saw
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Posts posted by saw
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I'm new to this smoke and I don't like it! Feeling a bit unwell. I don't think the HEPA filters are working well. Any recommendations for smaller air purifiers that can be used for one room?
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Is the information on optional coming from the Common Data Set, or the application information? I would check what the CDS says as well.
I tend to think that "optional" in this context means "not really optional but we're going to tell you it is and then decide later whether we think it was optional". But maybe I'm just a cynic.
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That's awful. We're having a horrible DE experience here. DS is doing his first DE class this semester. It's online through a university that I thought was meant to be pretty good. The teacher provides zero feedback on the substance of the assignments, only on the formatting. Everything has to be in perfect APA 7 format, right down to the "you were supposed to add a blank double space here" kind of comments. I wouldn't object so much if he were also providing feedback on the content of DS's work, but there has been literally nothing other than "good work". I helped DS with the formatting and, for the one area for which APA 7 wasn't clear, we looked at other .edu resources online, which advised him to format this in one way. Nope, teacher decided that his own personal and random interpretation was right, despite our having two sources backing our interpretation, although he admitted that the rules weren't at all clear.
I cannot wait until this class is done and "I" can provide some feedback!
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I came across this that might be useful: https://reallifeplanning.com/blog/real-estate-college-planning
Looks like it would be net worth and Zillow/Redfin if those are reasonable figures.
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Not sure if you're talking about second homes or primary residences, but I thought (last info I saw) that the FAFSA doesn't consider the value of your residence.
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Sturbridge Village.
Also anything where you sleep in the museum overnight.
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If she's planning on applying to competitive law schools, I'd say that one issue would be how these schools view graduating early. She may be more competitive with an extra year that shows breadth of interest/knowledge. Or maybe not -- I don't know as law school has changed since I attended. If there's an advisor at her college specializing in law school admissions, I'd suggest she ask them.
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4 hours ago, Storygirl said:
Just to piggyback on what was said already...
In reality, you don't JUST want the evaluations for standardized testing. If your son goes on to college, he will need recent (within two to three years) documentation to get accommodations from disability services at his university. If he goes straight to work -- or needs any kind of services like job coaching -- he may still need to request appropriate accommodations for the workplace, which he is entitled to under Section 504 as a person with a disability.
Thanks -- we had that issue with his older brother! Accommodations were all sorted in the UK for his exams but then he went to the US for uni and it was a mad scramble at the last minute to find a US-based ed psych in the middle of the pandemic to evaluate him by Zoom for dysgraphia (not to mention trying to get the info out of the disabilities office at his college). DS the younger is a sophomore this year, so a complete re-evaluation as a junior might make sense.
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Thank you @kbutton and @cintinative. We're in a state that allows homeschoolers access to the public schools. It's been a very long time since I've had anything to do with US public schools (or just US schools that aren't colleges) so I am out of practice in dealing with them! I'm not sure if the guy I spoke with is just being careful and noncommittal for fear I will hold him to something he said in error, or just not aware of the rules, or worse. I've raised the issue with someone in the state's department for this sort of thing and will see what she says. I hope the school will abide by the legal timeframe and not give me any trouble.
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28 minutes ago, Storygirl said:
You can request the school to evaluate him, period, without your reasoning being "for the College Board." In the evaluation, you can submit a report as his teacher, listing the accommodations that you provide him for homeschooling. The school would include your input in the evaluation report. They are required to take parent input, and parents are equal members of the team of decision makers. The report would list the accommodations that would be appropriate for him, based on their testing, and ALSO list the accommodations that he receives from you, his teacher, in his lessons at home. You may think that you don't offer him accommodations, but I bet that you do.
They will do the evaluation, but there was a question about why I wanted this, so I explained. The guy basically said okay but if we have to apply to the CB for accommodations for him, we won't say that he gets accommodations in school. This is silly, because he gets accommodations at school/home, as you say. I'll make sure they include the accommodations I'm giving him.
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6 hours ago, Lavinia said:
Saw,
Thank you ever so much for the info. I would love to PM you with more questions once I think things through a bit more.
We have to go the UK route because my children are British citizens and the universities I have contacted told me that using a foreign system would be unwise.
I'm not sure which unis you contacted, but many UK schools now do the IB for Sixth Form, including some of the top private schools. It used to be iirc that there was a weird grade "translation" issue with the IB, such that the IB scores that were equivalent to A level grades were downgraded. I do not think that is the case anymore. It can however be tricky to get in with an IB if you don't have the right subjects because of the constraints of the IB distribution requirements.
You can also go to universities in Europe or the US.
It also depends on how your kids learn. IGCSEs are great for my DS, because he's a good test taker, has a strong memory and is amenable to hacking the system by figuring out the mark scheme. Those who are not good test takers and want to take a broader/more creative approach should probably try a different angle. IB would probably not work well for DS because I don't have the patience to make him do all the writing involved and he just wants to do science and languages and music, so okay.
But please do PM me whenever you like -- happy to share my info with you.
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So weird -- finally got in touch with the school, who told me that, if they submit a request to the College Board for DS to get accommodations, they will tell the College Board that he doesn't get accommodations at school, which is apparently the litmus test to get CB accommodations. This is because DS is not in school, not because he doesn't need accommodations. So this makes it harder for a homeschooler to get accommodations generally. Ugh. It was quite easy where we were before as it all depended on medical professionals' opinions.
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14 hours ago, kbutton said:
Oh, I wasn't suggesting that he needed a different accommodation, but I wasn't really clear with my context. My son had multiple accommodations, including a quiet room, and I was just musing that because they automatically gave him what the school submitted, he was able to see what was most effective. 🙂
Thanks though -- you reminded me that I paid privately for a quiet room for DS for exams where I knew he would be distracted, even if this wasn't in the list of required accommodations. I don't think I was able to get that under our "old" rules unless I paid, which I did for the language exams. Will definitely push for that now.
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2 hours ago, kbutton said:
Was the request in writing, and did it contain magical formulation of words that's something like, "I would like my child evaluated for special education services and/or 504 plan?" Because if it didn't, they can blow you off. If it did, then they are legally required to start the ball rolling.
The information from the psychiatrist and ENT is enough to compel them to do an evaluation, though if you are fine with 504 and not an IEP, they will likely rubber stamp you all the way through after seeing your documentation.
In Ohio, and possibly other states, there are advantages to doing it through the school system. For Ohio, all juniors are allowed one free ACT or SAT (the district usually chooses which test, and then all the students take the same one). If you have an IEP or 504 with the district, the district submits the documentation on your behalf, and they usually get whatever they push for. My son found that small group testing in a quiet environment made him not need extra time, and he could concentrate much better.
Thanks! I made the request by email. I didn't have the magic words "request evaluation" but I did put in something about wanting a 504. After a week I contacted the district office who gave me the official referral form, which I've sent in. I think we're okay with a 504. DS has done fine with the 25% extra time/hearing loss accoms for language listening (that's actually the big one imo).
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5 minutes ago, EKS said:
I was able to get accommodations through the College Board for my older son back in 2011. I submitted the documentation directly. I had spent several years ensuring that I could show a history of disability as well as use of accommodations in a school setting, and for the final evaluation before submission we used an evaluator who was well versed in the process and had dealt with getting accommodations for gifted-LD students. The only hitch was that we asked for double time and they came back with time and a half, which turned out to be fine.
I'm not sure how it would go if you were to have documentation that isn't typical. I also don't know if things have changed in the past 11 years when it comes to homeschoolers submitting their own requests.
Thanks -- I may look into getting an evaluator to help. That's a really helpful tip.
DS has a psychiatrist and an ENT (hearing loss) who will basically write anything I ask, because they are insistent that he needs accommodations. He has a long history of disabilities and has had laptop/25% extra time permitted without any issue, but I know the US is a different system!
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Homeschooled DS16 has documented ADHD, etc. He had accommodations for exams where we used to live (not the US). We're in the US now, in a state that allows homeschoolers to have some access to the public schools. I've requested that the school evaluate him for a 504, primarily so he can get accommodations to take the SAT/AP exams next spring. I requested this on 14 September, and, after a few weeks, was able to find out that the person in charge is "on vacation" (at the beginning of the school year???). I see from the College Board that it's possible to request accommodations directly, but that it is easier/preferable to go through a school.
So my question is, how to evaluate the equation here: (potential pain-in-the-neck school where I may have to get fussy + supposed ease of getting access to accoms through CB) versus (ease of submitting my own (admittedly non-US) documentation + supposed difficulty of using this process with the CB)? Anyone BTDT on either side? Thank you!
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We have homeschooled in the UK using UK materials. DS is now Year 11 (sophomore), which is the year he would normally take his (I)GCSEs. However, we have opted to spread these out. He took three IGCSEs in Year 9 and four in Year 10, as well as three AS-levels in Year 10. We used UK materials and went with the Edexcel exam board for most subject. I am guessing you'll be using Cambridge/CIE as those exams are often offered by the British Council overseas. We simply signed up with a local private exam centre in London that offers the opportunity to private candidates.
You'll want to check the British Council website for your country/area to see where the exams can be taken, if not in school. In terms of preparing, there are now quite a few online schools that do the UK curriculum. Because we did not want to do the normal sequence, we chose not to do these, but my impression is that the schools are getting better all the time. King's Interhigh now also offers the IB as does Dwight Global, although I'm not sure whether this the last two years only.
I know there are many who dislike the UK exam system and the focus on the test, but I will say that it keeps things very simple. You get the books for the exam, you have access to many past papers as well as the mark schemes and can sign up for/pay for many online resources like Save My Exams or Physics and Maths Tutors, which are basically question banks. You can take the core exams at two points in the year (although that may depend on your location). UpLearn is a fantastic platform.
I am very happy we went with the UK system. We're now in the US for a year and still homeschooling with the UK system, with a few APs added in. I prefer the UK system. I've been disappointed with what we have run across here in terms of level. Of course, if your dc do not test well YMMV. Another drawback is teaching to the test, but we have found that we are very happy with what DS has had to learn for the exams. It's a good solid basis for further study. If you dispense with all the school nonsense there is plenty of room to go outside the exam spec and teach more.
We have found that there are also specific limitations particular to each exam subject, so if you're interested in that please lmk; for example, French A-level requires the student to read one book and view on movie in French preparatory to writing essays about these in the exams. DDs were in a different system that required them to read 10 books in French for their final exam.
If you don't like the UK system though, you could try the IB as that also gives access to universities.
Each exam board will have detailed information about the exam spec on their website. I think you may be limited to a choice of Edexcel and Cambridge/CIE though. You can download the spec and see what is required. Have a look at their websites as these have a lot of info.
It's also quite easy to get UK tutors who are very familiar with the exams to tutor. You want to get those that have examiner experience because they know in detail what the examiners are looking for. We've found amazing tutors who have inspired DS to enjoy subjects that he never thought he would like.
Feel free to message me with any more questions. Also, it may not be necessary to do the UK system as universities (at least those in Europe) will often accept US qualifications, although IME it can be hard to arrange a place to sit the AP exams as a homeschooler.
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Just to reiterate a couple of points already made, where we were in EU, students would have had physics/math to a reasonably high level before starting the IB. It is more or less expected that students will have tutors if they are struggling, rather than having the school help. In terms of treating students well, the American school (which I know not from personal experience but from many friends) would not treat students like this, but regular schools would have no problem with being very direct in telling a student they were not doing well. When DS came to the US for university he was shocked at how nice and kind his instructors were; on the other hand, DS is very capable of handling many different situations, which I think may in part be due to the no-nonsense tough-it-out education he had.
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Until this year, DS16 hasn't done many online group classes, but we thought we'd try some this year as preparation for return to brick and mortar school next year. He has three synchronous classes, each with maybe six students, and the format is basically the teacher lecturing with minimal interaction. This just seems weird to me. I get that with large classes/college classes the lecture format may be inevitable, but surely in a tiny class the teacher could promote discussion or at least make it something other than just sit there and listen? Or maybe my expectations of schooling are warped by years of homeschool lol. DS has ADHD so sitting still/paying attention for long stretches without the opportunity to interact is a bit of a challenge (although he's doing great).
Is this normal for homeschool online classes or should we look into other options for next semester?
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DS is accustomed to the UK system, where he can do "mock" exams for the GCSE/A-level and get an estimate of what his grade would look like. Is there anything like that for AP exams? He would like to do a particular exam but I don't really want to sign him up this year unless we have a sense of his expected level. Are there services to do this or do tutors usually do this?
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What are his other options? Can he do APs or possibly a different English-language system like A levels?
A friend of mine's son just decided this week that he wants to switch to the IB (he's in 11th grade) and a couple of the schools want him to drop down a year to do this.
I have been going back and forth on whether DS should do the IB next year, but he is very very science oriented, and I understand the IB has a lot of writing, so he may go with a program that allows him to focus on science. If he's putting in all that work he should enjoy it.
What about IB certificates intead of the diploma?
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Entry requirements vary by country and university, but generally students from the US would be able to be accepted to universities abroad with SAT scores and/or AP scores. I don't know much about non-European universities but the universities with which I'm familiar won't generally just accept a US high school diploma for admission. In NL, for example, the universities say they will evaluate the high school diploma to determine what it is equivalent to. The simplest way to find out what is required is to look at the requirements set by the individual school.
Since students attending university in Europe will apply directly to a major, the requirements will be set for that major. You wouldn't be able to apply to certain courses without having the prerequisites. An advantage to European universities is that they are often a lot less expensive than US schools (not always ofc). Disadvantage currently is the housing shortage in certain popular university towns.
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Pretty much yes to everything. I'm just really really angry at xh who has never helped with the kids and angry at the circumstances that make our current homeschooling a necessity rather than a choice, so I have been trying to work part time while homeschooling, while those around me have have families and careers and success and I don't.
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22 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:
AP French is new at CLRC.
UC Scout is generally more of a platform than a class. CLRC is more of a class. I have never heard anybody be excited about UC Scout, but then I have never met a single person who ever took French there. We once attempted I believe French 4, but dropped in two days because I couldn’t believe they couldn’t get a native speaker to at least record the videos. We just couldn’t deal with a terrible accent. That doesn’t speak about the quality of the class of course. And AP one could be a completely different deal.
I am mumbling here. Not very helpful, I know.Thanks, this is actually helpful. DS has not done French in the US system but has his UK AS Level so I'm hoping this lets him into the CLRC class. I think we may get the inexpensive UC Scout videos and use them just as extras then, maybe also for history and other classes like that.
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Anybody else panicking?
in The College Board
Posted
Been there three times so far but have a few years off until #4 applies, although I'm helping a kid pro bono and she said "I don't know if I applied to school X yet. Maybe. Maybe not". You have my sincere sympathy. It will work out.