<p>and S got 7 As and 1 B—in Honors Algebra II/Trig. I’ll take these grades 
We will be touring University of Colorado-Colorado Springs this summer. Now he’s also interested in University of Utah which has an outstanding computer engineering program–loves to build robots, etc. which they are known for there :)</p>
<p>@ Javamom: if you really think he’s hit the ceiling for ACTs (which I doubt; even my uber verbal/reading girl added to her ACT reading & english along the way) then let him retake the SATs. The timing isn’t as tight as for the ACTs.</p>
<p>I will probably start pushing D’13 to start looking at schools this spring. Our district doesn’t give a lot of days off that coincide with colleges being in session. Add in my working FT now and I don’t want to be stressed trying to fit visits in later on down the road. </p>
<p>Got some news that made D pretty happy. I had mentioned fencing to her over the summer then looked around to see what there was in the area. Turned out to be nothing but then tripped across a guy who was working with some local JROTC units. Emailed him & got on his list. Anyway, he just let me know that he’s going to try some local lessons to see what the level of interest is. D & one of her friends are totally stoked :)</p>
<p>All A, I think - not all of the grades have been finalized yet.
Just found out that all 10 graders are writing PLAN this Wednesday. The school must be paying for it 
I am amazed to read that some kids have already lists of potential colleges/ have needs-wants lists. We are visiting for the general sake of getting to know the places, but S has no clue where he would like to apply. Normal?</p>
<p>Very normal. But my ds also thinks he knows where he’d like to apply. Sometimes, it’s because they are a second child so seeing big sis/bro go through this gets them thinking.</p>
<p>For the first time in a year, I checked ds’s online grading system. Something just told me … a C on there this six weeks in math. The good news is every other grade has held steady or improved.</p>
<p>Most kids don’t show much interest in colleges as HS sophomores. For some that carries over to junior year, but if they’re still showing no interest by second semester junior year they may need a little parental jump-start.</p>
<p>My D2 (HS class of '13) was not the least interested until her older sister was accepted at her first choice LAC last year. Then D2 said she’d like to visit a few colleges over the summer, which we did after we dropped D1 off at her college in August. Planning for that trip, and in the process identifying a range of different types, sizes, and locations of colleges to look at, helped her start to think about what characteristics she was looking for in a college, and the early visits also did much to advance that thought process. D2 also attended our local college fair this fall and talked to the reps of a few colleges she’s developed an interest in, and has faithfully read the literature they distributed as well as other stuff they’ve started to send her after she signed up for their mailing lists. She’s identified a few early faves, but she’s being very realistic and pragmatic at this point; she understands she won’t know whether she’ll be competitive at the most selective schools until she’s got more of her HS record and some standardized test scores behind her, and her interests and “wish list” could evolve considerably between now and the time she’s actually applying. I think in her case, though, as in D1’s, a little early interest in and attention to colleges and what they’re looking for in an applicant has actually provided a positive motivation to stay focused and do well in HS. But I wouldn’t force the issue with a kid who’s just not ready to start thinking about it, at least not until second semester of junior year.</p>
<p>I’ll also say that any notions that D’13 has in her head have been gained by what she saw during D’10’s college search. There are a few that have been automatic cross offs, but I’m sure her criteria will change as time goes on. I think extreme cold will be a automatic exemption :)</p>
<p>our school pays for the PLAN too Kelowna.</p>
<p>I agree that the subsequent children start thinking about college earlier. They’ve lived through older sibs search process and, in our case, see sibling having so much fun! My older D didn’t really start thinking about college in a concrete way until summer after jr. year. She’s just never been a future oriented person - lives in the “now.” S’13 has a vague idea about what he wants, but not really concerned at all. I think he just likes the idea of college (no parents, no curfew, unlimited pizza in the cafeteria every night). I keep trying to tell him that D has to actually go to classes too!</p>
<p>My poor son got dragged along to four college visits with his big sister, beginning in 8th grade. He hated them all, but he had reasons for hating them. At least we have some idea of what he doesn’t like.</p>
<p>Since it’s election day, my son has the day off. Last night, I suggested that he spend the day working on his end of quarter projects that are about 20% of his grade. Since none are due tomorrow (the 1st one isn’t due until Friday), he doesn’t see the need to. I’m at work fighting the urge to take a half a day just so I can go home and crack the whip…lol.</p>
<p>reeinaz - I feel for you! </p>
<p>Kelowna – My neice knew exactly what she wanted from college and major in 9th grade. The list changed in 10th grade to a new major. The list change by the end of 11th grade to a new, new major and entire different list of schools. She is a senior this year. Now she is thinking of a double major - one humanities and one science. I’m willing to bet her first choice school right now won’t be the one she sends a deposit for come spring :). Watching her has helped me come to grips with my S13 who probably won’t decide to seriously consider college until the deposit money is due. S13 isn’t a planner. I am. I just want to be sure when he procrastinates it doesn’t turn into pressure to visit 10 schools in 1 weekend. At least I’ll be able to remind him, hey remember you did art classes at A, visited B with cousin, hated the art at C. And with my CC addiction hobby I will at least make sure he applies to schools with merit and avoid schools known to gap a lot.
Just Venting:
Yesterday son said he “Good News, I’m brought up my grade in 2 classes, but the bad news is that it dropper is other classes. Don’t worry because I can do extra credit in most.”<br>
After his EC last night while eating dinner at 8 pm (UGGH - he wouldn’t eat before the EC) “I can’t get all the extra credit done and I don’t know which of the classes it is more important to do it for.” Me: “Well, I can help. I received handouts at back to school night. Let’s look at the classes that count homework/classwork the most.” Him: “No. I can do it myself. Just don’t expect me to bring up all my grades. By the way, (insert super time consuming EC here) are going to North Carolina this weekend. I’m not sure what we’ll be doing. I can go right?” WHAT – Kid isn’t clear in telling me grades in each subject; is very clear that he won’t be completing extra credits in many subjects; kid wants to be gone on a 20 hour round trip road trip for an EC! note - this EC is not a national science comp or some major sport event that he’ll be the next recruited phenom. As a matter of fact EC usually leads the kids to military and my son continually checks he won’t go into the military, apply to an Academy or do ROTC. He wants to be a weekend warrior only.</p>
<p>On SUMMER stuff – Just found out dates for the big EC camp. A must for my kid to attend. The dates have effectively cut out CTY camp (not that I was sure we could afford CTY), community college classes for BOTH summer sessions and employment at the local amusement park that employs most HS kids in our area. UGGH. Kid better find something more useful to do then sleep til noon and play guitar for 4 hours a day.</p>
<p>We’re waiting to hear dates for the summer sports camp (although optional, it’s really not optional for the varsity players), so other summer plans can’t be made yet. I would like D to attend a 2 or 3 week summer session somewhere at a college, just for fun and to see what it is like. A job would be nice too! One that’s flexible enough to say - I have to miss this week for family vacation, this week for sports, etc, etc etc.</p>
<p>I am so psyched! My son suddenly developed an interest in writing and showed his current work to a faculty member at the university he spends time at as part of a school program. He told me that she was impressed enough that she said she would email a colleague try and set up a meeting. I’m just hoping that this will kick start his motivation to keep his grades up and get involved at school. I think any encouragement from anyone other than me would make such a huge difference right now.</p>
<p>reeinaz - that sounds great! Hope it works out! I know just what you mean about acknowledgement coming from outside the house working much better! :)</p>
<p>D’13 thinks she has 6 As and 1 B this quarter - I’ll take it! Her B is in pre-calc but I’m not as worried as I thought I would be since she is enjoying the class and working in it, so it matches her effort (she is not one to go the extra mile). She checked her grade for chemistry and saw it was a B due to a missing assignment and she marched right back up to the 3rd floor and showed the teacher the lab she had just handed back, graded with an A, but reported as “missing.” That put her grade back where it was supposed to be at an A and is so characteristic of my D! She won’t usually make the extra effort but beware anyone who tries to miss something she actually did! :)</p>
<p>Despite an older sister in college, D13 is not even thinking about college yet but neither did my D1 until after junior year. And the funny part is S15 was on almost every college visit but D13 was either at a camp of her own or some other conflict/not interested in going so she is lacking in exposure to college visits. I’m hopeful she gets interested next summer but if it’s more into the junior year that’s okay too - she doesn’t have the intensive field hockey and crew seasons her older sister did that made school-year visits impossible!</p>
<p>My D is interested in getting to the college experience not necessarily in colleges.:0)…Getting away from the oppressors, parties, parties, and more parties. </p>
<p>Her experience is with close cousins going through the selection process and in hearing about it from the senior in her varsity sports. I am glad she has given it some thought. </p>
<p>ShillyShally: Great on the grades! </p>
<p>Grades…have not closed for us yet. BUT I have been warned not to expect all A’s (not a good sign). She has A’s in her AP classes but not in Trig or Chemistry. Her EC’s are taking up a ton of time weekly so that may be playing a role here. </p>
<p>Longhaul…laughing about your son waking at noon and playing guitar. Sounds like my D… Any free minute is spent on her guitar. She knows I think it is productive and am loath to say, “stop playing that guitar”. I swear she uses it to avoid her chores even!</p>
<p>Yes, chores are avoided. Hey, he provides our entertainment so we should be happier when doing chores.</p>
<p>Reeinaz – Great news! Yes, I too believe that they hear things more and view accomplishments in a better light when it comes from outside the home.</p>
<p>Hi! I guess I should jump into this thread since I have a soph. daughter. She is the second child of two, and, suprisingly, already knows she wants to be a pastry chef (we are really into Cake Boss, etc. here). Could be a challenging “college” experience, so I’ll probably need some advice…</p>
<p>Just wanted to introduce myself, and get to know you all. (Looking through the old posts i see that I already know some of you all…HI GIRLS!) It will be interesting to see how our discussions are different for our older ones…I know I already feel lots more 
</p>
<p>Hi. I’ve checked in here some times… just want to stop back in and tell you about a great college visit I did with my DS this week. Info session and tour at Lehigh. It was great. Really captured his interest – the academics, the sports opportunities (clubs/recreation), the campus, even the food (and he is by no means a foodie). He is a motivated student already; this is only going to help.</p>
<p>On a side note, DS brought home today something about being “nominated” for a HOBY leadership program (he has to submit an essay for Monday to his school for the selection process). I checked out the website and there is definitely a registration fee, but it wasn’t listed. Anyone know anything about this? He was also nominated for something similar by the Rotary Club; there’s a fee for that too, but it didn’t say how much on the website. I understand these “businesses” but being “nominated” at schools is so misleading. Anyone familiar with either of these? I know it’s of limited value as an “award” if it just takes money to get involved. But if there are some leadership benefits and the fee is reasonable, I would consider. DS is planning to write the essay this weekend.</p>
<p>Linymom, my D was also nominated to represent her school as a HOBY ambassador. She had to write a very brief essay as well outlining her leadership background. HOBY, or Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership, is a leadership development program specifically for sophomores in high school. My D’s high school nominates several sophomores each year for this program, but only names one ambassador to attend thetwo day conference usually held in the spring at one of our state’s universities. Our ambassador will probably be named by December because i think the HOBY organization sets this as a deadline for when ambassadors must be registered. Our school registers and pays for their participation in the program. I am assuming it would be my job as the parent to get her to the location if she were chosen. It is a very nice honor for our sophomores just to be nominated as there are about 600 tenth graders in her school. My D was nominated by a teacher as well as being the choice of the HOBY ambassador from last year. He has told her that he has to complete a certain number of service hours to remain a HOBY ambassador. I hope this helps.:)</p>
<p>blueshoe: Thank you. This really helps. I always wonder about the credibility of these organizations trying to take advantage of parents who are willing to pay anything to get their kid into a good school. I realize we have to be educated consumers. HOBY sounds good and I’m glad being nominated counts too! </p>
<p>CC comes through again :)</p>
<p>Congrats Linymom on the nomination! It is very nice when someone takes note of our kids. Also, thanks for the update on Lehigh. My DD13 is considering engineering, so this school is on our list. Ok, on my list. She doesn’t have a list yet. Still, nice to hear good things!</p>