Parents of the HS Class of 2021 (Part 1)

Parents Forum Class of 20xx Community
2644

@homerdog our school doesn’t use Naviance so no help in that department. In my case, my son’s target is to get into TAMU. No top 10% standing so he was using the Academic Admit criteria as his goal (1Q 1360 SAT with at least 620 Math and 660 EBRW
ACT: Composite score of 30 with at least 27 English and 27 Math)

TAMU is doing away with Academic Admit after this year and everyone out of top 10% will be holistic review. He’s still aiming for that mid 1300 score. At his safeties (UTSA & UNT) he’s already an assured admit with his 1120 score but obviously the better he does and higher he scores, the better his chances for scholarship money and honors college admissions at those two. So that is the guide he’s using.

2645

I think she’s looked a bit at Naviance but not a whole lot. I hear you guys. I think you’re right. It best to just let her study and see how it goes. I think I’m getting frustrated because, once again, school work has increased quickly here this semester and she’s trying to fit SAT studying in but it’s always last. It’s hard for me to tell her to prioritize it because I think she’s doing the right thing. When she has homework and tests each day she has to do that work. It is the priority. But then she’s so wiped and I feel like she’s got not much left for standardized test studying.

She took an SAT math section last night and the majority of her wrong answers were arithmetic errors. I got annoyed because I was also tired. We’ve decided that I will make a schedule for her for SAT studying and she will follow it and I don’t need to check on her.

ACT is 2/8. We have her Dec test booklet here so the only thing she’s planning on doing is reviewing her wrong answers. And then it will be back to SAT work.

2646

I hear you, @homerdog. D is also taking ACT 2/8, and this was finals week for both of our kids. So stressful already, but we both know she needs to prep at least a bit if she wants to at least try to be done testing by the end of the school year.

2647

My S21 just realized he has to do ACT prep tomorrow night b/c of a tutoring session this weekend and was not happy!

He’s taking first ACT in Feb – but school based so later in the month. We’re not talking specific score goal – he puts enough pressure on himself. I think his tutor is talking about it, but she’s great about balancing motivation w/o pressure. He knows he can keep at it until early Fall so I think that helps. At this point I’m saying as little as possible other than checking in on doing his prep work.

The good news is I feel pretty confident ACT is his test. She copies me on his session note and actually tells him he needs to slow down! My older D could never even finish the math section…

2648

@Momof3B that is interesting that TAMU has a cut off for the ACT math and English sections. I was reading something the other day that said those are the two sections that schools prioritize even if they don’t come out and say it.

2649

@mamaedefamilia for math: patrick JMT and Professor Leonard. And The Organic Chemistry Tutor for AP Chem and AP physics 1

2650

@homerdog The only thing I did with D18 was when she was taking second sitting of ACT I let her know that if she could get from 32 ACT to 33ACT it would be a fairly significant difference in merit money to some of the schools she was applying too. I offered to pay for a tutor and she refused said she wanted to do it on her own. Ended up with a 35.

One other thing I would note, and I am sure that you are aware of this with your son’s college search is that a lot of schools do not superscore the ACT so you/she should be sure to check that. Obviously if the schools do not superscore, you only want to send them the best composite score.

2651

@burghdad Thanks for the reminder about superscore. One of her schools just started superscoring this year. Whew! And one does not…but it’s a school on the longer list, not her short list so she may not apply.

2652

My son finally took a practice ACT at home and hated it. He will just focus on SAT. He is trying to improve his Math score, so he downloaded the SAT app and committed to doing 2 math problems a day. I don’t know if that will help or if he is even doing it. I have given up on pushing test prep because we always end up arguing.

2653

S21 has surprised me once again. As I mentioned earlier this week (#2587), I actually heard him talk about colleges with a friend. This was the first time he’s really said anything about the future.

Well last night he received a call from a coach at a school on [my] his list. He filled me in on conversation and I was massively impressed with the answers he gave and then the questions he asked. Makes me think that when he’s sitting in his bed doing nothing, that maybe, just maybe, he’s actually, dare I say… thinking???

2654

@Aguadecoco well, you aren’t the only parent arguing about standardized tests. I need to just shut my mouth but sometimes I can’t help it because I just want this part over. My telling D this is obviously the opposite of helpful. I’m going to force myself to leave the house every time I want to say anything. We discussed it all last night and went around and around in circles. I did notice that D did a writing SAT section last night and I looked at it this morning without her knowing and she did well. I’m really hoping that she’s done this spring. ACT on 2/8 and then SAT in March and SAT in April (school sitting they have to take). I’m crossing my fingers for a usable score somewhere in there.

@eb23282 That’s great! Sometimes kids are more ready than we think and just aren’t interested in talking to US about it. Lol. Good for him.

2655

@homerdog and @Aguadecoco I’m right there with y’all. I’m doing my ever loving best to keep my lips zipped about test prep…it just leads to an argument

2656

@homerdog - Please take this in the manner it’s intended. You need to back off on the testing. I know you’re anxious to have it over and I have no doubt she knows you’re anxious to have it over and it’s just adding another layer of anxiety to the whole situation. I’ve been following your/her ACT/SAT debate and was a pretty vocal advocate of having her ditch the ACT months ago. I know you paid for the test, but I am not at all sure it’s helpful - especially when she is already scheduled for 2 SAT tests in the next two months. It’s a lot. And if they don’t go well, it’s a lot psychologically. I truly hope she hits the numbers you’re looking for, but I really urge you to try and take some of the anxiety out of it and telling her that her current scores are not in range for her targets (which I’d bet she already has a general idea) is just not a good idea - especially when it’s a test that she’s demonstrated several times over the last 6+ months is not a test well suited for her. Best of luck to both of you - truly.

2657

That’s why I finally bit the bullet for an SAT tutor. It’s so hard to fit in the time between school, work and everything else! I agree her school work is more important, but all want the testing to be over! This way she has a dedicated time each week with the tutor (weekend) and I know she’ll do the work he assigns because she’s that kind of kid! Now I’ve stepped back and let the tutor handle it! Praying March is it!!! D actually has a higher target in mind than I do so who knows?? But hopefully March is it for both of us!

2658

@Darcy123 I understand where you’re coming from. I actually told her last night that I’m ok with her bagging the ACT. She’s thinking about it. I think she’s half way between knowing she could very well gain a point in a superscore without studying anymore and not retaking it because she feels it’s “not her test”. She figured out that it’s a matter of just getting three more points total in any category to go one point higher in her superscore. She hasn’t maxed out English or reading which she’s done in practice tests and she could easily move up one point in math and science since every test is different and she inched up in both on the second test. She knows it doesn’t matter to me if she takes the test.

I think I give the impression here that we talk about it all of the time but we don’t. I briefly mentioned that her Dec ACT booklet came in the mail last week. And then we talked last night.

But I do thank you for the reminder that she puts enough pressure on herself and doesn’t need any more from me. I will mention to her again that I’m fine with her not taking the ACT again if she wants to just move on.

Also, please remember where we are coming from. D doesn’t really think it’s a big deal to keep taking tests. She has a number of friends studying for both tests and taking them multiple times. I know it’s not a suggested path. S19 had a lot of friends who did this and eventually hit their scores on their third ACT and their third SAT. But the decision really is up to her.

2659

I’ll just chime in to say that taking a standardized test three times is pretty normal over here, too. One of my daughter’s best friends has already taken the ACT at least twice (September, October) and I believe she’s taking it in February as well. It’s also distinctly possible that she took it in December. I don’t know if they are also preparing for and taking the SAT - chatter seems more ACT over here, despite the SAT being the state test, and everyone taking the SAT in April at school.

2660

Big moment here - D asked me for more information about a college that a teacher had mentioned! Yay!

I have one ACT kid and one SAT kid. I think that my younger would do fine on the ACT. However, like @aguadecoco’s son, she just doesn’t like it.

2661

My S21 would not get far trying to self-study SAT on top of his regular school/other commitments. So I’m acting as his SAT tutor to help him work towards his March date…@homerdog maybe not all that different from what you’ve done in terms of setting up a study plan for your daughter?

I find that by having a specific plan that is reasonable in terms of time spent, it doesn’t ramp up the pressure/anxiety too much. He just attacks the plan which convinces him he is making progress (we’ll see if that ends up showing in the score), and I feel as if he is doing what he can so I’m less anxious - what happens happens in terms of the score. You could argue that I’m being controlling, I think. ? But I tutor the GMAT so I think I’m as good an SAT tutor for him as any, and I come free. Other parents would be more hands off. But the balance works since I feel relaxed about the fact that I know he’s doing what I think will be most effective, and he doesn’t feel too overwhelmed because he just has to work on very specific things in limited bursts 3-4 times a week.

I think the score he got on verbal his first time is within the range of what he can get…meaning, he didn’t score way under his potential there. He got a 660, and I think he’s probably a 640-700 kid on SAT verbal, so it’s not as if he has 100 points of upside there. Therefore he’s not focusing on it at all (aside from some last minute review and a timed practice maybe a week or two before test day). The singular math focus helps with making the study plan reasonable.

For the Math portion, in case this would be helpful to others - I went through his results from Oct and identified problems he got wrong that I think he has a shot at. He’s not going for a super high score. He got a 570 first time around, and we want him to get a 600 though I have a dream of him hitting something more in the 620-640 range. So there are plenty of math problems that he won’t be able to do, and that’s okay. We’re letting those go. Based on that analysis, I went through the College Panda math book and chose specific chapters for him to do…and then within those chapters I chose specific problems for him to do. He doesn’t need to do every function problem in the functions chapter…there are some that are “above his paygrade.” So his study plan is that the College Panda math book has tape flags on 14 chapters and within those chapters, specific problems are circled. He is to do 2 chapters a week (and we review them once he’s done them each week). Then he’ll do some timed practice in the 2 weeks before test day. That’s something he can manage that should help…and we’re leaving it at that.

I know getting to the level of circling problems for him to do in the book might seem micro-controlling…but since I’m acting as his tutor, I don’t think so. And by working with him this way, I get a sense for what he knows and doesn’t know and what his chances are to get various questions…that allows the practice to be very focused. It allows for him to feel good about progress he’s making in learning (whether it ends up translating to higher test scores or not), and it allows me to be relaxed about it.

This might change when it’s D23’s turn since she’ll be shooting for higher scores…but for S21, it’s keeping us sane at this point. If it doesn’t work out, we still have time to regroup for a third and final test at the end of August when he’ll have more time to study over the summer.

I’m definitely ready for the testing to be over, because with S21, the essays are going to be even worse! (kid who hates writing, hates creative writing more, hates writing about himself the most of all, haha).

2662

I have to admit that a few times a week I suggest to my D to prep a bit whenever she doesn’t have an overwhelming amount of homework…if I notice, for example, that she’s been surfing her phone for the last hour. I’m talking about just 20 minutes or so on any given night. If I know she’s tired and maybe not up for hard prep, then I suggest just reviewing ERW (which is easy for her) just to keep those skills sharp.

I feel OK doing this because SHE is the one who insisted that she wanted to take the December and March SATs and to add on the Feb ACT, rather than giving herself more time to prep. I’m not trying to add to her stress but to end it…so this can be DONE! I know she won’t want to drag it out. I don’t think she’ll want to do it during AP testing time, or early summer (she’s always fried by then) and she wants a break in summer that won’t really happen because of college essay writing.

I’m not going to pressure or even encourage her to retake and retake to get her highest possible score. At least one of the schools we have visited that she likes is probably close to a safety for her, while still being a great school in all respects. I just want her to get her math scores up a bit and I think she’ll be done (and let the chips where they fall WRT admissions). If she prefers the reachier schools it will be up to her to motivate herself after this round of tests. I feel that now is the time to bear down hard and get it DONE! If she’s not happy with the Feb/March results I’m not going to even let her sign up for any more tests unless (and until) I see her actually doing significant prep on her own initiative (with no input from me) in the following months. Winter is her least-busy time with regard to ECs and if it’s not happening now, I don’t know when it would happen.

2663

Hello, returning parent of DD2018 (Pitt 2022) trying to get a handle on DD2021. Very different kids, very different ECs and interests, it might as well be our first time throught this process. If your child is not aiming for top 50 type schools, can they be one and done for SAT and skip ACT and multiple attempts? I am not involved with education at all, but feel like one score north of 1500 would be more interesting than multiple attempts. Trying to balance between getting an affordable education with some merit and preserving sanity for us all. I’ve heard the stories of “20 more points and they woul have had full tuition or this scholarship” No hooks, some APs/DC, large public PA HS with good rigor and probably top 10% gpa.