Thanks 3scoutsmom! I will see how she does on PSAT and what her plan will be regarding SAT.
Welcome Sonoran and 1822mom! My DDâ18 took the practice SAT at the public library. It was presented free by one of the better known, national prep companies. This test was a full four hours and was a blend of the current SAT style and the New SAT style. She was not a happy camper after the four hours and express a growing curiosity of the ACT. She will get some feedback in a week. Told her not to worry because this is just a familiarization exercise.
We had our older two sit for an actual SAT in September of Junior year. It motivated each to practice, which put them in a better position to do well on the PSAT. Each took subsequent tests in January and improved.
Part of our reasoning was to take some anxiety out of the âhigh stakes test.â It is truly high stakes if one waits until the fall of senior year to take it. If a student sits for the test relatively early, then she knows there will be chances to take it again and that lessens the stress. By the time senior year rolls around, the student is more familiar with the test and is just trying to improve the score, so less stress. It is a theory.
Not only that, but if a student has trouble with the PSAT early, and SAT early, that can help target their colleges instead of make their dreams come crashing down. Better to have an idea in 10th grade what will be appropriate, especially if your child is doing well with GPA.
Really canât remember exactly when S13 took SATs, but I think it was right after PSAT in Junior year (Nov/Dec) and then in March (I think). Anyway, it worked out fine. He also took his SAT Subject tests end of 10th grade (again, I think) when he had just completed the appropriate AP class and pre-calc. Weâll probably follow a similar path with S18
go2boy has just left the house, four waffles with peanut butter and half a slab of bacon later. Pencils are sharpened, calculator is at the ready. Letâs do this!
Hey there! Have been a member for a couple of years, but this is my first time posting in here.
An intro - my '18 is my oldest so we are new to everything.
DS is planning on doing the full IB diploma at his school (school doesnât offer AP courses), is on the varsity XC team, JV soccer team, and volunteers with an auto mechanics group on the weekends repairing cars for women at a shelter. He loves everything cars and canât wait to get his license in a few months!
He participated in the JHCTY program and tested as a 5th and 8th grader, qualifying for all their programs, but we have only done the local family day trips.
He is interested in engineering and went to the High School Engineering Institute at Michigan State University last summer and loved it! They got exposed to many different disciplines and got hands-on lab access at a high level. Plus, he got to fly across the country and stay on a college campus so he enjoyed the independence aspect as well.
His school also requires all sophomores to take the PSAT so he took it yesterday. No studying for him - we figured we would wait to get the score report and see what he needs to work on for next year. He said the grammar was very basic, the critical reading was âfineâ, and the first math section was half and half with math topics he hadnât been exposed to yet and those he had. The second math section he said was all very familiar.
Hope everyone elseâs kiddos are doing well and enjoying high school!
Thanks glido!
My DD is taking AP biology this year and is not doing well in spite of working hard and and spending lot of time. she did take honors biology last year but seems to me there is a huge jump in difficulty from honors to AP. Her teacher being new to school and teaching AP Bio for the first time in her career is not helping either. Anybody here has a kid taking AP bio? what is your experience?
I know that the SAT is new in March 2016⊠but isnât there a new ACT also? Or are they just changing the writing section? When does that start? I want to sign S18 up to take both, but donât want him to waste a test by taking the old versions!
Thanks
DDâ18 took the sophomore PSAT. She said it was fine, math was easier than the critical reading. She didnât like the writing section at all. Her school takes many months to get the PSAT scores back. Donât know anything about any ACT changes. DD is on the varsity XC team, most of her upper classmen teammates took the ACT. They are all out visiting schools this weekend, so college is on DDâs mind. Told her we may be able to make a few college trips this summer.
I think we will take a drive during spring break. Seems like a good time just to get our feet wet. Would also be a good chance to get him some long-distance driving time. May depend on college age sonâs plans.
Sort of feeling bad for my Dâ18. Dâ16 just finished up her apps. Now I can concentrate on Dâ18. Made Dâ18 look at her âcolleges I am thinking aboutâ list in Naviance this past weekend and told her âYou really need to start considering what you might like to major in for collegeâ. Dâ18 laughed and is enormously happy that the parental pressure has shifted.
@labegg the same shift is going one here!
Interesting, Glido. My '18 said the opposite - he thought the writing portion was way too easy, the critical reading was fairly easy, and the math had things he hadnât yet seen and he said he didnât have time to âteach himselfâ during the test so he guessed on a few.
Weâre looking forward to getting the full score report so we can see what he needs to work on. Weâre assuming his math class this year will fill in the blanks for the most part.
Writing/Critical Reading were his best sections when he took the SAT in the fall of 8th grade so we werenât too surprised that he was still strong in those areas. We were hopeful that with an extra years of math, that score would improve. Weâll see!
Just sharing a fun story about my youngest in our local paper! http://www.issaquahreporter.com/news/336084701.html
Dâ18 is getting bombarded with stuff from U of Chicago. She is well aware of the admissions standards for U of Chicago and lots of other schools as her Dâ16 sister is smack in the middle of the application process.
Dâ18: âMom, I keep getting stuff from U of Chicago, so I looked them up onlineâŠHUGE mistake! I really liked what I saw and think I would like to go there but I have like a .1% chance of getting in, UGHâ.
Me: âYeah, life can be cruel like that!â
@RoonilWaslib99, she is absolutely adorable!
@labegg, that made me laugh. Wise kid, wise parent. 
@labegg Yup. UChicago sends lots of stuff. Just wait for the hats, t-shirts, scarfs, etc. Despite the long odds, some kids do get in, but obviously a reach for all students, regardless of grades and test scores. That said, if it is a school a student really wants to attend, and they (and you) understand the odds and costs, it can always be added to a list as a reach. One good thing is that they have early admission (not early decision), so applying early increases odds of admission without the commitment.
Itâs definitely longshot/reach for D16 with a 4.8w ( 3.7uw) 100/611 class rank. Of course we donât have SAT/ACT scores yet, although PSAT scores should be available in December. I suspect it will still be a big reach, lol.
Iâm actually a c/o 2018 student and not a parent so I donât know why Iâm here but itâs interesting to see the contrast between conversations here and the student one
Welcome raffie. There were a few students that participated in the parents forum for my older child. They stayed around for the ride, so they must have gotten something out of the discussion. Just donât let us stress you out.