Hooray for your son! (And hooray for the other girls who qualified! )

Dd13 took the SAT on Dec. 5 for Duke TIP, but we haven't received the results. I don't think we have an online account. Has anyone else received their scores in the mail? Should we get an online account now?

Dd is interested in participating. I have no idea where to begin. Has anyone participated and can get me started? Dd is taking AP chemistry right now. Where can I get her signed up? Do I need to organize a competition? What kind prep does she need to do? Thanks!

Ah, memories.

This happens to me not just on WTM, but everywhere it seems. I take a photo with my phone and try to upload it to my post and the file size is too big. What is a quick and easy way to reduce my file size?

Okay, I'm going to ask this a second time. How does one score well on AP calculus without mastering calculus? Or algebra for that matter? What's the point of external validation if it doesn't validate anything? I don't remember AP calculus exam being easy. (I actually don't remember much at all about my AP calculus exam, but I don't recall thinking that it wasn't a good test of calculus.) Has the AP calculus exam been dumbed down since the 1980s? Actually, I happen to have a copy of my old AP calculus exam in front of me and (with any luck) I have attached a copy of the first page. And maybe someone can explain how does one use a calculator in calculus? Are students using a calculator during the exam now? ETA: File size is too big. Does anyone know how to reduce the file size? I'm using my phone to take a picture.

Can you remind me what exactly is PreCalc? I never took it at my high school. I went straight from my junior math class (advanced algebra, I think?) to Calculus BC. What topics are covered in PreCalc?

I guess I don't understand how a student can earn a 4 or 5 on calculus BC without a firm understanding in math.

This has gotten me so curious that I put the book on hold from the library. Can't wait to hear his explanation of long division, lol!

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a student we were carpooling. It happened to be Pi Day and she was describing how the students in school competed to memorize the digits of pi. I asked her to tell me what pi is (the ratio of circumference to diameter of any and every circle). She couldn't tell me. It was elementary school though. Maybe she knows now.

No answers, except to say I hear ya. Every year I struggle to fill a MathCounts team. Why doesn't anyone want to do MathCounts?

Yes, this is a conversation that needs to happen. Thank you.

But the thing is, I do let him have his own conversations with her. But at the dinner table, I usually don't step up to defend him. I'm silent. I'm wondering if I should be more explicit in my support for him? Or maybe I should be more punitive?

Yes, this. I don't want her thinking she is being successful at this. Thank you.

Good question! I haven't asked him lately--I will tonight--but I'm betting he would appreciate the help.

Okay, experienced moms and anyone else who wants to chime in, here's my situation. I have a dd14 and a dd13 (1.5 years apart). The issue is with the older dd. She isn't very nice to her father, DH. He's a really nice guy, involved father, not prone to anger, quite patient, really quite faultless. My only (very minor complaint) is maybe, maybe, he still treats her as a child. But not deserving of dd14's scorn. She eye rolls him, disputes his statements, disregards his advice, and is generally not nice. No smiles in his presence. Kind of like the sullen mean teenagers you see on TV comedies. But she's very nice and chummy with me. It's very obvious who her favorite is. I've made some attempts to back up DH, but there's been no change in her behavior and I want to step up my game a bit. I'm feeling guilty that I'm not doing enough. What can I do to help change their relationship? Or should I just wait for her to grow out of it? Should I be more punitive or at least explicitly call her on it (in private), or can I do something more surreptitious (my preference)? I'm eager to read your suggestions!

Vol. 3 (2005 - 2012) is much like vol. 2 (1998 - 2004), but with more recent exams. Either one is fine. I had a copy of Creative Problem Solving but never used it. I like MOEMS because each exam takes roughly 25 minutes, plus maybe another 20-30 minutes to review the problems with your student. I used it on Wednesdays in place of their usual Singapore Math to make life more interesting, and encourage problem solving. Good luck!

I think I don't think highly of economics professors.

I gave up FB about a year ago, at first for productivity reasons (more time to read books!), but I also discovered that it was not good for my mood. Sadly, a homeschooling group I must belong to does their messaging on FB, so I quickly check the updates (not easy...why can't everyone use an email group?) and close the tab when I'm done. Apart from that I haven't looked back, though I do feel a little cut off, I'm happier.

Thank you for writing this! I also had hands off parents who preferred watching TV to pushing me to excel. They preferred watching TV to parenting, frankly They were generally encouraging and were happy to have me practice piano, but never pushed. In fact, they would brag to other parents about their hands off parenting style; they never pushed like those other mean parents. While I'm happy being a mediocre at tennis and piano, I really burn up when I think about lost time in my childhood that could have been spent in productive academic endeavors. I would have really loved it if they had told me to turn off the TV (I watched a lot, too.) and--I don't know--do something productive. Learn a foreign language! Study math! Learn a new craft or hobby! Pursue something --anything-- of value or worth. Instead it wasn't until middle of high school that I decided that watching so much TV wasn't helping me to excel and I had a dim sense that there were other kids in other schools who were working harder than me. Fortunately it didn't stop me from studying engineering and medicine, but I am resentful that my parents implicitly take credit for what I accomplished in spite of, not because of them. I console myself that the 70s and 80s were another era in parenting, although it was eye-opening to me that some of my colleagues in high school had stimulating intellectual home lives. I couldn't help being jealous. I am also sad to read of Donna's experience and her lost opportunities. :grouphug: to Donna. Needless to say, my kids are getting a different parenting style.

Lol, this is hilarious.

So it sounds like college apps aren't all that different from when I applied in the 80s? I remember just having 1 main "Tell us about you" essay and 1 short answer about an extracurricular or job or sport or something. So, generally to apply to a college, you write just one essay and maybe a short answer or two?

Wow, that is just too cool. You ought to have youtube videos of this.

Free printable certificates! Do you have other students in your area who are in the same grade? Consider throwing a party for everyone!

So, does a student choose one of these prompts? Or are students expected to write a total of 5 essays?