Susan James said:It looks like there are only a handful of entrance exams available, from what I can tell, and most of them seem to be centered around schools in the Chicago area. I don't really count those as part of the standard process—you know, like applying to art school where you spend years preparing just to sit for an entrance exam. Or those dual-language programs where kids have to pass a proficiency test in the language of instruction, especially if they haven't been studying it since elementary school. To me, those feel like their own separate categories entirely. I’ve noticed that these kids—our future students—really seem to have this incredible built-in resilience to stress. It’s actually quite impressive to watch. 😬
I think that external evaluation really hit the mark this time. It was exactly what we needed. I honestly worry that this is all going to end up being just another standardized, cookie-cutter approach—basically an "Americanized" version of a massive, soul-crushing national exam. It feels like we’re heading toward that same kind of rigid, one-size-fits-all testing system we see everywhere else in the States.
I was just sitting here thinking about that whole situation, and honestly, it’s been on my mind quite a bit lately. It’s one of those things where you realize how much can change in an instant, right? I remember back when I was living in Chicago, I had a similar feeling during a major storm—everything felt a bit uncertain and heavy for a moment, but eventually, things settled down. It’s funny how life works like that sometimes. Just wanted to share that little thought! kaže: I honestly think they’re just testing the waters here. It makes sense to me—if they spend the next couple of years being more flexible with how we handle high school graduations, it'll be much easier to roll out any major changes later on. It gives both the students and the parents some time to actually get used to a new way of doing things.
I think things will get a lot smoother once the teachers at our local elementary schools get used to kids asking that one inevitable question: "Is this going to be on the SAT?" Ah, well, if that's the case, then we don't have to worry about learning it! No big deal. 🥳
Where on earth are those kinds of schools? I’d move my little one there in a heartbeat. Around here, if you don't know the answer immediately, they just write you off. My daughter is incredibly resilient to stress, though.
silentmason4 said:What's the point of all that? Between those tests and then having to take entrance exams for high school... why do we need to make things so complicated?
I suspect they're just testing the waters. Honestly, I think it'll be much easier for them to roll out standardized testing for graduation if they spend a few years running entrance exams first—just to get the kids and parents used to the whole routine.
My son ended up in Toledo—aiming for chemical technician training. He just wasn't interested in music, logic, psychology... anything like that. He scored a 76, so I suppose he technically could have gone to a prep school if he’d wanted to. He breezed through his Walgreens exams, got into MIT, and is now studying there quite normally, all things considered.
I ended up enrolling in a standard high school—nothing fancy or elite—mostly because I just didn't have a clue what else to do. My mother was actually pushing me toward vocational training instead. Most people in my age group were heading straight into universities, aiming for places like Foxconn, the Department of the Treasury, MIT, or even the FBI... much like the kids from those top-tier prep schools. There was only one girl in my class who didn't end up in college at all, mainly because she failed her entrance exams for Adobe twice.
Jeffrey Edwards5 said:I wasn't talking about final grades at the end of the term or the year, but rather what happens during the school year itself. For example, my kid had surgery and was out for two weeks due to health issues. He came back to a mountain of missed work. I'm not asking for handouts, but a little more empathy—maybe some leeway to catch up or just not being penalized with lower grades for stuff out of his control—was nowhere to be found. The same thing happened when he had to quarantine for a week after catching something. He ended up with Cs and Ds because they wouldn't give him a chance to make up the work. He’s in 7th grade, and all of this is going to tank his standing. I don't even want to think about how many points he'll lose.
When I read about everyone's kids crushing it—aiming for Harvard Law School or places like MIT or Toledo... I can't help but wonder where the kids go who don't have a perfect 4.0 GPA? Where do the kids land when they don't hit that minimum score for a top-tier prep school? Do those kids even exist?
Well, here is mine. Definitely not part of the "genius club." And honestly, I have no clue where they're supposed to enroll. Trade schools? Vocational programs? I guess those are the spots for the kids who just scrape by with Cs.
Susan James said:It looks like things are already starting to overflow. I put a lot of thought into what I wrote; I don't just post things for the sake of posting. It feels like we aren’t quite hitting our stride with this material yet. To make things easier on everyone, I'm going to simplify the content a bit—expect the upcoming test questions to be much more straightforward. I saw what mellowskipper mentioned earlier about the testing protocols—apparently, if more than half the kids end up getting the same score, the whole thing gets tossed out. It’s a bit of a headache, isn't it? I remember back when my nephew was taking his standardized tests in Chicago, we had a similar scare where everyone thought the results wouldn't count because the curve was so skewed. It definitely adds a layer of stress to the whole process! I honestly can't say for sure—we aren't quite certain if that second test was just as tough or maybe even a little easier than the first one.
I’ve always felt that "difficulty" is such a subjective thing. What feels like an uphill battle to me might be a total breeze for someone else, and vice versa. It really just comes down to the individual. It gets so much harder when you’re dealing with parental expectations. It’s one thing to manage a classroom, but it’s a whole different ballgame when parents start measuring success by their own arbitrary standards. There’s nothing quite like that sudden pressure from moms and dads who start questioning your teaching methods or claiming something is wrong with the curriculum just because more than half the class landed a D on a test. I remember one time back in my first year teaching in Chicago, a parent pulled me aside because their kid didn't get an A, acting like the entire lesson plan was flawed. It’s tough to stay calm when you know you're doing the work, but they only see the grade. If you’re dealing with those kids who are complaining about their shoes being uncomfortable but just can't bring themselves to explain it to their parents, here is a little tip: just call in an inspection. If you hand out a test or some simple essay prompts, everyone will breeze right through it without any drama.
The test was the same. And yet, two students still failed. But now, we can actually attribute that to them simply not studying. This is the first time in five years that a test has been scrapped, so I wouldn't go so far as to say the kids are lazy or slow.
Susan James said:or maybe they just make them easier.🤔 I’m just guessing here, but if that were actually the case, I bet we’d see at least three sets of parents per grade level calling in the school board to demand we stick to the standard testing. But hey, maybe someone who knows more about how the school district works can weigh in.🙂
I think it would be fairer if everyone took the exact same tests—and if they did, and if certain people inevitably managed to get their hands on them, well, God help their souls...
Susan James said:They usually go through aptitude, interest, and personality tests, which take about an hour to ninety minutes. Then there's an interview with a psychologist (with just the kid in the room). Parents aren't officially interviewed, though they often push to share their thoughts, and people do listen to them. However, the final decision shouldn't be swayed by what the parents want.
The findings and opinions from any specialist following the child definitely matter, mainly because certain recommendations can act as contraindications—if someone expresses a specific preference, it might be immediately crossed off the list if it's not a good fit. For some kids, it really does narrow down their options to just a handful of schools, so it makes sense to give them extra credit for enrollment or set aside those three reserved spots that schools hold specifically for students who don't have many other places to go.
Those kids should be called in. You can also request testing on your own.
Or this
Okay, thanks. She has a contraindication, so we aren't even considering that. But regarding what she wants, I’m going to request that it be explicitly stated in all the reports.
Susan James said:I’m curious, where exactly are these imaginary parents and child advocates coming from? Aside from the teachers who openly admit they hand out As just to get parents and inspectors off their backs (basically to prevent them from showing up in the first place), I don't know anyone who actually supports the current system. And I know a pretty wide circle of people.
From what I see here, the only thing parents seem to disagree on is whether this entrance exam should be universal or if individual schools should have the freedom to design their own. They worry about kids being stressed by taking six different exams in five days. Well, whatever—stress is part of life. But honestly, that’s still less stressful than not knowing if you'll actually get into the school you want because some other kid barely scraped by with a passing grade and snagged a spot ahead of you.
Given the total circus that the state standardized testing has become, and seeing how universities—which actually care about students having actual subject mastery rather than just meeting population quotas—have successfully implemented their own entrance exams, I’m all for letting each school set its own standards and pick the students it wants.
If we’re talking about corruption (which exists and will always exist), it seems way more likely that someone at an elementary school would give kids a copy of a universal test to "study" for, simply because they don't want to deal with the fallout when those kids struggle in high school due to their lack of knowledge. It's much easier than a high school teacher having to deal with unprepared students later on.
Most elementary school teachers are genuinely concerned about how their students will fare in high school. If they weren't, they’d put more effort into what they teach and what they require for an A. And I’m not just talking about handing out easy grades or rounding up a B+ to an A just because a kid has one good day. I mean the sheer amount of material required to actually earn an A. Right now, you can have straight As all year and have almost zero actual knowledge.
It’s one thing with subjects like history or geography, which tend to build on themselves in high school. But take math, for example: if you don't master the basics, you're stuck. You won't be able to follow math, physics, or computer science, especially once you hit high school. And don't even get me started on the lack of knowledge in American History dating back to the Reagan era... I won't even waste my breath on that.
Around here, every single professor insists on drafting their own custom tests, often stretching them out to four or five pages. Their excuse? They claim they have to do all this extra work just to accommodate everyone who's been spoon-fed a standardized curriculum.
wearybison8 said:We should probably keep some weight tied to GPA, or perhaps offer direct admission for those who sweep the podium at national competitions in core subjects. I'm not an advocate for completely erasing everything a student worked toward during their K-12 years. In my view, the old balance was much more logical—maybe a 40/60 split between grades and the entrance exam. If you weren't a straight-A student, you could still find your way into your preferred school or college as long as you showed competence in the required subjects. The current setup feels remarkably disjointed.
Ali Peppa, that’s exactly the point—you see these kids walking around with a 4.0 GPA, yet they struggle with basic algebra or high school fundamentals. It's a bit absurd, I guess. But honestly, if someone actually puts in the work and earns a legitimate 4.0, their hard work shouldn't just vanish because of some entrance exam. That wouldn't be fair, maybe.
Sarah Hall53 said:It would’ve been perfect for us, honestly—but my parents would absolutely lose their minds, and then you’d have all those child advocacy groups breathing down our necks. Apparently, high-stakes testing is just too much stress for kids these days... cry me a river, I guess.
And let's be real, this isn't even stressful. We're talking about kids aged five to eight.
Just scrap the whole points system entirely—bring back entrance exams and call it a day. I suppose that would probably suit elementary school teachers just fine, too. No more parents breathing down their necks or staging some kind of crusade; just pure, unadulterated knowledge.
Back when I was in school, I used to walk—just on foot—every single day. My schedule was usually 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and it took me about fifteen minutes to get there. I didn't even receive my first official ID card until I actually got to college.
Susan James said:I mean... it's not really a big deal unless you're super picky about which shift you take... I don't quite recall if it's based on specific credits or if you just need to sit down and have a chat with the principal 🤔
🤷 Who knows when those single-shift teachers will finally get their own dedicated classrooms or be done hosting guests...
Regarding the CIA, I know for sure because I actually looked into how that school handles the first shift, they definitely need points, though the threshold is pretty low—around 60, I think—plus an interview with the principal. Generally, based on this forum and a few others, kids and parents seem pretty happy with that school. Though my kid isn't really interested in prep schools, so maybe we'll put them at number 6 on our list.
Susan James said:High schools usually host their own open houses, and they're the ones who organize the career fairs. Even last year, things were done over Zoom, but most people still found out through their middle schools.
In years past, middle schools used to host representatives from vocational programs. People from local trade associations would visit to talk about specific careers, the perks, and scholarships for high-demand fields. It’s possible that a school might send someone over specifically to recruit students if they're looking to boost their numbers. I actually heard that Toledo has been doing some heavy recruiting at middle schools lately, and now they have six applicants vying for a single spot in their entrance exams! 😲
Also, middle schools really should offer better professional guidance. Sometimes it's done as a group, but other times the counselor only reaches out to students with specific academic tracks or special needs since their enrollment process is different. But I guess that mostly applies to the eighth graders.
Mine has to go through professional orientation regardless because of her IEP, but she'd still love to attend those fairs and open houses. By the way, do you happen to know what that professional orientation actually looks like? Is it knowledge tests or more of an interview? Do they involve the parents? And does the assessment and opinion from the hospital staff where the evaluation was done—specifically regarding ongoing follow-ups—actually carry any weight?
A friend of mine mentioned that her kid’s seventh-grade class is supposed to have some kind of presentation in June regarding high school enrollment and admissions—basically a walkthrough of the different options. My daughter claims they haven't heard a single word about it yet. I suppose I'm wondering if this is just something handled by their specific principal—who is quite proactive, I guess—or if it's being organized at the district level. Does anyone happen to have any insight on this? Back before the pandemic hit, we used to have those middle school career fairs and dedicated open house days for the various high schools. It would be nice to see those brought back now that everything is finally back to normal.
wearybison8 said:The whole shower situation take swimmers, for example—I’m not sure if this applies to every other athlete, but if they have early morning training, then head to school, and then hit the pool again in the afternoon, when exactly would they have the chance to get home between that first session and their classes?
They don't exactly walk around smelling like sweat after a workout, but they definitely carry that distinct scent of chlorine. 😁
Exactly. A huge number of kids aren't even making it through the door between practice and school. If they do, they basically just grab a quick snack and grab their bags before rushing out again.
rowdypanther12 said:Do you think they don't head home after practice? Like, they just go straight to school soaked in sweat? 😵
Honestly, who cares about showering if they're short on time? I guess they could just relax a bit—grab some wet wipes, throw on some deodorant, and just get going.
At my club, we don't really do those late-night sessions—the evening slot is from 7:00 to 9:00 PM for the older group, which is the one I’m in. There are morning slots too, like 9:00 to 11:00 AM, but honestly, that's just a non-starter because if she has to head out for High School around 1:00 PM, when is she supposed to actually get her studying done? Back when I was in high school, I was never awake past 11:00 PM on weekdays—not even when my classes were in the afternoon. I was always exhausted and just needed sleep. It's kind of the same with my daughter; she’d love to stay up watching movies and all that, but if I turn everything off, she’s out like a light within three minutes . Regarding those specialized sports programs, if she signs up with the intention of joining one, there’s no backing out—it’s a commitment. I mean, look at how many kids enroll in MIT and then barely survive the workload. Some people end up dropping out, switching to something else, and they actually thrive. She’s been training for two years and she’s quite good—she's a real competitor. She probably won't make the Olympic team , but a dedicated sports track for student-athletes does have its advantages. Still, I agree, it's definitely something to weigh carefully.
In my old High School class—general studies track—we had this group of four athletes. They were stuck in the opposite shift for training every single day, and then obviously there were competitions all through the weekends. To be honest, they were the worst students in the room when it came to grades, but I don't think it was because they were lazy... it was more just that they physically couldn't handle everything at once. They were constantly running makeup exams, but somehow, against all odds, they managed to pull off a 3.5 or 3.6 GPA. I imagine it must have been incredibly stressful for them. In the end, though, everyone made it through college—one girl even landed a scholarship in the USA. That’s why I’d much rather have that first shift. It would be a total Jack pot if there were a dedicated sports track, but since she hasn't been able to compete in her sport for two years, the others will end up with higher points, which—naturally—doesn't work in her favor.