@acersacchuram I think so too - and if she had added anything it would have been something fun and easy like Yoga so I finally did see her point that the free period was fine. I just checked and it does say “Senior Privilege” on her schedule. I was hoping it might just not be on her transcript or say study hall or something.
Study halls: To clarify, when I said my daughter has three study halls, I meant three every day, five days per week. But like I said, that’s the result of a weird quirk in district rules about who’s allowed to be on school grounds when, and so is kind of a different animal than the situations some others are talking about here.
Classes per day: When I was in high school, we had eight classes per day, no block scheduling, every class every day. Most (of the few) academically-oriented students were advised to take a study hall each year (at least, after the required year of 9th-grade PE was over) to keep from getting burned out, but not everybody did—my on-the-edge-of-academically-oriented self only did one year, f’rex.
Our town’s schedule is all messed up and my S19’s is a result of this mess. There are 6 scheduled blocks with some doubles in there for labs on an eight day rotating cycle. This year they placed many options in conflict with classes a good many students might be interested in taking. For instance, first block of the day has orchestra, AP Stats, and Architectural Design, all of which where on my son’s list of choices. He’s been playing cello for 8 years and had wanted to complete four year’s in the orchestra.
We are on the second day of school and his schedule is a hot mess with no word from his guidance counselor. He has 12 studies/open slots during the 8 day cycle. On one day, he actually has 3 of them and I think he’s done by 11 am! I am concerned that colleges will see this schedule, unless we can change it, as a cop out senioritis thing. I have proposed that in lieu of additional filler electives that he take an engineering class where I work, but of course my town does not participate in dual enrollment. I cannot wait to be done with this public school!
Our transcripts don’t list studies, only classes. Someone would need to do the math to figure out that you don’t have as many as you could have. This year S has 6 classes first term and 5 second term but only two of them, AP Stats and Precalc, are full year courses. All the rest are half year which means his transcript will show 9 classes for senior year. I do wonder if anyone takes the time to really figure it out or do they just give it a quick look over to see that it looks reasonable.
Our transcripts don’t list study halls either. Just the academic classes. And since we are a block schedule even if you had five blocks of study halls (called frees if you are a Jr or Sr) they aren’t necessarily on different days. My oldest had a semester where they all were the first two blocks of Monday and Tuesday…so almost completely useless to him.
Hi! I have a D18 and a D20. Started reading your thread ( picked up with the July posts) because my D20 is in this GPA range but my D18 was not. D18 was extremely driven, had way too many ECs, was in all honors and APs and was looking for a certain major. D20 (most likely in direct response to her sister’s high stress) is not as driven, also plays tennis but will not do any other ECs, and has no clue what she wants to major in, which is fine!
So even though for the past two years I got quite the college search education I am starting a whole new search with a new whole set of criteria.
We do have a similar thread that was started for the Class of 2020 but as it is just starting I thought I would gleam some great information from all of you who are in the pool now!
Best of luck to all of you this year! I will be cheering you on from the sidelines.
Also as far as schedules D18 went to a school that did block scheduling 4 one day/ 4 the next. She had 7 classes and one study every other day(except for the semesters she had to take PE). Many of her friends filled up all 8 spots with classes but she ( and I) felt it was important she had some time during the day to do work and get help if needed. Her ECs had her going into the late evenings most days and she had to commute about an hour in the morning and half hour in the evening ( less traffic).
D20 has 6 class periods a day and one X period a day. This semester (and most) that X period is study. She takes a total of 7 classes (they drop one every day). One semester I had her take a study skills course during X.
@TwinMom2023 my D18 looked at Fairfield. It was the first school we looked at so we went back again and it was the last one she did as well. I would definitely have your daughter schedule an interview for when she visits. Not sure if you are just touring or doing the open house but the tour does not get you into too many places. She can also shadow a student on her tour day (mascot is a Stag so the program is Shadow a Stag). Information session was great from what I remember too. DI is a big factor and in our case my daughter received a lot of merit ( it would have been about the cost of instate for her). So definitely maximize that visit if possible. Also I know of a clean, reasonable place to stay nearby if you are interested.
We helped DD get her 5 instate applications finished this past weekend. 3 safeties, 1 match/reach, 1 high reach.
Everyone is more relaxed now. It’s a great feeling!
Alright you guys, today we visited the school I have been rooting for but she has been set against. It checks off all of her very specific boxes (and my budget) but her problem is a few other kids from school go there so it’s not exotic and different. Well, she actually kind of liked it. She liked the professors she met in her major and minor, the campus, the dorms, the food, the school colors. She’s not ready to commit but at least I know she’s pretty good with it now.
I really hope she makes the choice that she wants to go there. I know on CC a lot of kids get to choose far and wide, but she has some very specific wants and a tiny budget so we need to be practical. There are a couple of others on her list but they are a longer drive than I want her to make in the winter, more expensive, and not any higher quality- perhaps worse- so I am hoping she is the one that decides they aren’t worth 9 hour round trips to visit. There are a couple other closer ones we might visit but she would have to choose a different major so they are obviously not as ideal as the one we visited today that literally has it all for her.
@carolinamom2boys a free period, literally, is just that. We have an open campus, kids can come and go as they please. My son alternated between studying in the library for his other classes and getting caught up, going for a walk in the woods or sometimes going out to eat.
Obviously they are not going to allow less than a full schedule unless you have met your graduation requirements. By his senior year my son only needed two classes to graduate, everything else was truly “extra” and because he went to zero period, he still had 6 classes for the semester which is considered a full load and that’s all that showed on his transcript (versus 7 for the first semester).
Because he had intended to take the class all year, I had him contact all of his colleges to advise as to the schedule change.
Thanks for the clarification @eandesmom . We don’t have “free periods”, but that’s pretty much how DS19 ended up with a study hall.
@Minniefan Thank you. She is signed up for everything in one day. Had to go with interview prior to tour so that is a bummer, but she is doing Shadow a Stag. Booked her and my husband at an inn called Circle Inn?? Not positive. Merit aid would be lovely. Did you like the town?
You probably read that my twins are completely different in what they need in a college. The different searches are stressful to do together!
@TwinMom2023 the Circle Inn is exactly the one I was going to recommend. Clean and affordable and about 3 minutes from the school. They have outside rooms like a motel and inside rooms, first time I stayed in an outside and was not that comfortable as it was just my daughter and me ( all my fears, sure your husband will be fine) second time I had an inside room little bit more but great peace of mind. Fairfield is a very nice town! Actually is a wealthy NYC suburb ( about an hour by train out of the city). The city next to it is not quite as nice but the kids are enveloped in Fairfield. Also close to the beach and most upperclassmen rent beach houses to live in…and party in.
Sounds like you are maximizing the day! You and I are very similar…as far as different kids I can relate, the hard thing for moms of multiples like you is that you are getting all this great knowledge and then will be done! I feel like I am getting double the value out of my college search education since I am now starting over but in a much better place. When D18 was a junior I did not even know about CC.
If I am correct you live near Elon which is where my daughter just started. I might be looking for some local advice in the future…always up for great restaurant recommendations!
Well, SAT scores came in this morning. S19 went up a bit in EBRW and stayed exactly the same for math compared to the June test. So, that’s that. Done with testing.
His scores totally reflect a kid who is honors/AP English/history and regular math/science. I was the exact same, right down to the (high EBRW, mediocre math) SAT score differential. He has played to his strengths and interests.
Of course, his top choice is the main campus of our state flagship. Numbers are the only thing that matter there for admissions. If he ends up at his second choice residential branch campus for the first two years because they count middle-range math test scores against future English majors, whatever. He would be totally happy with either option. That application and one to the in-state directional safety will be submitted this weekend.
The two LACs are test optional (one being Mr. InfiniteWaves and my alma mater) but he will submit anyway. He should qualify for merit at both.
It’s quite a relief to move on from testing.
The Coalition App is going to be the end of us. D19 has 4 schools she will apply to via the Coalition App (JMU, Elon, UMD and VT).
I tried to help her a bit last night and wow - it is not user friendly. She was trying to figure out to enter her essay and could not find where to enter it. I looked for about 5 minutes and nothing jumped out at me either.
I suggested she go meet with her counselor for some help as I’m sure they are familiar with it since UMD is very popular at her school (state flagship) and they only accept the Coalition App.
My S19 is using Coalition for JMU and UMD, but he would have to write an essay before he could attempt to enter it on an application! I guess our guidance office will have to get up to speed on Coalition with VA Tech using it exclusively this year.
Highly recommend reaching out to coalition for help. They were pretty quick in responding to S19’s questions. He hasn’t uploaded his essay yet so unfortunately I can speak tfor that issue.
Will agree that common app is way more user friendly. We are not in an area that has a lot students using coalition. I would think anyone in DMV would have counselors well informed so that may be your best bet.
S19 has 2 coalition only schools on his list (UMD and UF) so we feel your pain!
We are having similar issues with the CUNY applications. The website is terrible – only really works on firefox – and is completely counter-intuitive. My daughter has called for help, but tech support is really unhelpful. I wonder if being able to navagate the application is some sort of pre-test to determine if you are college ready. If so, my D and I together are NOT ready!
I’m pretty sure that the essay requirement varies for schools using the Coalition App. Some schools don’t want the essay, so there’s no way to insert it. I’d check with each college for sure though for your peace of mind.
My D19’s school has 7 periods every day. One of those periods you have a half period lunch and half period study hall. So 6 classes per year. I think 9th was a little different as it was a different building. In my state PE is required all 4 years every semester. For her to squeeze in an extra AP last year she had to get an exemption for PE for playing two sports. Between the sports and the extra AP junior year almost killed her. I think 2 years of PE adequate.
I am dreading the Coalition app. We can already tell it’s going to be a problem. Can’t see the writing requirements yet as he hasn’t done the self entered grades (need a transcript update so can do that part now) but are hoping they match what the colleges show online. UGH. It is new this year for these schools, last year you could choose Coalition or their own app and now it’s all Coalition. Bleh. Hopefully our offices get up to speed on it to as it is our flagship, so they should be a good resource when we get there.