emanon
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Post by emanon on Aug 14, 2014 22:55:31 GMT
Is anyone familiar? My son brought home a letter from school that he qualified for it. Any information would be hugely helpful!! Thanks!
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stittsygirl
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Location: In the leaves and rain.
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Post by stittsygirl on Aug 14, 2014 23:21:59 GMT
My son did it in 7th grade, but the only thing he really did was take the SAT at that time. Based on his math score he was eligible for their summer programs, but they are very expensive and scattered across the country, if I remember correctly. We really haven't done anything with it since, mainly because we're happy with what our school district provides.
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Post by anxiousmom on Aug 14, 2014 23:26:57 GMT
My son did it in 7th grade, but the only thing he really did was take the SAT at that time. Based on his math score he was eligible for their summer programs, but they are very expensive and scattered across the country, if I remember correctly. We really haven't done anything with it since, mainly because we're happy with what our school district provides. This is what our experience was. My older son was eligible and took the SAT in seventh grade. Beyond that, there were some really amazing summer programs he was eligible for, but there was no way that we could pay for them. My younger son switched schools (from private to public) and the new school wouldn't use his previous test scores, so we never knew if he was eligible or not. But, the nice thing was taking the SAT. It allowed him to a frame of reference for when he took it "for real," no anxiety because he knew what to expect. |
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Post by Yoki on Aug 14, 2014 23:58:41 GMT
I've been thinking of signing my son up for this program, but wasn't sure what benefits it offers. We live in Duke country so we have access to the camps, but they are crazy $$. It's good to know about the SAT test experience.
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Post by mcscrapper on Aug 15, 2014 1:33:04 GMT
Same experience here. It was cool to be recognized but not worth the $$ in my opinion.
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Post by Linda on Aug 15, 2014 2:17:20 GMT
my daughter qualified in 4th grade and again in 7th. She took the (8th grade) Explore test as a 5th grader and the SAT as a 7th grader. She received certificates from Duke TI{, was recognised at her school awards ceremony and we're on an email list that tells her (us) about Duke summer programs and online courses - too spendy for us.
I think it was worthwhile for her to take the Explore and SAT early - she wasn't anxious about it and she scored reasonably well (right about our high school's average score) on the SAT so she's confident that she'll get a good score when she re-takes it in high school with several more years of education behind her. She tends toward anxiety and stress so that alone is worth the cost of taking the test an extra time.
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Post by cme37 on Aug 15, 2014 2:56:29 GMT
We put my son in it this year. He was in the 4th grade. We really didn't do anything with it, other than he was recognized at the school assembly. I didn't know about the 7th grade SAT. I will be signing him up for it when it is time.
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Post by worrywart on Aug 15, 2014 3:08:36 GMT
I think it was helpful for my ds to take the SAT in 7th grade. He likes taking tests and enjoyed the experience but they send you a score sheet that compares your 7th grader to the 10th graders who are taking the test so that you can see how they rank. It was interesting but like the other posters we never did the summer camps or other activities!
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Post by traceys on Aug 15, 2014 4:07:58 GMT
My dd was in the program, but unless the camps interest you (and they are pricey) I don't know that there is much real benefit.
DD took the Explore with our middle school group, which was something that I arranged for her (I worked in the school system, so it was easy to work out). She took the ACT in 7th grade, which is the more popular test in my neck of the woods. But your child doesn't have to be in the program to take the test at that age.
She did go to a program (which she and the other kids affectionately referred to as "Nerd Camp") during the summers at Western KY University, starting with S.C.A.T.S (two weeks) and V.A.M.P.Y. (Three weeks) until she got too old. They were still a little expensive, but much less so than Duke. She was required to have an ACT score to qualify for V.A.M.P.Y.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Aug 15, 2014 4:40:06 GMT
My kids have taken some of the online math courses for a similar program through John Hopkins (CTY). While the online offerings are ridiculously expensive, they do offer an actual transcript that is accepted by many schools - something that's different that many online endeavors. It worked well for us in a particular situation where they were ready for courses that their schools did not offer. We haven't done any of the summer programs.
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emanon
Junior Member
Refupea 673
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Post by emanon on Aug 15, 2014 14:44:21 GMT
Thanks!! We are all signed up and ready to take the SAT in December. If he is invited to any of the summer offerings we will probably take them up on it just for the experience of a really good academic camp (3 weeks on a university campus!!). They offer one at GTech and that's one of the school that he has expressed interest in. He'd be happier with MIT, but I told him that MIT is one of the most competitive admissions in the country so he better step up his game lol
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Post by pastlifepea on Aug 15, 2014 15:15:41 GMT
My daughter also qualified for this program in 7th grade when we lived in Florida. She did sit for the SAT with the high school kids and we got her scores back. Not sure about other states but in Florida, the kids that score high enough are invited to a special ceremony and presentation. We lived near Tampa and the ceremony was held in Sarasota.
The camps were too expensive and DD was just not a serious enough student to justify the expense at that age so we didn't participate. I think it was like $75 to enroll in TIP and that covered the SAT test. Honestly, it was worth it to us for her just to be able to sit for the SAT early. I think it really served as a confidence booster for her and now she already knows what to expect when taking the real thing.
Unfortunately, we moved to California and DUKE TIP doesn't do programs in this state. Johns Hopkins does, but the local schools do not participate. It seems there is a lot less money and resources available to public schools here than there was in Florida, which I find kind of amazing given that Florida had no state income tax and people here pay through the nose. After a year living here, I am still trying to figure out what exactly this state spends it's money on as it is clearly not schools or roads.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 15, 2014 15:23:48 GMT
Once your son takes the SAT, he'll start getting e-mails and brochures from every college in the country. I thought it was funny that my son was in 7th grade and getting a mailbox full of brochures every day.
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emanon
Junior Member
Refupea 673
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Post by emanon on Aug 15, 2014 15:43:42 GMT
Once your son takes the SAT, he'll start getting e-mails and brochures from every college in the country. I thought it was funny that my son was in 7th grade and getting a mailbox full of brochures every day. As someone who works in the admissions office of a college I look forward to seeing what other schools use as marketing  |
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Post by anonrefugee on Aug 15, 2014 16:23:51 GMT
The kids qualified but weren't interested. Friends that participated had varying feedback. One very competitive friend loved knowing his SAT score, he's highly motivated by numbers. He attended a few camps. Ironically, six years later, he's a kid making final college choice based on athletics.
Schools here have pre-practice PSAT each year starting in 8th, so we didn't see value in pushing Our reluctant kids into the program. As good students they receive quite a bit of attention from special programs so I don't think we short changed them.
I'm probably not adding anything helpful to the discussion. It's what works best for your child and family. I have a mom friend who feels we made the wrong choice.
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
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Post by pridemom on Aug 16, 2014 2:10:06 GMT
Same experience here. It was cool to be recognized but not worth the $$ in my opinion. Same here. Dd brought it home, but it wreaked of gimmick to me. There are so many free options if you look. |
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Post by hollymolly on Aug 16, 2014 2:52:21 GMT
I was in the program when I was in 7th grade. I took the SAT and it was cool to see my scores compared to high school juniors and seniors. When I took it again as a senior, it was fun to see the huge difference in my scores. I didn't go to any camps, but only vaguely remember them being offered. I'm certain my parents couldn't afford to send me, not with 4 other kids at home. I wouldn't have liked it anyway.
One cool thing is that for a long time afterwards, someone from the program would call my parents (because they had the same phone number forever) and ask for an update on me. I don't know when the last call occurred, but I was well into adulthood and long past college.
The best part, though, was the award ceremony. Our new, young, handsome, State Governor was there to give me my certificate and shake my hand. His name is Bill Clinton, you might have heard of him.
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Post by gryroagain on Aug 16, 2014 3:02:34 GMT
No way- Holly, my parents kept their number (still have it!) and the same thing happened. I got a scholarship to a program but couldn't attend, as my dad was very sick and my mom working, and I was it to watch my brother and sister. I know my parents felt badly, but I can't see it made any difference, lol. It was interesting my math sat score increased a whopping 10 points or something in the intervening years- I did raise my English to perfect 800 so that is something, but it's hilarious to me that from 7th to 12 th grade I apparently learned...nothing.
I remember the awards ceremony at UW was very cool, and I got the scholarship there. When I took the sat, I actually had no clue why or what it even was. Our school testing climate is so different now- rallies to get kids fired up, special snacks, prep courses, it's crazy.
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Post by lumo on Aug 16, 2014 3:13:39 GMT
I participated in 7th grade as well. I scored high enough in English to go to the camps, but I didn't. I got a certificate and my name and picture in the paper, though  |
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Post by nepean on Aug 30, 2014 0:34:37 GMT
So, my DD just received an invitation from Duke TiP also. She has the opportunity to sit either the ACT or the SAT. Which one is better and why? Please excuse my ignorance, neither my husband nor I were education in the US, so this is new territory for us.
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emanon
Junior Member
Refupea 673
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Post by emanon on Aug 30, 2014 3:00:22 GMT
So, my DD just received an invitation from Duke TiP also. She has the opportunity to sit either the ACT or the SAT. Which one is better and why? Please excuse my ignorance, neither my husband nor I were education in the US, so this is new territory for us. Right now it doesn't matter other than to let them experience taking the exam. The ACT has no written section. In 11th grade I want my boys to take the SAT so they can possibly qualify for National Merit Scholar, ACT is not a qualifier for this. |
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Post by traceys on Aug 30, 2014 3:35:56 GMT
So, my DD just received an invitation from Duke TiP also. She has the opportunity to sit either the ACT or the SAT. Which one is better and why? Please excuse my ignorance, neither my husband nor I were education in the US, so this is new territory for us. I agree with emanon that it's not a huge issue right now. You might want to ask the counselor which is the most common for colleges your dd might be interested in later. Around here, most everyone takes the ACT because it's most commonly used in my state, but in other places, the SAT is more common. |
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Post by anxiousmom on Aug 30, 2014 12:54:35 GMT
So, my DD just received an invitation from Duke TiP also. She has the opportunity to sit either the ACT or the SAT. Which one is better and why? Please excuse my ignorance, neither my husband nor I were education in the US, so this is new territory for us. I agree with emanon that it's not a huge issue right now. You might want to ask the counselor which is the most common for colleges your dd might be interested in later. Around here, most everyone takes the ACT because it's most commonly used in my state, but in other places, the SAT is more common. My older son took the SAT and the youngest will also...but most of the schools that my son applied for would use either the SAT or ACT. Although, I got the feeling that they preferred the SAT, at least within my state. |
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Post by 2peafaithful on Aug 30, 2014 14:03:56 GMT
My ds took the test. It was a good opportunity to practice on test taking and see where he was at but nothing much more came from it then that.
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