<p>Classof2015, our college nights are more on the model of yours (far less accurate/informative than CC, which is of course why we’re here). We haven’t had one for juniors yet, but for my older son, they advised them to wait until December of senior year to take any SAT subject tests (rather than taking them at the end of sophomore or junior year when completing relevant classes, and getting them done in plenty of time for EA/ED applications).</p>
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Oh yes, brilliant idea. Because you know they retain the information so fresh in their minds…6months, 18months later. :rolleyes: Sophomores are only allowed one AP and S2 took the corresponding subject test last May (World History) and did quite well. It’s such a good feeling for him knowing he’s already got one knocked out.</p>
<p>edit to add: I’m not trying to bash your school mathmomvt. They all do this in certain areas. It’s amazing. Some things we learn when we have an older child go through the process and we think “y’know this would have been better done another way” or we learn it here if we are lucky to have resources like this. I was at a cookie exchange last year and speaking to another mom whose DD was a Jr. She was talking about college admissions, etc. I mentioned subject tests as she mentioned her DDs #1 choice was where my S2 was a first year at the time and they ‘strongly recommend’ two. She had absolutely no clue what they were. I decided the ‘smile and nod’ approach was better then the ‘educate her’ approach and suggested she talk to her DDs GC.</p>
<p>the biggest piece of advice i took away from the high school counselor at a past college night was to be sure to submit applications by November 1st if at all possible. Many of the scholarships are awarded early in the process, not later. When the money dries up, it dries up.</p>
<p>No problem blue, I was “bashing” the school myself with that example of brilliance 
They do some things well, but they’re very weak in the college planning/advising department…</p>
<p>Thanks glido - good information to keep in mind! The 4 years of science is already in DD’s mind - she’d probably take all science next year if she could! Hopefully only 3 years of HS Spanish ending with AP will be fine.</p>
<p>And I agree that the younger ones definitely benefit from our experience with the older ones - despite the limitations of high schools! DD’s school has them taking ACT in April and SAT in May which is not my schedule! She’ll do the SAT in March and probably SAT II in May along with her AP tests. That leaves June for either a different SAT II or repeating the SAT. She’s going to be busy enough in May with prom(s), concerts and other performances. And I have to keep in mind that her very good GPA should hopefully compensate some if her CR score isn’t up to par!</p>
<p>The one valuable thing about college night was that we all went (me, H, S). When D went through this 3 years ago, it was just me and her (H didn’t feel like coming). So now we’re all on the same page – we all heard the same speeches, we all got the Naviance packet.</p>
<p>But what makes me think I’ll end up doing most of it?</p>
<p>My kids’ high school GCs didn’t even know what the SAT IIs were when I approached them with questions about it last year. One said “Nobody has to take those.”</p>
<p>Classof2015, your family sounds like mine. At least, if they go to the college night, they might appreciate everything you will be doing :).</p>
<p>What a nice thought! Here’s hoping your family appreciates you too 4beardolls!</p>
<p>If it’s any consolation at all, after the fact your student most certainly will. It might take them a bit to express it, however now a second year student in college my S2 has told me numerous times he knows he was clueless and pretty lazy about the process and without me as an executive manager he wouldn’t have had the options that he did. Raw talent yes, but taking the time to research what needed to be done when, that recommended and optional really meant required, and a few other gems along the way, probably not. In the end I think it made the difference between the expected, obvious choice, and a better fit where he’s exceptionally happy and doing well.</p>
<p>So I just found out DS got his PSAT results before Christmas break and he threw them out! He said he thought we could just look online. ARGH!!!</p>
<p>And just to top it off, he didn’t even look at the scores. He has no interest at all and no idea what a good score would even be.</p>
<p>Based on his SAT results from Nov I’m going to assume that his PSAT scores weren’t anything wonderful at all but it would have been nice to at least see them.</p>
<p>argh, cruisnfamily. I think the school should have either a copy of his scores or the code you need to access them online, if you want to check them out.</p>
<p>CruisnF - that’s a set-back!</p>
<p>CruisinF… Maybe that was a wake up call and he will be very organized from here on out?</p>
<p>Anyone taking the less popular foreign language tests needs to take them in NOVEMBER not DECEMBER. My kids’ high school remains completely unaware of this despite being told by parents year after year AND they offer Japanese and Mandarin. Sigh.</p>
<p>dowager, we were “relaxed and laid back” for the first years and now we’re practically comatose… less energy, more expertise.</p>
<p>cruisnfamily - We received an e-mail from collegeboard this past Friday with access code to see online results. You may check whichever e-mail account he would have listed when he signed up. </p>
<p>DS is having a really bad week. After getting the speeding ticket on Sunday, he dropped a barbell on his head yesterday. Spent 3 hours in the ER to get stitches above his eyebrow. Luckily, no concussion! (I hear some of you have started naming concussions! @89Wahoo)</p>
<p>Welcome to dowagercountess! Congrats on the PSAT results!! My DS is on the road to Eagle Scout, does cross country and interested in Mech or Elec Engineering.</p>
<p>And welcome back condor30!!</p>
<p>glido and others - thanks for passing along the tips from the GC. I wish our school would have some sort of info session. But like others, I’m sure I’ve learned much more from CC than I will at the school. And I also hope 3 years of foreign language will be sufficient. He did not take a foreign language as a freshmen. It’s amazing all the bad information that the GC’s pass along!</p>
<p>ouch beadymom, that sounds nasty!</p>
<p>fwiw, my older son, now studying engineering at Cornell, only had 2 years of foreign language in HS (French 2 and 3). He could just not fit it into his schedule after that. So the 4 years thing is certainly not a hard-and-fast requirement, but a good idea if it all works out.</p>
<p>I agree that the 4-years-FL is not a hard and fast rule. I took the entire list as strong recommendations based on years of seeing what works best most often.</p>
<p>S has been limping along in Spanish, wishing he could drop it, but GC keeps saying “colleges want to see 4 years of language.” He’s been taking it since 7th grade. But he took modified Spanish (because of the LD) so this is technically his last year. He hates it.</p>
<p>Beadymom. My sympathies on the head/barbell encounter. Poor guy. How the heck did he avoid a concussion?!? S is still not symptom free and we are pushing 6 weeks here. He is hating life. Spring sports tryouts are looming and he can’t train at all.
Classof2015- my S was asking about dropping Spanish next year too. He generally does well in it, so I’m not inclined to agree but will discuss it further. He’d have three years complete. He loves his guitar class and that’s something I’d like him to continue. He will enjoy that for life. Spanish, maybe not so much. He wants to take Teacher Cadet class since he is thinking of becoming a teacher, and maybe sports medicine or sports marketing (I am not on board with advanced PE again. We disagree on that. I will win!). D13 has one acceptance but it’s #6 of six schools to which she applied. Three more decisions should come out this month, and two in March. I really wish she was done, but I’m tracking down ideas for S14 too. Because he has had a medical issue, id very much like him to be fairly close (a few hours) to home, and not horribly far from a decent hospital either. Thats a delightful consideration to take into college selection account, int it? 
At least D13is finished. What’s done now is what it is there…meanwhile now the rising freshmen night has been announced, so S17 enters- peripherally- the college picture. He wants to play a sport in college though so he has an added twist.
I’m planning to spend more time here. The 2013 board is insanely fast- paced, like 8-10 pages a day right now, so hopefully I can keep up with both!
I mentioned the 2017 ‘welcome to high school’ night on the '13 board and was told that inspired the 2013 thread being started. Not sure I’m up for that yet though. Anyone here have an 8th grader too?</p>