Parents of the HS Class of 2013 - Page 497

laurendog · 06-09-2012, 06:13 PM

Thanks terinzak! Step-D will have just ended her summer camp experience so we can look at them with her for the first time this year........wait.....does this make me more or less nervous........i'm not sure!

CBGMass · 06-09-2012, 06:15 PM

Laurendog - I believe ACT test scores are back on the 25th. Two weeks of waiting.

Now I have a teenager gripe. S has a first choice school and talks about it all the time. Here is the problem. I want him to apply ED so we have this whole admission thing out of the way. He wants to apply to "lots" of schools to see what schools he can get into. I think this is playing with fire. He is a 4.0 (unweighted) top 1% class rank, and pretty good ACT. I'm so afraid he will be one of the 4.0 kids that gets rejected everywhere. I say go with the safe bet that has a very high ED acceptance and he is in the top 25%. He wants to take a chance and "live a little". Not sure I'm going to enjoy this process.

BTW - he loved the University of Chicago essay prompts. He is already spouting off one for the arch nemesis prompt.

laurendog · 06-09-2012, 06:26 PM

CBG - thanks for the ACT "due date" ha ha and....if you want my 2 cents, definitely have your DS apply ED if he's 100 percent sure he wants that school. I do think it helps to show as much love to your clear #1 as possible. Now, if he's conflicted about going there, then that's another story.

Youdon'tsay · 06-09-2012, 06:30 PM

CBG, as long as he understands the consequences, I say let him forgo the ED school. *ducking in case CBG comes out swinging*

It sounds like he doesn't want to commit this early, and I wouldn't make him. He won't be one of those kids who gets rejected everywhere IF you make a reasonable list of reaches, matches and safeties. Ds1 had an early favorite and was willing to go binding there but got WL'd. I can't even imagine him there now. Still a great school that we love (and to which ds2 will apply), but ds1 is sooo happy as his current school. I'm glad that he's where he is.

But I can understand how frustrating it is to think you could have been one and done and now there's the potential for chaos!!!

sacchi · 06-09-2012, 06:35 PM

Am I the only one who thought of Dr. Horrible when they read the arch-nemesis prompt? Can I respond to that one? Don't think I would want to go to U. Chicago though, and certainly D would not. Even apart from it being much too selective, I once mentioned the "where fun goes to die" thing, and she was like "I wouldn't want to go there..."

wherenext · 06-09-2012, 06:46 PM

Hi guys,

Hope all the testing went well today! DD is outside with a study group working on a Great Gatsby play type final. Lots of talk about music and Batman, hummm...wonder if Daisy has a crush on him? Can we say tangents!!!

I am glad you liked the Wellsley Speech. Do you guys remember the Class of 1999 one? I get chills when I hear that song and it is soooo true you "need your friends from when you were young, when you get older". This is the site but I am not sure if I am attaching it right. It is on Utube. Class Of 99; Wear Sunscreen - YouTube.

Sleepovers: We call the day after any (none coed yet) sleepover SLEEPOVER HANGOVER, usually ends in two days.

Thanks Geogirl- I have printed your spreadsheet and added ACT, ACT writing and location region. Love it!

Laurendog-it sounds beautiful in West NC!

Got another cross country kid here. I love it! I am also a former Marathon runner too. Now just a 25-30 mile per week girl. DS hates running with me, I am slow but keep going and going, he is the hare and I am the tortoise (skin and all) and it bugs him!

tootiredtocare · 06-09-2012, 06:47 PM

CBG: Agree with others; ED definitely increases S's chances of admission. But since it is binding you all need to be sure that he is ready to commit & that you are ready to pay (since you may or may not receive $$ and your definition of ability to pay & the college's definition may not be the same). However, with a 4.0 top 1% with decent test scores, I'm sure you can find a few excellent safety choices & maybe some more reach schools, too. (since all the elite schools are reaches for just about everyone these days).

Also, size matters. Niece with top grades and excellent scores from outstanding college prep school applied to 4 schools a few years ago. None of the schools had more than 1500 students. She was accepted to one; wait listed at one (where she did eventually get in) and was rejected at 2. Her sister learned the lesson & applied to 10 schools, especially since her test scores were not quite as high. Admitted to 9...Who can say?

Thanks for the advice on the co-ed sleepover. DS13 is my first but my 3rd is my only girl so while I'm sure I will be worn down on some things, not sure about the co-ed sleepover. We ended up with just the boys here. DS is now taking a nap on the couch!

tx5athome · 06-09-2012, 07:01 PM

ACT: S3 says it was "fine". Says the essay topic threw him a little.

CBG: If he doesn't want to do ED, I would not push it. My niece had a #1, that was all she talked about, got in ED, but then in April when everyone was "choosing", she started second-guessing her choice. By August she was positive she didn't want to go there, and was researching how to transfer. She went, she loves it, and I am not saying that would happen to you, (my niece is a bit dramatic), but sometimes picking something, rather it being your only choice, might be better. Of course, I agree with you, how nice would it be to be done early!!

SteveMA · 06-09-2012, 07:21 PM

CBGMass-Is Early Action an option (non-binding), still shows interest yet leaves the door open for other options if they come in with better merit aid or whatever. How selective is this #1?

CBGMass · 06-09-2012, 08:19 PM

SteveMa - school doesn't have EA. Top 20 school with a 35% ED acceptance about half of that RD. ED is not sports, etc. They love kids who love the school so ED is much higher.

I think when all is said and done he would choose this school over any other that he applies to but he just wants to see where he can get accepted. Writing 10 or 12 essays isn't a big deal for him because he enjoys it.

Major problem is that we don't have any real safeties that he would like to go to. If he had a fall back school I wouldn't worry so much. I also realize that there are no guarantees with the ED but after talking with the admissions officer we feel really good about the school. As far as financially we understand the ED issue. School is a meets need school and we can swing what the calculators says. Also, from all that I have read their calculator seems to estimate high.

There are schools that S loves but none that has captured his heart like this one. Just a week ago he was all set for ED. Today he wants to test the waters. I guess I'll just ride the wave and spend some time in the basement. Drink anyone?

Youdon'tsay · 06-09-2012, 08:30 PM

Maybe he'll change his mind again.

Walker1194 · 06-09-2012, 08:43 PM

Basement is open for bidness...

DD13b was working today and was paired with a new girl. They got to talking and the girl is a soph at Vandy. D immediately set about finding out her stats for her sister. Turns out this kid made the same ACT score as my DD13a, similar GPA (my D was a little better) and similar ECs. This kid got a full ride. I hope my D can get the same

. She loved Vandy. It would be her #1 if not for the cost. We shall see.

I have mice in my basement. We live in the country. I'm allergic to cats so I can't get a mouser. My Rottweilers apparently don't think mice are worth chasing. I may hand everybody a drink and a trap at the door to my basement. I'm glad mice don't like booze but they have a distinct fondness for my chips. Why did I buy this house with 3 acres? I have no clue... Moment of insanity.

anniezz · 06-09-2012, 08:47 PM

Hi 13'ers!
I hope that all the test-takers have recovered, and that everyone did even better than they think!
DD thought it went well, so fingers crossed! She's very optimistic about tests, which is great.

Laurendog, glad that your SD has such a great place to spend her summer!

STEMfamily, Austria sounds like a great opportunity! I'm glad that you were able to rule out some things with the bloodwork. I hope that the sleep study gives some answers (or that this resolves for your DD.)

CBG, that's stressful trying to sort out the ED. Maybe a talk with the GC? If she could, I know my DD would apply ED to her first choice - she hates the idea of applying to so many schools and she wants it done with!
But there are downsides. My DS applied and decided by mid-December and he was 100% thrilled. But by March and April, when everyone else was hearing from all their schools, he was second guessing his choice. He is happy with it so far (I hope!) but there's always a little "buyer's remorse."

socialdramamama · 06-09-2012, 09:33 PM

CGBMass- DS11 went to Boy's State kicking & screaming but loved it & became a senator. He got the American Legion scholarship & used Boy's State on all college applications. It was the best thing I ever pushed him into!
Walker- Keep us laughing all the way through this!
Bernese:- NO &^%*(%#$#@@ SAT SCORES YET! (From May 5th test for those who don't know!)
DD took ACT Said she feels that she did well but if asked to pick she prefers SAT
Lucky 13s, this will be an interesting year!

fredricksdottir · 06-09-2012, 09:49 PM

socialdramama, I'm sorry that you STILL haven't heard about the May 5th SAT. So frustrating. Can you call them?

CGBMass, it is nice to have everything over in December, speaking from experience, but I can also see where a kid could wonder about the 'might have beens'. We were lucky that S'12 became more and more sure that he had made the right decision, especially when he started interacting with the other members of the class of 2016 on FB. No easy answer here.