Parents of Class of 2018 thread

[mom2rtk]

DD got a 1320 but looking at it, the math section really brought her down. She rocked all the reading/language/essay parts. She is really resisting taking it again and given that she isn't going into a math heavy field, we are going to let her move forward with this score. She has a 4+ GPA and will have 6 AP scores and a college algebra class by the time she graduates and combined with her other stuff she should be fine for all but her super reach schools (Northwestern and U of Chicago).

Best of luck to your DD! I am a Northwestern grad, and it was really hard when my DS didn't get accepted there. He had better stats than I did, but it's a different time. Plus he was applying to their engineering school, which I assume was harder to get into than the College of Arts and Sciences I was accepted into. On the up side, my newly minted Chemical Engineer graduated yesterday from a different school (Missouri S&T), and he was very happy with his choice. It turned out to be a perfect fit for him. I hope your DD is happy wherever she ends up!

 

[mommy2mrb]

Been busy winding down to end of school year and summer is looking busy too!

My DD last school day is tomorrow! Finals are next week. She has one Tuesday and one Wednesday, thanks to AP classes and project for french class and earlier final taken in pre-calc a couple weeks ago since there was mostly seniors in her class.

Did her second SAT test on the 3rd and felt that she did much better this time around. All our college tours are booked for July. Dance recital is this weekend. Plus she is starting her summer job Tuesday.

Hope everyone is doing well and cheers to our rising seniors #Class2018

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Yesterday was the last day of school for my kids. One more short year and DS will be graduating. Our seniors always get out of school early and graduate the week before Memorial Day. DS is going to spend the summer working a lot saving as much as he can. He also is taking a scout trip to isle royale. I managed to get 5 whole days with all 4 of us off work to go up to the UP, and into Canada. I'm really looking forward to that. DS can't go with us to Disney in the fall because of dual enrollment classes. When I planned it I wasn't even thinking he wouldn't go. Life sure is changing fast with 2 teens in the house.

 

[mnrose]

I now have seniors. Both excited and not.

DS was admitted to the PSEO program at the University of Minnesota for next year, which means he will get both high school AND college credit for the classes he takes. All his classes will be regular college classes at the U. Best part: FREE...100%, including books. He's pretty excited (well, as excited as my totally non-excitable child ever gets....LOL) and I'm thrilled. We go in July to "register" and choose his classes. I'm going to encourage him to take an "easier" load fall semester as he adjusts. Maybe 3 classes total. If that goes ok, he could ramp up. The only class he "needs" to graduate is a language arts class. Everything else is just to keep his skills current, and jump start college. It's awesome too because it's a virtual guarantee of a spot in the 2022 class at the U....if that's where he goes.

Despite having school this week, DD also attended training for her summer job (camp counselor at a Y day camp). She's pretty exhausted from that schedule. I do think she will enjoy the job. She gets to be outside all summer.

 

[mrsv98]

DD is free! Technically today is the last day of school but she doesn't have a final for either period today (they don't go in order, today is 5th and 8th) so I called her "out" and she is blissfully sleeping. This year has felt interminable and we are all glad it is over. The school district closed the grade portal for finals week so we won't get her grades until Monday but the only real question mark is Honors pre-calc.

More college trips coming up and then family vacation. This summer is going to be short since the district is changing the calendar. In the past, finals were in January after break. Starting this year, the kids go back 8/15 (so early!) with finals being before Christmas break. DD will then graduate the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Wow, Senior year!!

 

[mommy2mrb]

Been having great time revisiting top picks from last years tours and a couple new schools. One more on Monday then we head home Tuesday and back to reality.
ACT test study time, start essays, check in with teachers writing recommendation letters, arthroscopic knee surgery 8/1 and back to work for us both.
Need to squeeze in some back to school shopping and buy last textbook before school starts 8/28

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My daughter spent the summer fighting the fact that she needed to do college tours and take the SAT and ACT since she wants to go into a science field after High School.

I got her to take the SAT and ACT by registering her myself. Her ACT scores are really good but SAT could definitely be improved on so she will be taking that again this fall.

She finally decided on a college to tour and with school starting in 2 weeks, it was hard to find a time to do the tour when the tour wasn't already booked up. But we found a day and will be doing that right before her senior year of High School.
There is another college with the major she wants to do so she was going to research that college and maybe we will be touring that sometime this fall.

It's hard when there aren't many colleges in the state with the majors she wants to get - Animal Biology and Environmental Science. I told her she needs to see what kind of jobs are out there for someone with those degrees because we aren't paying for her bills when she's an adult.

Our oldest is going into year 4 of college. He managed to pick up one of the classes he flunked when he first started college so he will only be one class behind. He is hoping to get that in the spring semester so he can graduate at 4 years and not have to pay for a semester himself - we have told both kids that we will pay for 4 years of college but anything after that is on them.

 

[DawnM]

We are doing a college tour in a week. It is actually more of a school for my oldest (currently in community college) than for my 17 year old, but we will look at another school too. The 2nd school is not going to be a tour. In fact, the building we want to see will be under construction, so we can't even see it. ARGH!

I would like to get one more college tour in locally before school starts in Aug, but I go back to work Aug. 9th.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Has everyone's seniors already decided what they want to do with their lives? My son is so indecisive. He has no clear plan. He used to be set on going into the military, but that must have been a phase. (Now that's what my youngest says he wants to do. That may change for him too.) My senior DS just says I don't know maybe some kind of engineering. I think he really wants to go out of state for college, but he hasn't narrowed that down at all. I'm hoping he decides to stay in Michigan at least.

DS is on his way to spend a week on Ilse Royale today with scouts. Actually both my boys and my DH are going. I'll be home alone all week. They left 3 hours ago, and the house is so quiet. School start back up August 22. In Michigan schools aren't supposed to start until after Labor Day, but our school applied for a waiver to start early. Our summer break is only 10 weeks this year because of that.

 

[StephMK]

Has everyone's seniors already decided what they want to do with their lives? My son is so indecisive. He has no clear plan. He used to be set on going into the military, but that must have been a phase. (Now that's what my youngest says he wants to do. That may change for him too.) My senior DS just says I don't know maybe some kind of engineering. I think he really wants to go out of state for college, but he hasn't narrowed that down at all. I'm hoping he decides to stay in Michigan

No! Mine has narrowed it down to 4 fields but no clue about careers. She is going to beg her counselor to change her schedule to add a class in one of those areas. They set schedules in February and aren't supposed to revise them.

Just about a week ago, I finally got her to think about college without shutting down or crying (her, not me!). She wants to go, just hasn't wanted to look around and I've dragged her on tours with her younger brother.

It's complicated because we are planning a big out of state move so if she goes in state, we'll be several states away after her freshman year. I think she'll be fine but she's not happy. She's looking out of state but struggling to find affordable options. We have also discussed a school transfer but not a huge fan of that option.

It's going to be stressful since deadlines are going to be coming up quickly!

 

[mommy2mrb]

My DD wants to be a nurse. Get her masters so she can be a nurse practitioner and hopes to do global nursing and travel/help in 3rd world countries.

We are both moving from WA to MA in June. She will be anywhere from 1-2 1/2 hours away depending on what school she chooses.

 

[DawnM]

Has everyone's seniors already decided what they want to do with their lives? My son is so indecisive. He has no clear plan. He used to be set on going into the military, but that must have been a phase. (Now that's what my youngest says he wants to do. That may change for him too.) My senior DS just says I don't know maybe some kind of engineering. I think he really wants to go out of state for college, but he hasn't narrowed that down at all. I'm hoping he decides to stay in Michigan at least.

DS is on his way to spend a week on Ilse Royale today with scouts. Actually both my boys and my DH are going. I'll be home alone all week. They left 3 hours ago, and the house is so quiet. School start back up August 22. In Michigan schools aren't supposed to start until after Labor Day, but our school applied for a waiver to start early. Our summer break is only 10 weeks this year because of that.

Mine has a loose idea. He wants something in the IT industry. He had thought film editing, but now is leaning towards Data Analyst.

 

[Arkansan]

My DD had a plan, but has recently (as recently as July 4!) expressed an interest in going to medical school. She would be an excellent doctor, but she knows it is very competitive so we shall see. She has taken both the SAT and ACT and did fine, but not amazing. She is already registered to retake them both in the Fall. She is studying for them both now and has a plan as the summer ends and school starts. She knows where she will be applying and will start the Common AP when it opens on 8-1.

Her situation is a little complicated, as she would like to cheer for her college. So, she first needs to be accepted and then needs to try out for the cheer team. Overall, I feel like she has a good plan and a good timeline. I just hope she is able to cheer as well. Competitive cheer is everything to her and, even though she knows she won't be able to do it forever, she isn't ready to quit right now.

 

[Vicki926]

Has everyone's seniors already decided what they want to do with their lives? My son is so indecisive. He has no clear plan. He used to be set on going into the military, but that must have been a phase. (Now that's what my youngest says he wants to do. That may change for him too.) My senior DS just says I don't know maybe some kind of engineering. I think he really wants to go out of state for college, but he hasn't narrowed that down at all. I'm hoping he decides to stay in Michigan at least.

DS is on his way to spend a week on Ilse Royale today with scouts. Actually both my boys and my DH are going. I'll be home alone all week. They left 3 hours ago, and the house is so quiet. School start back up August 22. In Michigan schools aren't supposed to start until after Labor Day, but our school applied for a waiver to start early. Our summer break is only 10 weeks this year because of that.

My daughter wants to be a nurse. It is nice to have that decision made. She doesn't have any particular area of nursing in mind, which is fine, see what you like, see what jobs are out there..

My son(sophomore) has no clue and I think because she knows what she wants to do, it makes him think he has to know, as well. I tell him to stop stressing, most people have no clue in 10th grade.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Has everyone's seniors already decided what they want to do with their lives? My son is so indecisive. He has no clear plan. He used to be set on going into the military, but that must have been a phase. (Now that's what my youngest says he wants to do. That may change for him too.) My senior DS just says I don't know maybe some kind of engineering. I think he really wants to go out of state for college, but he hasn't narrowed that down at all. I'm hoping he decides to stay in Michigan at least.

DS is on his way to spend a week on Ilse Royale today with scouts. Actually both my boys and my DH are going. I'll be home alone all week. They left 3 hours ago, and the house is so quiet. School start back up August 22. In Michigan schools aren't supposed to start until after Labor Day, but our school applied for a waiver to start early. Our summer break is only 10 weeks this year because of that.

Mine keeps waffling. I'll be happy to get her in a college since she says she doesn't want to grow up. I told her she can change her major later if she changes her mind.

On a side note: She is supposed to take her drivers license test tomorrow. I just learned she never got the Certificate of Attendance from the school and it's required before she can take the test.
So now lucky me gets to get up early and go over to the school and see if someone is there who can sign the dang form. School starts early for us so people will probably be there but maybe not the person who has to sign the form. I hate this form and have always thought it stupid. I can't believe she didn't take care of it at the end of the school year like she was supposed to. I guess if no one is there to sign it, we'll be rescheduling the drivers test. Grrrr.

 

[onescgirl]

Class of 2017 mom here...
I just wanted to let you know about my DD's experience with BSN admittance. BSN programs only take a small number of students and are super competitive. Many of them only have 10% acceptance rates. DD got over a 1200 on her SAT, had a 4.25 GPA, was top 20% in her class of 400, was captain of several varsity sports, NHS, clubs, many volunteer hours, and did a dual enrollment program in HS (she gets her AA degree next week, a month before her HS diploma and was Dean's List every semester at her community college). She got into every university she applied to for regular admission, but was rejected from every BSN program. University of Tennessee - accepted for Business, rejected for BSN program. University of Virginia - rejected for BSN program (only program she applied to there). She got accepted to James Madison University and her safety, Old Dominion University (with tons of merit money at ODU), but she'd have to apply to their BSN programs at the end of sophomore year. Both are super competitive with really low acceptance rates. Luckily, she was vacillating between business/marketing and nursing for the last year. She will be attending Virginia Tech (Pamplin School of Business) in the Fall, and she is so excited about her choice.

Please make sure your kids understand how competitive BSN programs are and how few students they accept. Make sure they have investigated alternate routes to becoming a nurse if that is what they are set on, or have a back up major in mind.

My DD wants to be a nurse, but I just don't think her SAT/ACT scores will be high enough for her to be able to. She doesn't have a backup plan yet, but we have to work on that right now. I'm so sad for her.
She is in top 10% of class of 400. Is involved with varsity sports, AP courses, NHS, Beta Club, SGA, will be Student Body President for her senior year, was in a teen volunteer program at hospital last year and doing an internship at hospital this year that was very competitive to get in, and involved in so much more. It is disheartening to us that none of that matters because her SAT/ACT scores are not high.

 

[Vicki926]

My DD wants to be a nurse, but I just don't think her SAT/ACT scores will be high enough for her to be able to. She doesn't have a backup plan yet, but we have to work on that right now. I'm so sad for her.
She is in top 10% of class of 400. Is involved with varsity sports, AP courses, NHS, Beta Club, SGA, will be Student Body President for her senior year, was in a teen volunteer program at hospital last year and doing an internship at hospital this year that was very competitive to get in, and involved in so much more. It is disheartening to us that none of that matters because her SAT/ACT scores are not high.

Dont count her out. Not at all. I know a kid who got into a competitive nursing program(acceptance rate around 25-30%) he did not have the best grades or scores. He was a volunteer firefighter and an EMT and that may have had something to do with it. Your daughter is more than an SAT score, and there will be schools that see that.
My daughter has friends that got into WVU and Rutgers fur nursing and they were not superstars, no top 10% of the class and okay SATs.

My daughter just reminded me that one of her best friends, who graduated in 2016, got a 1300 on the old SAT(so out of 2400) and was accepted to a nursing program in college. Is it UVA with a 16% acceptance rate? No, but at the end of the day, she'll be a nurse. I think with everything else your daughter has to offer, she will get accepted somewhere, not every single person in every single nursing program is #1 in their class with a 1500+on the SAT. I'm. It saying it's not extremely competitive, but with stats like your daughter has, there has to be a place for her.
Honestly, my daughter is applying to almost every college with a direct admit nursing program in NJ. Just in case.
You can even get your RN, and then go back to college for your BSN, if it comes to that.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My DD wants to be a nurse, but I just don't think her SAT/ACT scores will be high enough for her to be able to. She doesn't have a backup plan yet, but we have to work on that right now. I'm so sad for her.
She is in top 10% of class of 400. Is involved with varsity sports, AP courses, NHS, Beta Club, SGA, will be Student Body President for her senior year, was in a teen volunteer program at hospital last year and doing an internship at hospital this year that was very competitive to get in, and involved in so much more. It is disheartening to us that none of that matters because her SAT/ACT scores are not high.

Get your DD a private tutor for either the SAT or the ACT (whichever one she scored highest on). With her grades, class rank, activities and especially her hospital volunteer positions, it would be a shame if her test scores held her back. Invest the money (sort of like an insurance policy!). I put my DD in a group prep class, and it was a big mistake. She really needed one on one, but at twice the cost, I balked.

In the end, it didn't matter for her (thank goodness). She was resisting committing to volunteer hours at a local hospital her last couple of years in high school. She FINALLY admitted that blood made her queasy. Uhhhhh...maybe nursing wasn't the right fit??? She decided to make her back up major (Business/Marketing) her primary major and add a minor in International Studies. She couldn't be happier.

I hope things work out for your DD!!!

 

[mnrose]

My DD wants to be a nurse, but I just don't think her SAT/ACT scores will be high enough for her to be able to. She doesn't have a backup plan yet, but we have to work on that right now. I'm so sad for her.
She is in top 10% of class of 400. Is involved with varsity sports, AP courses, NHS, Beta Club, SGA, will be Student Body President for her senior year, was in a teen volunteer program at hospital last year and doing an internship at hospital this year that was very competitive to get in, and involved in so much more. It is disheartening to us that none of that matters because her SAT/ACT scores are not high.

I've got the same problem, in reverse. High ACT score, and average GPA. Could we maybe combine our two kids into one, and use the good ACT scores and good GPA? LOL

There's a school for everyone. Really.

 

[clori]

My dd got mail about her yearbook picture. She has to use the school photographer. It is $40 for a picture to go in the yearbook. We lucked out and a friend who is at another school but also class of 2018 is a great photographer and uses a dslr camera. they did a little photo shoot outside and now we have around 200 high quality digital pictures that were free.

We went school supply shopping today for dd and her sister who is entering 8th grade. DD just got 5 1 subject notebooks (1 per class) ,homework folder and a box of pens. We have things like highlighters and pencils at home. She has a good calculator for Calculus already so basically unless something is mentioned the beginning of the year she is set. She will need a binder for calculus since it is a loose leaf book but we have that at home too. I think this is the cheapest year yet. Of course she switches classes in January so who knows what she will need. Of course younger dd needed more items but for once no weird item that I didn't even know what to look for.