<p>I haven’t been on this thread for a while so I hope I’m not “interrupting” anything!</p>
<p>Longhaul - I am sorry for your loss.
megpmom - Awesome for your DD!</p>
<p>I just wanted to share that DS '13 is definitely engaged in the college search (even though not specifically with me). He told me that he and his best friend (camp friend who lives in another state) were talking about colleges. Friend told him to look at Tulane (he said it’s on his list); DS told friend to look at Miami. If they continue on current course, both kids would get into both schools. How awesome if they go to college together. He was actually asking me last night if you get to pick your roommate at college (told him some you do, some you don’t).</p>
<p>Things are going pretty well for DS - grades are really good, looks like he’s getting a top spot on the varsity tennis team, and he was selected for a leadership honor (GC nomination and then essay – he’s away for leadership program next weekend) - yay for the accomplishment and yay for something really good for the resume! He is even starting to care about his social life.</p>
<p>It’s wonderful seeing him come into his own with his sister off at college now. I’m sure he misses her, but it is nice for me to focus just on him now.</p>
<p>Fortunately, he’s not 16 for a couple more months so I don’t have to add driving into the mix!</p>
<p>S’13 has been in DC for 2 days and the only communication we’ve had has been computer related. S called dad to ask how to sneak his laptop onto the college’s network (great - now my son’s a hacker!) Then dad had to call S to remind him not to share his “secret” account for hubby’s game company with the entire campus! S has access through the account to all the games that the company has ever developed (and in some cases - games in development too!) I’m convinced that the FBI is going to show up at our door looking for S any day now. </p>
<p>I know that S was planning to go to a couple classes (theatre history and criminal justice gened) with his sister today. I’m hoping that this visit will get him thinking about college. He did mention to me the other day that he really doesn’t want a “traditional” college experience. He’d be happiest at a music conservatory. We’ll see if this college visit changes his mind, or confirms it.</p>
<p>I just received D2’s Naviance login this week and I thought I would see what was up in this thread. I am finishing up with D1. She has received most of her decisions already (at least the ones that she cares about) and is in the process of deciding where to go next fall. </p>
<p>I am going to start visiting schools with D2 during spring break. For those of you that think it is too early, it has been my experience with D1 that it is never too early. I am definitely going to follow a different timeline this time around that was was recommended to me by our GC the first time around!</p>
<p>I look forward to sharing this entire crazy process with you!</p>
<p>Congrats megpmom and Kelowna! DD was highest scoring kid at her HS last year on one NY math test. Unfortunately, this year she didn’t do as well, only top 20. Bummer. Hope the other math test takers did well this week! </p>
<p>Welcome MomofBoston! When I first saw your name, my brain saw “Mom of Boston Rob”. Too much Survivor for me, perhaps?!</p>
<p>Well, this time around math competitions did not go so well for my kid.
AIME apparently was brutal, he only got 2 correct. On state contest, he has made 6 or 7 mistakes, which is unusual for him. Just not in the vibe for contest this week, I guess.</p>
<p>To sweeten things up a bit he has just found out that he is one of the recipients of the Energy Solutions scholarship. One sophomore per school in our state gets the honor.
Quite happy about it as we have found out about the scholarship at the last minute and had to really try hard to meet the deadline.</p>
<p>The end of the 3rd semester is approaching fast and he still needs to take care of some grades. As usual nervous time for mom He claims he is in absolute control…</p>
<p>Our First Robotics team just finished their first competion and qualified for nationals in St. Louis (rockie). I don’t know much, he just got off the bus and said they need $5,000 by Tuesday.</p>
<p>Kelowna, this year’s AIME is extremly hard. D2 got 4 correctly and has been in bad mood since. In my family, if anything did not go well as anyone expected, H would blamed me for it.</p>
<p>Kelowna, some companies may sponsor the Robotics club. My daughter joined one at her highschool but dropped out of it because it was so borring. All she did was sat around and wait. It seems like some parents taught their own kid how to program already. There is nothing to gain for newcomers.</p>
<p>Kelowna, congrats on the scholarship…
Susan, my son said he got 3 correct on AIME- out of fifteen that is, I guess.
Robotics are a bit expensive, in my S’s school, there is a local company that sponsor the club.</p>
<p>Hey everyone! I’ve been following this forum for a while. I just wondered, for those you of you more versed in this than I am, how colleges really feel about kids who go to schools that don’t offer APs? I read about all of these kids who graduate with 10 APs, and I can’t help but worry about my daughter.
For instance, next year’s schedule:</p>
<p>Advanced English 11
Spanish IV
French III
Physics
Advanced Math (between Algebra II and Calculus)
World History
Band
Choir</p>
<p>The only class she has that’s even honors is English, and her school doesn’t offer any others. Is there something we can do (or should be doing) about this? Her schedule gets her school’s most rig check, but she can’t really compare to AP or IB students, and I worry for college admissions.</p>
<p>Just dropped my D off and has a few minutes in my car for a quick update with my BB.</p>
<p>S2’s robotic team didn’t win states but did manage to win first in design which S2 contributed as a member of the design team. While disappointed his team didn’t make states, he is quite pleased with the design win. The science project he did with his buddy won a prize at the school fair and advanced to the regionals, but ultimately failed to advance to the states. It was a disappointment for him. Mom and I encouraged him to continue on with the project and go for Siemens.</p>
<p>On the brighter side of things, he won second place in the states in one of his ECs! On the math contest front, S2 won a certificate for having the highest AMC 10A score in the school, outscoring a kid who made the USAJMO last year. Since he did it without ever had any outside math training, mom told me to seriously consider signing him up for math contest training/camp. Unfortunately, like many, he didn’t do well on the AMIE.</p>
<p>With the above activities out of the way, he’s now focusing on preparing for a cello audition and another national competition.</p>
<p>Wonemot - I think she will be looked at based on what the school offers and that looks like a solid schedule and as you said she will get the most rig check.
My son who will have 2 yrs AP calcus, 2yrs AP physics, 1-2 yrs AP SS, possibly 4yrs of Latin and PLTW (Enigeering) will not (according to his guidance counselor) get that check becuase his first two years of English will be on grade level. He is moving to honors next year and she “may reconsider”. Sometimes having two many APs does not work to the students advantage.</p>
<p>Update on Robotics: We do have a sponsor and if enough kids can make the trip will ask for the $5000 entrance fee. Another team has kindly offered our kids freee seats on their bus, so we will only have to pay for food and hotel. Looks like he might be going, I wonder how that will effect AP gov’t test (should be ok - he’s a bit of a political junky)</p>
<p>Paperchase - It’s amazing how many things your son does and does well, good luck on cello competion. My son had the second highest AMC 10A score in his school, also did not qualify for AMIE - I tried but could not get him to do any prep.</p>
<p>wonemot - many schools don’t offer Aps until senior year and there is a huge debate going on on the validity/applicability of APs. I was stressing that D1 only had 2 APs, but it really didn’t have any impact. She was able to get into some very selective programs and now has some good choices.</p>
<p>Even if your child gets a 5 on the AP exam, most colleges and parents would recommend that the student retake the course again in college if it is a core requisite for their major. Most APs don’t cover everything that is needed especially in the sciences. However if your child is a science major and can get credit for the history class then that seems to be fine. And if it is an exact repeat of what they learned in HS, then it is an easy A for GPA boost. There are a couple of threads about this subject somewhere on the board.</p>
<p>momofboston, I’ll have to look up those threads.</p>
<p>What about PSEO? She won’t have time next year, but senior year, she can probably fit in two college classes each quarter. How would colleges look at this? Are there any classes that would help prepare her for college and admissions more than others?</p>
<p>S’13 arrived home from his visit to American U this evening. He had a great time, despite having to sleep on the floor of his sister’s room for 4 nights. Luckily she has a wonderful roommate who was busy teching a show all week. S says that he liked the size of the campus and the friendliness of the students. He also enjoyed the class he attended (theatre history). So, maybe this will put college on his radar. He even agreed to go visit some conservatories/music schools this summer. Yay!</p>
<p>S has the first round of the state one-act play competition this week. So he will miss 2 days of school. But we’re also meeting with his GC to plan his courses for the next 2 years. I’ve got a list of questions for her. Hope she says “yes” to a lot of them!</p>
<p>Kelowna: congrats on your son’s scholarship!</p>
<p>At our high school we are a small school so do not have a lot of options as far as AP etc… goes. It is possible my son will have a choice next year between AP Chem and AP Bio. Any thoughts? When my older two went through AP Chem was not offered. My older son says that when he got to college “EVERYBODY” else had AP CHEM which put him at a disadvantage. Also I heard that they are changing the AP BIO curriculum (narrowing the focus) starting the year after next so I am kind of leaning towards AP CHEM, but I am not entirely confident that the teacher is good, so I am conflicted…</p>
He claims he is in absolute control…</p>