HI, My youngest is now a sophomore and all my kids have had different college/conservatory/university journeys but so far only one is in a highly competitive school, but all have attended schools with very strong programs in their fields. May I ask why you are set on a highly competitive school? My best advice is "don't overpay your undergrad" for most fields. While my kids ended up graduating from brick and mortar schools, I knew more than their guidance counsellors did in the end. My eldest, an Aspie (I spent a lot of time on the original boards on the special needs board it isn't even funny--way back in the early part of this century and before we got post counts like this here :) ), got a full ride at at state unviersity, my middle one is now in a very strong sculpture programme at the same school--she got so much money and learned from top level artists (including the first one to be allowed to use NASA's special black paint) doing a Fine Arts Transfer programme at a community college that she got money back each semester (presidential scholarship plus Pell Grants, State Grants and some smaller community college scholarships. She got a transfer scholarship based on grades (not full) because she signed a transfer agreement, etc, etc. My dyslexic son is the one at a highly competitive school, but he got a merit scholarship based on his audition--trumpet performance major. Had he not got that, he'd have gone to a state school in a neighbouring state that has one of the same trumpet teachers as the one he has now and then gone for the big name schools for his grad degree. As for Canadian universities some of them are quite affordable, and if you are after becoming a doctor there is no such thing as a bad med school there. Best, Karin

It depends. My eldest heard fairly early--she went on a full merit waiver to a state school. My middle one, just finishing an Associates, was only invited to apply for a Presidential Scholarship after she was accepted so that was very late. My son didn't hear of his until the spring because of auditions--they tend to take place in January, February and March, plus his isn't academic, it's performance based (he is dyslexic and I learned that by following leads here on WTM)l.

Hi--I am an old timer on WTM forums and the old boards and have just managed to get a password working again. I am chiming in because my youngest is a music major freshman in trumpet performance. YES, auditions are huge and even though I might be a bit late, I'd be happy to answer questions. Which schools is she applying to? Apply to at least 5 or 6 as we learned that students can pass auditions but still not get into the schools, particularly if they are larger names. My son passed almost every audition, but only got into two (the ones he got into offered him audition based scholarships.) We live back east, so he auditioned chiefly in MA & RI, but also at one school in TX. The school he is attending, with almost the exact same faculty at NEC, is Boston Conservatory (now part of Berklee), but he also tried for RIC (Rhode Island College, his back up school as his teacher at the time is on the faculty there and at the school he's going to), NEC, BU and in Denton (is that the U of N. Texas? I can no longer remember). My main unsolicited advice is to not overpay your undergrad and that the teacher is most important--where are that teacher's students going afterward? He would be at RIC if not for a very generous scholarship and would have had the same trumpet faculty he has now (but for 4 years not 2 as he's already been studying with him for 3 years). This is more "classical" or "art music" whereas the Berklee side is more jazz, pop and other sorts of music. Also, he commutes because they have removed the freshman housing requirement. BUT my cousin has made a living as a composer and went to Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC which is not famous for composition, plus the master's degree is the most important. i am taking voice lessons at NEC Continuing Ed (financial aid--my son was in their prep program with generous financial aid for nearly 3 years) and fequently meet grad students there and at BoCo who did there Bachelor's at less expensive schools Feel free to PM me with questions, if you'd like to chat about this. If I was redundant, my apologies as I have to run 🙂 PS Also, early decision can work against you if you are hoping for merit scholarships and don't get one at your first school. I am quite certain, though, that the reason he didn't get into one of the big name schools is because a trumpeter from our same state, also male, got in in early decision (a horn player and friend of my son's knew that trumpeter as they were in BYSO, which is the other excellent orchestra programme in Boston).

Please excuse me for not having any replies here. I had everything all set with multiple quotes yesterday when the boards quit working for me for some reason. Today I don't have as much time, so am merely here to say hi, welcome to all the newcomers here & post what I've read so far. Hopefully the next time I come with some time on my hands I can write, finish & post my replies in there with the forum still working :). 1. Half Lives 2. Brother, Brother Clay Carmichael 3. The Road Cormac McCarthy 4. Lighthouse Island Paulette Jiles

Right now I'm reading a Paulette Jiles literary dystopian novel (NOT SciFi, happily as I'm getting tired of the dystopian scifi connection as that is so BTDT & has been since SciFi took off) called Lighthouse Island. I am not choosing any mini challenges yet but am sure I'll pick some up as the year goes on, including a 5/5/5. I started my book around midnight, but that was a few hours earlier since I no longer live on the west coast. We had a house with a sunken living room that was built in 1972. However, it was far more than that--it was designed by a then hippie architect right after he graduated & was a west coast (BC, please don't think CA :)!) built into the hill (there was a "bridge" between the top floor of the main house & the master bedroom/nursery-which-would-later-be-a-study), lots of 3 foot walls & different levels, an enormous skylight, shag rugs, feature walls of cedar still with some texure, beams showing in feature rooms, etc. Then the energy crunch hit & the skylight leaked & was made smaller. My parents sold it a few years later to a friend with enough $$ to build an indoor gym & pool right next door (big lot). Their next house didn't have any sunken rooms even though it was built in the end of the 70s, and no shag rugs as those were already passe. :thumbup1: :thumbup: Exactly. Life it too short to waste it reading too many books you hate once you're out of school. I rarely read those now, and if I do there is always a valid reason.

Here's my list, which is up to 92 books, since I finished a Jeeves book since my last post. Colours have to do with various challenges, and to save you time, I'll say which challenges I actually finished (those with more than one colour could have been for more than one, but I'll keep them to one here). I don't think I finished any of them other than a book a week, as I got stuck on a few places in the Dewey Decimals & ran off on rabbit trails for various shorter challenges. However, if I mix & match from my 2 different 5/5/5 challenges, I made one of them. This year I won't choose more than one 5/5/5 challenge. Colour code is at the bottom, but to be fair I forgot about it at times, so I did better on some of the challenges than I realize (eg dusty books--Some not marked that were.) Also, I forgot to put a few books on here. I just edited this to 92 when I realized I couldn't find one of the books I read (did a search on my Word file & I had forgotten it) that was a dusty book as well as a Dewey, so some of these are out of order. One book I can't remember the title, so it just has an author. If you get confused by all of the colours, so did I after a while, and so I'm going to choose fewer mini challenges or shorter ones; it's hard because so many look so good. 1. Reversing Religious Repression 4* (Dewey?) 2. Wishing You Were Here Catherine Chant (: TN ) 4* 3. Wish You Were Eyre (Mother-Daughter Book Club, , MA) 3* 4. Anne of Green Gables (Canada) (4*) 5. Irregular Portuguese Verbs (Europe Germany, Eurail Through Europe)* 6. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (Africa) 3* 7. Neddiad Daniel Pinkwater 2* 8. Pride and Prejudice 5* (Classics) 9. At First Sight Nicholas Sparks 2* (Hike the United States, ??) 10. The Dawkins Delusion? (Dewey Decimal challenge) 2 1/2 * 11. The Diamond of Darkhold 3* 12. The Year My Sister Got Lucky 2/5* (NY) 13. The Hope Chest (audio, inspirational fiction, Hike the US PA) 2.5 * 14. Forevermore Cathy Marie Hake (audio, inspirational fiction, Hike the US TX) 4* 15. A Year Down Yonder 4* (, Illinois) 16. The Hour that Changes the World (inspirational) 4.5* 17. To Cut a Long Story Short 2* 18. The Death of Truth: Responding to Multiculturalism, the Rejection of Reason and the New Postmodern Diversity (Dusty Books) 4* (Dewey?) 19. Of Mice and Men (CA) 2* (Dewey for Lit???) 20. Secrets at Sea Richard Peck 3 * 21. The Gift of the Blessing (Inspirational) 4* (Dewey?) 22. Right Ho, Jeeves (European one, also) 5* 23. The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Stepped Out of the Window and Disappeared (Eurail Through Europe, Sweden,) 24. The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler 1001 Books, detective 25. The Lightning Thief (5/5/5 Children’s) 1* 26. The Old Man and the Sea (Cuba) 5* 1001 Books 27. Daddy Long Legs 5* (Hike the United States? Which state?) 28. Rosemary’s Glove 1* 29. Fancy Pants Cathy Marie Hake 3* 30. A Room with a View E.M. Forster (5/5/5 Classic, Eurail Through Europe Italy) 1001 Books 31. Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews 2.5* (VA, detective) 32. Lost Women of the Bible by Carolyn Custis James 2* (Dewey?) 33. Whirlwind Cathy Marie Hakes 34. Half of a Yellow Sun Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Africa,Continental Challenge) 1001 Books 35. That Certain Spark Cathy Marie Hakes 36. Out of the Silent Planet (CS Lewis challenge) 37. Serendipity (Cathy Marie Hake) 38. Hearts of Horses (Oregon hike the US) 39. Agenda 21 Glenn Beck and Harriet Parke 40. Beauty: a Retelling of Beauty and the Beast (y/a,) 41. Big trouble Dave Barry (Florida) 42. The Sea of Monsters Rick Riordan (Y/A,) · 43. The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt 940.2/1 44. Stormy Weather Paulette Jiles 45. Divergent Veronica Roth 46. Insurgent Veronica Roth 47.Shanghai Girls Lisa See (Asia—China) 48. The Elegance of the Hedgehog (France – Eurail through Europe) 49. Kiki Strike: The Darkness Dwellers Kirsten Miller 3 stars ya/ 50. Jane and the Wandering Eye by Stephanie Barron 51. Durable Goods by Elizabeth Berg 52. Across the Universe Beth Revis 53. Millions of Suns Beth Revis 54. Shades of Earth Beth Revis 55. The Solitude of Prime Numbers Paolo Giordano (Italy) 56. The Last Thing I Remember Andrew Klavan 57. The Long Way Home Andrew Klavan 58. The Hound of the Baskervilles (classics, 1001 Books) 59. Gathering Blue Lois Lowry (y/a) 60. Messenger Lois Lowry (y/a) 61. Matched Ally Conde y/a 62. Crossed Ally Conde y/a 63. Reached Ally Conde y/a 64. Andrew Klavan 65.. Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico 66. Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to New York 67. Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Parliament 68. The Light Between the Oceans Australia (Continental, 5/5/5) 69. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert Rosalia Champagne Butterfield 70. Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Moscow 71. The Last Telegram Liz Trenow 72. Light Between the Oceans · 73. Mirror, Mirror…Off the Wall 646.7/042 74. Things Not Seen Andrew Clements (author of Frindle) 75. Bitterweet Cathy Marie Hake 76. The Grace Awakening Charles Swindoll 77. Falling Free Lois McMaster Bujold (scifi) 78. Shards of Honor 79. Barrayar 80. The Truth of the Matter Andrew Klavan 81. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 82. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkeban 83, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 84. The Final Hour Andrew Klavan 85. The Jesus Wars 86. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 87. The Marvelous Land of Oz 88. Eve Dystopian 89. Once Dystopian 90. Orange is the New Black (300s) 91. The Inimitable Jeeves PG Wodehouse 92. When Jesus Became God Dusty and/or Chunky Inspiration Reading Project Doing the Continental! Oh Canada! Out of Africa Eurail through Europe Hike the United States 5/5/5 Continental/Children’s (Y/A)/Canada/Christian (Inspirational)/Classics FAILED to get all 5 Dusty/Dewey/Dares/Delightful/Detective (mystery) OR add Dystopian FAILED to get all 5 But, if I take Y/A, Christian, Delightful, Dystopian & Continental, I get at least 5 books in each one even if I forgot to mark them or at least if I switch the number of Eurail through Europe ones for Continental. Other challenges Young Adult Dewey Decimal 1001 Books to Read

Well, I'm going to post my list on a separate thread because I read about 90 books, and am going to see how I did on my other challenges. This year I'm going to do one I didn't do last year, which is to read a book set in each of the 50 states if the US. I think I started to see if I could get it done (I have some states marked), but was doing so many challenges that it fell by the wayside. I also didn't read any books in the Antarctic, so didn't get all of the continents in. I'll plan a 5/5/5 challenge, and may once again be alliterative in my choices. I have to see how I did in last years, too. I'm going to check Robin's blog to see what mini challenges are listed there. Also, and yes, this is a bit OT but it relates to a reading request, my middle dd wants to write a y/a novel (actually, 3) with me & so I'm set to read a bunch of endings (rereading many) because a great tip I saw was to write the ending first. That's much, much harder than coming up with a good premise, and far harder than writing a beginning. This is where my newish habit (last 5-10 years) of reading the ending either before starting the book or, more often, after starting it, before reading the entire book (I do this almost all the time and find it a. avoids reading too many endings I don't want to read & b. makes the novel interesting in a new way) will come in handy, I hope. She's supposed to write a 2 page synopsis of the story as she's been doing that kind of thing in school. She wants to name all the characters first (my girls like to pick names & make up characters & have since they were little), but as I pointed out we don't know all the characters we need until we know the story, the protagonist & the antagonist. OT She wants to write a trilogy, me one book, so if you can think of any y/a trilogies where the third book is as good as or better than the first, we'd love to know. I'm with you there. The third book was HORRIBLE. I read the first two, but the first was the best. I could not finish the third so just read the ending. I might read one of hers because someone rated it as a top 10 ending, but then again many of their choices are ones I don't agree with, so I may not. I've never been interested in reading her, and if I ever read her in school, have forgotten. I've forgotten plenty of other books I read back then.

Aaargh, I want to know why, after following this thread since it was first on the boards, I get the first page as my first unread post? No, that's not some cute witticism from my precocious children as they are all too old to be precocious now.

None of my kids would have been or are interested in studying chemistry this way, but its a cool idea. It's though, though, since most kids have been taught about atoms from the time they are very young. There is a Conceptual Chemistry out there that does teach Chemistry conceptually, just not developing the evidence. Most of us turn to textbooks for Chemistry, particularly in high school, but it will be interesting to see if you get any takers.

I liked that one, too, but at a 4 star level. Exactly. I gave it a number of stars just because I learned so much, but she's not too likable!

My official answer, and it's in the quote.

Once again, I've been remiss in getting here. I was making multiple trips to dd's college (5 in a week before the 6th to pick her up) to help her cram for her marine bio final. Got her from a C- to a B+ in that class-hooray!!! (between Thksgiving study for test 4 & this for the final.) Then crazy getting ready for the holidays, holiday concerts, etc. So Happy New Year! I've read at least 90 books this year, hooray! The last one was a dismal disappointment (Pure by Julianna Baggott), but my dd & I also read Eve & Once by Anna Carey, for a soled 3.5 & then a 4 (so I liked the second one better). Now I'm of to see what we're up to for 2014, and, ideally, I'll be a bit more regular in my posts (I was for so long--this has been a crazy year.)

Thanks, all. The lemonade from the pile of lemonades is that dd learned a valuable lesson in a relatively safe environment. I have warned her about this before & also that in college, etc some people use "date rape drugs" etc. She told me that before this she thought it could never have thought it could happen to her. I don't think it's a medical condition that caused the breath as it's only happened that one time & it coincided with highly unusually giddy behaviour from her, but it's good to know about that. I thought about the pot spiked brownies later, too! I think we will continue as this is not a competition in any way & he really enjoys it; no judges, no adjudication, etc. Most of these kids are not planning to become musicians, but doctors, scientists, etc. but there is some real talent there & some very advanced teens. However, I am very aware of how competitive the performance world is as a. my kid brother is a screen actor, b. I have other relatives in various performance areas, c. I worked with theatre professionals in high school & seriously considered going for acting but it wasn't the only thing I wanted to do so didn't, and d. one of my close high school friends chose to be a crown attorney over a ballerina because the people were less vicious there. There is no way she can check the punch, of course, and teens don't tend to rat out other teens. I'm not sure when the punch was spiked, & if it was mild (dd could be very sensitive to it as I am, but I don't like the taste of alcohol so don't drink it) the adults might not have noticed. Some adults tend to think of these things as a rite of passage (I know adults like this IRL). Both kids tasted something odd, but ds only drank half a cup & then had no more because he didn't like it. Dd was very thirsty, so kept drinking it. She won't next time. My only wish is that I had waited to email her so I could have worded it differently. Not that I accused the adult, but that I'd broached it very carefully. Too late. I just hope she doesn't give us a hard time.

Help, please, if you can. We joined a performance club this year to give my two younger dc (teens) more opportunity to perform, particularly my ds. If you don't know me, or don't remember me must on my picture, or haven't seen me post for a long time because I'm on here much less than before, I have 3 teens now, one in college. We had NO idea my youngest was so musically talented until the past couple of years (NOT an early bloomer) when I started teaching him piano, but then had to hire a teacher because it wasn't working to teach him myself. Long story short, after the last performance, my 15 year old was acting very giddy & even felt odd. We did some talking, & we have strong reason to believe someone spiked the punch there (most likely an older teen as this is not an uncommon prank and none of these kids are homeschooled so far as I know, although homeschoolers aren't perfect ;), either), including her symptoms, how it tasted funny to both my kids (which is why ds only drank 1 cup, & he only finished it to be polite, which fits him to a T), etc, etc. She was very, very upset and had NO way to get her hands on alcohol as she was with us all weekend & has never done this before. Not to mention that as time progressed I could smell alcohol on her breath. Plus, if she does disobey, she ALWAYS acts like nothing is out of the ordinary, so wouldn't have acted so giddy & then announced how she felt off, etc, etc. Well, the main problem is that the woman in charge doesn't believe me. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: I don't know if I should a. drop it & continue but bring our own sealed drinks (this is our third time there & the only time the punch was spiked) so they can perform, b. drop the club which is the closest one to us by far (if there is another one like this anywhere around our state or the neighbouring one), c. try to contact someone else in the club, which would mean I'd have to contact a teen member, or d. do something else about it. I have no reason to make something like this up, and just wanted to let her know so that a. she could investigate and/or b. take more care next time. I don't know these people well and was also hoping to meet a teacher for ds who needs a new one. I do have other avenues but not so close (still, these aren't that close, but he needs one who is experienced in preparing students who have successfully auditioned for top schools, and by that I mean the best teachers for his field whose students go on to actually work as musicians or in the field, in piano and/or trumpet).

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I finally finished The Jesus Wars, which I give between 3 & 3.5 stars. Not bad, but too much stuff crammed into a book this size & too much jumping around for someone fairly new to all of the names, etc. I also watched The Wizard of Oz, so reread the first two books for the first time since I was quite young, and was rather disappointed. I have all of them out, but doubt I can read them, so started a y/a my middle dc read called Eve, which is nothing stellar but not terrible either. Another dystopian novel, and while it has some interesting things once again the strategy to repopulate is incredibly idiotic & illogical, although I suppose to a teen it might be somewhat more plausible. I have another church history book I ordered from the virtual catalogue that was recommended by someone I know who has studied this a great deal more than I have (the person I heard about the other book on this I read this fall that was significantly better than the one I just read.) That's 87 books so far, at least that I remembered to put on my list. Happy reading, and, sadly, I'm on the run as Tues is a busy day, but wanted to stop in to see how everyone is doing :).