:lurk5:

I don't really know about the APPsych class, but I will say that we have used PAH for many classes (Bio, Chem, Phys, Stats, Eng Lang, and CalcBC), some of them twice! We have only had one even slightly off kilter experience... and I think that was owing to the exam being redesigned that year. Other than that the classes have been well run and prepared my dd's well for the exams. Additionally, they came along at the perfect time in dc's education - when planning and implementing all the subjects all the time was getting hard for me - so win-win! That being said, it is entirely possible to self study for these exams, and my dd's have done that, too. Following a plan written by someone that has taught the class successfully for a while is *really* helpful. If nothing else, there is a lot of material to cover!! It is helpful to know just how to weight the study and also how to practice for the exam. (What are the essay questions really like?? What topics show up a lot?) I think EDX is running some free AP Courses this year, too.... if you are looking to throw another option into the mix. Good Luck! I have one embarking on his first AP Experience this year, too... we'll see how it all turns out! :)

This book really helped me shut down that running commentary of which you speak. :) I know it well....

This is about how much PAHomeschoolers charge for an AP class, and about what you would pay for an entire year's worth of AoPS courses.... so there might actually be a market.

OP, Your post has many wonderful things to think about in it... and as a parent, I will be thinking. :) One thing it made me think of immediately is, would i want anyone to go through hours of cleaning just to have me in their house for a little while? No way! I would never want someone to go to that much trouble for me on any old regular day. I am not that 'expensive', LOL. I would prefer for that person to spend time doing what really needs doing in their life... making breakfast..., reading to their kids.... talking to their mom... whatever. Then, when I am there, I would like them to spend time with me. :) Just with me.... not showing me their perfectly clean kitchen or bathroom. Togetherness is the thing... I would do what you can to let it all go and enjoy the togetherness. If it makes you feel better to clean out the sink and move the shoes from in front of the door, so be it. Who knows how many hours those other people spent cleaning their house before they had you in? :) The question is, was the visit any more friendly, warm, or connected because the house was squeaky clean? Peace to you....

:seeya: I am just about ready to pull the trigger on an intro to optics class a the local CC. 2 evenings a week.....and I have to go on a leave of absence from the band I am in, but I think it will be worth it in the end. Good Luck with yours, Sparkly!

DD has a 5 day orientation before classes start.... move in day is Aug 21. Sigh. I am gonna miss this girlie. :) We will get to see her quite a bit the first week or two though. :001_smile: After that, I am going to have to plan my own dinners and make my own sunshine. She's definitely the most hopeful and optimistic spirit in the house... DS and I have more than a little Debbie Downer in us. Our new motto will have to be WWJD? What would J_______ do?

Getting the Led Out.

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Thinking of you and your dd this morning.

FYI, you may have to register as early as Feb for the AP exam.... at least that's how our school does it. (Is that early spring in Az? If so, call me jealous. :D ) Good Luck!

Aleks? Alcumus? Khan Academy? I'll come back and add links when I have a laptop.... Good luck!

Try cross posting on the college board for more replies. :)

Not Big 10, but Div 1, SUNY University at Buffalo has an excellent Engineering program. UB awards 25 full ride merit scholarships a year (tuition, room, board, books, fees, etc.), along with entrance into the honors program (Which has *many* nice perks, including a dorm right off the academic quad, individual mentoring, a great honors program space.... lots of good stuff). (Beware, there is another SUNY school called Buffalo State - not the same school.) Depending on your finances, an Ivy League School or somewhere like University of Rochester might also make sense... they meet 100% EFC.... and the Rochester area has just been awarded a massive DOD Photonics Initiative. HTH

All you sharp pencil people *need* a Carl. Best. Sharpener. Ever. He's my little pleasure. :) ETA --- Hey, Cinder.... hadn't read your post. :) You and I would get along nicely, I have a feeling.

Ditto what Creekland said. My dd#1 went into college as a MechE major and what was the first required class? Chemistry. :) She was glad to have had APChem in High School, but it didn't make the class 'easy' persay... because practically all the kids had had AP Chem and the class was graded on a curve. Who knows? Maybe the added rigor of a more advanced course would be just the thing to make your son get interested in Chem. Dd#2 took Chem last year at the CC and ended up loving it so much that she's thinking about a ChemE or MatSci major.... I would never have guessed that a year ago. (Sorry for all the anecdotes... but that's all the data I have. Sample size of two, so far. :) ) Hard to tell before they actually start reading about it.

This webpage might help. Agreeing with G, it was time consuming. The transcript and course descriptions on my end, the essays on my daughter's end. Heads up, many schools have a supplemental essay... so just when your kid thinks (s)he's done, there's one more essay to write. Another thing that took some time was recommender letters --- some of dds' were not used to using the Common App and needed some hand holding... my husband ended up creating a dummy recommender account and made an instruction document to help with that. It pays to start on that early. Good Luck! You will get through... start early and ask a lot of questions. :) All the stuff you have to do in the aggregate looks like a lot, but one step at a time and you will get it all done. If you pm me your e-mail addy, I can send you a scrubbed version of my dds' transcripts to get some ideas flowing.

The questions that bubble up immediately.... How competitive is the #1 choice school? Is the student motivated enough to put in another year of high school in order to get some ducks in a row if needed? It may be useful for the student to call the admissions office and talk over the situation.... IOW, what scores do I need to present to you to be competitive? What documentation do you require for coursework? In even a slightly competitive situation, some documentation and recommendations will be required. Then, maybe she could use some free/nearly free internet access courses to make up the 'missing' work if her parents can't do Community College? Is there a work to school pipeline in the chosen field? IOW, is it the kind of thing that an employer would pay for training 'on the job'? For instance, some companies around here pay for associates degrees in engineering technologies for their employees. It would not be a typical 4 year college experience, but would be a way to get into and out of school with little documentation and little debt burden. Just a thought..... Regarding the new SAT... hard to compare to ACT since there are no stats yet. I am wondering the same thing for my high-schooler.

MomatHWTK, maybe there's a Coursera or Edx course that would fit better than the MIT offerings... I think Edx has some high school level sciences. Aimee, I would not recommend skipping physics in high school, especially if your student is interested in pursuing any science field, even bio. Everything is physics based when you get down to the nitty-gritty. At least a basic high school level course will be expected from colleges, and will help your daughter in the more advanced chem classes she will end up taking eventually. I am enjoying Coursera's "How Things Work" from UVa right now. It has been a fun intro for me. :)

My dd's were both assigned to the same dorm their freshman years... old (1929), beautiful, and basic. No air conditioning. :) Shared bathroom down the hall, all girls, nice lounges, a kitchen. DD#2 is moving in 3 weeks from now. A newish remodeled student area with coffee shop in the building. Dd#1 had a double... dd#2 has a single.

Ayup. This.

Have you ever seen Ellen McHenry's Chem Stuff? The Elements Carbon Chemistry

Not exactly - she can *apply* to Wake, but if she is accepted ED at Davidson she'll have to withdraw all other applications. If she is rejected, her applications continue everywhere else like nothing has happened. FWIW, our dds applied to schools that meet 100% of EFC and schools that don't. In the final analysis, the stats available online (like on the college board website, for instance...) were pretty true for us. The two 100% EFC meeting schools met it. The others did not... some by far. There *is* always the possibility that your dd could score a full ride somewhere if she investigates schools carefully --- but if Wake's stats indicate that they probably won't meet your EFC I would believe them and make decisions based on that info. To Lori's question, our finaid has thus far been extremely stable at dds' school. Adding a second kid into the mix has in fact made it more affordable for each daughter, since the EFC is divided between them... so each pays 1/2 EFC + $5000 in loans. (The loans can be offset by private scholarships to further reduce the cost.)

My advice, as I watch my 2nd kid amass a pile of college supplies on the floor, is to foster curiosity. Your kids are still young, and they will lead the way for you to some extent. Take them places. Visit the local university (if you are lucky enough to have one) on demonstration days or for lectures... show them what grown-ups do. Subscribe to National Geographic. Is there a local astronomy, plant, bird, fossil, (insert your interest here) club in your area that is welcoming to kids from 4-94? Tag along. Join for good. Watch Cosmos. Give your kids the gift of solid math and writing skills. See what percolates and let them explore something in depth. That's all I got. Enjoy the ride!! If you are very lucky like me, you will find that it ends too quickly. :)

My 12 year old self had just fallen in love with trumpet and classical music and hanging out with amazing musicians for the first time at music camp -- so I was convinced that music was the direction I was going to take. My 12 year old self would probably wonder why I spent so much of my time doing the things that I have done ... homeschooling.... or maybe having kids at all??... but my 44 year old self is pretty happy with the way things have turned out. :) I still play trumpet almost every day, too.

Someone said this to me recently and I wanted to punch him in the face. I won't go into all the reasons why.... but, yeah. Ooooh. My right arm gets all itchy thinking about it. (And I've never punched anyone in my entire life!)