Regrets?

[Anonymous]

21:47 - Very helpful, Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son’s school did not explain SAT subject tests until spring of junior year, and it was too late by then. He should have taken SAT Subject Test for Bio after taking Honors Bio. I learned a lot from my friend, whose sons were at Georgetown Prep. They have excellent college counseling there. When I heard her son was taking SAT Subject Tests, I wondered why my kid and I knew nothing about them. If you are going to apply to a top 50 school, plan on taking them.

They’re no longer offered by the College Board.

Our MCPS high school counselor actually told us in the beginning of 9th grade that it was better to take APs rather than the SAT subject tests and he hoped that College Board will eventually drop it. My kid is in 11th grade now and has not taken a single SAT subject test but he will have taken 8 APs by the end of 11th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:@21:47 Did your 3 kids want to do all that every single day? I got stressed reading it.

Of course not. They are kids. Often they will do the minimum school work that they can get away with. During DL, their video gaming goes on till midnight. If only the video games could be APs!!

When a student takes an AP course in school they are working for two kinds of scores - the grade in the class (GPA) and the AP exam score. Usually, AP teachers will give them some kind of daily homework, quiz, test etc (and nowadays they are telling them to also use the online AP college Board videos.) Theoretically taking the AP class automatically preps them for the tests in May. Mostly my kids were lucky to get good AP teachers but sometimes they have got not that great AP teachers and then they had to rely on some other resources - either I taught them or I hired tutors for them.

1/2 hour of daily homework per AP subject is sort of standard for many kids. It is smart of parents and students to have an idea what the time committment is when they sign up for APs, and then adjust other activities accordingly.

As parents we were quite uninformed during my eldest kid's HS years and so we were always scrambling to do things at the last minute. We learned a lot of lessons with DC1 and then we were able to be smarter about timelines etc with the younger kids, so there is now relatively little stress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tiger parent alert ^^^

No, no. I am a wannabe Tiger parent. With 3 boys, OMG, it is like herding cats.

I envy the parents who get no push backs from their obedient kids. I seriously do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tiger parent alert ^^^

No, no. I am a wannabe Tiger parent. With 3 boys, OMG, it is like herding cats.

I envy the parents who get no push backs from their obedient kids. I seriously do.

Yea no Tiger parent would ever mention a C. A 92 percent would be a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:@21:47 Did your 3 kids want to do all that every single day? I got stressed reading it.

Of course not. They are kids. Often they will do the minimum school work that they can get away with. During DL, their video gaming goes on till midnight. If only the video games could be APs!!

When a student takes an AP course in school they are working for two kinds of scores - the grade in the class (GPA) and the AP exam score. Usually, AP teachers will give them some kind of daily homework, quiz, test etc (and nowadays they are telling them to also use the online AP college Board videos.) Theoretically taking the AP class automatically preps them for the tests in May. Mostly my kids were lucky to get good AP teachers but sometimes they have got not that great AP teachers and then they had to rely on some other resources - either I taught them or I hired tutors for them.

1/2 hour of daily homework per AP subject is sort of standard for many kids. It is smart of parents and students to have an idea what the time committment is when they sign up for APs, and then adjust other activities accordingly.

As parents we were quite uninformed during my eldest kid's HS years and so we were always scrambling to do things at the last minute. We learned a lot of lessons with DC1 and then we were able to be smarter about timelines etc with the younger kids, so there is now relatively little stress.
This is the thing. I know what needs to be done, and I was the type of student to do it. Straight A's in HS, multiple degrees, loved the idea of challenging myself. My HS DC, OTOH, doesn't study much, does the bare minimum, frequently doesn't hand stuff in on time, doesn't care about grades, and refuses to do any standardized test prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:@21:47 Did your 3 kids want to do all that every single day? I got stressed reading it.

Of course not. They are kids. Often they will do the minimum school work that they can get away with. During DL, their video gaming goes on till midnight. If only the video games could be APs!!

When a student takes an AP course in school they are working for two kinds of scores - the grade in the class (GPA) and the AP exam score. Usually, AP teachers will give them some kind of daily homework, quiz, test etc (and nowadays they are telling them to also use the online AP college Board videos.) Theoretically taking the AP class automatically preps them for the tests in May. Mostly my kids were lucky to get good AP teachers but sometimes they have got not that great AP teachers and then they had to rely on some other resources - either I taught them or I hired tutors for them.

1/2 hour of daily homework per AP subject is sort of standard for many kids. It is smart of parents and students to have an idea what the time committment is when they sign up for APs, and then adjust other activities accordingly.

As parents we were quite uninformed during my eldest kid's HS years and so we were always scrambling to do things at the last minute. We learned a lot of lessons with DC1 and then we were able to be smarter about timelines etc with the younger kids, so there is now relatively little stress.

This is the thing. I know what needs to be done, and I was the type of student to do it. Straight A's in HS, multiple degrees, loved the idea of challenging myself. My HS DC, OTOH, doesn't study much, does the bare minimum, frequently doesn't hand stuff in on time, doesn't care about grades, and refuses to do any standardized test prep.

This is a universal phenomenon. Most kids are struggling because of the pandemic, global climate change, distance learning, social inequities etc...I have heard the whole "what's the point?" speech multiple times. School work is suffering.

Over the years, I had learned to not look at the kids grades etc so that I could manage my stress levels. Kids were motivated to be more responsible also and did not need me hovering around.

With the pandemic, I had to relearn to keep an eye on their grades and set expectations for them. I think for my kids mental health it is important that they continue to do the routine stuff at home as members of the family and also the routine academic work as students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:@21:47 Did your 3 kids want to do all that every single day? I got stressed reading it.

Of course not. They are kids. Often they will do the minimum school work that they can get away with. During DL, their video gaming goes on till midnight. If only the video games could be APs!!

When a student takes an AP course in school they are working for two kinds of scores - the grade in the class (GPA) and the AP exam score. Usually, AP teachers will give them some kind of daily homework, quiz, test etc (and nowadays they are telling them to also use the online AP college Board videos.) Theoretically taking the AP class automatically preps them for the tests in May. Mostly my kids were lucky to get good AP teachers but sometimes they have got not that great AP teachers and then they had to rely on some other resources - either I taught them or I hired tutors for them.

1/2 hour of daily homework per AP subject is sort of standard for many kids. It is smart of parents and students to have an idea what the time committment is when they sign up for APs, and then adjust other activities accordingly.

As parents we were quite uninformed during my eldest kid's HS years and so we were always scrambling to do things at the last minute. We learned a lot of lessons with DC1 and then we were able to be smarter about timelines etc with the younger kids, so there is now relatively little stress.

I'm confused. Are you suggesting that 1/2 hour of homework per night is a lot? My kids get at least that for every regular class--but the standard is more like an hour per class. Yes, my kids are doing 3 hour minimum homework every day, often 5 or more. This is a local private--and not AP classes.

[Anonymous]

No, she's clearly not sayin 1/2 hr of homework is a lot. She's merely pointing out that parents and kids need to understand time committments and the need to balance activities within their schedule. There's no need to compare your kid's private school schedule to what she experienced.

[Anonymous]

I have one of each kind of kid. A cautious child who will do their homework in the most metriculous manner and take a long time doing it. Another kid works smarter not harder. Mostly finishes the homework in the classroom as soon as it is assigned. Also has a study group of friends who divvy up the work and tutor each other. They are usually done in a couple hours.

In the end, both of them have their own personalities and studying style. Both do well in school and both are good and happy kids.

[Anonymous]

My one advice - let your kid take a full practice SAT and a full practice ACT very early in the process. Then choose the exam that your kid does better in and make them prep for that. It will save you a whole lot of frustration and will yield better results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. The private college counselor thing is very interesting to me. we are in an okay but not great school district, with not many kids at all going to selective schools, although the valedictorian did go to Harvard last year. I'm really concerned that the guidance counselors will be completely clueless about what it takes to get into these schools, and put my kid in a worse position in many ways because they may be totally ignorant when it comes to applying at that level. Food for thought, thanks.

2020 was not a normal year. Every senior I know (20+) was accepted to a MUCH better school than they would have been, any other year - about two tiers higher than they would have been, had it not been 2020.

Do you mean class of 2020? What about ED and EA with decisions before 3/1? What made it different since the pandemic hadn't come to town yet?

Plenty of students took a gap year, so the colleges had to scramble to fill the spots. Many students took the spot, but at half workload, because they couldn't justify paying full price for remote. Colleges are bleeding money right now. The class of 2020 HS grads may have been whining about missing prom/graduation/ceremonies, but they were given slots at colleges they would not have been given any other year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:21:47 thank you for your frank advice.

Great advice!

can you start filling out the common app before August of senior year? I didn't realize that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:21:47 thank you for your frank advice.

Great advice!

can you start filling out the common app before August of senior year? I didn't realize that.

Yes. You can create a "Parent Account" which is a practice account and it has everything that your student will see and fill. Everything but the submit button.

Also, you have so much information on the common app website, including stuff like what your kid should be doing in all the years of high school and a college roadmaps. Lots of advice about finding financial aid as well.

Common App, College Board and Naviance are super useful sites that unfortunately parents and students don't make full use of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. The private college counselor thing is very interesting to me. we are in an okay but not great school district, with not many kids at all going to selective schools, although the valedictorian did go to Harvard last year. I'm really concerned that the guidance counselors will be completely clueless about what it takes to get into these schools, and put my kid in a worse position in many ways because they may be totally ignorant when it comes to applying at that level. Food for thought, thanks.

2020 was not a normal year. Every senior I know (20+) was accepted to a MUCH better school than they would have been, any other year - about two tiers higher than they would have been, had it not been 2020.

Do you mean class of 2020? What about ED and EA with decisions before 3/1? What made it different since the pandemic hadn't come to town yet?

Plenty of students took a gap year, so the colleges had to scramble to fill the spots. Many students took the spot, but at half workload, because they couldn't justify paying full price for remote. Colleges are bleeding money right now. The class of 2020 HS grads may have been whining about missing prom/graduation/ceremonies, but they were given slots at colleges they would not have been given any other year.

Students took gap years for many reasons - pandemic, parents losing jobs, health concerns, racism in US etc. Many spots were empty because lucrative full paying international students were scared with the racism and unrest in USA too. Also, no one wanted to do online classes in the US.

Better run countries with regards to pandemic response, law and order, no racism/xenophobia and with better gun control laws were winners in luring the best international talents to their country.