<p>Rob, no mail here either. Ds2 set up a seperate e-mail account that he’s used only with the PSAT and a couple of schools that visited his HS later in the semester, and so far the only mail in there is from the two schools that visited his HS. The one thing he did get this weekend was snail mail from TASP, but even that could have been based on his sophomore PSAT score. I’ll report in when something unexpected pops up in the e-mail box.</p>
<p>Just got back from his NHS volunteer gig this morning and is getting ready to work on his English final project. And to start studying for the BC Cal final. He says he’s going to be disciplined and study every day this week for that one. We’ll see about that. I’m glad though. It’s his worst grade, and bombing it could take him into C territory. Like Rob’s school, the semester final is 25% of the semester grade.</p>
<p>David1126 - Great that your son is taking AMC. Math/Sci schools also look very favorably on USA/Canada Mathcamp or Ross Math program. My d did Mathcamp for 2 summers and Ross for 1.</p>
<p>D was hardly getting any college mail/email last year when many here were reporting they were receiving a lot. Now she is getting email everyday and receiving snail mail a few times a week. It is funny when they ask her to contact them so they can send her some college admission tips and when she does not, they are sent anyway with a “glad to hear from you!” letter. D is a little bewildered by this. lol</p>
<p>Thanks mom22girls- He will definitely apply to these programs.
I keep waiting for the college mail to start but we’ve had very little. Why I’m waiting for it, I don’t know! I don’t know when psat related mail starts but with his high scores I’m assuming it hasn’t started yet? I’m sure he did select the reporting service because we did get that Lead America thing, and he’s gotten some from Vanderbilt, U Chicago and Bard but that’s it. I think that mail was from a subject test he took last June.</p>
<p>We’ve been receiving stuff all along, I think from her CTD testing and again from last year’s prep run at the PSAT in snail and email. For some I really wish we weren’t - it’s really a clutter in the email folder. She didn’t share my email - but it was connected to her college board account since she took the tests long ago, in middle school.</p>
<p>I suppose, the challenging course load is helping him develop better studying skills. Although, personally, I am not comfortable with teaching 16 year old kids skills they are suppose to need when they are 19.</p>
<p>Thanks for the kind words, vandygrad. So now that that little worry is behind us, S decided to take the January SAT. And my healthy coping response? In the grocery store, as I picked the things he liked, I started to think how real it’s all becoming and that in a short time I wouldn’t have his particular likes on my grocery list. I imagined not having him to shop for and felt very sad! Luckily I didn’t burst into tears right there among the grapefruit, but I see that I am lining up for the Space Mountain of emotional roller coasters. Fixating on these little details (January or March SAT?) is a nice way for me to avoid the big picture.</p>
<p>Report cards are in and my son went for the entire alphabet. Worst.grades.EVER. Hope he pulls it together. School swithced from 4 quarters with 2 terms and MidTerm/Final counting for 25% of grade to Trimester. This killed him. He turns in half his homework/projects and relies on the test grades to drag him out of the ditch. </p>
<p>HOLIDAY GIFTS – This is the MOST I’ve ever spent. Son turns 16 on Thursday and I got him a new guitar and case. Christmas brings a watch with all kinds of compass, etc gadgets; I designed a new pair of converse for him; two books; PS3 game; 2 very expensive wheeled duffel bags and a pair of good sunglasses. Plus, he recently got new winter hiking boots and hiking socks (which cost a small fortune!).</p>
<p>All this plus I have 2 younger kids - one with a December birthday. So add a cell phone for the 12 year old (pay as you go), Pearl drum kit (still haven’t figured out where it will fit in my house), 2 more PS3 games, a Wii game, sequin boots for the 10 year old, 2 T-shirts for each kid, $100 worth of duct “Duck” tape (for my 10 year old crafter), books, and all the girlie tween stuff (bath & body works soaps, lip glosses, etc.) Add to all this I recently bought the 12 year old new hockey skates and got 2 more Kindles for the family - a new one for me & 1 for the kids to share.</p>
<p>Yes, I have done far more for the economy than ever before. Should have happy and surprised kids.</p>
<p>We don’t celebrate Christmas but my son has a very early January birthday so (un)luckily, he gets to tag onto that ride. I’m getting him an iPod Touch, a PS3 game or two, a wallet, and some Timberlands for the winter. He’s been wearing the same sneakers since school started and would be very reluctant to actually wear a new pair since the old ones are just so comfy (smelly!!!). But, I might be able to convince him to give the sneaks a well needed rest for the sake of warm feet. </p>
<p>Holy cow at all those amazing PSAT scores. Still no scores here. My son has started greeting me when he comes home from school with “Fine and no” in anticipation of “how was your day” and “did you get your scores”. I am sitting squarely on the bench and will completely lose my mind if he scores anywear near a 200. You will think I hit the lottery…lol. Last year’s PSAT score was mid 150s with an SAT score in May of high 1600s. I’m actually just hoping that he breaks 1800. He’s not making NMSF. So like, RobD, I’m like the scores will get here when they get here. BUT I still hold on to that glimmer of hope that he might score high enough for National Achievement. It’s still highly unlikely but not the impossibility of hitting the high NMSF cutoff for PA.</p>
<p>@Longhaul Sorry to hear about the first report card. Even my son’s pediatrician has jumped on the bandwagon of talking to my kid about his grades. While odd, I do appreciate it though. Coming from an neutral third pary that happens to be a successful, young black man who had an Ivy undergrad and med school education, it seems to sound different than when I say the same thing. He’s even agreed to put my son in contact with an alumnus of his who is a working Hollywood writer but only if he gets his grades up.</p>
<p>Here, my S’s birthday is on January 2nd, so usually gets a present(what he asks for) which is xmas as well as birthday present for him. Last year he asked for a netbook. He has not asked for any thing yet for this year. We are waiting and he is thinking(he doesn’t ask for much, so my H and I are eagerly waiting for him to ask some thing)</p>
<p>My s was doing the same thing, if he did not finish his homework, he would not hand it in, because he wanted to avoid the embarrassment of a low grade on his homework. I understand, this is a common problem among smart students. We had to explain to him that it was better to hand in incomplete homework assignments and get a low grade than a zero for missing an assignment completely, since every point matters. I had to show him his report card and how anything more than a zero on a missing assignment would have raised his overall grade. He was really suprized he had not thought about it that way and has begun handing in all his assignments, even if some are incomplete.</p>
<p>For the holidays, the family gets seasons front row tickets to see seven plays.</p>
<p>Add me to list of unhappy parents who still don’t have their kids’ PSAT scores. I too don’t understand why our school can’t just tell our kids their scores when the College Board released them. Also, why can’t the College Board let the kids go online to see the scores for themselves like they do with the SATs? </p>
<p>S2 told me the school will tell them on Thursday. I hope S2 makes the NMSF cutoff. D1 missed it last year :(. But all is not lost for her. On Friday, she was accepted to Wash U! DW and I are still euphoric over this wonderful Christmas gift!</p>
<p>The PSAT is often also sold as a diagnostic tool that helps kids identify areas of weakness, so kids may improve their skill in these areas, prior to taking the SAT. So, I do not understand the wisdom of some school districts releasing PSAT scores after the holidays, when this winter break is the last big opportunity (in which they can improve) before taking the SATs in Jan, March, May or June.</p>
<p>Wanted to add that we didn’t know that our S was a NM Commended student until graduation when he got the award for it. Sure would have been nice to include that on his applications…many thanks to his high school for that.</p>
<p>Argggggh! I will only whine here, I will only whine here! She actually LOST 3 points from her sophomore PSAT. Went up two in CR, down 2 in Writing and down 3 in Math.</p>
<p>Lol, I guess Saturday morning’s panic will play out when she sees it for herself, I’m not going to say a word - but I “knew” in my bones that she didn’t crack any of the prep books I bought her. Hopefully? She’ll learn her lesson because the SAT style math, is not her friend.</p>
<p>Blueshoe: Srsly? I am always amazed by how some schools just don’t share what seems to be basic info. sigh. </p>
<p>mnmom: whine away here Sorry about the results. I’ll just be happy to know; I was looking on the PSAT threads this weekend and saw how just 1 question missed in Writing dropped the scores like a rock.</p>
<p>I did order her ACT and SAT prep books this weekend, hopefully their arrival on the heels of what I know her distress will be will give her some hope for spring testing. No commended for her! Ah well - just keeping her calm seems to be the challenge of the day anymore.</p>
<p>Congrats, PCP! Now you can enjoy the holidays with that load off your mind.</p>
<p>mnmom, I’m sorry for the drop in scores. Kids! So you’ve seen her score, but she hasn’t? Ds2 was anxious to find out at first but now says he doesn’t want to know. Well, I do! Nothing he can do about it now, but it would be nice to know.</p>
<p>blueshoe, I can’t believe your school didn’t let you know your ds was commended.</p>
Sorry about the results. I’ll just be happy to know; I was looking on the PSAT threads this weekend and saw how just 1 question missed in Writing dropped the scores like a rock.</p>