Real questions from parents and students, answered with honest advice and practical insights.
我们乐意回答来自家长和学生的提问，并给予诚恳的建议和实用的解决方案。
Course Selection 选课
How many APs does a student need for a top college | 需要修几门AP课才能上名校？
Dear Nancy, I’ve noticed that many high-achieving upperclassmen seem to have taken more than 10 AP courses by the time they apply to college. My child is more of an average student, and his current academic workload already feels quite heavy. At this rate, it doesn’t seem realistic for him to take that many APs. Realistically, how many AP courses should a high school student complete before application season? …
Nancy老师，你好！看高年级牛娃们好像都修了十多门AP课程，可我家孩子是普娃，目前的学习压力已经挺大了，看样子修不了那么多AP课程。在大学申请季之前，孩子应该考完几门AP课程合适？…
Extracurriculars 课外活动
Do music exam certificates matter for college admissions | 音乐考级证书对大学申请重要吗？
Dear Nancy, My children don’t enjoy practicing their instrument, and to be honest, I’m not sure they have much natural talent for it, but I hesitate to let them stop. When I see their peers passing exams like CM Level 10 or ABRSM Grade 8, I can’t help but worry that my children will fall behind. Do these music exam certificates matter for college applications? …
Nancy老师，你好！我的孩子不喜欢练琴，好像也没什么天分。但如果不练，看别家孩子都过了CM十级英皇八级，我又担心他们落后。音乐考级证书在大学申请时重要吗？…
School Selection 择校
Is a student in the wrong high school | 孩子是否选错了高中？
Dear Nancy, My child is at a well-known and competitive public school in California. He is smart, but not really a test-taking type of student. Should we consider transferring him to a less competitive public or private high school?…
Nancy老师，你好！我的孩子现在就读加州一所知名但竞争激烈的公立高中，非常聪明，但就不是考试型孩子，是不是需要转至其他不太卷的高中？…
Recommendation Letters 推荐信
Can teacher reputation affect college recommendations | 老师口碑会影响推荐信吗？
Dear Nancy, My child will be applying to college next year, and I understand that teacher recommendations play a big role in private college admissions. Since two of his core subject teachers this year have mixed reputations, I’m worried this could affect the quality of my child’s recommendations. Is there anything we can do in this situation?…
Nancy老师，你好！我的孩子明年申请大学了，听说私立大学很看重老师的推荐信。但我孩子这学年的两门核心课程的老师听说教得不好，我担心会影响到他们给孩子写的推荐信，怎么办呢？…
Study Habits 学习习惯
How can I get my child to enjoy reading? | 如何让孩子爱上阅读？
Dear Nancy, My fifth-grade child is very naughty and spends most of his free time on his phone playing games. He shows almost no interest in reading. I’ve tried urging him, but it doesn’t seem to work. What should I do?…
Nancy老师，你好！我的孩子现在五年级，很调皮，平时爱玩手机打游戏，不爱阅读。我也试着劝过他，但似乎没有效果。我该怎么办？…
Parenting 亲子关系
How do parents handle a child who talks back and shows no respect | 孩子顶嘴不尊重父母怎么办？
Dear Nancy, My son is in elementary school, but our biggest struggle right now is that he talks back and doesn’t seem to respect us as parents. We’ve tried scolding him, punishing him, and also sitting down to talk things through calmly, but nothing seems to make a lasting difference. He used to be a very sweet child when he was younger, so this change has been really hard for us to understand. Is there anything we can do to handle this better?…
Nancy老师，你好！我儿子现在小学， 目前最头痛的问题是顶嘴和不尊重家长。我们对他骂了罚了谈了也没有什么效果，而他小的时候很乖。不知有什么解决方案？…