My daughter took Moskaluk’s class without chem previously and did very well on the AP. She does well studying on her own, though.

I echo Farrar’s sentiments about different dancers having different needs and fits. Faculty will have very different backgrounds, styles and teaching philosophies and your dd will definitely want a feel for that when making the choice that’s right for her. Your dd should be able to attend class virtually so she can take all of that in. My two dd’s have auditioned for a particular SI four times between the two of them, and this year the teacher leading the audition was very abrasive and not at all like the other experiences. Fortunately, dd had other options, but I would never choose that SI if there was the possibility dd would be in that teacher’s class. So, even though it was a good fit stylistically, it wasn’t one of dd’s or my top choices. Otoh, dd loved loved loved another audition and just finished a week of classes over spring break and had a fantastic experience. She loved the style of ballet, the combinations, the other dancers and the teachers. IMO, the ballet will make it break it and I’d leave no stone unturned in figuring out if it’s a good fit. I’d recommend contacting as many dancers as possible and those who have graduated will feel most free to share their experiences. We know several dancers who have had less than ideal experiences and are very careful in their wording. I’d listen super closely to what they say in order to understand the messages they’re trying to convey. As you know, ballet is a super small world.

Congratulations!

The tree 23andMe generated for me was almost completely inaccurate. The relationships listed on the list of matches have been accurate or very close but the tree was a mess.

The only classes we know of that fill if you don’t register right away are the English ones with Maya Inspektor.

I agree with SanDiegoMom that you shouldn't judge the decisions that you've already made. Covid has really illustrated how we just can't predict what will happen from one day to the next even with lots of due diligence. Life is about embracing where you are and making the most of it. Of course, I'm better at giving that advice than taking it 🙂 Every year choosing a summer intensive is such a difficult decision and depends so much on each dancer, family and summer intensive. And, it's all so situationally specific under normal circumstances. Now we've only ended up magnifying the number of all the possible variables even more! Our family is very cautious and has been since last March, and yet, we're thinking that our dancer will be dancing in person. There's a good bit of keeping my head down and praying that's accompanying that decision. If our situation was different in terms of dance, finances, space for zoom, family dynamics, social exposure, she'd be staying home and taking a virtual summer again. It's all situational, and I think everyone is just doing the best that they can.

Fourisenough they didn’t include leveling. Normally I’d not worry and just celebrate the acceptance and have her attend. But, with a happy previous experience somewhere else, and the potential for strange leveling, I’m concerned. She’s agonizing because she’s been saying she’s going to get closed out if she doesn’t register now. I emailed them and would love a basic confirmation that she won’t be leveled with real young ones. All her acceptances are competitive, so I’d like to say she’s overreacting, but I don’t want her to be miserable if it’s possible and happens.

Hi all, My dd had a great audition season this year and is having a really tough time having narrowed it down between two programs and would love all feedback you can offer. Her top choice was one that she and her sister have both attended, so it’s a known. She was very happy and had assumed she’d be returning this year. However, she was accepted to MCB and was elated with the news. She loved the audition, loved Aranxa and loves Balanchine. When looking at previous year intensive attendees that she can find online, all the high school aged girls attend year round prepro schools and have flat turnout. My dd is a beautiful dancer who brings a lot to the table, but she doesn’t have flat turnout. She doesn’t mind the idea of attending and being the bottom of her level provided that she’s not in a level composed of her and 12 year olds. Looking at the photos from one year, it seems that this could be a possibility (Levels 4 and some of 5). My dd is turning 16. Everyone she has reached out to who loves MCB has been placed well and in an upper level. My older dd had attended an intensive where it wasn’t leveled mostly by age, and it was a very uncomfortable vibe overall. Of course, there will be some flexibility in leveling, but she doesn’t want to be placed in a middle school level. Can you all share what you know and give us the worst case scenario you’ve heard? She has stars in her eyes for MCB and wants to go but is seriously concerned. Thanks!

They vary tremendously in quality depending on the teacher. The formats have changed over the years so that many offer a live component now, whereas before most did not. Be sure to ask anyone who offers a recommendation how much outside prep was necessary to do well on the exam and be specific about what score you’re looking for. Did I mention that they vary tremendously in quality? 😂 Be careful taking one without a strong recommendation or two...

I just got off the phone with the College Board after being hung up on twice by two different representatives who could only recite that I should check the website and find a school that would agree to allow my dd to test. Of course, the whole reason I was calling is that I haven't been able to find a school willing to allow her to test.....I asked to speak to a supervisor and then was hung up on.....

We’ve either been turned down or not received a response from all schools. I contacted the College Board and they said that they will have a list of schools where homeschoolers can test listed on their site on Nov 15th. Has anyone else been told this?

The suggestion to make sure the shoes are in a mesh bag and out drying on a hook is super helpful. It's amazing how quickly they break down during the summer months. It could be that the shoes were softer (some brands and styles are softer than others and some pairs are softer than others) but it doesn't sound like an abnormal amount of time. You know your daughter best, but I've seen girls do some crazy things with pointe shoes and their moms had no idea. The problem is that they really have a very small sweet spot of when they work best, and young dancers who are anxious to dance their best for teachers and their peers sometimes resort to life shortening tactics. But again, it doesn't sound like the time frame you're referring to is outside the norm, especially during the summer. My girls have very different feet (left and right) and would hate switching feet, so I think that might be up to your dance I have two dancing girls, and we've had the nightmare of shoes lasting one class and others lasting way longer than the norm. If she begins to dance for more hours per week and you start to go through pointe shoes more quickly, you can buy multiple pairs and rotate them. We've had a lot of success with that extending the life span of shoes. Also, we don't throw them out, even when they're dead, and every so often shoes will harden a long time after they've been dead and be danceable for a class or two. At 12, she may have a lot of growing and changing that will effect her feet. As she becomes more comfortable dancing in them, she can opt for different shoe choices which may make the shoes have a longer life span. I'm surprised that people have said that the shoes should last a year. Shoes are so different as are the dancers anatomy and way of dancing. What dies quickly on one foot may not on another even when other factors are the same.

Unfortunately, no ;(

I was really pleased with her course. Both my girls took it 4 years apart. There aren't any live lectures and just few short videos that she taped to explain an experiment. Essentially, it is a self taught class where the students read the text, watch a few videos from other sources and do assignments. She was very organized and the course was clearly laid out. We've outsourced a large number of classes and hit a few duds. This class was reliable and I felt both girls were well prepped for the exam. Both girls have taken AP Psych with Bonnie Gonzales, and this class was taken at the same time. Her class really walked them through each aspect of the class and had both a live lecture and chat session. I would have loved that there were more classes like that as my younger daughter prefers a live presentation as opposed to watching something like Crash Course. Although this APES class didn't have that component, it was still a great first AP for both my girls.

We’re going ahead with 3 APs for next year, and I also think there’s a reasonable chance that they’re online again. Dd doesn’t know anyone who cheated. I think it’s really unlikely that teachers are going to turn in kids for cheating. I hope they add the mcq back in next year.

My dd is in her class this year. I don’t know why she’s leaving.

Does anyone have any info on how they're scoring? Dd is taking practice frq's and it would be nice to have an idea of how it will break down.

My older dd had done a few lectures from Thinkwell AP bio before taking AP bio as a sophomore but hadn't had any prior bio before that. She took AP Chem without prior Chem. Got a 5 in both or a 5 and a 4, can't remember :)

My daughter took this with Maya Inspecktor and loved it and got a 5. She also took her AP Lang class.

Both my girls have taken AP Psych with Bonnie and had a great experience.

Thank you!

Ok, so just cast a wide net?

Hi all, I have a good friend who I believe is being catfished. She has already sent the person money and they are pressing for more. I am trying to help her but don’t know who she should contact. I looked at the fbi internet crime page but there it recommends contacting authorities if you believe it’s time sensitive. She’s hoping the person could be caught if she doesn’t alert him to her suspicions. She lives in a small town, so doesn’t want to start there. I’m googling but would love help in knowing how she should proceed. Thanks!

My older dd took it with PAH without stats with no problem, and my younger is taking it this year without stats.

Dd took this class through PAH and would not recommend it.