Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[karenos]

We have a decision - DD is going to Bates! She's still going to remain on the waitlist at a few schools, but she understands that her chances of coming off the waitlist are not good. I'm hoping she can put the waitlist out of her mind and just get excited about her decision.

My DD is going to Colby. They are rivals. Both great schools. Yay!!

 

[robinb]

My DD is going to Colby. They are rivals. Both great schools. Yay!!

Awesome! Congratulations!

 

[laughinplace199]

My DD is going to Colby. They are rivals. Both great schools. Yay!!

Congrats!!!!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Do you remember the story behind my DD's AP exam in AP Language Comp last year? My DD had straight A+'s through the whole year and scored a "2" on the exam. I was furious. There is no reason for a kid to get straight A's and then fail the AP exam. I paid to have the essay part of the exam returned to me so her teacher could review it to see where things went wrong and to "score" it for me so I knew whether to pay for a multiple choice re-score. She refused and the head of the department backed her up and the vice principal for Advanced Learning told me that they don't "teach to the AP test".

No kidding.

I just looked up the AP scores from our school district from last year. 55% of the 81 kids from my DD's high school who took the AP Language Comp test passed with a 3 or better and 45% of the students FAILED it with a 1 or a 2. Forty freaking five percent FAILED. To put that into perspective, the "pass rate" percentage from all the other 3 high schools combined was 75% (out of a sample of 162 kids). Unfreaking believable. AP English Literature Comp was virtually the same with a 57% pass rate. What absolutely shameful statistics. Back in the summer I was mad for my DD and now I am mad for all the other kids who put themselves out there to take the AP English exams for which they were also woefully under-prepared. It's obvious there is a systematic problem with the English department at my DD's high school.

I remember. I didn't comment on it at the time because I didn't want to come across the wrong way. We had a very different experience. DS18 got a 5 on the exam which surprised us. He got Bs in English. So, apparently his teacher's style of teaching and grading was vastly different. I hadn't realized until your posts that there wasn't a set curriculum for all AP classes nationwide. The whole thing is quite ridiculous!

 

[robinb]

I remember. I didn't comment on it at the time because I didn't want to come across the wrong way. We had a very different experience. DS18 got a 5 on the exam which surprised us. He got Bs in English. So, apparently his teacher's style of teaching and grading was vastly different. I hadn't realized until your posts that there wasn't a set curriculum for all AP classes nationwide. The whole thing is quite ridiculous!

Good for your DS! I'll always be happy for the other kids on this thread. I do appreciate that you thought about me at the time . I know I came off as whiney in the summer. I feel somewhat vindicated that it wasn't just my DD who failed, but also nearly half of the kids from her high school. It really wasn't not just her.

Sadly, there is no set curriculum. Each school can make it up as they go along.

The head of the English department specifically told me that parents had previously complained that the class had been geared too much toward passing the exam and they were just looking for a more advanced English class. She told me that I should consider the class a good college prep class.

Anyway, her AP environmental studies teacher and her Calc A/B teacher are both really into helping their kids to do well!

Good luck to all the kids taking AP tests!

 

[Poohforyou]

Actually, college board does provide a curriculum guide for AP exams. Basically a schedule of what should be taught to be prepared for an exam.

Here in NJ kids have a lot of summer work to do ahead of taking an AP course since school starts later than many other places in the country. AP exams are given during the same 2 weeks across the country. We don't get out of school here until June 23rd or so.

My daughter had a similar experience with AP physics last year. She had an A in the class but ended up with a 3 on the exam. Not failing but not enough for college credit. The difference is she knew, based on looking at the college board curriculum, that the teacher wasn't preparing her for the test.

She actually asked me if she focus her efforts on preparing for the exam and possibly jeopardizing her grade. We decided her grade was more important.

It does stink when the AP score doesn't reflect the class grade.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Good for your DS! I'll always be happy for the other kids on this thread. I do appreciate that you thought about me at the time . I know I came off as whiney in the summer. I feel somewhat vindicated that it wasn't just my DD who failed, but also nearly half of the kids from her high school. It really wasn't not just her.

Sadly, there is no set curriculum. Each school can make it up as they go along.

The head of the English department specifically told me that parents had previously complained that the class had been geared too much toward passing the exam and they were just looking for a more advanced English class. She told me that I should consider the class a good college prep class.

Anyway, her AP environmental studies teacher and her Calc A/B teacher are both really into helping their kids to do well!

Good luck to all the kids taking AP tests!

You didn't sound whiny, I just didn't want to sound like I was bragging!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Actually, college board does provide a curriculum guide for AP exams. Basically a schedule of what should be taught to be prepared for an exam.

Here in NJ kids have a lot of summer work to do ahead of taking an AP course since school starts later than many other places in the country. AP exams are given during the same 2 weeks across the country. We don't get out of school here until June 23rd or so.

My daughter had a similar experience with AP physics last year. She had an A in the class but ended up with a 3 on the exam. Not failing but not enough for college credit. The difference is she knew, based on looking at the college board curriculum, that the teacher wasn't preparing her for the test.

She actually asked me if she focus her efforts on preparing for the exam and possibly jeopardizing her grade. We decided her grade was more important.

It does stink when the AP score doesn't reflect the class grade.

Thanks for the info. DS had lots of summer homework as well.

 

[robinb]

Actually, college board does provide a curriculum guide for AP exams. Basically a schedule of what should be taught to be prepared for an exam.

Here in NJ kids have a lot of summer work to do ahead of taking an AP course since school starts later than many other places in the country. AP exams are given during the same 2 weeks across the country. We don't get out of school here until June 23rd or so.

My daughter had a similar experience with AP physics last year. She had an A in the class but ended up with a 3 on the exam. Not failing but not enough for college credit. The difference is she knew, based on looking at the college board curriculum, that the teacher wasn't preparing her for the test.

She actually asked me if she focus her efforts on preparing for the exam and possibly jeopardizing her grade. We decided her grade was more important.

It does stink when the AP score doesn't reflect the class grade.

You're right. I misspoke. I do know that the College Board gives teachers information about what will be covered. What I meant is that the teachers are not required to follow the curriculum. I remember my DD discussing AP Lang Comp with her friends in our car last year. Her friends were in a different class. I remember her commenting on how strangely their teacher was making them write their papers. Those girls got a 4 and 5.

Your DD did the right thing by taking the A over a better AP score. Didnt she still got credit for a science elective?

 

[Poohforyou]

You're right. I misspoke. I do know that the College Board gives teachers information about what will be covered. What I meant is that the teachers are not required to follow the curriculum. I remember my DD discussing AP Lang Comp with her friends in our car last year. Her friends were in a different class. I remember her commenting on how strangely their teacher was making them write their papers. Those girls got a 4 and 5.

Your DD did the right thing by taking the A over a better AP score. Didnt she still got credit for a science elective?

Yeah, it's really sad that teachers don't use the resources available from the company giving the test. It's like they think they know better.

My daughter got high school credit but she won't get college credit for that AP. Her university requires a 4. She'll still go in with 19 credits so not too shabby.

 

[Poohforyou]

Thanks for the info. DS had lots of summer homework as well.

Just go on college board and find the exam he'll be taking and you should see a link for the curriculum.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Summer Jobs:

DD has had a job at an ice cream shop this past school year. She had planned to keep it over the summer, so she can earn her spending money for college this Fall. One of her friends is entirely on her own for college and is looking for a way to make really good money this summer. The friend had an interview with Cutco Knives and convinced DD to try it too. DD has an interview with them today. I have 3 Cutco items that I bought from a young man 3 years ago. I tried to tell DD that it is a hard job with lots of cold calling referrals to set up appointments for demonstrations. I sold Mary Kay for a while years ago; I know how these home sales jobs work. Does anyone have any experience with working for Cutco? Pros? Cons?

 

[cats mom]

I have a couple of Cutco knives I bought from a family friend. I really like the knives, but really disliked being pressured to give names of friends or neighbors who might be interested in buying. The kid doing the selling said he felt much the same way about the job. He believed in the product and enjoyed doing the in home demos and sales, but didn't like that there was no avenue for finding leads other than getting them from current contacts. I felt bad for him, but not bad enough to give out anyone's info. I have no idea what kind of money he made.

DD works for her personal trainer when her schedule isn't too crazy. She's planning on continuing that and hopefully picking up a few more hours once she graduates. The money isn't great, but we don't have to pay for her training sessions when she's working, so that's a very nice value add. I think it would be tough for her to find anything else flexible enough to work with her summer plans as we're taking a couple of family trips and she's going to Africa for a humanitarian project.

 

[Poohforyou]

Summer Jobs:

DD has had a job at an ice cream shop this past school year. She had planned to keep it over the summer, so she can earn her spending money for college this Fall. One of her friends is entirely on her own for college and is looking for a way to make really good money this summer. The friend had an interview with Cutco Knives and convinced DD to try it too. DD has an interview with them today. I have 3 Cutco items that I bought from a young man 3 years ago. I tried to tell DD that it is a hard job with lots of cold calling referrals to set up appointments for demonstrations. I sold Mary Kay for a while years ago; I know how these home sales jobs work. Does anyone have any experience with working for Cutco? Pros? Cons?

Personally, I would encourage my daughter not to give up a sure thing for a possibility.

Maybe do a little math exercise - how many hours would she likely need to put in to make a sale vs her commission. It really may not be much more than she'd make at her current job.

I know a few college kids that contacted me about cutco. I've never bought anything. I was nice enough to say that kindly at the outset to save them time.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Personally, I would encourage my daughter not to give up a sure thing for a possibility.

Maybe do a little math exercise - how many hours would she likely need to put in to make a sale vs her commission. It really may not be much more than she'd make at her current job.

I know a few college kids that contacted me about cutco. I've never bought anything. I was nice enough to say that kindly at the outset to save them time.

She is planning to work both jobs if she does the Cutco thing. She's worried she won't make enough with just the ice cream shop job. She'd schedule Cutco appointments around her shifts at the shop. I hate sales jobs, so my whole opinion is colored. DH is a 100% commissioned sales rep, so he loves the Cutco idea.

 

[aprilgail]

Actually, college board does provide a curriculum guide for AP exams. Basically a schedule of what should be taught to be prepared for an exam.

Here in NJ kids have a lot of summer work to do ahead of taking an AP course since school starts later than many other places in the country. AP exams are given during the same 2 weeks across the country. We don't get out of school here until June 23rd or so.

.

I always felt this was so unfair- kids that start school in August get a full month more of AP prep than kids that start after Labor Day- rather than these kids having to do all that summer work they should make the test in June and let the other kids take it on a day during their summer break! We have all of May and all of June left and once my daughter takes these 5 AP tests there is nothing at all to do in those classes the rest of the year-they hang out and watch movies.

 

[sk!mom]

She is planning to work both jobs if she does the Cutco thing. She's worried she won't make enough with just the ice cream shop job. She'd schedule Cutco appointments around her shifts at the shop. I hate sales jobs, so my whole opinion is colored. DH is a 100% commissioned sales rep, so he loves the Cutco idea.

I also hate sales jobs so I would be against it. I'm not familiar with Cutco but the many products like it rely on the salesperson putting the pressure on family and friends. Once those contacts are exhausted, many quit. That's why they are always hiring. She could probably do it for a summer though since her contacts would probably hold out that long.

My DD20's first job the summer after graduation was at Marble slab. She hated it but it provided a good nest egg to get her started at college. She works 14 hours a week in her college town. She's had the same job for three years now. A great part time gig that keeps her in spending money. She loves having enough for Spring Break trips, concerts, etc... So working is worth it to her.

 

[Poohforyou]

I always felt this was so unfair- kids that start school in August get a full month more of AP prep than kids that start after Labor Day- rather than these kids having to do all that summer work they should make the test in June and let the other kids take it on a day during their summer break! We have all of May and all of June left and once my daughter takes these 5 AP tests there is nothing at all to do in those classes the rest of the year-they hang out and watch movies.

Wow, my daughter will still have projects and papers due after AP exams are over. She won't have any traditional finals but there's still a good deal of work.

 

[McKelly]

OK - I lost it for the first time this AM. Sat down with my DD to start talking about who to send grad party invites out to and I started crying. She just sighed and left the table....which dried those tears right up - brat.

 

[bethbuchall]

I always felt this was so unfair- kids that start school in August get a full month more of AP prep than kids that start after Labor Day- rather than these kids having to do all that summer work they should make the test in June and let the other kids take it on a day during their summer break! We have all of May and all of June left and once my daughter takes these 5 AP tests there is nothing at all to do in those classes the rest of the year-they hang out and watch movies.

Our school district began requiring them to show actual classwork after the AP exams in May and June. Most classes have a final project that they have to do after the AP exams. Fortunately, this can be accomplished during class time for many of the projects, but some require work outside of class, too. It's not so bad when it's a subject that the student is really interested in, but it can be a drag for some of the other classes. It seems a little unfair that they have extra work the summer before and then a big project the last two months, too, especially when it's not just a couple of classes.