Pick me up off the floor. DD got a Cornell Engineering likely letter. What a day.

Happy Day! DD got her acceptance letter to the University of Rochester! :party:

Yes... definitely. I agree completely. I guess I am just trying to gauge how much of a difference there would be.... in the SUNY flagship for engineering for 4 years, vs 2 years at the CC and transferring over. IF I thought that it would be SOOOO much better - that the kids would care A LOT more.... etc., etc.... it would be an easier decision. But I wonder. Maybe that's just what college is like now in general? (So hard to make generalizations, I know. And every kid is different. And every college is different.)

Is it any better at 4 year schools? I am asking because none of the financials seem to be working out very well for dd #2, and we just 'toured' the CC today to see if 2+2 would be an affordable option that would be attractive to her at all. She is already taking classes there, and has been extremely lucky with profs --- they sound like you guys! :) I am really torn about how to proceed, because the thing screaming in my head the entire time was, "High School!! High School!! This feels exactly like High School!" I think this was mostly due to a bunch of guys negotiating with a science prof about the lab work they should have handed in but hadn't. It just felt so..... I dunno. Young. But maybe I would get the same impression if I walked around a 4 year SUNY (state) school on a class day. Maybe it's not worth the (tens of thousands of dollars) of added expense to go to a 4 year residential state school right off the bat if it is very similar to the CC. Are there kids that care at your CC? I'd be so grateful if those of you with CC teaching experience would share your opinions.

The SAT has reading, writing, and math sections. It covers vocabulary, reading comprehension, grammar, usage, essay writing and math. You might look at the ACT also. I have heard that it includes more topics.

ditto

DD was just awarded the Presidential Scholarship at RIT. :thumbup1: So happy for her! Highest merit award available there. :) Apropos of the discussions on this board, it isn't enough to make it a done deal, but we'll see what they offer for finaid.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

I didn't see this thread yesterday, but saw her name on the birthday list and immediately put on the Crowded House - nice and loud. Cheers, Moira.

So true!! One thing that I know my kids will remember from their childhoods is the Harry Potter phenomenon. We would go to the book release events at Borders (remember Borders?) and come home with a copy or two of the latest release in the middle of the night. One time, we got back from the store and our power was out! We lit many candles and all snuggled down in the living room together to read the first couple of chapters aloud. It was actually very beautiful to be gathered there in the candlelight with everything else thrown into deep darkness and quiet... no heater blowing, no fridge running, no electric hum. Totally unplanned, but it is a very vivid memory for all of them. Other stuff, I am not sure. I'll have to ask them. :)

Thanks for explaining, Regentrude... I never thought about the bookstore having to guarantee enough books... I figured the kids would order from amazon. But it makes sense.

I have often wondered why professors don't ask their students to purchase older editions of a text. Is there some contractual stipulation that profs have to abide by regarding requiring certain (new) textbooks?

Have you seen the website PatternReview.com ? They offer sewing classes.... http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/sewingclasses/index.pl There is a huge resurgence in home sewing... making your own clothes, tailoring. A good tailor (not a casual sewist like me.....) can make a lot of money around my neck of the woods.

I have no idea, but can I come? :coolgleamA: I am ready for a little extra sunshine.

Can they do their lab sciences at your local community college? Or maybe via an online course? Have you given the pinned thread up top a looksee? http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/468303-homeschool-high-school-biology/ Lots of bio programs to think about in there.

Oops... UB = SUNY University at Buffalo. A place snowier than home, even.

DD was accepted at Rochester Institute of Technology today... I did the happy dance because it's in my back yard. (Is that so wrong, I ask?? :laugh: ) She was also accepted into the Honors College at UB with a Provost scholarship. Yippee! Still waiting on three more...

If I had to vote, I would vote Physics. But Chem is good, too, as is programming. My dd uses MatLab a LOT. That being said, my dd's engineering requirements have included exactly 1 chemistry class but *many* physics classes. This semester (2nd semester soph) she has (what sounds to me like three physics classes......) Statics, Dynamics, and Something else with Physics actually in the name (Phys 2114 or something like that.). She has not yet had a semester without a physics-of-some-kind class. ETA: So many Eng students go is as one type and change to another ... so really anything could work. Maybe he takes AP CHem and loves it and thinks maybe Materials Eng is his thing. You never know. :) DD went in as Mech and switched to Civ/Enviro. You just never can tell.

You are sooooo kind to think about this. I don't think the entire thing needs to rest upon your shoulders, but just doing small things is very kind. Mama Geek's idea is a good one.... can he come for dinner.... even just for a week? Maybe it would help the clouds lift if he had something regular to look forward to every day for a few days in a row. I wonder if you could arrange a recital for your homeschooling group? Even just a small one in your home..... with a small number of young audience members. It might lift his spirits and remind him how powerfully positive music can be to have a slew of amazed ten year olds sitting at his feet as he plays.

I went when PPD was very deep after my 2nd child. It was hands down the best thing I have ever done for myself.... I know that sounds weird, but it truly was. It's not like I am a martyr.... I do fun things for myself. :) It was just hard to make myself go - but in the end had the most lasting positive impact on my happiness.

I think, as in so many things having to do with homeschooling, some of your questions will depend on the student. Some people take high school level classes before AP's, some don't. So far, my kids have done a high school level chem class, and then moved on to AP Bio, Phys, and Chem (or Chem at the CC). It worked for them. They were glad to have the chem background before moving on to APBio. They have not taken AP exams when they have done dual enrollment classes. You're right.... you can't list an AP Course on your transcript as such unless you have had your syllabus approved by the APBoard. When my kids self study for exams I usually put AmGov't with AP Exam, or something like that. As for the length of time it takes to prep for the exam... again I think it's very student/subject dependent. HTH.

It has been a while since I read it, but I remember loving it. I think it has been about 6 years since I looked at it, but I bought it as soon as I read it, too! I should pick it off my shelf and read it one more time before all my students are gone.

Beautiful tribute to Yusor Abu-Salha on NPR this morning, most of it in her own voice. http://www.npr.org/2015/02/13/385846609/chapel-hill-shooting-victims-were-radiant-teacher-says

Really, I think college admissions offices take a more holistic approach to determining a kid's fit with their institution. It's so complex... in some cases involving finances, even. It's true... there are some schools that require 2 or 3 SATII tests for all of their applicants. As far as being a good 'fit'... I think the best thing you can do is let your kid do what they do, and then fit the tests in around that. If your kid is great at math.... and loves math exams ... by all means have him take the SAT II, and maybe even the AMCs. If your kid loves physics and is on a robotics jag, maybe he's learned enough to go ahead and study for the AP Physics C exam. I think it is valuable to not make a test schedule and have the kid adhere to it. I think it's valuable to let some interests develop organically and see what tests fit into the interests. My girls happened to want harder math and science than mom could teach, and the best way we could get it at the time was to sign up for AP Classes. I don't think it would have worked the other way around. If your kid has a deep interest in something and is very active in it, it will be obvious in his applications. :) best, Jen

Another vote for just taking the associated SATII if your student takes an AP or College class for which there is a subject test. If the material is freshly studied and there isn't a lot of extra study time involved, I say why not? I was glad to have found out from a friend that *any* school might even require them.... when her son was 2 years ahead of my older daughter and applying for college. Both of my daughters have happened to apply to schools that require them, and had scores in their back pockets for very little extra effort because they had done them along the way. I was glad to not have to either scramble to do the testing or cross those schools off the list.