High School class of 2011

[georgina]

Wow, ctinct, counselor sounds pretty off-base. My DS's guidance counselor hadn't even heard of one of the schools he is applying to, even though it is only one state over. On another website I visit, there seem to be a lot of parents who have children in the honors program at Alabama. My kids have both done better on the ACT also, and only sent those scores, except the one school DD applied to that required SAT II tests. Our high school removed test scores form the transcripts a few years ago, due to the score choice option.

 

[agnes!]

Anyone else's kid having second thoughts on where they are applying to? She is still happy with all her choices, but we keep getting mounds of mail, and there have been more than a few with free applications. Some of them are "no way" right off the bat, but some are causing her to think "why not?"

Her guidance counselor is no help. DD dropped off a recommendation form a few weeks ago, and when she went to pick it up, the counselor told her she did not know if she could complete it. DDs counselor for the first three years of hs retired, so she has a brand new counselor. I understand that the counselor doesn't know dd all that well, but this particular application REQUIRED a school counselor's input (and it was pretty much a check-off form with rank, types off classes, etc.).

So, to get to know dd, the counselor decided to chat about dd's college choices. First, she told her she was applying to too many schools. Six, and we have visited all except one. The reason for six is we need to get the best financial aid pkg. possible-dd would be happy at any of these schools. Then she asked dd what her top choice is. When dd answered, counselor responded with "Do you know how far away that is ?" Umm, yes---again, we visited. It's about 6 hours by car. Then, about one of her choices, the counselor actually said, " Oh. You might want to rethink that one." Actually, it's a pretty common reaction up here in the NE---Yankee snobbery I guess. The school is Alabama, and we have researched it. It could be cheaper than our state school because dd qualifies for free tuition. The honors program seems to be great. This is the one school we haven't visited, but we will if it becomes necessary. Oh, and the last bubble- headed thing the counselor did was try to tell dd most schools use SAT score for scholarships, and she would be making a mistake if she listed her ACT scores on her transcript. (DDs school automatically lists SAT scores on the official transcript. Her ACT scores were better than her SATS, so dd requested they remove her SAT and list her ACT. Most schools require they be sent officially through the testing service anyhow, but unless the school requires the SAT score also, dd would rather they not see it. It's not a bad score; just that her ACT is so much better.)

So, I wonder if we will send the counselor over the edge if dd decides to apply to a couple more schools?

Send her over the edge, send her over the edge!

agnes!
PS - Your daughter's guidance counselor is an IDIOT. gack.

 

[Planogirl]

Mine is likely going to community college at first and then on to a favorite local college. I'm a little confused on how to apply for scholarships though when they are school specific. I assume that applying at the college would be handled the same whether you are coming out of high school or a community college so we should wait?

 

[geffric]

Send her over the edge, send her over the edge!

agnes!
PS - Your daughter's guidance counselor is an IDIOT. gack.

yep..

 

[geffric]

Mine is likely going to community college at first and then on to a favorite local college. I'm a little confused on how to apply for scholarships though when they are school specific. I assume that applying at the college would be handled the same whether you are coming out of high school or a community college so we should wait?

I would call the school/s ( colleges) and ask them how to handle it..

 

[missypie]

Mine is likely going to community college at first and then on to a favorite local college. I'm a little confused on how to apply for scholarships though when they are school specific. I assume that applying at the college would be handled the same whether you are coming out of high school or a community college so we should wait?

Go to the web site of the "favorite local college" and see what kind of scholarships they offer to transfer students. There is usually a lot more merit money available to recent HS grads than to transfers. Note that when you transfer, most colleges don't care about the student's awesome SATs or ECs or class rank or GPA...they will care about the grades at community college. (Of course, even if there is less merit money, you will have saved a bundle by paying for cc for two years.)

 

[ctinct]

Wow, ctinct, counselor sounds pretty off-base. My DS's guidance counselor hadn't even heard of one of the schools he is applying to, even though it is only one state over. On another website I visit, there seem to be a lot of parents who have children in the honors program at Alabama. My kids have both done better on the ACT also, and only sent those scores, except the one school DD applied to that required SAT II tests. Our high school removed test scores form the transcripts a few years ago, due to the score choice option.

Send her over the edge, send her over the edge!

agnes!
PS - Your daughter's guidance counselor is an IDIOT. gack.

Okay...update on the guidance counselor. I just got home a while ago, and one of the first things dd said to me as I walked in the door was , "Guess who's gone? Ms. ****!" Oy! She has worked at the school for a few years as a CRISIS counselor, and I guess when she was moved to guidance counselor, she wasn't happy. So, there is a new guidance counselor starting next week. Luckily, my daughter already has the recommendation letter from her on file, although I'm not sure how strong or enthusiastic it is. Kids who haven't started yet are going to have to get a letter from the new counselor, who obviously won't know any of them.

Looking back, there were signs of trouble. My daughter went to the guidance office four days in a row earlier this year, and Ms. **** was absent. Apparently when dd asked if Ms. **** would be back soon, the secretary (who is fabulous, thank goodness) kind of rolled her eyes and said she didn't know IF Ms. **** would be back. Cheryl

 

[missypie]

Wow, bad time of year to lose a GC. My son had three different GCs during his four years in HS, including one who was brand new his senior year.

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

2 applications done! My mom really wants me to look at another school, but I'm kind of not feeling it...

 

[Robinrs]

Well, She is meeting with the teacher in the mornings. We are requiring her to meet with her EVERY morning at this point, in hopes that she can bring up this grade. We met with her guidance counselor about 6 eks ago to discuss Special Services. They've been doing RTI since then, but I haven't heard anything yet.l i8 think they require 12wks of observation. I need to contact the GC to find out where they are with this.

There is HOPE!!!

My son has a HORRIBLE relationship with math. He's in the 11th grade and he has to pass ALL of his math classes or he will not graduate on time. He's only passed ONE math class (summer online) and he has a 3.2 average

His teacher called me and volunteered to tutor him twice a week. She felt he needed one on one attention.

He took a quiz last week and got a 90!! Has had 2 worksheets and 1 more quiz and only missed one question each!!! She even winked at him while returning the test papers and said "you know you can do better..."

I am THRILLED. I didn't think this would ever happen!!

 

[agnes!]

That is some great news Robin.

Any further word minky? Hope things are going better .

agnes!

 

[ctinct]

Anyone else's kid taking the ACT today? DD scored very high on a couple of sections last time she took it, and overall got a great score. I'm hoping she can maintain her English scores and bump up her science and math a little. In any case, this is the last test she will take for college admittance. She took the SATs last month for the second time, also, but we don't have those scores yet. She actually did much, much better with the ACT than the SAT. I wish more kids here in the NE would take the ACT test-I think it would benefit a lot of kids.

 

[agnes!]

Anyone else's kid taking the ACT today? DD scored very high on a couple of sections last time she took it, and overall got a great score. I'm hoping she can maintain her English scores and bump up her science and math a little. In any case, this is the last test she will take for college admittance. She took the SATs last month for the second time, also, but we don't have those scores yet. She actually did much, much better with the ACT than the SAT. I wish more kids here in the NE would take the ACT test-I think it would benefit a lot of kids.

I have a relative who worked at a college-review website/service and she says that the ACT is gender-biased - girls do better on it than the SAT. Many/most colleges now accept either or both - students who only take one are probably doing themselves a disservice. I mean, if the kid bombs the test, they don't *have* to send it in as part of their app kwim? Good for your DD to take it again! My DD only took the ACT once (last spring), she felt her score was good enough (and frankly, it really is) and she kind of got sick of all the testing (& I don't blame her one bit). Like your daughter, she also took the SAT twice as well...once last spring and then earlier this month. I guess we'll all be waiting anxiously for the scores to go 'live' on the 28th?!? (Maybe we should start a 'Waiting for the SATs' support thread ...)

agnes!
PS 0- Here's an additional wrinkle I came across yesterday. Now a few schools are starting to not require either the ACT *or* the SATs, one of them being Wake Forest.

 

[HeatherH]

Daughter is taking the ACT again today even though she got a 99th percentile score the last time (33). For the schools she is applying to, a 33 is a 50th percentile score. She's trying to squeeze out another point or two. She's already aced the science (perfect score) and nearly perfect in math, so maybe she'll add a point or two in the other areas.

ACT is KNOWLEDGE-BASED, it is straightforward and tests what you know. It is not reasoning-based like the SAT. It really just depends on which style suits your kid, I don't think there is any gender-bias.

Good luck to all our kids!

 

[disykat]

My son's ACT was quite a bit lower than his SAT. IMO there was a testing abnormality that should have caused their scores to be tossed - they had to move rooms in the middle of a test due to all the distraction. Meanwhile, he had his scores sent to several schools he is considering. Ugh! Hopefully, they truly do only consider the highest scores.

 

[njsweetP]

Daughter is taking the ACT again today even though she got a 99th percentile score the last time (33). For the schools she is applying to, a 33 is a 50th percentile score. She's trying to squeeze out another point or two. She's already aced the science (perfect score) and nearly perfect in math, so maybe she'll add a point or two in the other areas.

ACT is KNOWLEDGE-BASED, it is straightforward and tests what you know. It is not reasoning-based like the SAT. It really just depends on which style suits your kid, I don't think there is any gender-bias.

Good luck to all our kids!

I have a question regarding the ACT. I know with the SAT's you can submit your best scores from each section (Math, Reading, etc.) from different test dates to get your highest score. Can the same be done with the ACT test scores? If you take the ACT twice, can you take your highest score from all areas from different test dates to achieve your highest overall composite score?

 

[minkydog]

There is HOPE!!!

My son has a HORRIBLE relationship with math. He's in the 11th grade and he has to pass ALL of his math classes or he will not graduate on time. He's only passed ONE math class (summer online) and he has a 3.2 average

His teacher called me and volunteered to tutor him twice a week. She felt he needed one on one attention.

He took a quiz last week and got a 90!! Has had 2 worksheets and 1 more quiz and only missed one question each!!! She even winked at him while returning the test papers and said "you know you can do better..."

I am THRILLED. I didn't think this would ever happen!!

That is some great news Robin.

Any further word minky? Hope things are going better .

agnes!

Robin, you give me a lot of hope. None of my kids liked math and truthfully? Neither of them are ever going to need it. They're artsy types. As long as they can balance their checkbook, that's about all they need to know.

Update on DD17--She has been going in 45min early every other day to work with the teacher 1:1 also. She has Algebra2 first period every other day, so this gives her almost 140 minutes to work on her stuff. She just took her second test and got an 80 on it. She's going to continue to meet with the teacher in the mornings until the end of the semester. DD has to take Algebra 3 next semester and i'm sure she will be doing the same thing. Much as I'd love to see her get a few Bs (God knows, her GPA could use the help) if she can just get a 70, the lowest passing grade(D) I'll be relieved.


Another update--ya'll know I"ve been worked up about DD not wanting to go away to college. She has continued to say she wants to just go to the local tech school,even though she's a fine arts kid.I think she's just afraid to leave home. Well, last week her theater teacher announced that he's sponsering a field trip for the seniors and juniors in the Drama Club(she's the Prez) to guess where? Valdosta State U., the very college that she's already been accepted at! They're going to see "Sweet Charity", starring one of their own 2008 HS grads in the starring role. THey're going to meet the High Poo-bahs in the fine arts division and tour the school. Woo-hoo! DD is so excited! I really think this could be a turning point for her. Her teacher graduated from this school, so he has a lot of contacts. DH & I have offered to chaperone the trip, and I have told the teacher that DD has shown interest in this school. I think he can take it from there.

 

[HeatherH]

I have a question regarding the ACT. I know with the SAT's you can submit your best scores from each section (Math, Reading, etc.) from different test dates to get your highest score. Can the same be done with the ACT test scores? If you take the ACT twice, can you take your highest score from all areas from different test dates to achieve your highest overall composite score?

It depends on the school, but in some cases, YES...you can "superscore" with the ACT as well! They take the highest of the two sub-tests and use that to create a new composite. Definitely ask the admissions office of the schools you are interested in if they do this...you will be surprised how many schools do.

 

[ctinct]

Daughter is taking the ACT again today even though she got a 99th percentile score the last time (33). For the schools she is applying to, a 33 is a 50th percentile score. She's trying to squeeze out another point or two. She's already aced the science (perfect score) and nearly perfect in math, so maybe she'll add a point or two in the other areas.

Gee, if you smushed our two daughters together they would have pretty much a perfect score. DD got a perfect English score, but not so hot in science and math. She took the writing section, too, and for some reason did not do as well on that as she normally does; she says she was tired that day.. Writing was her highest score on the SAT.

It depends on the school, but in some cases, YES...you can "superscore" with the ACT as well! They take the highest of the two sub-tests and use that to create a new composite. Definitely ask the admissions office of the schools you are interested in if they do this...you will be surprised how many schools do.

Wow, none of the schools dd is applying to do this. I was under the impression that not many schools did this for the ACT, but many schools do for the SAT. I guess I'll have to check again.

My son's ACT was quite a bit lower than his SAT. IMO there was a testing abnormality that should have caused their scores to be tossed - they had to move rooms in the middle of a test due to all the distraction. Meanwhile, he had his scores sent to several schools he is considering. Ugh! Hopefully, they truly do only consider the highest scores.

We were afraid of this very thing ourselves. We wanted to SEE the scores before sending them. Of course, it's extra money this way. What a racket these testing outfits have.

Iagnes!
PS 0- Here's an additional wrinkle I came across yesterday. Now a few schools are starting to not require either the ACT *or* the SATs, one of them being Wake Forest.

Providence College in RI and Gettysburg in PA are two others. Still sending them anyways, so no $$ saved there for us, unfortunately.

 

[njsweetP]

I have a question for those who have completed the Common App, more
specifically the Secondary School Report (SR) form. What is the recommended choice under "important privacy note" that the student should choose? A) Yes, I do waive my right... or B) No, I do not waive my right....