Our district organized a “clap-out” drive through of all the schools for the 5th, 8th, and 12th graders. So we drove through the elementary first, then the middle and high schools. So much fun - more than we anticipated it would be. Teachers and staff lined the parking lots and cheered each car. It was challenging to figure out who many of them were due to the masks!
We took 4 t-shirts, one from each school (elementary, middle, high, and college), and put them on a rope that we secured to the front and back of the car, so displaying on the passenger side where D20 was sitting. If we had had more time (decided to do this the morning of the event), we would have done both sides of the car, or maybe included shirts from her clubs/dance. We heard lots of positive comments from the teachers.
@suzyQ7 The two schools are a one hour flight or 6 hour drive from each other. Berkeley is in northern California and UCLA is in southern California. I was wondering if the increase in SoCal kids choosing UCLA over Cal was because people decided to stay closer to home and I wondered if there was a similar trend with NorCal kids choosing Berkeley over UCLA.
@socaldad2002 UCLA and UCB sent out letters on the same day (April 28), an hour apart, saying that tuition will not change and that they cannot guarantee housing. As you know, UCSB also sent a letter stating that they cannot guarantee housing so the kid that chose UCSB over UCB most likely didn’t do it because of the housing guarantee. UCSD was the only UC that stopped short of saying that they cannot guarantee housing. They wrote,
Hello,
I have a question about the AP exams. When do we get the results? Does it take the same amount of time as the old in person exams? (I also don’t remember how long those took, but it felt like a long time!) I’m just wondering how they register for classes without that information. S20 has ‘orientation’ in mid June.
Thanks!
AP Scores will be released July 15-17, the date depends on the state you live in (though I will assume you’re in NY ;-), so July 15 for you ) . https://apscore.collegeboard.org/scores/
Last year I think the scores came out around July 5-7 so it’s a tad later, but they also started a week later.
As far as registering for classes without knowing the scores, my understanding is most students guess how they did on any they took their senior year and go off that. Or they register for the class based on the assumption of not having credit, and adjust as needed, like registering for freshman comp and then dropping it if an AP score is high enough. Many schools have orientation before the scores are released and they will know how to handle it.
What a great weekend. S20 had his graduation yesterday. The ceremony was in person and he was able to have two guests. The school spaced out the 300 graduates on the bleachers of the football field, and guests watched from their designated chairs on the field. Besides the wind blowing motor boards around the weather was ideal. I can’t thank our school district and school administrators for putting together a nice ceremony. Walking in took 30 minutes and the end was delayed by a logjam with the professional photographer, other then that, it went very smoothly.
S20 was awarded 2 of the 6 private scholarships awarded at graduation so that was an unexpected bonus!!! DU emailed S20 to apply for a new, renewable $10K scholarship through the Joseph Korbel School of International Studies, so he’s back to it after 3 days off!!
Funny thing, S20 got a package in the mail. It is a shirt for his college, but it’s too big and has no card or anything. So it’s someone that knows him enough to want to send a gift, but not enough to know his size! A little mystery for us!
My daughter just had online orientation and chose her classes for the fall. In her case AP scores really only affected two of her classes. She discussed with her advisor the two AP classes Psychology and Chemistry. In the case of Psychology, her future major, she was confident she did well and the advisor was fine in putting in a higher level psychology class and not taking the intro class… the Chemistry AP she has to retake The test because of the problem submitting it. She wasn’t as confident. The advisor suggested taking the regular chemistry because many kids have the AP score to skip the class and have problems with the higher level class. My daughter was fine with that. I suppose if she did well on it that might change her opinion in the future.
Hello CC parents! Help me please. I am at the end of my rope.
My child got into a highly competitive college program. He made great grades in high school without much oversight by me. However, he is digging his heels in on orientation. He has not been checking his college email account. There are a lot of things left undone. When we decide on a time to sit down and work on it, he throws up obstacles or just presents such an attitude and ends up quitting after not accomplishing much.
I did try to talk to him about his options for next year, feeling as if maybe his heart wasn’t in his chosen school. However, he refuses to admit that he may be second guessing his choice. In the meantime, he continues to post things on social media about his school choice. So I do think he really wants to go. However, I’ve been careful to make sure he knows he can still change his mind to something closer to home or whatever…
I’m just having trouble figuring out how a kid who has accomplished the things that he has accomplished is suddenly so resistant to finish orientation. His advising appointment is in two weeks. Before that, he will need to take two placement exams, choose classes, and learn how to input them before he even meets with the advisor. I have no hope of this getting done.
I do wonder if some type of depression and anxiety is to blame, but he refuses that has a possible explanation.
@2perspectives I wonder if he is just a little burned out and in summer mode. I know these kids have worked so hard (all these AP classes, extracurriculars, etc. these past 4 years to make it to this point). I would maybe ask him if he just needs a break and help him stay on his deadlines, which it sounds like you are already doing. If he is in danger of not being ready for his advising appointment in 2 weeks, then I would be a little more concerned.
This is the most complicated time in living memory - add to it the disappointment and realization that high school went out with a whimper and college is likely to start with a whimper, it is normal to feel a little down. And at least where we are, we have had months of “time has no meaning” quarantine, so it can be hard to get geared up for a hard deadline. I think I would just tell him you are not going to nag him, but if he isn’t fully prepared for his advising meeting, with all requirements accomplished, you will take that as an indicator he doesn’t want to go this fall.
You don’t mention which school or what it has announced thus far about operations for the fall. Is he possibly not convinced all this work will lead to what really happens? Possibly protecting himself from being disappointed (again) from another change in plans? If the school has been clear about plans for the fall, is he okay with what they are? If so, make him aware of what needs done and then step back. It is his time to take the lead and live with the consequences if he does not.
@2perspectives It sounds like you have done a lot to encourage him to follow through with necessary next steps. If it were my student, I would likely make a checklist with due dates of all next steps, post it in a prominent place (fridge, bathroom mirror, etc.) and then let it be his responsibility.
A different question – my daughter received a scholarship from the Kiwanis Club for her work with high school Key Club. She wants to send a thank you. Would a handwritten note, a handwritten letter, or a typed letter signed by her be the most appropriate?
My son is kind of the same way and is dragging his feet on things. He did finally finish up his pre-orientation checklist and registered for his classes, but it was slow going. I think he was hoping for more time off between finishing up high school and starting college stuff.
I think handwritten would be nice. My son typed and signed his scholarship thank you letters, but his handwriting is abysmal. They would have wanted their money back.
Question for those of you who have older kids, and I may ask this on the Class of 2021 post as well:
Approximately how much spending money do you think kids need during the school year, assuming that tuition, room and board (mandatory unlimited meal plan), and books are already covered?
I know D would like enough to be able to grab a Starbucks once in a while, go out to eat once in a while with friends, do laundry, etc. She will be in the Boston area so I imagine she will go into the city sometimes, which will be a $3 bus ride in. I would like her to be able to do some things but still live like a college student and not Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (because we’re neither…LOL)
D found a summer job (yay…her first job!) woking 20-25 hours a week in retail so the plan is that this will be her “walking around money” for the school year. (Am encouraging her to save a % of this as well.) Just trying to help her budget and come up with an amount that would be appropriate to put aside as “spending money”.
@AlwaysLearn - I don’t have an answer on the dollar amount. But I’ve been pretty clear with DS that any personal spending money is on him. I figure if all his tuition, housing and food are covered, he can pony up for the rest. I don’t want to be paying for a meal plan and buying take out pizza as well…plus, in high school he liked to treat his friends a lot. Yeah…no…I’m not doing that anymore. He shouldn’t need much anyhow. He’s been working the past year and has about 3K banked he can pull from. I can’t imagine he’d go through more then a couple hundred a month and that’s because he spends a lot on gaming. Probably only $100/month.
Our daughter worked for the past two years and saved about $9k from her job. We look at that money as basically her spending money for the next three years of school…which works out to about $100/week available during the school year.
That should give her plenty of walking around cash (for the occasional Starbucks trip), as well as allowing her to be able to get haircut/color, replenish toiletries/makeup, and if she wants, save some of that money up to be able to do a spring break experience.
Yours sounds a lot like mine, gaming, treating friends and all. I agree with you on the meal plan thing. Will he be bringing his gaming system to school? Mine is still on the fence about it.
He shouldn’t need much anyhow. He’s been working the past year and has about 3K banked he can pull from. I can’t imagine he’d go through more then a couple hundred a month and that’s because he spends a lot on gaming. Probably only $100/month.
I agree with you on the meal plan thing. Will he be bringing his gaming system to school? Mine is still on the fence about it.