@burghdad tests around here get cancelled because the school can’t get enough proctors. That’s what I’ve been told even from our school. Our guidance office is trying hard to get enough proctors but subs and retired teachers are their usual go-to and they are older and don’t want to do it. Apparently, our teachers are also not interested. So, even if the school is open, they need to figure out how to make test day work.
Our high school also has a huge drinking problem. Our kids are aware. Have been called late at night to help friends get home from parties who drank too much. The last time D and a friend picked someone up, he was so bad that they weren’t sure whether to take him home or to the hospital. They took him home and handed him over to his parents and they ended up taking him to the ER.
Big bang out parties every weekend. D went to one junior year with a good friend and they said they’d stick together and not drink. D was flabbergasted at the amount of alcohol. Bottles and bottles of vodka. Kids playing drinking games with whiskey. The police came. They all ran out. D lost her friend in the chaos but eventually found her and they came home. That was the last time she did that. Kids stupidly post photos of this stuff on Instagram etc. I worry about these kids when they shove off to college. Their parents think it’s good that they are exposed to drinking before they go. Yikes.
[Their parents think it’s good that they are exposed to drinking before they go. Yikes.]
@homerdog Yikes is right. I was at a 'moms night out" recently with mostly parents of kids I’ve known since elementary. S21 used to hang out with their kids but doesn’t anymore. One mom was telling a “funny” story about finding her son washing all his sheets in the morning because he’d vomited on them from binge drinking with a friend who was sleeping over. The friend was still asleep or possibly passed out. She thought it was fine since at least he was at home and didn’t drive. I did not even know what to say.
I would not be surprised if S21 drinks occasionally but he rarely goes out at night, tends to socialize with a small group who game together and if they get together in person it’s to go out for lunch during the day or a golf game so he doesn’t seem to be putting himself in the position to deal with pressure to drink. We have some strong family history of alcoholism so I’ve warned him that it could be really dangerous for him to play around with binge drinking (not that it’s good for anyone!). Earlier in HS I used to encourage him more to see his old ES friends but he was non-committal about it and when I talked with him about this he said, yeah that’s why I don’t want to hang out with them.
Last summer D was at her dad’s house. Her dad and his wife went out for the evening and she thought she would try drinking, Drank Vodka and Sprite, was face timing (she is not on social media platforms) her then boyfriend and her bestie. She was dizzy, slurring and super giggly. Threw up in the bathroom and fell asleep. Her dad still does not know and to this day she can’t drink Sprite.
Edit: I learned of this during our long drive to tour colleges last month.
Checking the ACT site. Registration deadline for September is Monday, however it says S can change test centers for 17 more days. There is only one school listed (booked) for September in 100 mile radius. I tried a zip code in an extremely low covid area 150 miles North. Nothing. I heard rumors they might be trying to get hotels or colleges to host but apparently they are not getting that together yet.
I think any of the talk about getting other types of locations or adding locations is just that - talk. I don’t see any locations being added for any of the fall SATs. I check every few days.
Saw the Facebook live interview with ACT CEO Janet Goodwin by Grown and Flown last night. She said “We were inundated with 100,000 users in the first 1 min we opened our doors for registration.So, again we did not anticipate that level of demand…” Really? They did not anticipate it? With all the cancellations since March? I don’t know what else to say but WOW… just WOW.
CU Boulder is on D21’s list- but the pot smoking would annoy her. I was a partier- so I had lots of stories of stupidity for my kids. While I don’t recommend it to everyone- we have always let our kids drink and D21 won’t do it. She hates carbonation and juice- so that pretty much strikes out all drinks. She used to be down right puritanical about drinking and smoking of any sort. Last year she did make friends with some kids who smoke pot/ vape, she still hates it, but she has learned to be less judgy towards others. All smoking still annoys her- can’t these kids just do the edibles!
It’s hard, on one hand you don’t want your kids to be naive, but you also don’t want them to be binge drinking and throwing up or driving. I’ve gotten very lucky with my kids, they are nothing like I was in high school and college. I just tell them that at this point they are really beyond punishment and that I just want them to be safe.
For ACT, I took the advice of a couple posters and I called the site directly. (at a college and the operator connected me to the testing coordinator - who knew!)
Anyway, the testing coordinator told me that they had 180 seats/names from ACT for the September test and received a notice that ACT would be cutting it down to only 50 seats. Her guess was a proctor issue, as the site has room to follow all social distancing guidelines and they were prepared to host the full 180.
She is unsure who ACT will cut and when/if they will notify the unlucky 130 students. She suggested I call back 3 days before the test when she is given the list of confirmed participants and she will check for my child’s name. Odds not in my child’s favor to test.
quote=“coffeeat3;c-22914429”]For ACT, I took the advice of a couple posters and I called the site directly. (at a college and the operator connected me to the testing coordinator - who knew!)
Anyway, the testing coordinator told me that they had 180 seats/names from ACT for the September test and received a notice that ACT would be cutting it down to only 50 seats. Her guess was a proctor issue, as the site has room to follow all social distancing guidelines and they were prepared to host the full 180.
She is unsure who ACT will cut and when/if they will notify the unlucky 130 students. She suggested I call back 3 days before the test when she is given the list of confirmed participants and she will check for my child’s name. Odds not in my child’s favor to test.
[/quote]
D had the ACT cancelled 3 times, has never taken the ACT. Is registered for Sept 19th and Oct 10th. I hope ACT takes that into consideration and not make her one the unfortunate ones. But who the heck knows. Testing site school is fully in person now with positively rate of 9.6% that will only climb now that large local state uni has started.
@NateandAllisMom I finally got through to ACT today to try to find a new option since D’s 9/19 location was cancelled. We were having issues because way back in April she had signed up with writing. I was able to get a date for 9/12 and drop the writing. The rep told me they only have until tomorrow, 8/28 to make any changes for September tests. Just wanted to let you know!
@Solstice155 thanks. I was in a hurry and see now that I was looking at the test count down number - right next to the button to change test sites. Can’t even wait in line on the phone - it says try back later. I also emailed and they gave me a case number but not holding my breath. I don’t think there are any sites open anywhere near here anyway plus he is still working apps. Looks like it’s October or bust.
Looks like our high school is going ahead with the Sept 23 in-school SAT! Just got an email today. As a reminder, we are remote right now. No plans to get back to hybrid right now. Illinois is requiring an SAT to graduate again (they got rid of requirement in June and now it’s back).
D is scheduled for Sept 26 and Oct 3rd too but those are Sat tests so not sure if they will happen. If they do, she will have three tests in ten days. Lol.
Right now, I’m only betting on the school day one happening. but it does look like we will be leaving the “couldn’t get a test” group to “I have a score and I’m not sure if I should send it” group.
D hasn’t prepped since March. I’m going to suggest she takes a break from essays and spend that time doing some practice sections.
@BmacNJ - our college counselor recommends putting in order that is most important to you and the narrative you are communicating with the activities section. Ideally activities that include 2020 near the top. If the student has activities plus a job - she had them list the job at the end (even though it is also important). Activities should be written with some sort of measurable piece - think resume. Elected 1 of 4 students to represent, manage the clean up of restaurant and resetting for the next shift, promoted from busboy to host, assist coach with equipment management, setting up field, tutoring math concepts not just tutoring etc… You don’t need to use all 10.
@coffeeat3 Thanks so much, I sort of felt that was the way to go, but then we hesitated as some activities were 9 and 10th grades, jumping to 11 and 12 back to 9-10 etc…Wasn’t sure. Thanks?
