I'm going to KILL someone!

[Essyne]

Okay - I am BEYOND frustrated. SATII scores are now available online, but I made my online account before I registered for the May tests, so my Collegeboard account doesn't recognize that I've taken the test (I registered for the test in the mail). Also, to further complicate matters, they messed up the spelling in my name when I registered for the SATII, so I had to correct it. . . I fixed it, but I'm n/s if this matters online when I enter the official registration number. . . .

I can't make a new account, because I already have one, but I can't view my scores because I registered via mail. . . . any help?? . . . at all???

[rebby]

give up?






forget it?






do some thing else?







make a new email address so that you can use your old one but use this one so that this thingy can work?

[Essyne]

erg - I've tried EVERYTHING for the last many hours. . .

I guess I'll just go ahead and wait for the results to come in the mail.

*slumps away*

Thanks for putting up with my ranting  .

~Essy~

[Bob]

If you cut a hole in the floor and make a little ramp it makes it *soooo* much easier to slide the bodies out that way.  Let gravity do the work for you.






[And yes, that was a joke.]

[indutrial]

Okay - I am BEYOND frustrated. SATII scores are now available online, but I made my online account before I registered for the May tests, so my Collegeboard account doesn't recognize that I've taken the test (I registered for the test in the mail). Also, to further complicate matters, they messed up the spelling in my name when I registered for the SATII, so I had to correct it. . . I fixed it, but I'm n/s if this matters online when I enter the official registration number. . . .

I can't make a new account, because I already have one, but I can't view my scores because I registered via mail. . . . any help?? . . . at all???

I took 3 SAT II's when I was a senior in high school. To this day, I'm dead certain that they had absolutely nothing to do with getting into college, since plenty of dumbshits I graduated with took none (in addition to getting worse SAT I scores than me) and ended up at the same college I attended. The real deal when I was in high school were the AP exams, since they could earn you the otherwise super-expensive college credits and get you out of horribly-crowded first-year college courses like "Intro to Expository Writing" or "American History I." Even my music theory AP grade earned me 3 credits, even though I didn't study music in college at all. Since the SAT II's give you nothing at all, I wonder what the point of them is...although I've been out of high school for a while and I'm sure the meritocracy's requirements for getting into college are all the more needle-dicked now.

[Bob]

It's part of the process.  They need some way to sort people out and it reduces things down to just numbers.  I imagine someone must be denied entrance due to their test scores. 

That and GPA. 

From what I understand, it's just a math formula.  And then for music, if those people want you, they can get you into the music department.  But you have to get into the school in general first though.

Plus, those testing services are making big bucks off everyone.  Everyone who wants to go to college pretty much HAS to take those tests.  Think of how much money that would be.. compared to what it would cost to pay someone to just come up with questions, test it out, administer the test, grade them.  I've heard it's just business.

[pies]

a

[Essyne]

From what I understand, it's just a math formula.  And then for music, if those people want you, they can get you into the music department.  But you have to get into the school in general first though.

Yep - and when you want to go Ivy - the SATII's are required. For Music majors, you just pick any two that you want. I know I aced the Literature, but would like to know about the US History.

AP is not so much of a big deal, as one's admissions don't really RELY on it unless one just DIDN'T TAKE the AP Exam - then it just demonstrates a "lack of commitment." So, essentially, if you take the AP course, you are suckered into the exam (and bigger schools don't really even count credit unless you practically ACE the thing. . . so you're essentially just paying 60 bucks a pop to make yourself look good when actually getting into the Music Dept. at your ideal school is a crap shoot).

^ lol - much repressed emotion there, no?

[Essyne]

And then for music, if those people want you, they can get you into the music department.

Well - when only 4-6 undergrads (more 4ish) are being accepted per year for vocal performance and you are a Soprano. . . you'd better take EVERY test that you can and you'd better ACE it. . . they have to weed out the thousands of applicants who come through their doors somehow, and they believe that if you're not 100% Dedicated to your Academics then you must not be 100% Dedicated to your Music - makes sense, but just adds more stress on my part.












. . .







Would be nice to know those scores *shakes fist and looks toward the heavens*

[indutrial]

Yep - and when you want to go Ivy - the SATII's are required. For Music majors, you just pick any two that you want. I know I aced the Literature, but would like to know about the US History.

No offense, but F**K Ivy schools. It's beyond why anyone who's not a football jock or a rich "old guard" brat would feel it necessary to attend one of those when so many other state schools and less-prestigious private schools have come around so much more. I went to Rutgers, which is a school that is always held up to against the image of the pretentious Ivy league university of Princeton (which is less than 20 miles away), and it's pretty obvious that the much-maligned Rutgers has far more to offer. Schools like Princeton are only better if the student somehow feels the need to be pampered for four more years by a college that is completely disconnected from reality. I've actually worked in and around that school and the people are in a complete dream land. Not to mention, the arts and music cultures around there are severely lacking, especially since it touts itself as a place that's supposed to be at the forefront of intellectual communities worldwide. It's nothing but a big-assed prep school with a bunch of coffee houses, overpriced bistros, and incredibly-overpriced clothing stores.

[Bob]

I kind of thought they just wanted to weed out the people who didn't take school seriously or really couldn't cut it in a general class.  They don't want a music major bailing out on them due to failing a gen ed.  Although I do think that is weeding out certain types of students though too.  Not eveyone is going to be a great students, but might still be a decent musician.  Still, that's how things are set up.

[Petter]

Please donīt kill me. 

[thalbergmad]

No offense, but F**K Ivy schools. It's beyond why anyone who's not a football jock or a rich "old guard" brat would feel it necessary to attend one of those when so many other state schools and less-prestigious private schools have come around so much more.

She might be a football jock.

Thal

[pmz310]

umm....slit your wrists?    haha just kiddin

[Bob]

I had another thought about the Ivy school situation.

Everybody knows it.  It's the prestige thing.  It might not be the best or it might be equaled by others, but it's still that school and people recognize it. 

And then the people who go to that school might the "most likely to suceed later" crowd, so the connection you make at a school like that could benefit you in the future.

So maybe it's overpriced and not THE best, but it's the name recognition and connections that you can take away from it.

[Essyne]

All that I am going to have in this Field is my Name, my Reputation, and my Talent. The Ivy situation builds the first two, and the fact that the professors are nothing BUT incredible hones the latter. I have already had the phenomenal opportunity to work with them and to observe their work. It's none other than Mastery at her finest. It's a win-win situation, unless, of course, I don't get in. But, if by some chance that DOES happen, then the professors at this School will see me four times for the next 8+ years at every audition that they hold.

[chopininov]

They have 2 sat's?

[Bob]

I think they revised it, adding a writing section.  That was a big deal a few years ago.

[Essyne]

SAT II's are the new SAT Subject Tests - Lots of colleges (well, the bigger schools) require you to take specialized tests in your field (ie - my friends who want to be Engineers take the Math II SAT II or the Physics SAT II) - Being a Vocal Performance Major, I just choose whichever test I would like to take - it's just a formality.

The writing section that you're talking about Bob is when a couple of years ago they took out all analogies and put in a writing section - just an essay - really really easy.

[dnephi]

I read in a Science article that standardized tests are more accurate predictors of graduate and career success than any other factor, including GPA.

They're not insignificant.  They mean a lot.

[Bob]

The writing section that you're talking about Bob is when a couple of years ago they took out all analogies and put in a writing section - just an essay - really really easy.

But difficult to grade objectively.  I remember hearing that about the big controversy.  Actually I think it would be a lot like a music performance in terms of trying to stick a number on it.

[Essyne]

But AWESOME for people who love to write - especially the fact that it's a defend/challenge thing - 100% raw opinion - they're not really judging CONTENT, but judging your rhetoric/syntactical structure - they just need a writing sample/something for you to actually write ABOUT.

[indutrial]

I read in a Science article that standardized tests are more accurate predictors of graduate and career success than any other factor, including GPA.

They're not insignificant.  They mean a lot.

I've worked in a couple of jobs that demanded higher academic requirements from certain employees (B.S. in chemistry, biology) and a great deal of those individuals were absolutely horrifying co-workers. As soon as the standardized tests and multiple choice exams dried up, they woke up one morning and had real jobs. Of course, that change would do nothing to stop them from "cheating" on their work assignments and being just as selfish and pushy as they were in college. It would be good if the education process that produces those type of squirrelly and vampiric individuals put just a little emphasis on things like ethics in the workplace and basic social communication before it declared them fit to work in science labs with other employees. I'm not trying to sound anti-academic here, but these were truly people who had spent their whole lives studying and taking practice tests instead of taking on part-time jobs and developing social tact via interactions with real people.

[Essyne]

Have any of you taken the AP Music Theory Exam? We don't have any Music Theory classes at my high school, but I'm sure that I can do fine on it if I just brush up on my theory skills. . . what caliber of theory are we talking here?

[indutrial]

Have any of you taken the AP Music Theory Exam? We don't have any Music Theory classes at my high school, but I'm sure that I can do fine on it if I just brush up on my theory skills. . . what caliber of theory are we talking here?

I actually took that in high school and was one of the only losers who scored a fiver on it. The test is not that tough. You have to learn a bunch of musical terminology about dynamics, theory, etc.., including things like hemiola and apoggiatura (spelling fortunate doesn't factor in). There are a few listening sections where you'll possibly have to rewrite a melody you hear or answer some multiple choice questions about a piece of music played. I think there was also a small transposition passage. You also have to do some four-part chorale arranging on a short melody...I think. Lastly, and this must be hilarious for the graders, there is a sight-singing section that you have to record in the company of the test proctor (fortunately the class has to do this one at a time).

I never took music theory in college but supposedly the AP exam conforms with either the first or the first-and-second semesters of a standard theory (Theory I at Rutgers) regimen. The AP exam is not a test that you should try to cram for in one week. A lot of kids in my class were really good performers/singers/players, but the theory test ended up kicking their ass because they thought that playing experience alone would glide them through it and they treated the class like it was just another music elective like chorus or jazz band.

[Essyne]

Thanks.

[Essyne]

I'm going to go purchase some textbooks to prepare for it over the summer (and just because it gives me an excuse to purchase some theory textbooks  ). . . .

What do you think of this one? Any recommendations?

https://www.amazon.com/Tonal-Harmony-Cds-Stefan-Kostka/dp/007365373X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_k2a_2_img/104-3054557-7646357?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-2&pf_rd_r=0C245ZVC3ZAZS2DFSSE7&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=304485601&pf_rd_i=0072415703

[Bob]

I've heard of the authors, but I don't think I've actually used that book.

Just don't get too bogged down in it.  I went back and reread a theory book after I had taken several classes.  It's just so detailed.  I spent a lot of time deciphering a simple idea.  I remember thinking it was like reading in detail about how to replace a lightbulb.  Simple, but lots of detail in the reading.

[indutrial]

Just don't get too bogged down in it.  I went back and reread a theory book after I had taken several classes.  It's just so detailed.  I spent a lot of time deciphering a simple idea.  I remember thinking it was like reading in detail about how to replace a lightbulb.  Simple, but lots of detail in the reading.

I don't even recall using a textbook for the AP class I took since the music department at my school barely had the funding to offer the class at all. If your goal is to nail the test, look for a recent college textbook/workbook that dispenses with the heavy details and simply focuses on imparting the essential parts of the material. There will be plenty of time in the future to let one's self get bogged down in an exhaustive textbook. At the end of the day, it's a test and it costs money (80-100 bucks when I took it). I've always found that the environment of classes and standardized tests simply requires that students be good test-takers and not necessarily dedicated students. This reminds me of how, after taking two ball-breakingly hard semesters of calculus in college, I still wasn't really sure about what the bloody hell an integral did. After the class was over, I picked up a much more difficult, detailed book on the subject (Apostol's textbook) and everything made a lot more sense...probably because the book explained its concepts instead of just showing you an example and firing off 100 problems at you (odd answers in the back of the book!) That's kind of the way the stupid AP music exam worked. Two weeks after the test, I was already losing touch with any skill I might have developed for writing four-part chorales.

[Bob]

Hmmm... The theory books don't really explain why chords work they way they do.  They just tell which notes are supposed to move where.

That's for a chord theory book.  There are other ones on form and things.  A lot of that is just identifying things though really. 

[rc]

All that I am going to have in this Field is my Name, my Reputation, and my Talent. The Ivy situation builds the first two, and the fact that the professors are nothing BUT incredible hones the latter.

I can't say much about Ivy, having never tasted it or even had a whiff...  But I'm pretty sure that Name and Reputation comes from Talent.

So I believe that the best reason for an education is to develop the Talent, and the idea of getting a reputation from a school seems misguided.  It's also a concern of mine what kind of crowd is found at a school, as I wouldn't want to be surrounded by the influence of a poisonous student-culture.  You seem to be in it for the great professors though...  I just think "school = name and reputation" is wasted energy that could be better focused on Talent.

[Essyne]

You seem to be in it for the great professors though...  I just think "school = name and reputation" is wasted energy that could be better focused on Talent.

Yeah. Lol, that's what I meant (ie the incredible professors only hone the Talent, and the Ivy situation is really good Academically), but looking back, I completely mussed up the wording.

Sorry, some times I get a little carried away. . .   .

[communist]

if your going to kill someone meet me inside the park after class 

[Essyne]

I'm sorry, but I don't associate myself with (sneers) communists.

 .

[Essyne]

Lol - just in case anyone cares. . .  .

Completely aced the Lit (what did I tell you?!  ), and, erm . . . will be retaking US History come Fall. . . .

SAT I's were today, btw. . . 3.5 hours later, I think I emerged victorious  .

[pianochick93]

Lol - just in case anyone cares. . .  .

Completely aced the Lit (what did I tell you?!  ), and, erm . . . will be retaking US History come Fall. . . .

SAT I's were today, btw. . . 3.5 hours later, I think I emerged victorious  .

Congrats on the Lit, and good luck for next Autumn.

[Bob]

   Wha....?  What body?   

Oh.... Hello there.   (Bob turns toward you with a large, long heavy object wrapped up in black plastic bags slung over his shoulder.)

This probably looks pretty bad.  I'm sure there's a good explanation for this... and... ... as soon as I think of it, I'll let know.

(Bob shuffles over with the heavy weight of the black bag over his shoulder.)  Night.   (Tips hat.)

[pies]

I don't know of too many people that took the SATII for USH.. why not just do the AP test?

[pmz310]

I'm sorry, but I don't associate myself with (sneers) communists.

 .

hahahaha, Essyne sometimes you make me laugh

[Essyne]

I don't know of too many people that took the SATII for USH.. why not just do the AP test?

I took both. Music majors still have to take the SATII's to get in to the school, so I decided to do what I was taking AP in at the time (the tests were only a week apart).

Whomever stated that the SATII is USH is harder than the AP test is l.y.i.n.g.! (In Lit, I'd completely agree, but USH was not the case, judging by my, erm, 54 percentile    ). <-- yeah, that bad. . . and I'm the kid w/ the 4.0+ GPA. . . ugh. . . (but taking it next year will wipe out that, erm, detracting factor off of my application) Frankly, SATII USH is a beast - well, it was for me - lots of little tidbits of random info whereas AP is just broader concepts - and don't waste your time. You'll only find out that your Uni of choice changes the application requirements to where you can take the ACT w/ writing instead of all of this SAT/SATII nonsense right after you're stuck taking the test. . . harsh. . ..