I am always that mom who goes on the official tour and asks the student guide a ton of questions. What is your major? Where else did you apply? Why did you choose this school over the others? What do you do for fun? Party scene? Do people live on campus after freshman year? Do you use the library much? What other resources/labs on campus do you use? How are the class sizes? What's your favorite class so far and why? Favorite professor? How's the food? I also like to go to the official info session, even if I have already read the basics on the web site. I like to see how the school presents itself. (Football+Party Culture school strongly emphasized the Football Culture part in their presentation. Very strongly. Um, no thanks. Not a good fit for us.) Plus, sometimes if you do the official Info+Tour, you can get lunch in the dining hall (sometimes at a discount or even free), which is another data point I like to have.

At least they visited. I know a young person through one of my dc's activities. She got into a good school, but had never visited, and did not have a realistic idea of what it would be like. An urban school may not have a "campus" in the same way a rural state flagship would, for example. She didn't know what she'd be studying in her major (that is, what classes she'd be taking) or what kind of job her major was aiming at. She ended up in the least desirable dorm. She really didn't know what to do with herself when she wasn't in class. The school is only a two-hour train ride from home; she could have visited for less than $40 on one of the many open house days they offered. Another young person I know chose a different urban school, where her dorm was quite a distance from her classrooms. She didn't like the subway, and wasn't keen on walking all that way, so she often took a taxi. (!!!) The kids I know who are thriving in urban schools take every advantage the city has to offer. They learn to use the subway, buddy up to visit museums and parks, do their shopping at nearby stores and pop-up markets, and see performances and other cultural events. They dove right in, from Day One, in part because they knew what to expect and they were somewhat comfortable with the down sides to city living. I tell every teen I can - visit schools. Lots of them. Start at any local school; doesn't have to be one you have decided you want to go to - anywhere will start to build a baseline for comparisons. Visit a school every time you are out of town. Freshman year is not too early; your schedule will fill up fast in junior and senior year. Bring friends along with you. Go to summer programs at local universities to experience dorm/campus living. I tell every parent I can - take your kid to visit schools. Let them hear directly from the staff what they will need, transcript-wise, grades-wise, test-score-wise, to get in. Let them hear about the admission process, so they know the full scope of what they will need to do. Let them hear the costs, so they can begin to compare the $30K schools to the $70K schools and understand the difference in debt therein. Sometimes, people listen. Sometimes.

Keep a sharp eye on that. Be ready to take her in before morning if need be. Otherwise be sure to mention it to the doc you see in the morning. :grouphug:

Hey, at 37, whatever works! Babies are exciting no matter how they get here!

If she were mine, I'd sleep next to her, and push fluids throughout the night. IA couple sips of Gatorade or Pedialyte, or a homemade version, on an ongoing basis.) Make a plan for when/how/where you'll take her in tomorrow. Cold compresses (e.g. a cold damp washcloth) on the forehead can help with the fever, along with any meds you usually use.

Yes, in theory one can self-study for AP exams. There is no requirement that you take an AP class in order to sit the exam. Is your idea that your dd would take an exam that correlates somewhat with a DE class she is taking? That is, take AP GOV if she is taking a government class? I've found that some high school AP classes are specifically designed to prep the student for the class - for example, practicing the type of questions that will be asked. An APUSH class would do document-based questions throughout the year, an AP STATS class would do problems in the format the test will use, etc. Other high school AP classes teach the subject as the teacher feels it should be covered, expecting any student who wants to sit the exam to self-study any areas not specifically covered in class (with or without the teacher's guidance/oversight). I assume that you are referring to a specific college when saying that they do not award credit for DE classes, and they do give it for AP. Colleges vary widely in whether they award credit and/or advanced placement for DE and for AP exams; both are likely to have grade or test score minimums. Some DE providers have specific agreements with area schools as to which of their courses will transfer for credit; depending on your dd's goals, you might want to look into this, as it can save quite a bit of money as well as provide more flexibility in the students' schedule.

Once she understands the "why", she might find it useful to change all minus operations to "plus the opposite" before trying to move things around. One of my students coined the term "doing the boom booms" for this technique. If it's minus a positive, you use two pen strokes - one to change the minus to a plus ("boom"), and one to draw a negative sign in front of the term ("boom"). If it's minus a negative, you also use two pen strokes - one to change the minus to a plus ("boom"), and one to change the negative to a positive/plus ("boom"). Thus, regardless of what comes after the minus sign, you need two strokes to change it appropriately - boom boom. It's silly of course, but by verbally or mentally saying "boom" with each stroke, you build the habit of remembering both. And by changing minus to plus before moving things, you're much less likely to make a mistake or drop a negative.

People who are interested in this topic might enjoy the TV shows "Border Patrol" and "Border Security", some seasons of which are available now on Netflix. The shows feature border patrol officers screening people and goods at land crossings, airports, sea ports, and also goods sent through the mail. There are various countries featured in different seasons/versions, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the US. It is a good education in all kinds of border rules and issues. For example, if you've had a serious drunk driving conviction, chances are good that you aren't welcome in Canada for at least ten years. Trying to come into a country to work or to marry on the wrong kind of visa is common (and you'll get turned away if they catch you). And it's interesting to see the differences between the various countries. New Zealand and Australia often have people coming in with suitcases full of undeclared and unusual Asian foods, many of which are prohibited for biosecurity reasons. And there are lots of Americans who think they can bring their medicinal marijuana or their guns into Canada. (The weed is not allowed; the guns are only allowed with the right paperwork.) Not going to win Emmys any time soon, but nonetheless an interesting glimpse into the intricacies of border control.

Children who are not here legally are not eligible for food stamps, CHIP, and most if not all other federal benefits.

I've reported bad conditions in two different cities. In city one, I called weekly about debris and a non-functioning streetlight in front of an empty building. I had a notebook and wrote down the details of my call each time, and told them I'd be following up in a week. It took months to see results, but eventually the streetlight was fixed and the debris was removed several times. I chose to report this condition because it created unsafe conditions (no lights in an iffy area). In city two, I've been reporting a dilapidated house with an about-to-cave in porch roof. Every month or so, I walk by the house, take photos, and upload them to the city's site, noting the changes from the previous photos. They did send someone out to board up the front entrance about a year ago. But they've done nothing else. I've been reporting this location because I am concerned that when the porch roof falls, which it will soon, someone could get hurt. (There are also exposed broken electrical fixtures, and other hazardous conditions, as well as some evidence of someone squatting in the building.) See if your town has a department in charge of making sure buildings aren't in a hazardous condition, and consider calling in your concerns. Where there is hoarding and/or neglect, there may also be someone in need of eldercare services.

I may have missed something along the way. Why are you assuming those with TPS status came here illegally, as opposed to on some kind of non-immigrant visa?

Just to clarify - like people with TPS, there is basically no path to citizenship for DACA recipients either. It's complicated. Just because there is a path for people to legally immigrate from, for example Mexico or El Salvador, does not mean that people who are already in this country with TPS or DACA status can use that path. In fact, generally speaking, they can't. That's the problem, otherwise they would have already done so.

When doing this analysis, make sure you understand what time period is covered (winter break? summer vacation? co-op or internship?), what area is covered (docs at home as well as at school?), what you have to do to maintain student status (12 credits per semester? a certain number of campus-based credits?), can you continue coverage after the policy terminates?. I'd also inquire as to what happens if the student must drop out of their classes for health reasons - will the coverage be retained?

Yes, it works for dyes that rub off (called "crocking"), and those that run in the wash. This is what I use. You need no more than a tablespoon for a large load of wash. In the vast majority of cases it removes the fugitive dye without affecting the dye that has chemically fixed to the fabric. In other words, it shouldn't fade the fabric at all. In a very few cases I've had items, like one of dh's red polo shirts, where the original dye was never properly fixed. (It ran in the wash every time before I used the Synthrapol.) In that case the synthrapol did indeed remove all of the fugitive dye, leaving a very faded red shirt that never ran again. Nowadays I rarely run into this problem, unless I've bought dubious fabric from the sketchy fabric salvage store.

This. Whether you are male or female, it's not a bad idea to get to know someone a bit before putting yourself in this kind of vulnerable position. It's not the whole solution, of course, but it's something to consider.

We use ours. If you use yours, don't forget to waive theirs - it can save you a bunch of $ that is otherwise routinely added to your bill. We have had to re-waive at the beginning of each school year. There is a deadline, after which it cannot be waived even if you are covered elsewhere, so be on top of it.

It's usually black garments, yes? I use Synthropol, from Dharma Trading, the first time I wash anything that might run - with black clothes being at the top of the "might run" list. It surrounds excess dye particles (that haven't bonded to the fabric) so they can be washed away in the rinse water. It has worked for me in the past with that nasty gasoline-smelling dye.

For someone here with temporary protective status (TPS), it's way more complicated than just "going back for extended visits". TPS does not automatically grant the ability to return to the U.S. after traveling abroad. As noted on this page: If you have TPS and wish to return to the U.S. after traveling abroad, you need approval from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). To apply for this permission, complete and file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. If approved, you will receive a travel document known as “Advance Parole.†This document will allow you to travel abroad and to return to the U.S. within the time period for which you are authorized. This permit is often authorized for multiple reentries, but you can remain outside the U.S. for only a total of 90 days. ... There may be some risks that you will need to consider if you are considering traveling outside the U.S. after a grant of TPS. If you have TPS but have not yet obtained Advance Parole from USCIS, you should not travel outside the United States. Leaving the country without the proper travel documents can cause you to lose your TPS designation. If this happens, you will likely not be able to immediately return to the United States. Even if you do have proper travel documents, it is extremely important that you return to the U.S. within the time period that you are permitted to travel listed on your Advance Parole document. If you attempt to return to the U.S. after the allotted time expires, you may be denied entry into the country, and it is also possible that your TPS will be considered abandoned due to a failure to maintain continuous residence in the United States. In addition, you need to make sure that you will not miss important deadlines associated with your TPS grant while you travel abroad. For example, if you must soon renew your TPS status or if your TPS is scheduled to expire in the near future, it is probably best to wait until you update your immigration status before you travel. It is possible to miss important information from USCIS about your status or other applications you have filed during the time that you are outside the United States. For example, many TPS designees also have pending applications for asylum or permanent residence. Missing deadlines for any immigration application you may have pending with USCIS can be highly detrimental to your case. (NOTE: TPS is not the only visa situation where there are restrictions on the holder returning to the US after travelling abroad.)

A quick look at Pennsylvania's documentation requirements for non-citizens applying for drivers' licenses was fascinating. Some diplomats and their families are not eligible for state driver's licenses (they must get federal diplomatic ones), but it looks like most other visa types allow it, with the caveat that proof of residency in the state is required, and "a minimum of one year legal presence is required," which I assume to mean that you need to have a visa covering at least a year's presence in the US. My favorite category of visa on the list is "E-3 Australian Specialty Occupation Worker and dependents", which apparently arose from some sort of trade treaty. (I originally figured it was for sheep shearers, but that didn't seem to be the case when I looked it up.)

Sometimes people are here illegally not because they *came* illegally, but because the visa on which they came ran out. (In fact, I've read that the majority of people here illegally have overstayed their visa rather than crossed the border illegally. That seems to be the primary argument against the idea that a physical barrier along the entire southern border would be the best way to minimize the number of people who are here illegally.) In the case of an expired visa, they may or may not have been able to renew the visa, depending on what kind of visa they had originally, why it ran out, and whether they are eligible to renew it or to stay on some other basis. The law covering people who are not citizens entering the US is very, very complicated. This wiki article is a good primer; skip down to Non-immigrant Visas to get a full picture of a wide variety of reasons someone may come to the US, often with their spouse and children. Any new immigration policy or travel ban needs to be written with full consideration of these typical reasons in order to protect our country's interests and how we benefit from having these people able to come here.

If you like soapy ER shows, you might like Night Shift, the first couple seasons of which are on Netflix. It's got enough explosions and fights each episode to please those who like action/adventure stuff too, so it can be a guilty pleasure for the whole family.

One of my kids went to school with a little boy, M, and I got to know his mother. Apparently, the family was here on a couple-week vacation visiting mom's sister, and while they were here war broke out in their home country (not South America). They could not go home, so had to move in with the sister and make do the best they could. I assume they were here under TPS. Can you imagine? They left their whole lives behind for what they thought was a couple of weeks, then all of a sudden had to figure out a life here. The two kids were very young when they came; one may even have been born here. They went to the local public school, and the family generally became part of the local community as best they could. The kids were young enough that they likely had no memory of their home country. I agree that TPS should include a path to at minimum a green card after a certain amount of time. The DACA recipients also don't have a path to a green card or citizenship; something which I think the media has not done a good job of explaining. I hear so many people say things like "if they wanted to stay they should have applied for citizenship" - but of course they can't. I am also pro-chain migration. Families are the core of our social fabric - the basic building block of society. People with strong family support have a foundation that helps them be successful. I am particularly baffled as to why some folks are pro-family-values, but anti-chain-migration.

Agreed! Some more thoughts - I've taught this textbook many times; in fact it's my preferred Algebra 1 book, in part because there are so many support materials available for it. The "advanced" problem sets suggested in the TM, the "practice C" worksheets, and the "test C" for each chapter usually have fractions, decimals, square roots, and such "complicated numbers" in the problems and solutions. (The "basic", "A" versions do not.) The challenge worksheets may or may not have complex numbers; they generally require more complex reasoning or have multi-step problems or ask the students to take the concepts beyond what has been taught in the text. So as I suggested in my previous post, perhaps there is a mismatch between what has been assigned and what is being tested. If it's just a matter of a teacher who writes more complicated problems than she assigns for homework, perhaps it would be helpful to discuss some strategies when encountering "icky numbers" in a test situation, especially one where there is limited time. Some discussion of when to calculate vs. when to carry uncalculated numbers may be useful (e.g when to convert 3(sqrt 5) to a decimal and when to carry it as-is), having solid cancelling skills can help, significant figures might be something to take a look at (I don't believe it's taught in this text), and how to provide a quick "this is how I would solve this problem if I had more time" write-up may be useful if time is running out and there are still problems to be finished. There's also ways to be fairly confident in one's work even if you aren't getting "pretty numbers" feedback - things like taking smaller steps (that you can often do more quickly), having less in your head at one time and more written on the page, building a double-check in every single step as part of your overall technique (going back over each combination or calculation or movement of something from one side of the equation to the other - did you add right, did you multiply right, did you get the signs right?). I also wonder if, since it's such an old edition of the text, the teacher actually has access to the supplementary materials that include multiple ready-made assessment pages (quizzes, chapter tests at three levels, alternative assessments of various kinds, and so on). If she's making her own tests because she doesn't have the ready-made ones, and she's open to dialog about it, you may find that she'd love a second-hand copy of the materials. I believe they even make test bank software for this series, so that you can pick and choose from ready-made problems, and also, IIRC, vary the numbers in them.

AGREED! (And I would additionally stress that if you're making notes as part of solving a problem, they are part of your solution and as such should be included in the "showing your work" part of your solution. That is, don't then erase your notes after solving the problem, or toss the extra page. Lots of students do this all. the. time., and I am constantly reminding them that if you wrote something down to solve a problem, it's part of your work and needs to be shown, not erased or tossed!)

I would discuss with your ds how he is experiencing the tests - does the time limit stress him out, does he have good skills for a timed test situation, are there distractions in the classroom, how does he approach problems where he at first can't see a path to the solution, etc. I wonder too if there is something about the wording of the problems that trips him up - are they clear, or are they somewhat confusing or able to be interpreted several ways? If there is an issue like that, does he know how to clarify it with the teacher mid-test? Another option is to see if the teacher has the EasyPlanner software for the textbook, and if so whether she would be willing to share the challenge pages and/or the Test C tests contained therein. (Or, if appropriate, find a copy of your own.) The text is designed to be used at three levels - basic, average, and advanced. There are worksheets and tests at all three levels (called A, B, C, respectively). There is also a challenge page for each lesson, which takes the material a wee bit farther yet. You could use these pages as practice for the tests. Obviously, this does not solve the problem of the tests being out of sync with the teaching/homework, and it would take quite a bit more time, but it would be a DIY approach to consider. I would inquire whether the teacher is using the homework assignments recommended for the basic, average, or advanced level, or something of her own devising. Perhaps the homework is not challenging enough to match the tests. We once had a teacher who did the opposite - taught her own material then used the textbook exams. That was simple to fix - dd studied the textbook material thoroughly regardless of whether the teacher had introduced it in class. Your situation is the opposite, and thus that much harder.