This is a bit of a rant...and I know I have to shake it off and I will by tomorrow.
But
So my S gets his ACT score this morning and it's a 29. The exact same score he received the 1st time he took it. No movement whatsoever. Incredibly frustrating after all that work and tutoring. And -- because he moves in a smart crowd - his buddies are texting about the 33s and 34s they received..I have no problem with this,btw....
(and before you read the rest, I know that 29 is great! But)
But here are my issues:
> he didn't want to take the test in February but I pushed it because it's the last free non-traveling weekend that he has that aligns with the ACT test schedule. So i thought, "hey, he'll get another point or two and then he'll take it one last time at beginning of senior year." He's SWAMPED with debate and school and lacrosse right now and i shouldn't have pushed it. But I'll get over this....i have bigger things in life to feel guilty about :)
> But even if I hadn't pushed the date, i think 29 is going to be his score...and then here's where the frustration part happens....he's every bit as smart as his older sibling (now a college freshman) but because she was an amazing test-taker, the world was her oyster when it came to colleges. We're a donut-hole family -- that is, we make too much money to qualify for financial aid but not enough to pay for private college. So D successfully hunted down a lot of merit aid. That's not going to happen with my S. So I have the anger thing going about why these stats mean so much.
> So you would say, "hey go with the state college" and I'm with you! We have 2 very good state colleges (one liberal arts, one more tech-oriented) but, honestly, a 29 isn't going to get him into those colleges either. He might slip in....but it can't be counted on.
> So then you would say "choose one of the thousands of great colleges out there that would love a kid with a 29" and I"m with you...but then we have the tuition issue rise back up.
Okay, as I'm writing this, i realize that i"m being an idiot. It will work out...and we will find a way to pay the tuition...if he doesn't get into the flagship, there are several other colleges here in-state that would be fine as well.
Its just frustrating...that one number makes so much of a difference. Grrrr. I'm going to buy a donut.
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