<p>momreads-thanks for the SAT feedback and congratulations on your son’s hard work and success…I need more of that at my house! 
and thanks for the CC welcome, student4ever!</p>
<p>eyemamon, almost every college we visited had construction going on. Interestingly enough, almost every hospital that I have driven to or past have construction going on too. Not sure what it says about us and our economy that only universities and hospitals seem tohave money to expand.</p>
<p>Can we put this in the “I’m a helicopter, and proud of it” category? S had to ask teachers for letters of recommendations. GC gave him a form back in January and said “don’t wait til the last minute!” S wants to ask Mr. X, who is a very popular teacher and who gets besieged with requests. According to S, Mr. X told the class “don’t ask me for a LOR until beginning of 4th quarter.” I thought that sounded kind of late. I emailed Mr. X, told him how much S liked his class, and asked him to confirm that he wanted students to wait until then. He said yes, but that he would make a mental note that S would be asking him.</p>
<p>2 months go by. Fourth quarter started last week. I kept nagging S; he said “nobody’s asked him yet.” I tell him yesterday, “Go in and ask him.” S reports “he’s already pretty full.”</p>
<p>I want to tear my hair out. I tell him to go in today and ask him directly (not rely on what other kids are saying). S told me “he said yes; he saved me a spot.”</p>
<p>Phew!</p>
<p>@classof2015, I can really relate to it. The scenes you described were often played in similar ways in my living room. We would have so many near-misses if I didn’t watch over and nag at times. Sometimes I just want to let DS learn by making mistakes but other times, I simply can’t sit there and watch things get messed up.</p>
<p>Classof2015–GC told my son when we met for college planning meeting prior to Feb break to be sure to ask early, as many teachers receive too many LOR requests. She suggested he absolutely have this taken care of before April break. So when do you think he asked…the last day of school before April break. How will these boys get through college!!!</p>
<p>I am the mother of one of these boys who is in college now. I swear this year has been as much about school learning as life skills. He ended up in a real mess first semester over filling out a drop/add form and not asking anyone for help. Second semester he has a much better handle on things, figuring out his housing situation for next year, his schedule (though I did talk about it with him) and even figuring out laundry, declining dollars, hanging out vs studying, etc. It’s been a real nail biter at times.</p>
<p>Greetings from a former member, now lurker 
Congratulations to New Haven’s DD on QB! I’ve seen some great things happen with QBers on the 2013 board!
For the DD desiring beautiful college town with Greek life and school spirit and business, I have to recommend D13’s choice: University of Mississippi! It’s a gorgeous personable place with a great honors college and outstanding merit aid for OOS.
Thanks for the reminder about using Khan Academy for math prep. DS15 previously known as DS14 returns home from China at the end of June after a year of no math instruction. He has some serious review to do and prep for tests.
DS got the big news this week that he was accepted to UWC Atlantic College so I finally know where he will finish high school. He really is DS15 now.<a href=“http://www.uwc.org/uwc_education/our_schools_and_colleges/uwc_atlantic_college/default.aspx[/URL]”>http://www.uwc.org/uwc_education/our_schools_and_colleges/uwc_atlantic_college/default.aspx</a></p>
<p>Subject Matter SATs looming. May is such a busy month for our '14s. Trying to find the right balance between “encouraging” and “nagging.” Junior year is almost over!</p>
<p>eyemamom—ummm…that didn’t comfort me any! You are confirming all of my worst suspicions!</p>
<p>A friend recently passed along her thoughts on her own two boys who have been away at boarding schools all throughout their HS years. The first one was the less academic of the two, but she worried less about him being away from home, as he would call her any time something went awry. The second, stronger student, tried to solve things on his own and would not seek help until a situation had blown up. She wanted to make sure that the second student attended college close enough that he would be home for fall break, Thanksgiving, etc, giving her the opportunity to touch base and assess things, as she knew he wouldn’t call her along the way.</p>
<p>My older, more laid-back son has less common sense, but will not think to ask me how something should be handled. The younger, completely competent one will still check in. (They are both still home, but the personality differences are extreme.) It is fun to watch them grow and evolve.</p>
<p>eyemamom—I bet that packing up the room at the end of the school year will be revealing!</p>
<p>ct - we go and pick him up may 7. I asked him yesterday - will your room be packed at all or are you expecting me to do it? Next years roomie’s parents got them a pod, but my son was like, I’m just storing the fridge and the printer… and i said no - you’re storing bedding, the foam pad, your winter clothes, your amp, boots, fridge. Essentially I only want warm weather clothes and the computer coming home. </p>
<p>He’s the stereotypical absent minded professor. So smart, not the most common sense or savviest in how to get stuff done. </p>
<p>However, he came a really, really long way. And I cried leaving him… who can forget sitting at the restaurant and his saying…you’re leaving me tonight? What am I supposed to do now? When he went back after winter break and was in several weeks hubby asked him - so how is this semester vs last semester… and he says, so much better - the first month I was so lost and confused, didn’t know what to do or where to go… ugh</p>
<p>So brace yourself.</p>
<p>Happy day! DS14 got accepted to a week long summer engineering seminar all expenses paid! The letter said there were over 800 applicants for under 50 participants. So pleased as he is undecided about his major and this may offer illumination. He now has a very structured summer a head of him with just enough leisure time to rejuvenate but not enough to become a slug.</p>
<p>sounds great minnymom, where’s the program?</p>
<p>eyemamam–once you have recovered from the pack up and move out, you will have to come back here with a report on what you discovered under the bed and in the back of the closet.</p>
<p>I’m very curious as to how much your school prepares your students for college planning and WHEN they start the process.</p>
<p>For example, our private high school does a sophomore college night and then begins working with students the spring of junior year.</p>
<p>To this date, the students have been advised to take the SAT or the ACT at least once and to meet with their counselor where they are given a Naviance account. However, to this date, there has been NO mention of SAT Subject tests. (Thank goodness for CC!)</p>
<p>Here’s my preference:</p>
<p>Freshman Year: Talk about the college process. Grades count. Take challenging coursework. Dabble in EC’s and find one that you enjoy (love) that you can devote the rest of your school years to…</p>
<p>Sophomore Year: Make sure classes are on track to meet college requirements. Meet with each student the spring of freshman year and develop a schedule that takes college into account. Spring of Sophomore Year, develop a testing schedule for SAT Subject tests if the student is in an advanced science or math class. (For example SAT Math 2, Chemistry, etc.) Create Junior year schedule and testing plan at the end of spring, sophomore year. Suggest to students that they visit an LAC, a large campus, a city and a rural school to get a feel for what type of schools suits their personality. Develop a plan for summer actiivites in general whether it be EC’s or a job. Provide students with a PSAT workbook should they choose to self-study in the summer.</p>
<p>Junior Year: Implement Test Schedule for PSAT, SAT and ACT. Perhaps take the SAT or ACT at least twice? Keep grades up. Start to do college tours. Provide them with material/input to succesfully take AP Tests and SAT Subject tests. Acknowledge they are overloaded. Give them love and encouragement. Visit colleges that summer. Create a list. Start writing common app essays and supplemental essays.</p>
<p>Senior Year: Hope that all the hard work has paid off and they can apply at the very least early action to some schools of their choice. Continue the application process, including retesting. Do well in school. Enjoy this last year of being a high school student!</p>
<p>Apollo, wow! That place is stunning. I hope you plan to visit. :)</p>
<p>Our public HS starts fall of Jr year:
–Guidance is one of the classes parents can visit during Open House. They provide a quick overview of the year and test dates.
–College panel with reps from four colleges discuss the application process. Parents & students attend on a weeknight at school in November. Jrs are strongly encouraged to attend.
–Jrs are also invited to attend any of the Sept through Nov college rep visits if they have a free period or a class that can be missed during the time the rep is visiting.
–Students meet with their GC in large groups on a morning in the early fall. General discussion & introduction to Naviance.<br>
(Guidance suggests taking SAT in Jan of Jr year, but we ignored that and took in fall of Jr year.)
–Jan/Feb–evening meeting for parents & guidance to explain the process (broad outline). Parents and students each need to complete a packet before requesting the parent/student planning meeting with the GC. Those meetings are held Feb & March.
–Spring college panel of four different college Ad Coms. Small number of spring college rep visits, identical to fall visits. This is new this year.
–Students are expected to update GC with any new awards, jobs, etc. GCs work during summer so students can email updated packet info then.</p>
<p>First mention of subject test was by the Honors Bio teacher in 9th grade. </p>
<p>PSATs are offered on a Sat in Oct for both sophomores & jrs. PLAN will be offered for first time to sophomores this spring. SAT is still exam of choice but am hearing of more ACT-takers. Am not sure how many times SAT is offered at HS but perhaps all seven sittings. </p>
<p>This is my first time through so I do not know what happens after April of Jr year.</p>
<p>Lindz- </p>
<p>DS 14 will attend Summer Engineering Seminar at Santa Clara University. Sounds like a fun and informative five days.</p>
<p>I’m a little behind…
Momreads - congrats to DS on the track and the class!</p>
<p>Apollo - what a wonderful opportunity!</p>
<p>Minnymom - congrats to your DS on the engineering seminar! I’m curious, too, which one it was. How wonderful that it had a full scholarship with it!</p>
<p>Wow, Go2Mom - you would make the perfect high school counselor! I’m afraid our school is very lacking in that department! I was asking some of DS’ teachers at parent/teacher conferences if they thought DS will have covered sufficient material to take the SAT II in their subject. Each time, I was met with a blank stare! It was kind of funny … but mostly sad!</p>
<p>DS & I are still talking about a grand tour of the midwest this summer. I’ve been using my credit card like crazy trying to earn points so I can get free hotel stays! haha I may have to try Priceline again. We did pretty good with our trip to Alabama & Nashville over spring break.</p>
<p>beadymom–interesting to read that your son’s school offers P/T conferences. We end those in fifth grade but middle school parents can request a meeting with the team (four academics subjects plus FL). Many parents do not bother. It is rare to meet with a teacher during HS.</p>
<p>Sorry—one more. Minny Mom–I had never heard of Santa Clara until recently, and now see that three from our CT HS will be attending there next year. There may be more but three have posted on the Facebook page. Naviance will not be updated for a while.</p>
<p>Is this school trending nationally? Are they working to attract east coast students or just total random coincidence where one student finds the place and others follow? U of Miami is another I have been hearing recently.</p>