Yes, we do realize (intellectually) that we should feel happy about my Reading and Writing scores; but honestly, that Math score feels crushing, like a bully. Today, well, I’m trying to see it as my Buddha.

The worst component ended up being telling my son. I swear to you, he looked at me with one of these big, wide, honest to god eyes of surprise, and stated ‘really?’ — like he really couldn’t believe his mom didn’t do it. I do believe I’d actually convinced him that work pays off (that’s what I thought!).

But he is a sweetie, and he quickly dedicated to my Reading and Writing scores, telling me just how great they are, blah blah blah. In fact I got all sorts of encouraging e-mails from buddies and family:

‘I know it is difficult to remember at times like these, however these scores are not just a judgment. They truly are just numbers ….. You did your absolute best and offered it your shot that is best. That’s what is most&mdash that is important the process, maybe not the outcome …. Your scores are fantastic you are 40 points away from an 800 on CR do you know how many moms and dads would destroy for that score?? The 730 on composing just puts you in your range.’

They made me feel better, in a supported kind of means — but deep out they didn’t get into their first choice college, and everyone writes on their Facebook wall: ‘You’re too good for them… inside I couldn’t help feeling like a high school senior who just found. It wasn’t meant to be….. there is a better school for you…’

And that is all true, however it still seems devastating. At least it does for me.

At the conclusion of the day yesterday, I received an email that certainly did lift my spirits. It came from a senior high school senior whom I’d never ever met:

Today SAT scores came out! Exactly How did you do? You are hoped by me did well. I understand you’ll receive a good score, and congrats on doing the project! What you did was very inspiring, especially for high school seniors. I just thought that I would enable you to know that you motivated me to study, and I went from the 1630 (520R 600M 510W) (junior year) up to a 2300 (700R 800M 800W) (senior year).

I want to print that out and publish it at eye degree on my bulletin board.

We haven’t fully processed how it is possible I started without knowing a thing last January that I spent dozens and dozens of joyful hours studying SAT math over the course of 10 months, and hardly improved at all from where. My buddy Catherine states it is one more piece of evidence that a curriculum that is solid important, and without that, no amount of SAT prep into the world is going to improve your score.

For all intents and purposes, I didn’t learn a lick of math after 9th grade (until we began this project). I am considering having a math course at my local community college — and just starting from scratch.

I’m not done. I need to pause so that you can write book now, but I’m not finished with the math. I’m incomplete.

If there’s anyone else out there feeling disappointed by their scores that are SAT here’s a quote that I have posted in several places around my house that generally seems to assist:

When you yourself have the privilege of being with someone at the time of their death, you discover the concerns such a person asks are very simple:

• ‘Did we love well?’
• ‘Did I live fully?’
• ‘Did I figure out how to let go?’

— Jack Kornfield

SAT FAQ: Just the Facts

A couple of weeks after my 7th (and last) SAT in 2011, and I’m finally rendering it through the mountain of paper* that had accumulated over the course of the season.

I’m stunned by all of the treasure I ran across along the essay writer for you com way that was suffocating in a 6 foot blob together with the visitor bed.

Take, as an example, this FAQ from Erik the Red, which we’d printed away and highlighted on March 29, 2011, having no idea at that time the gold I’d just came across. This FAQ answers nearly every concern we’ve ever heard expected about the SAT, including…..The Curve.

I’d suggest anyone facing the SAT in the next year or two start with this link from Erik the Red before heading over to another one of my personal favorite web sites, College Confidential, and this can be more wild west than authoritative (though fun…very fun….so aren’t getting me wrong about CC. I like it there. I’m obsessed. But i have learned to always verify what I hear here.)

But for SAT Facts (without having to wade through the College Board’s site), cut to the chase with Erik the Red’s FAQ, and discover reliable answers about:

• The SAT Calendar
• Reused SAT Questions
• The Curve
• Test Details
• Links to 3 SATs that are actualanswers included)
• SAT Question Index
• Test Date Popularity as well as the ‘Best Month’ to Take the SAT

*Yes, i will be one particular retro people that are old images out blog posts. But, in cases where a post makes it to the ‘printed out’ stage of my life, that means it passed the cursory online read and is ready for a deeper embrace.

And yes, I recycle.

P.S. Three more days until SAT scores are released december. YIKES. I’m so scared (and excited). I have actually so much to say about this last month of study…..so much to say….so little time.