Barbara H
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Posts posted by Barbara H
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I sympathize with the unfairness of the state cut offs. It far from ideal to set up a system this way.
I'm wary of this and I would urge you to do more research before you put too much stock in what you were told on the phone. Will your student be registered as a homeschooler in SD or Texas?
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From their website: "Ultimately, it comes down to this: YOU are paying US so you can receive the credentials from our school."
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It's not that I have anything against starting at the bottom. It's all those darn books that say that kids these days should get an internship or should find something aligned with their "passion" and they're all making me feel like they should find some kind of "hook" thing - but really, I have no idea where they'd start looking.
Having a tough, working class, starter kind of job is a hook! It shows your kid can work hard and has some idea of the value of a dollar. Many people who work in college admissions were working class kids, not kids of privilege who got a cush internship at Daddy's golf buddy's firm. Kids who have worked are appreciated.
Not that the reason for getting a job should be college admissions. It shouldn't be. Most colleges accept most people who apply. Have your kid get a job because they want to work and because it is good for them.
I'm not saying anything against internships. They can be great to explore careers and it is especially important for college students to consider them as a way to get work experience. I see it as a separate thing from having a job though. One good thing with homeschooling is that kids may have time for both.
As far as having trouble getting hired at 15 - they can look to entrepreneurship. Mowing yards, cleaning gutters, babysitting, cleaning houses, washing cars, pet sitting, etc.
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I'm trying to figure out why we haven't heard from dd's ps. I was eagerly awaiting results after reading everyone else's, but our public school says they're not out yet and dd can't find info on the Nat'l Merit site as to when results will be released. I must be missing something. DD is a current senior and took the PSAT last spring as a junior. Any idea why you all have heard about the results and we haven't? (I read/scanned the links when they were posted, but haven't since then.)
The PSAT is only offered in the fall - did your dd take it last October? She should have received scores last year.
The semifinalist lists were released to the media on Sept. 11. Finalist applications are due very soon.
National Merit Phone number (847) 866-5100
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One reason some talent search kids choose to take the SAT is to try to qualify for SET.
On the ACT the essay is optional and not usually taken for talent search. On the SAT the essay is mandatory and comes first on the test. That's not a good fit for some younger testers who don't have mature writing or who tire easily with handwriting.
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One thing to know about CLEP is that if they need to retake it they have to wait six months. So, she'll want to make sure she's taken practice exams online and that she's scoring where she needs to before she takes it for real.
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Barbara, just curious: What about double-majoring? How is that looked on by the work world? How different is that from earning 2 Bachelors at the same time?
Two bachelors degrees usually requires a higher number of credits and also student may need to complete extra distribution requirements particularly if they opt for both a BA and BS. Double majors can work well for students who come in with credits or have the time, but at a lot of schools either of these options are going to be too time consuming for most students. I don't think there is strong evidence that having a second major, as opposed to a major and a minor, carries much weight for most employers. For many fields single major and more internships may be a more promising road to employment. It is really just a small slice of students who have time to even worry about this stuff. Most should just focus on getting a major done and getting graduated.
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Show me the senior who has time to write four effective 2,500 word research papers assigned October 1. I've never met a kid like this. The college bound seniors I see are busy - with courses, sports, volunteering, work, etc. This is way too much time to spend on one college application. I doubt many students will write 10,000 words of research paper and I think this is just a marketing move. They got an article in the New York Times out of it already.
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Students should be aware that if they graduate from one college and want to go to another college for a second bachelors degree, they typically can't receive state or federal financial aid. In general colleges are less interested in awarding scholarships to these students than students entering as freshman or as traditional transfer students.
I have worked with some students who attend traditional colleges who earn two bachelors degrees at the same time. Typically these are high achieving students, often on scholarship, who enter college with a fair amount of credit from APs or dual enrollment.The value of the second BA or BS is often that it allows them to change direction when they are nearly complete with one major. It makes a lot more sense with some majors than with others. Engineering is not a good second major because it is just incredibly time consuming.
Every situation is different but for many students who decide to change direction after college graduation, it may make a lot more sense to just pick up a handful of classes and not try for a second degree that would require repeating of many core classes.
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It is wise that you are looking at your options carefully. There are a number of restrictions and limitations and it is good to consider the specific needs of your student. On my homeschool site I have an article about CLEP testing to a degree. I hope you will find this to be helpful. Credit by Exam Degrees: Questions to Ask
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As a lifelong programmer, I'm just speechless.
ETA: I just realized these 2 schools have no application fee. It makes me wonder if this is the service they offer to schools with no application fee.
It boggles the mind doesn't it? So many of these problems seem just incomprehensible for a system that was designed for 2013.
The customers of the Common Application are their member colleges. So even if that college isn't charging students an application fee they are paying (usually around $2 a student) to the Common Application.
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To me it seems really inappropriate for anyone to advise a student repeat a grade solely based on their birthdate, gender, and experience with outside classes. There is a HUGE range of normal development for students heading into 8th or 9th grade. It may be that your son comes in and is one of the most socially and academic mature of the students in his class. They have no way of knowing that without actually interviewing and spending time with him. Is it possible for your son to "shadow" and spend a day or two at the school?
As far as an "outside class" - there are many ways to get group experience. Homeschool co-op classes, church youth groups, scouts, etc. Sure, some kids have to work harder to understand social rules, but for more socially typical kids it isn't like it necessarily takes a lot of repetition of traditional classroom experiences to understand the basics - wait your turn, respect your teachers, follow classroom rules, etc. FWIW, I've seen many homeschoolers who have never been in classes go straight into the classroom with no problem at all.
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Yes, that's uncommon. But, it is good that you knew you could get it notarized at the bank - a lot of people don't realize banks offer that as a free service to their customers.
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One of her long term goals right now is to perform this type of music as a professional but she's 11, that could change and she's kinda already met that goal on a smaller scale. I am not upset at the offer for her to be a guest performer. I was hoping they would offer it instead of her competing this year.
I just listened to a couple of videos on your blog and WOW - she's very talented. I just wanted to stay I really enjoyed her music.
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It is hard without knowing more about the reading level or interests of the student. Comics can be good with some older readers - Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, etc. If the kid is into sports, the sports section of the newspaper can be a good place to start.
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The National Association of College Admissions Counseling keeps a list here: http://www.nacacnet.org/college-fairs/Pages/default.aspx
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It isn't just a homeschooling thing - many students struggle with the first writing course. Nearly all schools have centers where students can get help with writing. Has she given that a try?
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Why don't we talk about that more here? I met a lady at church. Her son went to Community College and transferred right into Berkeley. NO stress, no fuss, no pressure. He was ready, sent in his transcript and transfer app and he was done. They accepted him based on the classes and excellent grades he got at CC.
This certainly can be a great idea. It is important to understand though that transfer admissions are Berkeley are very competitive, much as undergraduate admissions are so it isn't just be ready and you are in. The transfer acceptance rate for fall of 2013 was about 26%, that's higher than the freshman admit rate of 21% but not that much higher. There are specific curriculum requirements and admitted students have very strong grades. California is tough all around!
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Oops. I wasn't clear. I edited the original post.
Ug. That's not good.
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You might want to try to save it as a PDF first.
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Costs have gone up and not just due to inflation. PBS has put together a great calculator to illustrate this process. Can You Work Your Way Through College Calculator.
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Here are three suggestions of books I've found to be helpful. If you haven't already read it, I'd start with the Parent's Guide book and work from there.
A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children http://www.amazon.com/A-Parents-Guide-Gifted-Children/dp/0910707790
Living with Intensity http://www.amazon.com/Living-With-Intensity-Understanding-Excitability/dp/0910707898/ref=pd_sim_b_1/183-9764689-5041317
A Parent's Guide to Gifted Teens http://www.amazon.com/Parents-Guide-Gifted-Teens-Adolescents/dp/0910707995/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379039953&sr=1-4&keywords=lisa+rivero
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If at all possible I would encourage him to set up an appointment to talk to a staff person (not a student on the phone, but a staff person) at the community college financial aid office and find out his range of options. While he can try to research and get advice online this is one of those things where it is really best to get personalized advice from someone at the school who can find out more of the particulars of his situation and give him accurate advice.
Also, if he is considering attending a public two year or four year school he may want to meet with someone in academic advising even before he enrolls. Even if it turns out there is not a way for him to pay for full time tuition there may be an option to make sure he's testing where he needs no remediation. He might also be able to tackle a couple of CLEP tests and get some credits in before he can be in the classroom on a more full time basis.
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Taking PSAT in different state for national merit status?
in High School and Self-Education Board
Posted
One other example to consider how complex this can be...
Students who attend boarding school out of their home state of residence are considered in a separate pool that usually has a high cut off. So, if the student is from Alabama but goes to a boarding school in Vermont, she would be subject to the East Coast boarding pool cutoff. Not to the state of Alabama where her parents live and own property. And, not in Vermont where she boards for high school.