVE your AP strategy. Thank you for sharing, I am definitely going to use it.</p>
<p>Maybe we will have the luck of the Irish with us today!</p>
<p>missypie ~ Thanks for sharing your AP strategy. It’s not cynical, it’s smart. :)</p>
<p>I will caution everyone to think twice about passing out of any math or science classes in college. I have a friend whose S is in danger of losing his 20K a year scholarship because he needs to maintain a 3.5 GPA and calc 3 did him in last semester. he got a 5 on calc BC last year. He has this semester to bring his average up or he will have to transfer. Of course if you are an english major and can use AP credit to get out of taking math, go right ahead, or vice versa a math major passing out of english. </p>
<p>We have already told S he will not use his AP results to skip calc or economics first year. I think freshman year is difficult enough, if those courses end up being gut ones for him all the better.</p>
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<p>Exactly! </p>
<p>Others may disagree, but I think the big caution is with math and science. I really haven’t heard of an English major who got in trouble because he placed out of Comp 101 or Lit 101. (With that said, at one school to which Son was admitted, the Honors course that everyone raved about was their Honors equivalent of Comp 101.)</p>
<p>OWM: Yes, I rmember having my “colors” done. I think I still have the fabric swatches in a drawer somewhere. I’m winter, what about you?</p>
<p>I agree that liely letters are problematic. While it is nice to receive them, if you are a FA applicant, everything still remains in limbo. And, if you DON’T receive one, then it just escalates the worry and second guessing about what group was targeted for the letters.</p>
<p>Once again, I am amazed at how much I can learn from this site! Until today, I had never heard of a leprechaun trap!</p>
<p>^^Could not agree more with the Calc comment . We had this debate last year on the '10 thread</p>
<p><a href=“With%20that%20said,%20at%20one%20school%20to%20which%20Son%20was%20admitted,%20the%20Honors%20course%20that%20everyone%20raved%20about%20was%20their%20Honors%20equivalent%20of%20Comp%20101.”>quote</a>
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Amanda are you reading this? This is exactly what we discussed Honors programs vary greatly from one school to the other…</p>
<p>Stay 
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<p>I agree. D’s AP macro teacher explicitly told them that they should still take intro. level econ in college, because the AP does not cover all the material of a university level class so students would not be prepared for the intermediate level. But I do like the schools who’s say “this grade on this AP gives a student credit in this subject IF the student is not continuing to study in this area, or qualifies the student for this level of placement test if s/he is continuing.”</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about the accidents & car break-in but glad to hear that everyone is okay. I DO remember having my colors done but can’t remember now if I was a spring or a summer. What I do recall was that the only “red” I was supposed to wear was watermelon. Why would I remember that but not something important like what I needed to pick up at the grocery store? Memory is a strange, strange thing.</p>
<p>Two big milestones here in the last 24 hours. Last night was D’s last banquet for her varsity winter sport. Her coach could not get through her remarks without tears which of course got some of the parents going also. Then, this morning, two of my close friends and I went to the airport to see our girls off for their 12-day trip to Italy and France. Nothing like letting your kids fly halfway across the world without you to make you recognize that they’re growing up! I’m so happy that she has this opportunity but will be happy to see her smiling face when she returns. </p>
<p>Keeping my fingers crossed for those of you who are expecting news in the next few days! And I hope that you all have a great St. Patrick’s Day!</p>
<p>Fishymom, I can imagine how upset your D is and I hope it didn’t seem as if I was criticizing her. Definitely she did nothing wrong by having her ss card in her wallet, and there are times when we all need to do that.</p>
<p>I’m really sorry this happened.</p>
<p>Also agree with the poster who recommended booby-trapping ipods with electrocution devices for thieves!</p>
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<p>For two years, our insurance ID number on our insurance cards was our SSN!!! Many of us complained about that, as you really should carry your insurance card around. I blacked mine out with a sharpie, which probably just called attention to it. We only received different ID nos. after an employee’s wallet was stolen and the thief used her SSN that was on her insurance card!</p>
<p>Proudmomof~Bon Voyage to your D and Friends :)</p>
<p>Wow, lots covered here in the last day. So sorry to hear about the accident and the burglary – both so vexing. My S doesn’t even have his license yet! We own two cars with manual transitions and he took driver’s ed on an automatic. Because this has been such a crazy year and add to that his commute to school, we just didn’t devote time to driving. Hearing your stories makes me really nervous b/c he won’t have much experience driving before he leaves for college. Not sure when he’ll get it, as he won’t have a car. I myself didn’t get a license until I was 20.</p>
<p>re: teacher’s Thank you notes/gifts. OUr college counseling dept (son’s HS doesn’t have GC – we have a class dean and then in junior year the kids are assigned a college counselor; the school has three) gave us a schedule to follow for the college admissions process. They emphasized that the kids should write their thank you notes to their teachers before they heard back from their schools. personally, i don’t think it matters when they get the letter but my S followed the directive. Because the teachers at this school take these recommendations very seriously and were fabulous teachers that my son really appreciated, he wrote each a very touching note and I purchased each a handsome maple cutting board at an artists’ collective. glad i could lend support to the artist while showing appreciation to the hard-working teachers. </p>
<p>missypie, thanks for the AP suggestions. </p>
<p>emmybet, your Japanese daughters are often on my mind. they must be living with such high anxiety. thank god they have you and your family for support. </p>
<p>OWM, you and your son are models of resilience. I love his take-charge attitude. Without a doubt, he’ll take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities available and will be actively engaged in amazing research. Not many kids at 17 display that level of self-direction; it’s impressive. I’m really looking forward to hearing about the ball this weekend. How lucky you are to share something like that with him and your mother. Hope she’s arrived safe and sound.</p>