creekland Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I heard from middle son... he aced the first Bio test! It makes me feel a lot better esp since freshman Bio and Chem are considered weeder classes for pre-med (and Organic Chem, but that's next year's worry). He also got 100% on his first Calc test and only missed one that supposedly "everyone missed" on his second (ran out of time), but we expected that from Calc since it's a course he did while homeschooling. Bio, on the other hand, has a prof who doesn't get great comments on Rate My Professor (no other choice) and who told them the first day to "forget everything they had learned in high school" as he was going to teach them the "correct" stuff. Middle son had done both Apologia books and Campbell's AP book in high school. One wonders what could be "wrong." Kiddo tried to explain a little bit of it to me, but I think I need to see what he's talking about. Anyway, it had me holding my breath a little. Now I can breathe better! At first he didn't care for the Bio prof. Now he said he's starting to like him (told us this BEFORE his grade came out). It's also good if he can adapt to different profs. Chem and BCS (Brain/Cognitive Science) tests are this week. I'll breathe much better (hopefully) after grades come out for those. He loves the profs for both and has since day 1, so I guess I don't feel as worried. Hope all the rest of us parents of 2012 college newbies are getting good news too! I'd share about oldest son too, but we so seldom hear from him anymore, esp about academics. It's kind of a bummer, but he has a fiancee in his life now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Congratulations! It's nice to have validation for how well you prepared him. I wish there wasn't the pressure of grades, but that's the way premed/pre-grad school is. Sounds like he's doing great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 I wish there wasn't the pressure of grades, but that's the way premed/pre-grad school is. :iagree: The pre-med pressure puts a lot more stress into a mama - far more than just worrying about a 3.0 GPA to keep merit aid. If only it were just 3.0 for pre-med! (But then again, I'm not sure I'd want a doctor with a "B" average overall... so I suppose it makes sense in a way. Theoretically, the perfectionist would have the traits one would want to see for their care, but still... I'm not totally convinced the perfectionist in a classroom grading setting and the perfectionist in life/work are totally related.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I heard from middle son... he aced the first Bio test! It makes me feel a lot better esp since freshman Bio and Chem are considered weeder classes for pre-med (and Organic Chem, but that's next year's worry). He also got 100% on his first Calc test and only missed one that supposedly "everyone missed" on his second (ran out of time), but we expected that from Calc since it's a course he did while homeschooling. Bio, on the other hand, has a prof who doesn't get great comments on Rate My Professor (no other choice) and who told them the first day to "forget everything they had learned in high school" as he was going to teach them the "correct" stuff. Middle son had done both Apologia books and Campbell's AP book in high school. One wonders what could be "wrong." Kiddo tried to explain a little bit of it to me, but I think I need to see what he's talking about. Anyway, it had me holding my breath a little. Now I can breathe better! At first he didn't care for the Bio prof. Now he said he's starting to like him (told us this BEFORE his grade came out). It's also good if he can adapt to different profs. Chem and BCS (Brain/Cognitive Science) tests are this week. I'll breathe much better (hopefully) after grades come out for those. He loves the profs for both and has since day 1, so I guess I don't feel as worried. Hope all the rest of us parents of 2012 college newbies are getting good news too! I'd share about oldest son too, but we so seldom hear from him anymore, esp about academics. It's kind of a bummer, but he has a fiancee in his life now... Congrats, happy, party, dance! :party: DD's first pharmacology exam was the one that I wait for anxiously. The prof had never had a homeschooled student in his class and had quite a bit of uninformed attitude about dd. Boy, was he bowled over when she aced it. Others that received A's told him they achieved those grades because dd was in charge of their study group and helped them make flashcards, drilled them, gave them memory aids, showed them how to organize their notes, etc. She and the prof ended up being on excellent terms. I just love it when we homeschooling parents get a little validation. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it is very, very sweet. Your son sounds like a wonderful young man. Wear your puffed out chest today with great pride! :001_smile: Please keep me informed about the bio issue. My boys have apologia bio in 8th grade and then move to Campbell's in 9th. So, I'd LOVE to know what is "wrong" with that picture. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 We need a "like" button! :D Congrats!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 (edited) The pre-med pressure puts a lot more stress into a mama - far more than just worrying about a 3.0 GPA to keep merit aid. If only it were just 3.0 for pre-med!This is so, so true! After dd's four semesters, it has gotten a tiny bit easier, but I'm still nervous for her. I'm so glad your son is working hard. Too few college students understand the importance of the first semester's grades. I pray that he is able to keep up his momentum and finish strong. Edited September 25, 2012 by MomsintheGarden Oops - typo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted September 26, 2012 Author Share Posted September 26, 2012 Well, they are for my husband. He expects perfection from himself in all areas: as a surgeon, as a father, as far as keeping our 50 acre farm looking good, etc The problem is that there is one of him! I will tell you that one thing he says he would change about college is that he would have had more fun. He spent his entire college studying for the nearly perfect 4.0. My guy seems to be having fun right now, but he's definitely a perfectionist all around (and has been since toddlerhood), so who knows what will happen when he needs to put more time in to get that A. He gets a lot of pleasure out of his grades/knowledge/perfectionism, so, as he tells me, it's not really work. DD's first pharmacology exam was the one that I wait for anxiously. The prof had never had a homeschooled student in his class and had quite a bit of uninformed attitude about dd. Boy, was he bowled over when she aced it. ... I just love it when we homeschooling parents get a little validation. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it is very, very sweet. Another homeschooled student had asked this prof a question and the prof pretty much put down his "probable" knowledge due to homeschooling (even with a high AP score) so middle son wisely hasn't mention the fact that he was also homeschooled. I told him, if he wants to, he can tell the prof AFTER he has a decent set of grades (not just one grade). It might help dispel the negative stereotype he obviously has. Please keep me informed about the bio issue. My boys have apologia bio in 8th grade and then move to Campbell's in 9th. So, I'd LOVE to know what is "wrong" with that picture. Faith This is something he was addressing to the whole class - ps students included. I think the books dumb down a bit for high schoolers - in a similar manner that the atomic model isn't exactly accurate nor to scale, but we teach it more or less as fact at the high school level. I'll try to find out more specifics when we visit (if this old brain can remember to ask when I'm actually there on the spot). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 UPDATE: Middle son e-mailed and told us he got the HIGHEST grade on the Bio test at 103%... (I'm feeling on cloud 9!!!) I wonder if now is the time he should tell the prof he's been homeschooled since 7th grade... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Wonderful news!! Congratulations! I'm glad he is showing the "homeschool doubters." No big exams for my ds yet, but he has 2 next week. Crossing my fingers here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 Wonderful news!! Congratulations! I'm glad he is showing the "homeschool doubters." No big exams for my ds yet, but he has 2 next week. Crossing my fingers here. I definitely hope it goes well! Now I'm finding myself incredibly curious about my guy's Chem grade... I don't want to set my expectations too high. I'm hoping he doesn't do that either. I'd hate to see him annoyed over a 90% someday... but he is a perfectionist, always has been, and hopefully it will make him a great doctor or researcher someday. I just worry about the stress levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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