Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[AustinTink]

Did anyone else's kid take that new Comp Sci Principles class? DS says this was the first year it has been offered, so that specific Comp Sci is not on his schools website as to what it gives credit for. Anyway, he got a 5 on it so I really hope it equates to something.

Oops... wrong test. I had responded that my son took that one, but he took CSA. Never mind.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I would double check. Usually there is a lower bar for the English/History classes than the sciences. "3"s count at the UW for most of those exams.

No such luck. 4/5 are the only scores that give you credit. There were a couple exceptions where a 3 was acceptable (a couple foreign languages, Physics, and one or two others) but not for the ones he took.

 

[wannabee]

We're waiting on Calc AB here. DS needs a 4 and he doesn't think he made it.

 

[aprilgail]

P

AP results start to come out today! Apparently the College Board published the exam score distribution via twitter. Last year 41.8% of the students got a 4 or 5 in AP Calb A/B, this year only 36.7% did. Of course, my DD needs a 4 or a 5. On one question, 49% of the test takers got 0% on it. Make up a question that nearly HALF of t he kids completely mess up? WTG College Board! We find out my DD's scores tomorrow.

https://www.totalregistration.net/AP-Exam-Registration-Service/2017-AP-Exam-Score-Distributions.php

We got my daughter just before we left for orientation- overall they were good. This college you need a 4 or 5 or it doesnt count. She got 4 in ap bio, 5 in ap calc, 4 in ap macro and 5 in ap art history. So the college says its worth 22 credits which isnt to bad!

 

[v.t.]

My daughter plays viola as well, but marches in a drum and bugle corps in the summer as a member of the color guard / flags.

I wish mine played a stringed instrument, one is teaching himself the guitar but its is not the same. Is she in a DCI group?

P


We got my daughter just before we left for orientation- overall they were good. This college you need a 4 or 5 or it doesnt count. She got 4 in ap bio, 5 in ap calc, 4 in ap macro and 5 in ap art history. So the college says its worth 22 credits which isnt to bad!

That is great!

 

[robinb]

P


We got my daughter just before we left for orientation- overall they were good. This college you need a 4 or 5 or it doesnt count. She got 4 in ap bio, 5 in ap calc, 4 in ap macro and 5 in ap art history. So the college says its worth 22 credits which isnt to bad!

That's awesome!

Well, I just peeked at my DD's scores and they sucked. She got a 3 in Calc and a 2 (!) in Environmental Sciences. The APES is yet another course she made straight A's all year and the failed the AP exam. I am disappointed. Both exams are basically worthless.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I wish mine played a stringed instrument, one is teaching himself the guitar but its is not the same. Is she in a DCI group?

Sort of -- Colt Cadets. It's a DCI Open Class group from Dubuque, IA, which is DCI, and for middle school and high school aged kids. The group travels mostly the midwest all summer, from June until mid August, with a short 3-4 day break in July.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

That's awesome!

Well, I just peeked at my DD's scores and they sucked. She got a 3 in Calc and a 2 (!) in Environmental Sciences. The APES is yet another course she made straight A's all year and the failed the AP exam. I am disappointed. Both exams are basically worthless.

My DD is a Marine Science major and APES is the one she didn't pass and then had to take in school again. And she loved the class!

 

[sk!mom]

That's awesome!

Well, I just peeked at my DD's scores and they sucked. She got a 3 in Calc and a 2 (!) in Environmental Sciences. The APES is yet another course she made straight A's all year and the failed the AP exam. I am disappointed. Both exams are basically worthless.

We had the same experience with DD21. AP classes that she made straight A's in resulted in a score of only 2 or 3. In retrospect, I feel like, in some cases, DD's high school isn't preparing them for the test. There just is no other explanation for an A grade and then a test score that doesn't earn credit. For the record, DD is generally a good test taker. ACT/SAT scores were good with much less prep, state testing scores were always excellent, and she did earn credit in some AP classes. APES was one where she did not get credit after a class that was a ton of work, a difficult teacher, and an A grade. It seems that maybe it wasn't "the right" work.

 

[SmallWorld71]

That's awesome!

Well, I just peeked at my DD's scores and they sucked. She got a 3 in Calc and a 2 (!) in Environmental Sciences. The APES is yet another course she made straight A's all year and the failed the AP exam. I am disappointed. Both exams are basically worthless.

How frustrating!

 

[robinb]

Well, not totally worthless. It seems that the Calc A/B counts for 3 elective Math credits. Problem is, the only math she needs is Calc A/B . Ugh. She has too many hard classes to take she really doesn't need to waste her time on a 5-credit math class.

 

[mamacatnv]

DD took two AP this year
English 4
Gov't 3
She took Human Geo her Freshman year scoring a 4

We are waiting on the IB scores - She took the Math and Physics I believe

 

[dreamin_disney]

We had the same experience with DD21. AP classes that she made straight A's in resulted in a score of only 2 or 3. In retrospect, I feel like, in some cases, DD's high school isn't preparing them for the test. There just is no other explanation for an A grade and then a test score that doesn't earn credit. For the record, DD is generally a good test taker. ACT/SAT scores were good with much less prep, state testing scores were always excellent, and she did earn credit in some AP classes. APES was one where she did not get credit after a class that was a ton of work, a difficult teacher, and an A grade. It seems that maybe it wasn't "the right" work.

My daughter got A's but has test anxiety so it sucks ! I told her to check her grades but she's going to wait . She's stressing about her scores and says she knows she didn't get 4's or 5's even though she got all A's

 

[SmallWorld71]

My daughter got A's but has test anxiety so it sucks ! I told her to check her grades but she's going to wait . She's stressing about her scores and says she knows she didn't get 4's or 5's even though she got all A's

This definitely comes into play. A friend of DS got all 4s and 5s on the 8 AP tests he took the last 2 years. He's a B student who struggles with time management and handing in homework. But, he's a smart kid and an amazing test taker. Guess we all have strengths and weaknesses.

 

[bjscheel]

I think I mentioned we were contemplating getting DD a car- her pickup is bad on snow and with gas mileage. We had found a Pontiac for $5000 with 75,000 miles but the lady never responded. Good thing, because Wednesday DH found a Malibu for $5000 with 29,000 miles, which we actually bought last night for $4000. DD was skeptical because it is boring white, but when she saw it in person it looked sportier than she thought. She really liked driving it home too. We have a body shop friend who will put some pinstriping on for a bit of a unique touch. So another item checked off and another expense paid... She just needs a laptop and a bed now.

She and her 3 flatmates are planning to get together the end of this month for a picnic or bowling or something. Hoping the one that lives in the area they will meet in comes up with a good idea/location.

 

[sksjasams]

Wednesday DH found a Malibu for $5000 with 29,000 miles, which we actually bought last night for $4000. DD was skeptical because it is boring white, but when she saw it in person it looked sportier than she thought. She really liked driving it home too.

Wow! What a great deal! Sounds like it will be perfect for her.

 

[wannabee]

DS made a 3 on AP calc.... very disappointing. He was really hoping to be done with Calculus but will now have to take it this fall.

 

[aprilgail]

Whew- back from 3 days of orientation. Talked to my daughters academic advisor and her financial aid advisor. Academic advisor said her AP scores shaved a semester off college! I honestly am floored by the aid this college gives- they do these summer "Dialogue of Civilizations"- where they go abroad for 2-3 weeks- its 12-20 kids and a teacher. They earn 8 credits for it and its like an extra 3 weeks of tuition and they told me they would even give her the same percentage of financial aid they are giving her for the other 8 semesters to cover that! Honestly she could not even go to a community college for what they are charging us. We just got the bill for first semester and there was some extra grant on there I did not even know we were getting- some Federal FSEOG grant. Also the amount the give you this year is part of the "northeastern promise" so it will never go down- it can go up if you make less the other years but even if you win the lottery, they amount they said they were giving you is yours for 8 semesters.

Orientation was crazy- the dorm we stayed in was nice, they gave me a 2 bedroom apartment dorm with air conditioning. There was SO much walking, my feet are killing me! They had so many seminars and panels and q&a sessions. They arranged a sightseeing trolley to take parents on a sightseeing tour of Boston and while the parent were doing that they took the kids on the "T" to a popular pastry place and bought them all cannoli's! It was a nice 3 days, just tiring. Last night they had a giant dessert party for the parents- every pastry you can imagine plus big fruit platters.

 

[bethbuchall]

AP tests- I'm not even sure if DS knew they were out until I texted him and asked him for scores. Did anyone else's kid take that new Comp Sci Principles class? DS says this was the first year it has been offered, so that specific Comp Sci is not on his schools website as to what it gives credit for. Anyway, he got a 5 on it so I really hope it equates to something. 4s in Stat and Psych.

Mine did, but his grade is still listed as unavailable for that test. He says that he doesn't expect it to count for anything useful anyway, so he's not too concerned about it.

We just returned home from two days of orientation. It went well.

 

[wannabee]

I am 4 weeks away from dropping off Ds at school. I guess I need to finish his shopping. I'm trying not to go crazy with it. He really doesn't care about much of it. Still need a mini fridge and laundry bag and some bedding. He had been so awful the last several months that I was sort of looking forward to the break. But suddenly, he is acting quite normal again and I'm sure I'm going to miss him so much. He's our only so our house will be so quiet with him gone.