<p>Thumper- I think momof3sons wasn't really "serious" about the "serious" answers. Notice she didn't spring forth with numerical scores. :)</p>
<p>Thanks MOWC,
I just got back to this thread and realized that I should have moved ;) one sentence forward!</p>
<p>Ah!!!!!!!! :)</p>
<p>My son took the SATs in seventh grade for CTY, before the new writing section was around. I think he scored a 590 and 580, but I can't remember which was which. For the mom whose son is taking them again (after a score already in the 600s) to get a better course assignment at CTY...I have to tell you that my son has always gotten his first choice (and always seems to ask for popular courses) so I can't imagine why your son would really need to take them again unless he really loves the SAT that much. The key is to get your application in with the first batch.</p>
<p>I am always interested in reading about how kids' scores improved from 7th grade to 11th grade, although I haven't really seen any pattern. Some kids seem to improve tons and others very little.</p>
<p>My son didn't get his first choice at CTY the first year, but we missed the first deadline. The next year two years he got his first choice course, but not his first choice location. (His scores were in the high 600s.)</p>
<p>Both of my kids took SAT/ACT early through Midwest Talent Search (Northwestern U). D took it because she was bored beyond belief in her middle school --- wanted some kind of challenge (she didn't study for the test, but enjoyed using her brain when she took it). Each time she took a test (SAT in 6 & 7, ACT in 8), she scored above the national average of college-bound high schoolers who took that test. What we noticed, though, was that she got progressively lower than her "peer group" each year. As a result, we decided to send her to a private high school where her needs could be better met (believe me, I TRIED to get her needs met in the public school, but that is another very long story). That worked, and when it was time for the ACT to count, she scored very well.</p>
<p>S took ACT through MTS in 6th grade. We put him into private school in 6th, when we switched D, and they recommended him for it. He also scored above national college-bound average. He didn't feel like taking it again after that, which was fine. He'll take it again when it's time, but at least he has had a go at it & knows what to expect.</p>
<p>Basically, it's a money-making scheme by SAT and Johns Hopkins. The parents receive affirmation that their kid is special and some sort of genius and so they shell out the big bucks.</p>
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<p>I have to strongly disagree with this comment. For my son, CTY has been a life-changing experience, and it has absolutely nothing to do with any affirmation that he may or may not be "special" or a "genius." It does, however, have everything to do with him having three weeks a year to grow and develop both socially and intellectually in a way he doesn't often get the chance to. It was the best gift we ever could have given him, and a large part of who he is today stems from that experience.</p>
<p>I agree with carolyn. For both of my kids, living away from home in a dorm, living with a roommate, getting to class, being responsible for themselves, dealing with many cultures and personalities -- well, let's just say it was worth every time.</p>
<p>Our son qualified everytime and it's like that's all he wanted to do was qualify; he didn't need to go. I think of that with curm's daughter; once she got into Yale she didn't need to go. My son wanted to spend his summers reading and playing chess with his cousin. It's all good.</p>
<p>Oops, I meant to say that, to us, Duke TIP was worth every dime.</p>
<p>Take0forgranted and mathmom, My son will have to take his chances with last year's scores - we're cancelling his scores from today. On one of the three math sections, he did the problems in the problem book but did not transcribe them to the answer sheet! He only realized that he should have done this when time was called. Last year I had him do the practice sections in the pamplet that they sent out, to get used to the test. This year he did absolutely nothing, and I guess I should have had him do some practicing to remind him of the answer sheet.</p>
<p>I'm so glad this happened this year instead of last. He may not get into his first choice course - Number Theory at Lancaster, which is supposed to be very difficult to get into - but there are plenty of other great options.</p>
<p>Carolyn, I'm glad you responded to that comment!</p>
<p>Kelsmom, Like you, I've given up on the public schools. My son is applying to independent HS. I'm exhausted from years of trying to make it work!</p>
<p>
[quote]
For both of my kids, living away from home in a dorm, living with a roommate, getting to class, being responsible for themselves, dealing with many cultures and personalities
[/quote]
This is not to put down CTY in any way, but there are MANY ways to arrange an away-from-home experience for youngsters that do not involve taking a standardized test to qualify.</p>
<p>My D did not qualify for CTY in 7th grade but got 1520 on the old SAT as a senior. I remember thinking that the CTY program was really interesting, but in retrospect it was more interesting for me than for her. The seven week canoe trip in the Canadian wilderness probably did her more good. I have had a tendency to project my interests onto her. Fortunately she has resisted me every step of the way, including choice of college.</p>
<p>I would just like to point out that in the era before CTY and all the other enrichment which some of our children have qualified for, clever children built Heathkits or read every book in a library or maintained scrupulous baseball statistics or baby sat for neighborhood kids or a whole lot of other things- and still managed to be stimulated enough, interested enough and busy enough in their 'free time'. They created for themselves, demanded independence and drove their parents crazy. Or, at least I did. </p>
<p>The absolute best summer programs my older children did(as measured by how engaged the discussions were in the aftermath, in how much they shared about what they had loved doing) involved manual labor, physical endurance under difficult conditions, working as a teammate with people they didn't know-- and other life skills which I believe in the long run will be the measures of who they are, much more than their SAT or GPA. They are completely gifted people, in fact!</p>
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On one of the three math sections, he did the problems in the problem book but did not transcribe them to the answer sheet!
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</p>
<p>Ack! But a better lesson to learn now than once the SAT counts. My son definitely learned that he needed to read the math questions more carefully. Every wrong answer was the result of misreading.</p>
<p>Preference is also given to CTY alumni as well as higher SAT scores. Is the Lancaster site particularly popular - that's where my son was the second time he went - I believe that's the one where the tradition is to wear bathrobes on Thursdays.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I would just like to point out that in the era before CTY and all the other enrichment which some of our children have qualified for, clever children built Heathkits or read every book in a library or maintained scrupulous baseball statistics or baby sat for neighborhood kids or a whole lot of other things- and still managed to be stimulated enough, interested enough and busy enough in their 'free time'.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>CTY is only three weeks, my son did those things the rest of the summer. :)</p>
<p>Even way back when there were academic summer programs. I spent one happy summer doing serious painting in the morning and playing math games in the afternoons.</p>
<p>I have until Thursday to decide whether to sign DD up for SAT or ACT. Act is offered in our small town. Sat is offered 45 minutes away. DD wants to take ACT because friend is taking ACT. She has been in very small private school (11 in her class) up until this year, now in public (200 in her class). Prior to this year, academics where her top priority, now she is torn between academic and social. I think both are important. She scored in the 99th percentile in reading and 95th percentile in math on the Stanford Achievement Test last year. Anybody have any recommendations? I am tired of thinking about this.</p>
<p>Aliceale, how old is your daughter and why is she taking the test? If she is a high school junior, the conventional wisdom on CC would be to take both.</p>
<p>I've mostly heard of the Stanford tests in Jr. Hi and earlier. If she's not a high school junior have her spend those days watching television or playing baseball or something else fun. There's plenty of time in 11th and 12th grade to stress about college admissions tests.</p>
<p>sorry - she is in the 7th grade. My older two took both in high school, but that was before the new SAT. And we are not really stressing, I just can't decide which one is better in 7th grade - SAT is so long, but ACT tests higher level math than she has been exposed to. She is oblivious to my indecision, and will take whichever I decide. Thanks</p>
<p>Suggest she take the ACT this year, to save the trip plus the ordeal of taking a LOOOONG test. She can take the SAT in 11th or 12th grade, and hopefully the collegeboard will have listened to some of the criticism about the current length of the SAT and and will have shortened the test or allow it to be broken up into shorter tests taken on different days. Also, for future planning, since she scored so well on the Stanford test BE SURE she takes the PSAT in 11th grade, as she will probably score well enoug to qualify for Nation Merit Scholarships at lots of colleges.</p>