<p>We have DD14 and DD17. Kids go to a very small private school so not much transition from 8th grade to high school.</p>
<p>Good Morning, I have a 8th grader(DD17) in addition to my DS14. I would love to join a 2017 thread!</p>
<p>Gildo - youāre my hero!! Thanks for posting this:</p>
<pre><code> Set aside time every two weeks to talk about college applications
progress with your parents, rather than talking about it all the time.
</code></pre>
<p>Reading that was a serious lightbulb moment!</p>
<p>Iāve been struggling lately with my my daughter ā¦ actually, I think sheās torturing me on purpose. </p>
<p>This is a definite fix - gets me off her back for an extended period of time and allows me to have fixed dates where we can talk about college w/o eyerolling ā¦ on either of our parts.</p>
<p>I too have a DS17 (in 8th now) along with my DS14.</p>
<p>Yesterday DS14 brought home big packet from college counseling to fill out over the next 10 daysā¦roughly 40 questions and a second form to list out all ECs, awards, work, volunteer activities, etc. Timing not ideal with semester exams in all classes next week!
Also interesting that the assigned counselor (1 of 3 possible) is assigned"randomly". I am suspicious given that DSs best buddies who share similar AP course load got the same counselor (who heads department)ā¦the process should be very interesting to say the least.
Finally DS14 also will have only 3 years of foreign language (hated Latinā¦got B-,then A-, then got out and hasnāt looked backā¦opting instead for comp Sci and AP comp Sci next year.</p>
<p>No '17er here ā I have a 6th grader, so I guess that makes him a '19! :-o</p>
<p>I also really like this idea:
</p>
<p>DD14 will only have 2 years of foreign language. With her schoolās trimester schedule, it is so hard to fit everything in - only five classes per tri and AP classes and music are all three triās. Plus the advanced language classes are only offered independent study! She attempted one trimester of that and found that she did not really learn foreign language well that way. So itās 2 years of high school Spanish and now sheās attempting some online learning (because she really loves learning languagesā¦Iād prefer more ACT prep time right nowā¦)</p>
<p>MImama, does your DD14ās online foreign language learning for school credit? If so, does the school pay for it? We are considering the same for our DD but school has said that they will not pay for it. I am fine with paying it myself but still trying to find out if her school will even recognize the credit if she takes it online.</p>
<p>My DSā14ās school let him do an online (elective math) class through Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth for independent study credit. DSā11 (same HS) did an AP class online through VHS and it counted as regular AP credit (as if heād taken it at the school). In both cases it was a class that was not offered by our HS, though I think they will also let a student do this when there are scheduling difficulties, though they prefer not to.</p>
<p>Thanks beadymom and commiserations for your DS on his bad week. That sounds like quite a nasty (and scary) thing to have happen. </p>
<p>Cruisnfamily ā DS got the email with the online access code early Tuesday (this week). We already knew that the school wasnāt handing out score reports until this week. </p>
<p>No college nights on the calendar so far, although the school hosted a large college fair in November and I know they have a FAFSA workshop at some point. The college fair was quite good except the Northeastern rep (one of our target schools) was a no-show. Grrrā¦</p>
<p>The calc midterm grade was posted todayā¦C. Double-grrr. Overall he has a B in the class and he can still squeak out an A for the year if he gets his act together. At this point though Iām not sure what it will take. Well I do know one thingā¦he hasnāt done any serious running since XC season ended in late October and I think heās missing the benefit in terms of keeping his ADD tendencies in check. Heās decided not to do track this spring (hates track, likes XC), and conditioning for XC starts in June, so maybe some (<em>ahem</em>) gentle encouragement is in order.</p>
<p>beadymom - So sorry to hear about the concussion. That is frightening. Glad it wasnāt worse. That said, your DS14 owes you a break for a while!! </p>
<p>Cruisin - echoing others that we also got an email with information to access the PSAT scores this week. I hope you are able to resolve this quickly. If you donāt see the email I would email or call the GC and ask for the scores and access code. They should have record of both.</p>
<p>On scheduled talks about college, not every dayā¦ I agree that making a standing appointment is a good idea. Every family has to do what works for them. We met with S2 every Sunday afternoon. Two weeks time going past would be too long IMO at this stage of the game to touch base on how SAT studying is going, planning trips, any new schools of interest either parents or student wants to bring up for consideration etc. Weekly seemed to be just the right amount of time that we all could gather our thoughts and not bug each (and other family members) constantly as we knew in a matter of days weād be meeting. If I had something I wanted to address and the next āmeetingā was 9-10 days out personally Iād have a hard time sticking to the intent of not talking about it in between. Again, every family has to come up with what works for them. Iām a verbal communicator and have a hard time waiting (lol) so weekly was a great time frame for us.</p>
<p>My sonās AP biology teacher brought up colleges at the start of class the other day. The class is mostly seniors, but there are a few juniors there. She went around the room and asked the students where they would like to attend school. One student is already in (early decision) at Virginia Tech. A few others already received admission to their top choices and plan to attend. One of the other juniors said that he made MIT his top pick. My son politely reminded him that it is wonderful to have a dream school, but even kids with perfect SAT/ACTs and grades and lots of good ECs do not always get into such a prestigious school. Make sure you have some other options, he pointed out. He added that his older brother had nearly perfect scores, grades, ECs, etc. and did not get into MIT.</p>
<p>Then, the teacher asked my son his No. 1 school, and he proudly told her. But, he added that he needs to raise his test scores so it can be a reality ā heās into merit money.</p>
<p>I am glad that heās thinking about those scores ā¦ so we do not need to hound him about studying.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, two days left in the semester before finals. He will dance when APUSH is over.</p>
<p>momreads - So nice when you hear things like this and know they have been absorbing things and everyone has the same goal. 
Are you all on a true block system (ie heāll be done with APUSH) or just done with the first semester? We are on a modified block (every other day). APUSH has been challenging for S3 as well. The volume of work is what gets himā¦still hasnāt found forth gear. :o</p>
<p>We are on the true block. Next semester, my son has AP English. Heās a math kid, so English will be very challenging, but he has heard good things about the teacher. BC Calculus and AP Bio are year-long classes.</p>
<p>momreads, how do they handle the fact that the kids finish APUSH so long before the AP exam? We are on true block too, but our English and History APs are offered first semester with a (sometimes mandatory, sometimes optional) half-block continuation in the second semester. (Math and Science APs are typically full-year with a long block both semesters.) Because of our school schedule (school ends mid-June) the beginning of 2nd semester is too late to start AP courses and finish in time for the early May exams, so we have no APs offered 2nd semester only.</p>
<p>"Gildo - youāre my hero!! Thanks for posting this:</p>
<p>Set aside time every two weeks to talk about college applications
progress with your parents, rather than talking about it all the time.</p>
<p>Reading that was a serious lightbulb moment!" - KaKaMom</p>
<p>Isnāt it such a great idea?! I wish I could take credit for it. I had the same lightbulb moment when I heard my DSā14ās GC say it. I wish I had done that with my DDā12 - too late for that - got the scars to prove it!</p>
<p>Hi! Just discovered this thread today and read through the past couple of weeks trying to acquaint myself with all of the āplayers.ā Kind of thrilled to see that other Junior parents are already stressing a littleā¦I kind of thought it was just me! I have b/g twins who are Juniors, and a sixth grader. I think when this is all over, Iām going to be thrilled to have gotten two through the process and have plenty of time to relax before the next one.</p>
<p>DS14 did well on the PSAT and I think will qualify as NMSF. Had a nice ACT score last Feb, but re-taking that, along with the SAT in the next month to see whether a year makes a difference. His GPA is strong and heās thinking Biochem at this point and is very enthusiastic about the research aspect. Has decided he prefers small schools to big ones, and weāre currently trying to talk to him about the importance of having a couple of safety schools. In his case, not worried so much about him getting in, but trying to get him to understand that he is going to have to go where he can get the best money. I think we may have finally had a breakthrough in that area, because he suddenly seems impressed by the idea that there are schools he could go to virtually for free if he makes NMF.</p>
<p>DD14 is a great student as well, but tends to feel overshadowed academically by her twin. I have finally come to terms with the idea that she will be a music major because she absolutely canāt see herself as anything else (and neither can we, for that matter). She hopes to major in Composition and will audition on viola. But, she is also considering a major in Songwriting. The music thing adds another layer of stress to the whole process with auditions, etc. I think sheāll thrive wherever she goes, but she has her heart set on Belmont in Nashville or IU. </p>
<p>Should be an interesting year coming upā¦ Look forward to staying in touch with all of you!</p>
<p>Welcome, Collegefortwins. Your DS14 sounds a little like my DS14 who also like research and did really well on his PSAT. Although, he is still formulating what type of college he is interested in.</p>
<p>People on the 2013 thread used Saturday or Sunday mornings for college talks. I just brought it up with my D13 when it felt right or I learned/ thought of/ wondered something. Thatās been fine for her. For S14, we may need the weekly sessions. Fortunately ( I guess) neither wants to go too far, like 2-4 hours away so the scope of possibilities is greatly narrowed. A couple of thoughts- if you want to tour over spring break, sign up early. Sessions fill up faster than I expected. Apparently there was a class somewhere around us for a week over the summer where they talked about essays, looked at good examples, and had they kids write theirs, or at least start them. Wish Iād known thatā¦ Instead they were a struggle. D got a good common app one, and them three others I didnāt like as much. Fortunately one she just adjusted for several schools. Also, class or not, get them on those over the summer. I wish Iād forced thatā¦ S14 heard about the class an said to make him do itā¦and I will! Further, if you are truly neurotic (like me) pull the apps off the school websites your kids are thinking about. They may change or may not, but some of the topics are, er, interesting. It can be good, but if the kid says at the last minute, āok, time to write my essay, deadline is three days offā, then sees " you just put a message in a bottle and threw it out to sea. What does it say?" (UNC), it may be a great shockā¦
So, some 2017s here, huh? Iām glad! We will all be pals forever by the time we survive themā¦</p>
<p>Collegefortwins, did your S watch the Alabama-Notee Dame game? Alabama is one of those almost-free for NMF schools. Several 2013s going there or strongly considering itā¦</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your advice, Classof2015! I really appreciate it I really enjoyed my activities there and they certainly helped me grow as a person + shaped some of my career aspirations, so it feels wrong to leave them out. Anyways, I feel like the ECs were continued but āout of schoolā, since the new school doesnāt offer them.</p>
<p>Your children are most lucky to have you all as parents-very few are as involved and helping as you guys . My parents donāt see the point of visits, as they think that itās really easy to get biased by little things that ultimately wonāt matter. I think Iāll end up doing a few after I get accepted. Most of the seniors I know, unless they applied ED just visited all the weekends in March/April/Feb and then chose. I suppose if youāre counting on AP marks and whatnot that probably wouldnāt work, though. </p>
<p>On the topic of useless schools, my school just moved to a new building a year ago and apparently failed to clean up toxic mold growing on the roof of the atrium! :eek: Also, people are calling for an independent audit of the schoolās money because a ton of money that was supposed to be there is justā¦gone. The teachers are quite good but sometimes I just donāt understand some of the administrationās choices!</p>