<p>momofwon: Thank you for the welcome and the information. My D took the SAT on June 1 and did not fare well. She plans to take the ACT again in the fall (maybe twice). She has lots of study guides and has taken a prep course (that was not very helpful). Any other suggestions for her to get ready for the fall exams? Her GC would like to see her get her score to a 26 which would be great. She has the time to prep and hopefully she’ll get there.</p>
<p>Creekland: Thank you as well for the reply…and like you said…we’re all in this together. My D is interested in PT, OT or ST as a major. I set up some shadowing opportunities this summer at a local hospital as well as a pediatric outpatient clinic. These should provide her the exposure to all the specialities to decide which one, if any, she would like. Right now we have not visited any schools but she’s getting a list together. One definitely on the list to visit is Duquense. She doesn’t want a large school (like Pitt, etc.), but the majors she’s looking at are quite limiting as to school choices. I too will be cheering for all the parents and students on this board.</p>
<p>Hi Dory! Welcome to see another in a similar field. My guy has gone through Botany, Ethnobotany, Entomology, Bio, and now is thinking Marine Bio. In all of them, he has always wanted tropical. Therefore, I sum it up as Tropical Bio (though I doubt there is such a major). I’ve known since toddlerhood that he’s been heading toward flora or fauna somehow, somewhere. He enjoys microbio too, but in general wants non pre-med Bio.</p>
<p>His ideal college would be in the middle of the Everglades - or south pacific island - and very green (environmentally) + live off the land. That doesn’t leave us with a financial safety… PA state schools aren’t inexpensive anyway (comparatively) and they certainly don’t have what he’s looking for. He can get wildlife “stuff,” but not tropical. He’s very “outside the box” creative with his thinking, so will likely do well where he goes and after graduation, but we have to get there first.</p>
<p>I’ve been away awhile wrapping up the school year and couldn’t find this thread! I missed the creation of the new subforum!</p>
<p>School is now over for D as of Wed. My school year ends on Mon. Summer is almost here!</p>
<p>D’s June ACT scores came in this AM…same composite (27) as before. She gets 30+ on all the English/Reading but the math and science bring her down. IMO, it is what it is…she may want to retake them, however. Waiting on the report card now…</p>
<p>Job plans have not worked out this summer. I would be fine with her just volunteering and doing odd jobs (leaves time for the college visits :)), but she wants to buy a car, of course!</p>
<p>Now that the stress of finals, APs, etc. is over, we can discuss which school to visit this summer. Either driving distance in the Northeast (MA/PA/NY) or off to the Pacific Northwest!</p>
<p>Hope you’re all enjoying the summer and looking forward to talking more :)</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for the interview attire advice…I think khakis and polo or collared shirt is a safe bet for DS this summer- now to get him to wear it!
My friend who is a college placement advisor has offered to do a mock college interview with DS via skype - very happy for the offer. So hopefully I can get DS to review college interview questions prior to mock so he can get the most out of it…</p>
<p>Need some advice …on two separate issues…</p>
<p>What to do with DS this summer? The last 6 months have been really stressful for him ( and me) with falling behind in school, being ill and social anxiety issues - we did not plan anything over summer- the major goal was to get him through the school year- well that’s not entirely true- he applied for a competitive internship here in Maine and was not selected and he also applied to Mehlenberg Brain camp and was also not selected - …so now what…I just signed him up for EC camp that starts next week for two weeks but not much else planned.</p>
<p>We are thinking about therapy training for our dog - DS is interested in going through training with our 4 yr old Labradoddle. I found a class in Canine good citizenship that starts mid July, meets once a week for 6 weeks. - this would allow DS to bring his dog to local healh facilities but that will not take up much time this summer. Class will not be over to end of August. I guess I am thinking it is probably to late to find a job but maybe we should try to find a Volunteer opportunity ? Thoughts? Should I not worry that he wil not do much over the summer and just let him relax - focus on essays and college visits?..but he may just veg out on video games if he does not have enough to do…</p>
<p>Other issue- my friend and the school GC think that Colin should disclose his ADD to admission office because he needs to explain the discrepancy between his GPA B average and his SAT scores - slightly over 2000. The School GC suggested that DS write a " carefully crafted " letter to the admission office explaining his challenges with ADD and what he has done to overcome this challenge. The GC indicated that if DS bring her a draft in September she will work with him on the letter…I am just not sure if this is the right way to go…thoughts?</p>
<p>LisaK216 A visit to the Pacific NW in the summer should be a must on everyone’s list ;-). It’s breathtakingly beautiful. Obviously I’m biased, but we get an awful lot of visitors who concur. So ironic that D hopes to go to school in the Midwest or upstate NY… lol. But we applaud her spirit of adventure and willingness to consider something WAY out of her comfort zone…(snow, and possibly lots of it.)</p>
<p>Onlyonemom: Fabulous idea of canine therapy class. Now that’s a win-win! Your dog will love it and I’m sure it’ll be fun for your son too. IMO, it’s a great way to spend a few hours this summer. Also, it’ll be something your son and dog can do together now and in the future. I’m trying to get D to do that too…but I just get a shrug and “meh”. Maybe I’ll just take the dog to canine therapy… :-)</p>
<p>S has wanted to do the therapy dog training for awhile so I am glad someone is offering the training near by…I just think he should be doing something else in addition to the dog therapy training.</p>
<p>onlyonemom, you might check with some of your local agencies to see if there is a list of teen volunteer opportunities available. Paying jobs for teens are scarce in our area and as my daughter is involved in a summer sport, she has a very restricted schedule when she could work. I’ve really encouraged her to find volunteer work that is related to her interests. There are so many places looking for help and they are usually happy to work around her schedule. The issue is making the connection, and we are fortunate to have a ‘Volunteens’ program in our area that helps make these connections. If you don’t have something similar, he might give some thought to just calling around to places that do work that appeals to him in some way. Some nonprofits are even glad to have someone answer the phone for them, or unpack donated items, or do filing… My son worked with a local food pantry, and my daughter has been involved with a therapeutic riding center and a children’s services group - we’ve really been happy with the experiences both my kids have found in the community, and I think they enjoy the idea that they are contributing in a small way to a bigger cause. It also keeps them from getting too bored or restless as summer progresses… Good luck!</p>
<p>Creekland, tropical biology sounds great to me - I envy your son his future! I think that opportunities to explore this kind of career exist even in the most unexpected places. I used to be on the faculty at one of our regional state schools (a great academic and financial safety, but not especially prestigious) and in our biology department we had one faculty member who had research collaborations in Malaysia where he took students every summer, and another who studied ecology and the interactions between insects and plants who also got students involved in some pretty exotic locations. I heard recently that they have another student in the department that they’ve connected with a research program involving tortises in Africa or something like that! Another friend has a son who just finished his freshman year at Michigan State and he’s already gotten involved with a research program on ‘poison dart’ frogs - just finished a study abroad session in Panama. So, even in seemingly mundane programs in the midwest, students can find places to explore their interests and make the connections that will help them find a great grad school program - one that may actually be in one of those exotic locations. That’s kind of been my message to my daughter - the opportunities to get involved in intersting stuff are out there, but you will have to seek them out.</p>
<p>As I’m sure you’ve also seen in posts by others, there are many great summer programs for students interested in marine biology. So, even if the program they end up in doesn’t quite satisfy their specific interests, there are places they can explore these ‘on the side’.</p>
<p>As for predisposition, I’ve also always known my daughter would end up as a biologist of some sort. She is very eager to leave the midwest and try out a new part of the country, and this recent focus on marine (or wildlife) bio is pushing her to look at schools around the periphery of the country. She’s more of a A-/B+ student and not a stellar test-taker, so to increase the possibilities of merit aid we’re looking at schools with somewhat lower stats. Fortunately, she’s pretty easy-going overall and should be able to be happy in a variety of situations.</p>
<p>Well K2s ACT score is in - though the W section isn’t scored yet.</p>
<p>The math and science and reading sections were much higher (M by 6) (Sc and R by 5 pts…) than the english so I wonder if by that section K2 was tired. K2 gets extended time and it makes for a loooong day.</p>
<p>The ACT-SAT translated/compared chart makes this ACT equivalent to the superscore of the CR/M of the 2 sittings of SAT. </p>
<p>With that in mind, I am not sure that K2 would get anything out of taking the ACT w W again to bring up that Eng score</p>
<p>I think we’re in a very similar search, Dory… and I’m glad there are great options for what our kids want that don’t require high test scores. I have no doubt my guy will be successful in his field. He just has little interest in SAT/ACT types of stuff. Most of this summer he’s been outside - camping with friends, doing experiments with our pond or various plants, tending his compost pile, watching the newly hatched Preying Mantises etc.</p>
<p>He just added Juniata (in PA!) to his list of schools he’ll likely apply to. They aren’t tropical, but that was the ONLY con he had when looking at a brochure they sent him. Other schools include Eckerd, Florida Institute of Technology, maybe the University of Miami, Palm Beach Atlantic (this one is a Christian school), & University of Hawaii at Manoa and Hilo. He would add College of the Atlantic and Unity College, but both are in Maine and he just doesn’t want that location.</p>
<p>He’s still searching… I told him I’d like to see 6 - 8 apps in the end. His final choice will be based a bit on finances.</p>
<p>I would ask K2 what he/she would like to do. I am rethinking the whole testing thing…DS needs to have a strong senior first Q and I would rather have him focus on getting A’s. I know DS wants to take the SAT again so that’s a given and maybe the Bio Subject test but I think we will forgo the ACT. His SAT score is high enough to get into most of the schools we are looking at …the GPA is the issue. But I will ask him what he would like to do…
Tomorrow he is doing a practice interview via Skype …hopefully he will review the questions tonight!</p>
<p>One thing I have been mulling over is the school profile.</p>
<p>For K2s hs–a rigorous private…the GPA is low compared to the CDS stats of the GPAs/scores of many of the colleges wanting the same SAT/ACT scores that K2 has earned.<br>
Meaning this–at K2s private–the avg kid getting this same SAT is making a lower GPA due to rigor and grade deflation. Its not just K2.</p>
<p>The SAT and ACT are pretty much in line and unless the W score of the ACT is poor, then I don’t see a benefit to retake the ACT…as the composite was fine due to much higher M/R/S sections. And the correlation table of the ACT to SAT indicates where the E section would fall if retaken (right in line with the much higher M/R/S sections.</p>
<p>All that is to say–unless K2 wants to retake it–or if the GC (will contact over summer) thinks its a good idea…I think the scores from the 2 different tests validate eachother and the school profile etc makes a pretty strong argument for school-wide grade deflation.</p>
<p>I recall my K1 busting it in English, Honors and AP and never seeing As on papers–only to get As on writing at Yale. So the difficult prep has been worth it. Hope we will say the same when K2 goes off to college.</p>
<p>On # of apps— I am not sure what K2 will decide.
K2 left for a month of EC/camp etc. Won’t be back til mid/late July.</p>
<p>Wondering when to send ACT and SAT scores to schools…D thinks she may take ACT again, but frankly she’s done all the prep and I think it is what it is. I’d love some feedback as to whether she should send scores now to schools we know she’s applying to so they know she’s interested. Is there any reason to wait?</p>
<p>I’ve been told that colleges look at the rigor of the school and know the reputation of many secondary schools. My son attends public but it is known as a very good school so a B at his school could be an A at another. I think K2 wil be fine and it seems like his SAT scores will be fine for the schools he is looking at from what you said in other post. I feel the same way you do…you have this bright kid and feel that his grades do not reflect who he is! I keep telling myself that it will all work out…it certainly did for K1 !</p>
<p>College of Atlantic is in Bar Harbor Maine -Arcadia National park - such a beautiful part if the country- not very tropical though…although it has been in the 90 for the last 3 days! Give me 70’s …</p>
<p>I am shocked and stunned. My daughter just got her junior year final grades and they were much lower than expected. She was anticipating a junior year GPA of a 3.25 or higher, which she needed since her cumulative GPA through her first 2 years was only a 2.94. She needed a 3.25 to ensure her cumulative GPA was at least a 3.0 through her first 3 years and could show a junior year trend. She brought home a junior year GPA of roughly a 3.08. What is worse is that 2 of her final grades are C+. Without a 3.0 or higher GPA, she is now unlikely to receive any merit at the colleges she looked at and probably can’t be admitted to the others.</p>
<p>We spent a lot of time looking at colleges that fit the grades she expected. Now her safety schools have become match schools and her match schools are reaches. I almost have to start this process over. I feel sick</p>
<p>BobbyCT: I feel for you. My daughter started out her junior year in a down note. She struggled with Chemistry the first half…C average. I found her a great tutor for the second half and she ended up with a A for the second half. Please encourage her for next year. You cannot change what happened in her junior year and must focus on the future. I am praying for you that everything works out just fine for you an your daughter.</p>
My D is interested in PT, OT or ST as a major. I set up some shadowing opportunities this summer at a local hospital as well as a pediatric outpatient clinic. These should provide her the exposure to all the specialities to decide which one, if any, she would like. Right now we have not visited any schools but she’s getting a list together. One definitely on the list to visit is Duquense. She doesn’t want a large school (like Pitt, etc.), but the majors she’s looking at are quite limiting as to school choices. I too will be cheering for all the parents and students on this board.</p>
…so now what…I just signed him up for EC camp that starts next week for two weeks but not much else planned.</p>