<p>I haven’t read the entire thread. I hope it’s ok to jump in here. I found CC last fall, while trying to figure out if my oldest son might be a NMSF, which I really hadn’t considered. He did become a finalist. He really wanted a smaller LAC with engineering. He was wait listed at HMC (probably a good thing financially) and is now at Lafayette with a good merit scholarship. My sophomore son is somewhat less academic, is going to our local public HS instead of the charter where his brother attended. He is quite bright, but very focused on athletics. He is potentially interested in being a teacher and coach. My youngest is in 6th grade and reminds me a lot of his older brother. He is attending a self contained gifted program at our local elementary. I need to get him more into sports, but he is focused on learning coding. I’ve really enjoyed the CC community and would be interested in communicating with other parents of sophomores.</p>
<p>Welcome @jsrcmom. My S17 is into coding and gaming.<br>
S, poor guy, went with me to the orthodontist on Friday to discuss what is needed for the final stages of his braces and learned that he needs his wisdom teeth out before the braces can go on. Looks like he is going to have less fun than normal for winter break. I get to call the oral surgeon Monday :(</p>
<p>Hi @jsrcmom – Welcome! I have a daughter in 6th grade. If I had to guess, I’d predict she will want to be an architect or civil engineer, but maybe it’s just all the building in Minecraft. My S17 is the one who is into coding and started that around 6th grade. S17 does volleyball, but is not that into other sports.</p>
<p>@mtrosemo Hope those wisdom teeth aren’t too impacted. Not very fun. I just had mine out a few years ago–late bloomer, I guess.</p>
<p>It looks like the March SAT date won’t work for S17 after all. There is an all-day math competition out of town that S wants to attend. The guy who runs it had said it would be a different weekend, but emailed me recently to say he’d had to change the date to the SAT weekend. So, the current plan is for the June SAT date. (Jan conflicts with debate, March with math, May with AP tests.) So far, no direct conflicts for the June date, though finals are the week after.</p>
<p>@Ynotgo – I am sure you have subject tests penciled in there somewhere. Along with APs in May perhaps?</p>
<p>We had planned to have my son take the SAT fall of Jr year, but as we watched every fall Saturday fill with XC meets, debate competitions, quiz bowl, etc, he decided to push his testing schedule up to this winter, and hope that nothing lands on the calendar for March 14th.</p>
<p>Our school does not allow sophomores to take AP courses, except for the handful who petition to take Econ or Computer Programming. The first AP English course is offered Sr year and no one can take AP science until Jr year, after taking regular or honors level of same subject–bio or chem. (High performing HS where 97% attend college, all but two or three percent attending four year schools.)</p>
<p>@mtrosemom – good luck with the wisdom teeth. Both of my boys had them extracted w/o incident. Buy bags of frozen veggies before you go for the surgery, as I forgot both times. </p>
<p>@CT1417 He took 2 subject tests (Math II and Physics) last June and got keeper scores, so no need to take any more as far as I can tell from reading other threads here on CC. I suppose he could take Chemistry this year if there was a reason to take another subject test. Those of you with applications experience, let me know if there is any reason to take more than 2.</p>
<p>Looking back at this year’s SAT schedule, the Oct, Nov, and Dec SAT dates would have all worked for him. So, those can be possible second test dates next year, I suppose.</p>
<p>His school is strict about what year English and history APs may be taken, but APs in the other subjects are more flexible. He is taking Calc BC and AP Chem this year. They don’t require taking the regular level of a science first, and there are no “honors” level sciences between regular and AP. Many sophomores take AP World History at his school, but he isn’t.</p>
<p>@Ynotgo, that’s great that your s already took 2 subject tests and got good scores. Did he take physics in school already?
Anyway, your question about taking an additional chemistry subject test… I would say it can only help. You can pick two best to send to colleges or you can send all three if they are all great scores. </p>
<p>He took AP Physics B as a freshman. The (wonderful) physics teacher didn’t agree with the College Board that Physics B needed to be split into 2 years as they have done this year. She opened up an extra section so that more students who wanted to take it as a 1-year course could do it the year before the change. They made that available to freshmen who were in Alg II/Trig. This year, she is teaching a 1-year AP Physics 1 class, but has said that once she has taught the new curriculum and seen the tests, she will probably teach separate sections as either a 1-semester or 1-year class.</p>
<p>The school hasn’t ever had enough students want it to offer AP Physics C. The same (wonderful) physics teacher is mentoring an AP Physics C (mechanics) seminar this year that uses the MIT Open CourseWare videos and problem sets. That only meets 1-2 times per week for 40 minutes, so I’m not convinced the S will be prepared to take the AP test. We’ll see. The seminar is more like a club, so doesn’t get a grade or go on transcripts.</p>
<p>@Ynotgo, your son is fortunate to have such a wonderful teacher.</p>
<p>Anyone waiting for PSAT results?</p>
<p>@mtrosemom and @Ynotgo<br>
Thanks for the welcome!
@Madison85 - I am anxiously awaiting my son’s PSAT results. His school pays for all of the sophomores to take the exam. I have no idea what to expect. At least this time I will be more aware of the NM considerations for next year than I was with his brother. I’m trying not to make him feel like it’s too big of a deal. Glad to know I’ll have an idea of when the results have come back without having to ask him! At this point he’s focused on the start of his wresting season.</p>
<p>D15 is a NMSF, so S has seen what a big deal it is and can be to the college app process. The torture (from the obsessive parent) starts NOW!</p>
<p>Hi all-been way too long since I posted! Lots to catch up on. Happy December, and we are awaiting PSAT results here in NV. </p>
<p>Anyone in NY out there? Heard they got them on Sun 12/4-is this true?</p>
<p>@vegasmom23 – are the scores released on different dates by state? Our CT school mailed them Friday but sent an email after school closed on Friday letting us know they were in the mail. They must have had the score reports in house a couple of days in order to get them all in mailing envelopes, etc. This seems to be a week or more earlier than my older son received his scores. </p>
<p>DD received her score at school yesterday. Let’s just say that I should go buy a study guide or start looking for tutor or for her! </p>
<p>@4beardolls There’s a thread where kids have posted sophomore and junior PSAT scores, and many of the kids have a significant (like 30-50 points) increase. So, it sounds like studying can work well. <a href=“What were your PSAT/SAT scores as a sophomore? - High School Life - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/1715246-what-were-your-psat-sat-scores-as-a-sophomore-p1.html</a> </p>
<p>We haven’t heard yet or even heard when or how we will hear the scores. @CT1417 I think they ship them bulk rate to the schools from NJ or wherever the College Board is located, since they mail the test booklets back. I saw a post that a homeschooler in CA had received the mailing yesterday, so maybe we will hear soon. </p>
<p>I sat near S’s counselor at a movie that I took my younger daughter to this past weekend. I thought of asking her about PSAT scores, but she was there with her younger son.</p>
<p>In other news, we are getting ourselves a new water main for an early Christmas present – out of necessity. Bummer, but it will be nice to have running water again…</p>
<p>My S is supposed to get his scores on Thursday from the school counselor. I am curious about how he does. His older sister did will as a soph, but not enough to get commended. She studied for her jr year test, upped her score by 26 points, and is a NMSF. I plan to use this years scores as a starting point for S. Also, the test will be different/new next year, so this test was more of getting him used to standardized tests.</p>
<p>We haven’t heard anything, but D is really busy with several other things so hasn’t felt the need to ask about the scores. Last year she was in the office for some other reason and the principal told her she’d outscored most of the class (the freshmen take it too). Last year she took it cold, but was not happy with her math score. This year she prepped through Khan Academy and felt much better prepared for the trick questions. In other news, she is neck deep in getting her science fair project completed. Her group was in the top 10 with their “pitch” and won a cash prize from sponsors of the fair. Now all they need to do it get it DONE!</p>
<p>Thanks, @Ynotgo, for the link. Yes, I am hoping DD17 will have a steep increase in her PSAT score next year. My DS14 improved from 198(soph.) to 230(junior) just by studying the practice books. However, every kid is different so I am trying to be careful not to put that kind of expectation on DD17.</p>
<p>@CT1417 - I couldn’t get info from our school (public). I even called the district counseling office-no dice. Not sure what’s going on here in NV, but I think @4beardolls has it right with bulk ship/mailings by state. How else would NY & CA have theirs already?</p>
<p>Let’s hope that all our kids see an increase in scores, and if not, then @sseamom has the right idea with Khan Academy. </p>
<p>@vegasmom23 – I do not know the pattern. We received very close to Christmas break last year and middle of month the year before, whereas private school friends in Boston received start of month two years ago but different private school friends in Boston still do not have as of today. </p>
<p>Good thing we only have sophomores and none of this matters!</p>