<p>@mmmcats maybe it has to do with the colleges we ranked interests for at the end of the scholarship application? I remember doing that at the last minute and checked “not interested” for Wesleyan, and I didn’t get the email either.</p>
<p>I got the emails from Wesleyan and Vassar too!
The Wesleyan one was alright but I don’t think I can make any of their open houses in the fall because it’s on school days…</p>
<p>The Vassar one was more personalized and it actually had my name, what I wanted to major in, a lot more information, and a personal email address to the assistant director of admissions.</p>
<p>I’ve gotten a good amount of mail from various partner colleges as well, but I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on it. Keep in mind that all of these colleges want to make money, and sending out “junk mail” is essentially just an advertisement. It’s not personalized, they just copy and paste names on each of the thousands of emails they send out each day, and maybe a paragraph about whatever major you said you were interested in.
The fact that they send you mail doesn’t mean that you would be a good match for them, or that you have the stats needed to get in. The “prestige” of colleges seems to be measured in part by how many applicants they reject each year, and as such, they’ll be happy to contact prospective applicants who really have hardly any chances of being accepted.</p>
<p>Yeah, QuestBridge just took all of our college interests and signed us up for their newsletter things. I’ve never been to the Wesleyan website, and they emailed me thanking me for signing up for information.</p>
<p>I’ve received the Wesleyan email and the Window on Williams one and I’m definitely applying for each because if I don’t get these I won’t be doing any college visits at all…and everyone says that’s important. I need more safeties anyway; I think I’m aiming a little too high. I can’t wait for Yale…OMG…2 weeks! I’m so excited 
I’m so sorry grammargirl about your mom…that’s awful. But you seem to be being very mature about not being able to go and that is soooo admirable. Chin up :)</p>
<p>@Butters (This is just for you):</p>
<p>I went to Oxford on scholarship for a month last summer to take medical science classes. It was AMAZING. I know you’re going to be super busy with your research but there are some things you have to do:</p>
<ol>
<li>Take 18 billion pictures of EVERYTHING. I mean, take pictures of things that don’t seem like they would justify pics…brick wall…Cornmarket St…a British McDonalds…you will treasure these 6 months from now. It’ll remind you of memories you had in those places, even if the objects themselves weren’t necessarily picture worthy at the time. </li>
<li>Use a phone booth. Not one on Cornmarket because those aren’t the classic kind. I mean, the real red traditional-looking ones. They smell bad and they’re hot but it’s an experience.</li>
<li>Buy multiple Oxford sweatshirts. Yes, they’re expensive, touristy, and extremely plentiful when you’re there. But when you return to the states you can’t get one anywhere and it sure is nice to have the ones that seemed so silly then. Even better, buy a windbreaker/raincoat thing…I wear mine every day.</li>
<li>Always carry an umbrella. Even when it’s sunny and 80 degrees and you’re just going down to Boots for something. BRING IT. It starts raining in an instant and the rain is ridiculously heavy. </li>
<li>Go on college tours. Oxford is, as you probably know, divided into many “colleges”, each with a dining hall, seperate dorms and professors. Visit as many as you can; they are all unique in some way. New College is beautiful, as is Christ Church.</li>
<li>Speaking of Christ Church…make a point of listening to the bells every night, a little after 9. You’ll long for that sound when you return.</li>
<li>Shop for your own groceries and eat out only every once in a while. There’s something so much more exciting about buying strawberries in Oxford than the U.S.</li>
<li>Go to Mr. Simms Candy Store…amazing stuff if you’ve got a sweet tooth…right down on High St.</li>
<li>Go punting…a once-in-a-lifetime experience.</li>
<li>Take a day to just walk…walk all the way out of Oxford. As far east as you can go towards Cowley. The walk is beautiful and you meet so many interesting people in the shops and restaurants outside the city centre.</li>
<li>Buy every silly souvenir you see…you’ll love them later.</li>
<li>Visit the Sheldonian and the Bod. Definitely worth it.</li>
<li>Go for a walk in Christ Church Meadow. </li>
<li>Be alone sometimes, but make memories with other people too. Don’t be afraid to branch out and talk to people…they may have funky accents but they’re really friendly!</li>
<li>Go to Evensong. Just don’t try to go on a Thursday, because that’s when they have Mass and it’s very easy to feel out of place…particularly once you find that you have to be baptized to take communion…and you’re the only one in the room that isn’t.</li>
<li>Eat Indian food. Doesn’t matter if you don’t like Indian food; you will when you leave Oxford.</li>
<li>Don’t waste money on the Oxford Castle tour, though if you get a chance, leave Oxford and visit a real castle.</li>
<li>Let yourself adjust to the changes in atmospheric pressure and time zones…your body might ache for a few days but you’ll be ok.</li>
<li>Eat Starburst. They’re different in Oxford. Skittles too! They don’t have grape flavored things there! It’s called blackcurrant and it’s a totally different experience! Lol</li>
<li>Laugh a lot. Take advantage of every opportunity. Go on every silly tour you can (except Oxford Castle). Buy souvenirs. Make new friends. Visit every store (especially Blackwell’s!). Get a library card–it’s useful and fun to have later. Cry when you have to leave but know that you’ll be back someday. Enjoy your trip Butters :)</li>
</ol>
<p>P.S. I’m sorry to every else that this didn’t apply to! :P</p>
<p>I got the Wesleyan one. I probably will not pursue it though.</p>
<p>@drumwriter22 College visits are important because if you go to an out-of-state school, this is where you will live for at least the next four years, and you have to feel comfortable in that environment. I can only visit my top two schools because all of my schools are at least three hours away, and it gets expensive. I suggest going to the other schools’ websites and looking for videos so that you can see the campus–don’t only look at the campus tour videos because I’ve noticed that although (obviously) those videos are the most helpful, sometimes other videos show other parts of campus that you wouldn’t ordinarily see during a tour. Also, try YouTube! Sometimes students upload videos, as well, and you can get another glimpse onto campus. The last thing you want is an unwelcome surprise during orientation that will ruin the next four years!</p>
<p>My mom is doing fine-just some minor complications that are causing her to stay in the hospital for an extra day.</p>
<p>Yo guys is this a waste of time? (those of you who went to conference at stanford?) I don’t wanna drag my mom out to connecitcut for no reason and have her pay for mad gas and all that jazz. Like, is this information I could easily google? (I’m going to Yale june 18)</p>
<p>connecticut *</p>
<p>@grammargirl94
I just read the old posts of everyone, and I saw why you couldn’t go to the conference. Even though I posted a question kind of in the middle of the conversation about your mom’s surgery, I only read Butters1’s post about the conference before asking the question. I genuinely hope that your mom’s surgery went well despite the minor complications and that all is well with your family.</p>
<p>Thank you, filledekz and to everyone else giving my family and me well wishes. I just got home from visiting her, and she’s doing well and is in good spirits. We should be able to bring her home tomorrow afternoon or evening if her recovery stays on track. My father and I have already decorated her room with balloons and stuffed animals, so I hope she comes home before my kitten discovers them and pops or steals all of the balloons!!</p>
<p>I’m glad to hear that your mom’s coming home
Wish her the best recovery!</p>
<p>MM, we have not received any correspondence either-except from Washington and Lee (which is D’s first choice)</p>
<p>Hey everyone:) So I’m super excited for the Yale conference coming up this weekend and I can’t wait to see everyone who’s going!! For those who went to the Stanford conference, or are going to the Yale conference, and know what exactly would be appropriate dress please let me know! Is it like jeans and a t-shirt or dressy casual with a skirt and a nice top?</p>
<p>I’m going to wear a summer dress, not formal but just above casual. I get the feeling anything goes but wearing a dress is just my personal take. I think you’ll be fine no matter what you decide because there will be so many kids there that someone will be dressed like you no matter what. I can’t wait!</p>
<p>Okay thanks so much @drumwriter22! I’m super excited too, as you can probably tell from my previous post lol</p>
<p>No problem maybe I’ll meet you in 4 days! I started packing today! Ah! I’m one of those people who packs way in advance and then everything I need is missing for several days before a trip because its already in a bag :P</p>
<p>Yeah that’d be cool I’m all up for meeting new people. I haven’t started packing at all and I still have no idea what i’ll be wearing to the conference! At least you’ll be prepared and not freaking out at the last minute like me lol</p>
<p>For those who live far away, how long are you staying in New England for? It seems so exciting to be packing for a big trip. I just have to sit in the car for an hour and a half, haha. It seems like a good opportunity for a bunch of college visits. </p>
<p>Also, um, has anyone else not taken finals yet? Because I have my first tomorrow- honors precalc. It’s not looking very good.</p>