How are the second-semester college students doing?

[Tullia]

Where did the time go? My son took his first final yesterday (Chem Lab) with the other 4 scheduled for next week. After a steep learning curve the first semester, his time management skills have improved a lot. However, he needed another reminder that the top students in math and science classes do waaay more than the minimum assigned problems. So, because he got off to a slow start in one class, he will be putting in long hours on math for the next week. :tongue_smilie:

[hsmamainva]

My daughter's finals start next week! She has one final on the 5th and 3 finals on the 10th! So she'll be studying this weekend and next weekend!

 

Then she has 2 weeks off! (She's taking one class, her phys ed requirement, over the summer, to get it out of the way).

[Brenda in MA]

I feel like he has really settled in now. He is tackling one course this semester that has been a real challenge for him (poor professor & TA, lots of homework, lab reports, subject he's not super interested in), and after some initial stress over it, he's come up with a strategy and is doing well.

 

He's also really come out of his shell more and more and made an effort to meet new folks and find study partners. Although this doesn't sound like much, it has been a huge leap for him, and I'm really proud of him for persevering and getting the courage to reach out.

 

After finals, he's looking forward to a nice summer break back home, and we're looking forward to it as well. Where has the time gone? 1/4 of the way towards his BS degree. Wow. We feel very blessed.

 

Brenda

 

P.S. One thing that I have found interesting is that many, many people (friends, relatives, acquaintances) have specifically asked how he is doing academically in school. The only explanation for this, I think, is that they are still trying to wrap their minds around the idea that homeschooling actually works....

Edited April 29, 2010 by Brenda in MA

[Halftime Hope]

it's wonderful when they go out and succeed on their own, isn't it?

 

he's come up with a strategy and is doing well. That's key, isn't it! My eldest is still working on the "ownership" concept, but he's making progress. :)

 

<snip> I'm really proud of him for persevering and getting the courage to reach out. Nothing like a little success to breed more. Hooray for him!

 

One thing that I have found interesting is that many, many people (friends, relatives, acquaintances) have specifically asked how he is doing academically in school. The only explanation for this, I think, is that they are still trying to wrap their minds around the idea that homeschooling actually works....

 

Ahem. Yes. Exactly. Only two of our IRL friends have any clue what she's accomplished this year, and I'm happy with that, but there have been moments...

 

 

[Chris in VA]

Ds did very well at the end of last semester, despite some mental health problems. This semester he has the added pressure of trying to get into the Cinema program. They basically told him they are looking at grades, and below a 3.5 means don't even apply.

So, right now he is pulling straight B's, and is pretty depressed. He has numerous finals, tests and papers due this week and next, and then several finals. Prayers going up! I know there's a path for him, and I want to support him--he is figuring on trying to get into a different film program if he can't get into the VCU one, but they all cost more than 3 times the tuition, and he can't seem to grasp that! What to do, what to do...

[Tullia]

I'll be praying for all of our college students daily; for their challenges and also giving thanks for the good things.

 

Chris, I'll be saying special prayers that your son will find the best way to pursue his dreams.

 

Brenda, we've been hearing similar questions. I don't think ds' grades will be quite as good this semester as last, but for the moment I have the satisfaction of saying (but only when asked;)) he currently has a 4.0 gpa and has been invited to join the honors program. I hope that what I'm feeling is more vindication of home schooling than shameless bragging. Word has gotten back to me that we had a few skeptics among friends and family who've never said anything to us. I try to be honest, though. There have been quite a few times when ds has been outside his "comfort zone", but I've been pleased that he's managed with only occasional advice from dh and me.

 

I'm also doing a happy dance; ds has met someone near his age this semester in pre-calc who's also enrolled in the same calculus section for the summer session. The added bonus is that he has experience with the instructor who has the reputation of being very, very tough, but also very very good at preparing students for the next step. They're planning to meet at the library before class to compare notes.

 

Last semester, ds was disappointed that most of the people he met were adults returning to school or people who didn't share his goals. I expect he was so busy trying to find his balance last semester that he just didn't have time to look for opportunities to meet people with common interests. I can tell that he's more relaxed this semester. Now, I'm worrying that maybe he's relaxed too much??? Ah, the worries never really end.

[Sandy in Indy]

DS is starting finals tomorrow. He has one Friday, one SATURDAY (why?) and one on Monday. Then he's done. Ack! I can hardly believe the year is over already.

 

He's done very well up till now but...he's highly enamored (sp?) of a girl [for the first time] and I'm stressed that he'll get too caught up in "relationship" and not enough in studying. It was sooooo much easier to parent when they were little and you could say, "You will sit in the highchair to eat your dinner." :D

[Leanna Tomlinson]

Dd, a sophomore, is coming home this afternoon! Her last final is a paper that is due at 3:00 today.

 

Dd has done very well academically, but I am even more pleased with other aspects of her college experience. She has become a very competent tutor, she leads study sessions for 3 professors, and she has worked as a grader. Many of her friends don't even know their professors, but all of dd's profs know her by name. She said her ps peers just don't see teachers as real people, and they never take advantage of office hours or breakfast with the Dean etc. Dd tries to get to know her profs and enjoys the interactions and mentoring. I think this makes her stand out and gives her opportunities that are not offered to others.

 

The one thing she doesn't like about college... She feels stifled always being in a group of peers who are all the same age. She misses children and elderly people. (I think that's healthy.) :)

[Chris in VA]

Dd, a sophomore, is coming home this afternoon!

 

The one thing she doesn't like about college... She feels stifled always being in a group of peers who are all the same age. She misses children and elderly people. (I think that's healthy.) :)

 

I think that is so interesting. Great by-product of homeschooling, isn't it? Really quite lovely.

[Kareni]

My husband asked my daughter a few weeks ago how she felt about the fact that her freshman year would be ending in about a month. She said, "It's gone so fast!" I know just what she means.

 

Today is the last day of classes and then there will be a several days-long reading period and then finals. Her school allows self scheduled exams which makes for much flexibility. Then she'll be home (most likely) for the summer. She'll be joining others in looking for a summer job.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Liza Q]

My daughter also has her last day of classes today and a few finals next week. She took six classes but only has three finals! Two classes had big papers/projects instead and one had several shorter tests throughout the semester. She has learned a lot this semester and has a good plan for next year so she, and I, are both pleased with how she is doing academically.

 

But her mind is not really on school right now. All she can think about is getting a job! She wants to make some $$$ so she will be less likely to need a loan in the future. Plus, neither of us really want her to be hanging around bored all summer! She could take some more classes but that is more $$$....the pressure makes it hard for her to relax and really enjoy school, I think. I feel bad for her.

 

She did make a friend this year but the friend is transferring to another college - good for her but bad for my daughter! She has made a lot of acquaintances (Facebook friends, kwim?) which has been really good for her, but no other friends. She is love with a different boy every month or so ;) She laughs about it because she hardly knew any boys before college - out homeschool group and friends all run to lots of girls! - so she is making up for lost time :D

[Faithr]

I'm jealous of everyone whose kids are coming home now! My dd won't be home until May 15. She's got one more week of classes and then finals. She's going into finals with all A's, but she's nervous about finals. She's feeling kind of sad because she doesn't want to be away from her new found friends for 2.5 months. She really loves school and her most of her professors. She's been feeling kind of like the odd man out because in her circle of friends everyone has boyfriend except her. So she always feels like she's the third wheel. She was dating a guy that she knew from home (who goes to the same school) but she broke up with him, so I think that's kind of icky. She really, really wants to get a job. She's applied to places but hasn't heard anything.

 

All in all, her first year was a raging success. Much better than my own, oh so many years ago!

[LynnG in Arizona]

I came here intending to start a similar post. :) We haven't really updated each other since fall semester finals.

 

I'm glad to hear that all of the college kids seem to be doing well, for the most part.

 

My daughter has had a good semester. She even came and spent the week of spring break with us thanks to some old airline miles I was able to use. :) It's a good thing, since she will be working at her college ALL summer. :( It's a long story how it came about . . . she thought she could take summer school classes and get ahead one semester, committed in writing to a job, and then found out that she cannot apply to nursing school early after all. Sigh.

 

She is taking a compressed semester of organic chemistry and is doing surprisingly well - currently has an "A" in the class. Her biology class is ridiculously rigorous, though, and she is struggling with it. I mean, she's between an "A" and a "B" right now; it could go either way. We were wondering how on earth a freshman biology class could be THAT hard. Well, my husband (who was a biology major) looked over one of her tests, and pronounced it graduate level questions/analysis. :001_huh: Lots of K-type questions (where 5 statements are listed, and then the choices are A) I and III are correct B) II and IV are correct C) II and IV are correct, etc.).

 

Her other classes - nutrition, English 102, and educational psychology are all going smoothly with no real issues.

 

She had lab finals last week and this week. Next Wednesday is the last regular day of classes; her first final is Friday 5/7. A stressful time for all our college kids right now!

[Sharon in MD]

Our son is at a quarter system school, so he wont hit finals till June...boo hoo!

 

But, we just had a lovely weekend visit; he and his dad conspired to surprise me for my birthday with a visit home! It was grand....

 

He's doing well in his studies and consistently says that homeschooling prepared him well...to answer the doubters among our family and friends too.

 

He has made Dean's List for the first two quarters...one to go. You need a 3.6 to make the list. Not sure if he'll pull it off again for the 3rd quarter or not. He is worried that he may get 2 B's this time. But we shall see.

 

He is very excited to have been accepted to a competitive summer program at the university. He will get to work for a prof. on research for 10 weeks, get paid $10 an hour and housing....not to shabby. And, as hard as it is to find a job around here for the college bunch, I am truly grateful that he has a good summer job. Plus, with being on the quarter system...it is even harder to find a job by the time he would get home they are pretty much gone.

 

So good to hear everyone's story/updates! I'll be praying for their finals!

[Ms. Riding Hood]

I'm so proud for all these kids and moms! It's sweet to know they *can* do it out it the big, wide world!

 

Ds is about burned out. He said, "I'm ready to come home and do nothing. Well, I mean nothing that requires thinking." I'm ready to let him do that, too. :001_smile: He appreciates home a lot more these days!

Edited May 4, 2010 by Ms. Riding Hood

[Tullia]

I intend to check back later with some individual replies. In the meantime, may I trouble you with a request for prayers and good wishes, especially today, for ds' pre-calc final this evening? He's been off sequence with math for several years, but is fast approaching a bottleneck of needing to do well today so he can move on to calculus asap.

 

Martha

[Leanna Tomlinson]

Ds is about burned out. He said, "I'm ready to come home and do nothing. Well, I mean nothing that requires thinking." I'm ready to let him do that, too. :001_smile: He appreciates home a lot more these days!

 

My dd is the same way. My History/English major is reading.....Little House on the Prairie ;)

 

In the meantime, may I trouble you with a request for prayers and good wishes, especially today, for ds' pre-calc final this evening?

Martha

 

Praying here.

[LynnG in Arizona]

I intend to check back later with some individual replies. In the meantime, may I trouble you with a request for prayers and good wishes, especially today, for ds' pre-calc final this evening? He's been off sequence with math for several years, but is fast approaching a bottleneck of needing to do well today so he can move on to calculus asap.

 

Martha

 

I will pray too, Martha! Refresh my memory . . . what is your son majoring in? I hope things go very smoothly tonight! :)

 

My daughter is facing a different kind of bottleneck; she is having trouble getting into a key class this fall. There is a long wait list to get in, and it is by no means definite that she'll end up in the class. Of course, without it, she won't be able to apply to nursing school on time. :( So I would appreciate prayers that she can get into this class and proceed as scheduled.

[Kareni]

Sending positive thoughts to all our students as regards exams, final papers, and getting into needed or desired classes.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Tullia]

I will pray too, Martha! Refresh my memory . . . what is your son majoring in? I hope things go very smoothly tonight! :)

 

He's not officially declared, but if his good grades continue this semester he wants to complete the Associate of Engineering degree offered at his CC. It's a degree his advisor says is designed to allow students to transfer having completed the math and science basics needed for a variety of different options. His choosing this route caught us by surprise, so we're trying to work around the fact that he should have taken pre-calc last fall, but could not because all the classes were full. Ideally, he should have taken Calculus I in the fall even though plenty of folks manage to do pre-calc then calc with no problem. But, yikes...he really needs to get on with things at this point. He can only shuffle the schedule so much.

 

 

My daughter is facing a different kind of bottleneck; she is having trouble getting into a key class this fall. There is a long wait list to get in, and it is by no means definite that she'll end up in the class. Of course, without it, she won't be able to apply to nursing school on time. :( So I would appreciate prayers that she can get into this class and proceed as scheduled.

 

Will do! Didn't you post earlier that she's taking a compressed organic chemistry class this semester? Organic chem is on ds' list of approved electives and he'd love to take it, but he will have to go to the parent university for the lab because the CC doesn't offer chem labs past gen. chem. II.

[Tullia]

Our son is at a quarter system school, so he wont hit finals till June...boo hoo!

 

But, we just had a lovely weekend visit; he and his dad conspired to surprise me for my birthday with a visit home! It was grand....

 

He's doing well in his studies and consistently says that homeschooling prepared him well...to answer the doubters among our family and friends too.

 

He has made Dean's List for the first two quarters...one to go. You need a 3.6 to make the list. Not sure if he'll pull it off again for the 3rd quarter or not. He is worried that he may get 2 B's this time. But we shall see.

 

He is very excited to have been accepted to a competitive summer program at the university. He will get to work for a prof. on research for 10 weeks, get paid $10 an hour and housing....not to shabby. And, as hard as it is to find a job around here for the college bunch, I am truly grateful that he has a good summer job. Plus, with being on the quarter system...it is even harder to find a job by the time he would get home they are pretty much gone.

 

So good to hear everyone's story/updates! I'll be praying for their finals!

 

Congratulations to your son on the summer job. What a fantastic opportunity!

[LynnG in Arizona]

Will do! Didn't you post earlier that she's taking a compressed organic chemistry class this semester? Organic chem is on ds' list of approved electives and he'd love to take it, but he will have to go to the parent university for the lab because the CC doesn't offer chem labs past gen. chem. II.

 

Yes, my daughter took a compressed inorganic chemistry last fall and a compressed organic/biochemistry class this spring. Surprisingly, she is actually doing better this spring in the organic/biochem class. Go figure! :) She is a nursing pre-major, so that's all the chemistry she will need to take. It's actually been a very rigorous year, so I think she has been very well prepared in the chemistry department.

 

That's exciting about your son's choice! It would seem like that option should give him a lot of options for future studies. But I do (unfortunately) know what you mean about being able to shuffle their schedule only so much. That's why I am biting my nails about my daughter getting into her anatomy/physiology class this fall.

[Tullia]

Her school allows self scheduled exams which makes for much flexibility. Then she'll be home (most likely) for the summer. She'll be joining others in looking for a summer job.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

I'd love to know how self-scheduled exams work!

 

My update: the first half of pre-calc final went well last evening; WHEW! Ds says that he appreciates all the positive thoughts and prayers and thinks this was his best exam yet in that portion of the course.:) The second part is scheduled for Thursday morning. So, ds has three finals done and two more to go. Thursday's finals start early and end before noon; he has Chem and the second part of pre-calc back to back starting at 7:30 am. He's not thrilled about that, but 7:30 in May is better than 7:30 in December.

 

And, ds had two other good things to report. Both his pre-calc instructors told him not to stress about his grades; that they felt sure he'd be able to move on and do well in calculus assuming he doesn't blow the finals. And, just yesterday the dean added another calculus section at a more convenient time which will be taught by one of his pre-calc instructors (both of whom he likes). So, ds and his study partner are hoping to switch sections as soon as the information gets into the system.

[Tullia]

But I do (unfortunately) know what you mean about being able to shuffle their schedule only so much. That's why I am biting my nails about my daughter getting into her anatomy/physiology class this fall.

 

I remember my cousin telling me about a similar issue as a pre-med student. The real fun started after she finally succeeded enrolling in the course. She and her dh say that in times of stress they still dream about their memorization paradigms and it's been years! I'll keep your daughter's schedule in my prayers.

[Quiver0f10]

My son has his last final today and starts a summer internship on Monday. My CC students have their finals next week.

[Tullia]

My son has his last final today and starts a summer internship on Monday. My CC students have their finals next week.

 

Hope your son's final and internship go well! How many CC students do you have this semester? Praying for them as well!-- Martha

 

I haven't seen Nan post for awhile. Hope she and her family are doing well. Maybe they're on an exciting vacation?

[Quiver0f10]

Hope your son's final and internship go well! How many CC students do you have this semester? Praying for them as well!-- Martha

 

I haven't seen Nan post for awhile. Hope she and her family are doing well. Maybe they're on an exciting vacation?

 

 

Thanks! We have 3 CC students this year,

[LynnG in Arizona]

I'd love to know how self-scheduled exams work!

 

My update: the first half of pre-calc final went well last evening; WHEW! Ds says that he appreciates all the positive thoughts and prayers and thinks this was his best exam yet in that portion of the course.:) The second part is scheduled for Thursday morning. So, ds has three finals done and two more to go. Thursday's finals start early and end before noon; he has Chem and the second part of pre-calc back to back starting at 7:30 am. He's not thrilled about that, but 7:30 in May is better than 7:30 in December.

 

And, ds had two other good things to report. Both his pre-calc instructors told him not to stress about his grades; that they felt sure he'd be able to move on and do well in calculus assuming he doesn't blow the finals. And, just yesterday the dean added another calculus section at a more convenient time which will be taught by one of his pre-calc instructors (both of whom he likes). So, ds and his study partner are hoping to switch sections as soon as the information gets into the system.

 

Martha, that's a ton of great news! I am so happy for you and your son!!

[LynnG in Arizona]

I remember my cousin telling me about a similar issue as a pre-med student. The real fun started after she finally succeeded enrolling in the course. She and her dh say that in times of stress they still dream about their memorization paradigms and it's been years! I'll keep your daughter's schedule in my prayers.

 

Thank you, Martha! :)

[LynnG in Arizona]

Thanks! We have 3 CC students this year,

 

Wow, Quiver! You have a lot to be proud of! :) I hope all the finals go smoothly.

[Kareni]

I'd love to know how self-scheduled exams work!

 

 

At my daughter's college, most exams are self-scheduled. The exam period is fixed from date A to date B. During that time there are two or three time slots each day during which an exam may be taken. Students go to a central location when they are ready to take an exam and request a specific exam. They then go to one of several locations to take that exam. Exams must be turned in within a given amount of time. There is an honor code in place such that students may not discuss exams (afterall, another student may not be taking that exam for several more days). The current exam period is about ten days. The exam period prior to the winter holidays was several days shorter.

 

It's an interesting set up!

 

Regards,

Kareni

[LynnG in Arizona]

At my daughter's college, most exams are self-scheduled. The exam period is fixed from date A to date B. During that time there are two or three time slots each day during which an exam may be taken. Students go to a central location when they are ready to take an exam and request a specific exam. They then go to one of several locations to take that exam. Exams must be turned in within a given amount of time. There is an honor code in place such that students may not discuss exams (afterall, another student may not be taking that exam for several more days). The current exam period is about ten days. The exam period prior to the winter holidays was several days shorter.

 

It's an interesting set up!

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Wow, I've never heard of such a thing! How interesting . . . the system makes sense in a lot of ways.

[Halftime Hope]

There is an honor code in place such that students may not discuss exams (afterall, another student may not be taking that exam for several more days).

 

At the univ where ds1 was taking the calculus series (he got fed up w/ the politics in the department and is now taking them at the cc), the department scheduled all their finals on Friday nights so every single student took the exam at the very same time. I guess homeschool moms are not the only ones who can wear the label "draconian". :lol:

[Sharon in MD]

It is pretty neat. I have to have an internet browser open to goggle all the terms I don't recognize...and I'm pretty tech/science savvy. I'll have to bone up on my research to keep a respectable pace.

[LynnG in Arizona]

Update on my daughter is that she had her first non-lab final today, in developmental psychology. It went pretty well . . . no big surprise since it was one of her easier classes this semester.

 

Unfortunately, she awoke this morning having trouble breathing. After taking her final, she went into Campus Health, where they told her that one of her lungs was "having trouble". Huh? They diagnosed her with a nasty respiratory infection that is going around campus and sent her away with two meds. They told her to come back in two days for follow up, especially if she is not feeling better.

 

She still has her two hardest exams coming up at the end of next week. I hate being this far away when she is sick, and I am worried that being ill will negatively impact her preparation for these two very difficult exams. Uggh, there's always something to worry about, isn't there?

[Kareni]

Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery and good health, Lynn. It is hard when our children are away and sick.

 

Wishing all continued success on finals.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

Mine is in the middle of the Atlantic. His brother is on a delayed flight to Ireland for a double humanities class. It is delayed because of a volcano in Iceland. (If you had told me I would write either of those two sentences five years ago, I would have thought you were crazy. Life is very strange.) He just got back from sailing his friends small boat down the coast and home. (That part we've been preparing him for since he was born GRIN.) Talk about steep learning curves! We're really, really proud of them both for getting this far.

[Miss Marple]

I hate being this far away when she is sick

 

I think this is the hardest part of having kids away at college. Ds had a nasty bug (104 fever) last fall. Unfortunately it hit just as he was beginning his internship interviews. He had to ride his bike across campus several times a day to interview all the while alternating between sweats and chills. Living at college just isn't conducive to taking care of oneself when sick. We'll keep your daughter in our thoughts and prayers.

[LynnG in Arizona]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate your prayers! :)

 

I will continue to lift all our WTM kids up during this final exam season!

[Tullia]

Our update: ds finished at noon on Thursday. He feels confident that he did well on all the finals, but his chemistry and precalc finals will be the decisive factor for his grades in those classes so now we wait for grades. One encouraging thing is that last semester the ACS chem final was harder than he expected; this semester he knew more about what to expect. Good thing, because he wasn't able to sleep Wednesday night. On Thursday, he came home, ate lunch and slept most of the afternoon. I don't think he's had an afternoon nap since he was about 2 years old.

[Tullia]

Mine is in the middle of the Atlantic. His brother is on a delayed flight to Ireland for a double humanities class. It is delayed because of a volcano in Iceland. (If you had told me I would write either of those two sentences five years ago, I would have thought you were crazy. Life is very strange.) He just got back from sailing his friends small boat down the coast and home. (That part we've been preparing him for since he was born GRIN.) Talk about steep learning curves! We're really, really proud of them both for getting this far.

 

Wow, Nan. You can be proud. This landlubber is impressed!:D

[Tullia]

I hope she had some time to rest over the weekend.

[LynnG in Arizona]

I hope she had some time to rest over the weekend.

 

Thanks for asking! I talked to her yesterday for Mother's Day, and she is feeling much better. It sounds like she took most of the weekend off to sleep and rest (she probably needed both a physical and mental break), and will now start studying hard for her two finals on Thursday and Friday.

 

I am grateful that she seems to have turned the corner. :)

[Tullia]

Thanks for asking! I talked to her yesterday for Mother's Day, and she is feeling much better. It sounds like she took most of the weekend off to sleep and rest (she probably needed both a physical and mental break), and will now start studying hard for her two finals on Thursday and Friday.

 

I am grateful that she seems to have turned the corner. :)

 

Good news! I thought about the two of you on Mother's Day and knew you must be missing her, especially since she wasn't feeling well. --Martha