<p>Thinking about resumes, yes. Doing…only if you count the NHS application. He did receive notice that he is in, however so one more thing for the resume whenever it does get done. =D> </p>
<p>@kandcsmom – Per the College Board website, regarding PSAT scores:
“Score reports for students and data for educators are available in December. Paper score reports are sent to schools, which distribute them to students.”</p>
<p>Last year our school mailed the score reports on December 18. My guess is that taking the test later will not affect the release date for the scores. </p>
<p>And about those resumes – My take is that the competitive schools are not really looking for well-rounded students. They’re looking for well-rounded classes, made up of students who have one or two specific skills/talents/interests that they’ve explored in depth. But if you’re interested in the framework by which she’ll present the different aspects of her ‘resume’ you might want to check out the Common Application (and/or the application to your state flagship if that is a consideration).</p>
<p>We were working on D’s resume over the weekend, though DH insists it’s a “curriculum vitae” <insert eye="" roll=""></insert></p>
<p>I want D to have something to give to the admissions rep from OU when she meets with her next month. I’m curious about what formats others are using. We went with full name [large] with a single line of contact info [small] under the name. The section we included were: Instrument, Clubs and Organizations, Volunteer Work, Employment, Certifications, (she doesn’t have a sport) then we listed each club or activity for each section and indented under each specific club or activities any awards or positions.</p>
<p>I know some say to put Awards and Honors as different section because as @AtAsleepAtTheWheel mentioned that’s how the Common Ap wants them listed but I think it’s easier to read with like things grouped together.</p>
<p>It was tough to pick what to list and not list, she has a bunch of orchestra and Girl Scout stuff but since she’s not going to be a music major she cut a lot of the details from that and didn’t think the Girl Scout Bronze Award or Council Honor Guard really added much. When she auditions for her minor she can rewrite it to be more tailored toward music.</p>
<p>On the side (next weekend’s task) she’ll list her current class rank, weighted and unweighted GPA , test scores and classes taken with grades and classes she plans to take next year. I think it will be a pretty accurate snapshot of her high school career. </p>
<p>I really don’t feel D <em>needs</em> a resume or CV at this point since I don’t think she’ll have a problem getting accepted but I do think this is a good skill to have and having one certainly can’t hurt. She really needs to work on how to sell herself. She is <em>painfully modest</em> and tends to down play her accomplishments. Putting her accomplishment down on paper was a great exercise for her. </p>
<p>D’s teachers asked for a brag sheet when they worked on her LOR last year. It has her name, UWGPA, WGPA, UC GPA, test scores, then section for achievements and honors, after that section for Extracurricular activities, then work experience, volunteering experience and the last section lists AP classes and Dual enrolment classes. I had to change margins to fit it all on one page. I did not list any activities what she was only a member of. For rewards I used only regional level and up. </p>
<p>You both have good suggestions for things to include on a resume.</p>
<p>I tend to agree with @asleepatthewheel that competitive colleges are probably more interested in interests that have been followed in depth and with related accomplishments. One of the bigger things D16 probably has going for her is location; we come from a less populous state, so there’s a geographical diversity card to be played 
She does have quite the varied interests and activities, is skilled at a lot of things, but tends to not be #1 in anything. But it is what it is. </p>
<p>@AKFirefly – Your daughter definitely has geographic diversity going for her – justifiably so, from a whole variety of perspectives. Maybe she should highlight that piece by listing “Kodiak bear hunting” as one of her interests. I’m sure a photo of her holding a high-powered rifle would help her immensely with the admissions committees of all those liberal arts colleges.</p>
<p>Tomorrow is a PSAT day. With California cut off being so high it is really a gamble. One wrong answer might be a breaking point.</p>
<p>Wishing the best of luck to all those taking the PSAT tomorrow! </p>
<p>We still have four more days to go. D has requested to eat at The Olive Garden on Friday night before the test because she heard she should eat a meal with complex carbohydrates, like pasta, the night before the test. I was planning salmon for dinner that night but at this point I’ll do anything she wants! </p>
<p>Well, carbo-loading has fallen out of vogue prior to marathons and triathlons , but if she does well on the test she might start a new trend (which she can then add to her “resume”)!!</p>
<p>We have a tradition too. Actually this was a tradition for morning before her sport competition, but I think we will transition it to a testing as well. She has to have a hot chocolate and chocolate mini-donut from the Starbucks the morning of the competition.</p>
<p>I’m a big believer in the placebo effect, if she <em>thinks</em> eating pasta the night before the PSAT will help her, then by golly, I’m taking her to The Olive Garden!</p>
<p>S has the PSAT tomorrow also. After playing video games all weekend with a friend he told me today that we has to hurry home from school because he wants to study 2 hours for the PSAT before he goes to meet some girl tonight. I figure it is knocking 2 hours of his weekly 5 hours PrepScholar asks for, out of the way. Something occurred to me over the weekend, S just may not be mature enough to be making life decisions yet and no matter how much I talk to him, until he is ready all my talking will just lead to arguing. I think @AsleepAtTheWheel hit the nail on the head when he said,“Boys are knuckleheads.” </p>
<p>Re. food - I had a student once ask me what I ate for breakfast (*), and she duplicated it for a month before the SAT and she ended up really doing very well (and going to Cornell 
). Who knows. I have heard that chocolate jogs the mathematical memory, particularly if you eat it while learning the material and then again while studying. It’s also wise to start getting sleep a few days before, to exercise lightly the morning of the exam, and to have about +1 cups more of caffeine than usual shortly before the test. What I don’t recommend is when people obtain illegal Adderall or similar, or do all-nighters so that their ADHD medicine has a heightened effect. I’ve never seen that have anything but a negative impact.</p>
<p>(*) My magical breakfast: strawberry yogurt with cereal (oat or wheat of some kind) and blueberries or pomegranate or both and chocolate chips, plus a couple cups of black tea (preferably Lady Grey).</p>
<p>Hmm. This PrepScholar program. How many hours per week does it require? Just five a week? Child needs some structured prep for the December ACT. </p>
<p>Yes, 5 per week and the child sends them the schedule and it gives them reminders at the end of the week on whether or not they made all their study hours. Also, they take practice tests right from the Blue Book every two weeks to chart their progress.</p>
<p>They can also request additional lessons if they want to do more;-)</p>
<p>If anyone used PrepScholar for ACT preparation, please share your experience. D will need a good prep program to push from a good score to a great score in January.</p>
<p>The PSAT tomorrow is the least of my worries. I need to get him to pull that Honors Calc grade up. I know the teacher said “I need to make them hate me for a while” but how long is “a while”?
:-SS </p>
<p>Good luck to all of tomorrow’s PSAT-ers!</p>
<p>Thank you @AKFirefly </p>