@mtrosemom that’s not good to hear about a chemistry section on the ACT. S17 also opted for AP Physics this year and is also not planning on chem for next year, APES instead. My S17 is taking the June ACT and hopes to bump up his score. Why the SAT 2 physics test? Is that something a school of interest asks for? I am trying to understand why some opt for subject tests, and see it requested/required/recommended for a few schools (none on S17’s list) but see a lot of folks here mention the subject tests and was curious. Neither of our older 2 took them.
@CaucAsianDad very interesting on the SAT. I’d prefer not to scrimp lol so we will be hunting for merit aid. We will make it work, within reason but overall offers will definitely be a factor. It can be misleading. Sometimes the offers sound incredible but when you look at the base tuition price…not so much. Between the Bright Figures Scholarship that FL has and the HOPE one in GA, I am quite jealous. I did not realize some state schools had programs like that. We have…nothing and our instate tuition is higher without any scholarships.
@CT1417 I like that work around. That would be an issue for my S17, who has only prepped for the ACT. Arguably he would do worse on the SAT and who needs that reported. I do need to look at whether his choices are “all testing history” or not. Right now we likely will report all for superscore but the June test could change that.
@MotherOfDragons that is so frustrating. I have one of those, my S19. He improved dramatically in HS as it “mattered” but if he isn’t engaged in the subject it’s a nightmare and kills you to watch. Nothing like seeing your kid kill their GPA by not turning assignments in…in Health. Unfortunately sometimes the right thing to do is…let them fail. My S17 told me yesterday we couldn’t talk about college again until after his April visits.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek My S has similar issues and that’s part of why we’ve focused on the ACT instead of the SAT.
@greeny8 we are in the same boat and are focusing on the June ACT. We had a conflict for the March one and with April being AP test prep time I didn’t want to add that to his load. S may take the SAT in the fall just for kicks but we will see how the June ACT goes and enjoy the summer either way. I am not sure of the benefit of ACT + writing, we’ve yet to see a school S is interested that wants the writing and yet we’ve done it each time.
@eandesmom, Some of the schools S is/may apply to require 2 subject tests. He took the Math 2 test already after precalc and scored really well. Physics will be his second subject test and then he’ll be done. Math-based classes come relatively easy to him, although he had difficulty with the electricity and magnitism section of class. But being able to take the subject test was one reason he took advanced physics this year and pushed chem off until next year. I am kind of hoping his physics class covers the material in the subject test, and so far it’s looking good. And why, because all the schools D15 applied to did require two subject tests, so we are hedging our bets.
I was surprised that S didn’t like the ACT. As a STEM kid, I expected him to like it better than the SAT. Nope. He told me he wants to take the new SAT, so I am signing him up for the June test. They should have most of the bugs worked out by then. He didn’t like the time constraints of the ACT at all. Granted he didn’t practice enough, but I didn’t expect that to be a problem. He like the new format for the PSAT, so I think he feels he can do well on the new SAT.
@mtrosemom that makes sense. S19 will need to take Math 2 and Physics but I am grateful we’ve escaped them so far to be honest. But this is good to know as it hadn’t occured to me that taking it post pre-calc would be best and I’ll need to plan that for next year for S19, verus his junior year. It could potentially help S17 at one reach school but unless his ACT really jumps up I see no reason to push for it and the target is not affordable anyway.
@greeny8 – yes, I agree; this class has been put through the ringer with changes in standardized testing.
@eandesmom – why subject tests? As @mtrosemom said: the schools require them. Son took one in 9th & one in 10th and still has not decided about Physics, Latin, or USH for this spring. All or none?
These were Achievement tests back in our day. I think I registered to take three, but walked out after taking two as I didn’t think they were going all that well!
Son reported that today’s SAT was ‘easy’, but he still cancelled score. It will be very interesting when the scores on these first new SATs are out along with the final settling of NMSF from new PSAT.
I have missed others’ comments and need to re-read.
Thanks @CT1417 I guess I was just a bit surprised to see so many taking them. This is our third round now and we’ve not had a school require them yet however some of S19’s will.
DD’s school had school wide ACT yesterday (state mandated and paid for). She had already taken it 3 times so this was just an extra free shot at improving on her score of 33 (she also took the old SAT twice). She was very disappointed with it this time. Her new high school did not have the same rules as far as breaks, water,snacks, etc as a regular Saturday testing site. It was much stricter and very stressful. She also said it felt like a different test in scope and question type. She said many of the questions seemed different than when she has taken it before. She is also not a fan of the new essay. I’m just very glad that she will be done with testing now unless she needs to take a SAT Subject test.
Best of luck to all the SAT test takers for Saturday!
ETA: I just read my post and DD looks like some kind of crazy test person. Haha. She actually likes the tests and is super competitive with herself. I thinks she’s out of her mind for taking the ACT so many times.
@eandesmom – a decent # of colleges that require subject tests will accept ACT in lieu of subject tests. I have not verified policies for this year but am going off info from older son. I do wonder if that policy will change as the SAT is supposed to become more ACT-like…or at least more Common Core-like, a al Coleman.
As much as we are put out by these changes on behalf of our children, I imagine the colleges are thrilled with the changes either since they will need new metrics.
@greeny8 Does your school have a good history with students doing well on the AP Latin test. It is one of the hardest ones so I would check on the pass rate. Also will she be taking some kind of science next year? I can understand not taking physics but she should definitely be taking some type of robust science if she is applying as pre-med.
I am glad S didn’t take the ACT with the old essay, I think that would have been a hard chance for him. He definitely felt the Dec version was quite a bit different from September, as did many of his friends. Anyone else? Most of his group has the same conflict (school trip to Ireland) so not taking the March test.
The ACT with writing is meeting all of his needs thankfully.
DS took the Feb ACT, but never looked at the previous ACT essay format. He loved the idea of the “Intelligent Machines” sample prompt for the new essay format so much that he was disappointed by whatever the prompt actually was. He wasn’t happy with his essay score (but he also wasn’t happy with his prior SAT essay scores). He’s considering taking the ACT again, because of the essay and because 5 of the colleges he may apply to superscore the ACT, and there are two category scores he’d like to increase if possible.
Course selection forms for next fall are due this Friday for DS. His plan is:
AP Literature
AP Gov / AP Macroecon (1 semester each)
Engineering Capstone 1
Engineering Capstone 2
unknown dual-enrollment class
unknown dual-enrollment class
@WhereIsMyKindle Will she also be learning another language besides Arabic? Maybe that could take up a semester or two. Do the International Relations folks prefer multi-lingual people? Not that I know anything about IR other than watching TV shows… Maybe Farsi or Urdu? (Love your username, by the way.)
Thanks for the heads up, @eandesmom. I read some student reviews and watched a few student produced videos (CA kids seems to really like making YouTube videos! But they were helpful!) Cal Poly SLO has had a great reputation for awhile now, and it sounds like a very friendly campus. It’s probably on the fringes for us, too, as it is difficult to get to. Let us know about your other visits. Your keen insights will be greatly appreciated!
Hey, 2017 Parents! I am also on the 2016 Parents thread for my S16, and by this time last year, they were on #2825, so we are 833 posts behind!! Anyway, they are a very warm and chatty group! As things have ramped up thru our kids’ senior year, the group is now up to post #15,618!!
In addition to college acceptances, deferrals, rejections, scholarships, invitations for campus visits, etc. there are also discussions about Promposals, shopping for dorm room gear, keeping our seniors engaged as their bouts of senioritis become more frequent, and getting used to the idea of our sons and daughters moving away from home (sometimes with sadness, and sometimes with the idea that we can hardly wait for them to go!)
It will be interesting to see where this group is in one year!
Ok…I’m only jumping in here occasionally since I am working more but WAIT…did the ACT change??
D took it in December and is good with her writing score but wants to take it again to try for a higher score. She is using the red book to practice. What is different about the ACT other than the writing?
Almost all the test prep experts seem to be advising to avoid the new SAT, and focus on the ACT instead, as the bugs are worked out of the new test. ACT changed their essay portion in Sept '15. You may already know this, but if your S or D is is a Nat’l Merit Semifinalist, they will have to take the new full SAT test, to provide a confirming score.
My S16 took the June 2015 SAT that had 2 sections cancelled because some test booklets had the incorrect # of minutes afforded for the sections printed on them. Then, for S17’s PSAT, the CB incorrectly entered his gender on their computer when the info was transferred from his test booklet, so we could not access his online score report for over a month. All these mistakes and complications with the new test has really hurt the CB’s rep. (Guess how I felt about having to use the CSS Profile on the CB website to enter nearly ALL our family’s financials, to apply for aid for S16?! )
@morningside95 …yes I knew about the new SAT. D is focusing entirely on the ACT. She scored much better, liked the test better and feels motivated to do the prep whereas “the SAT makes me want to poke my eyeballs out!” lol!
She has a SI of 203 in Texas so I do not predict she will need to ever look back at the SAT.
@morningside95 – I do not believe that NMSF will need to take new SAT in order to obtain confirming score. I recall reading last fall or spring that the old SAT would be accepted for confirming score for class of 2017. I will admit that I have not been following this closely, but have you read otherwise? Thanks!
@carachel2 – agree with others that ACTs administered since Sept 2015 include new essay format. (The scoring of which caused delay in reporting complete ACT scores to colleges last fall.) AFAIK, the Red Book has not been updated to reflect the new essay format, but tutoring companies are aware of changes.
@eandesmom as I’m a few hours behind now, the SAT II are either required or recommended by the colleges my D is looking at.
Regarding ACT writing, my D took it in October and we both didn’t realize that the new writing was being implemented and she wasn’t prepared for that. No biggie though, she still did well but she is aiming for the magic number and will retake in April.
@dcplanner I haven’t heard about the passing rate as not too many kids even take the AP class. I will inquire about it…thanks for the info. Last year they didn’t even have enough kids for their own class so they had to combine AP with 3rd year. This year they have enough and it looks like next year they will have their own AP class too. She has decided to take physics honors over the summer. Her course load for senior year is AP Latin, AP Gov/AP Macro, AP calc bc, AP Lit and orchestra. She will by then have taken 6 sciences and think (hope) that is enough (one was earth space in 8th grade but that counts as a high school course)
@morningside95 I have a D16 too and I joined the party way too late so I don’t actively participate in that group now. But I read it every day and they are a bunch of supportive folks. I know this group will be the same!!!
I plan to call the college board soon, maybe tomorrow, to make sure that S’s SAT from last May can be used to confirm the PSST if needed. In past years the confirming score was 1960 and he scored higher than that. I will let you all know if that is still true.
And S said there were about 6 or so chemistry questions on the ACT he took at school yesterday. Also some physics questions that were “weird” because they gave you a scenario and you had to pick the WRONG answer out of the four choices. He thought that was dumb. He said his counselor told the kids that for the essay quantity counts more than quality, so write a lot. He finished all of the questions and the essay
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