Colleges for the Jewish "B" student (Part 1)

Parents Forum
9061

<p>Good comments on the character count - we encountered that issue already with the USC app - it did not specify a character count when he answered certain questions - so he wrote 5-6 sentences - this was the section on ECs. Then - just like you said - he would try to save and go on to the next page - and would get an error message that his response exceeded the character limit. He had to keep going back and trimming and trying again to move forward - took several attempts because there was no character count on the actual page - a little annoying.</p>

<p>Elon app - well I’ll just approach it from the standpoint that they are not trying to make it fast and easy a la Tulane - they are not in the hunt for the largest number of apps - rather - they want applicants who are willing to spend the time on the app and therefore are truly interested in the school. He’ll just proceed slowly with that one.</p>

9062

<p>LOL, Rodney, maybe your D’s friends who did it quickly without much thought took Elon at its word, thought fast and answered. Or perhaps thought it was part of the “honor code” that they follow the prompt.</p>

<p>We didn’t take that approach either.</p>

9063

<p>phillyartmom- I hear you. My D is the master of all kinds of eye rolling and nasty looks. I have trouble convincing her that she does not have to spend every free moment with her BF. I am the evil mom for suggesting that she might set aside just one hour this week to finish the first draft of her essay. </p>

<p>RVM- kudos to you. Tell us what your secret is!!</p>

9064

<p>pamom - I am relentless! DH and S2 know all too well that when I have something on my mind - there is no deterring me. DH has at times compared me to a rottweiler! I am reading the Amy Chua book at the moment - “Tiger Mom” - I had glanced through it previously but never had a chance to read it from cover to cover - and I have moments when I chuckle and “get” her determination. So - I think S2 knows it is just easier to meet the goals I have set for him as far as getting apps submitted before school starts. He also witnessed the crazy that was S1’s process - including trying to whip out 4 apps in the latter half of December - and does not want to repeat that horrific experience.</p>

9065

<p>For s2 Apply Texas isn’t on line yet. S2 is an avodah at camp this summer but the program allowed for a break. One of the conditions of his going to camp this summer was that he get after it in the time he is home. Last week was pretty intense as he did two college visits and wrote 3 essay first drafts and revised his resume according to one of the college advisors instructions. It was an intense week. I did wonder if it was easier to get his engine running during this one week break than it would have been if he were home the entire time. But he really does need to get this done early, getting into his choice of majors depends on it and he knows that. The ap comes online 8/1 and he gets home 8/3 so hopefully he will hit the ground running when he returns.</p>

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<p>Sounds like a plan! I just figure that everything that gets done during the summer is less he has to do during the busy fall. Easier for everyone in the long run.</p>

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<p>^^I like the way you think, RVM! Hopefully your son will be thanking you when he has some early acceptances in hand and he is not scrambling in the 11th hour to finish applications.</p>

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<p>Thanking me! That would be something. I’d settle for less eye rolling. But yes - I do hope he understand that everything I do is to ensure a smoother and more successful process for him - and fewer gray hairs for me. I find that every time something good happens - the improved ACT score - the good AP score - he gains self confidence and seems happier - so yes - some acceptances this fall would be a great reward.</p>

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<p>phillyartmom - other than the coming home from Italy part, I thought I had written your post! Yes, teenage girls can be nasty! Of course my D doesn’t see it that way. </p>

<p>We have another 1 1/2 weeks before D’s summer programs are over. I have started to put her to do list together. I am sure she will thank me :slight_smile: (very heavy sarcasm). I need to finish up the college spreadsheet with deadlines and then sit with her when she gets home to prioritize the order of her applications. </p>

<p>She has homework for 2 AP classes, needs to finish her common ap essay, start her resume, and study for the Sept. ACT. Should be fun times around here in August. Oh, and my daughter is a huge procrastinater.</p>

<p>Rockvillemom - I am very impressed and what you have gotten your S to do. Want to adopt a daughter who is just lovely towards everyone but her dear mom! LOL!</p>

9070

<p>After reading these posts about starting the apps. I cannot believe it’s been a whole year already that we went through the app. process! :slight_smile: Yikes. And I thought Junior year was tough.</p>

<p>What we did, pamom, is that my S worked and played for the first half of the summer and by Aug. 1st he was ready to do apps. almost exclusively. He concentrated on his “main one” first. He applied ED to one school. It took him awhile to perfect his answers and essays. Once he finished the main one, and it took several weeks, then the others were easier to fill out. He applied in Sept. to ED school, and a few more between Sept. and Oct. We heard back from ED school on Dec. 1st…yes. So of a list of 10, we had filled out and sent in 4 or 5 and the rest were easier to fill out if ED school didn’t come through since that one was the most detailed of essays.</p>

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<p>Oops. I meant we heard back from ED school on Dec. 10th.</p>

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<p>Not to be obstreperous, RVM, but…what happens when he goes off to school and doesn’t have Mom reminding and pushing him about those four papers due at the end of the semester?</p>

<p>I hope you are not going to say…</p>

<p>no I won’t even entertain the thought.</p>

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<p>mhc - I actually have very little involvement in his day to day homework, papers, projects during the school year. I don’t proofread papers - I don’t quiz him for tests - I don’t nag him about due dates and deadlines - he really is quite independent. But he has the structure of going to school every day and having due dates for various assignments given by teachers. </p>

<p>For the college process - there really is no comparable structure and I think the scope of the process is overwhelming for a 16-year-old going through this for what is obviously the first time. So - I act as project manager and give him a weekly goal/task and then let him determine exactly when to complete it. Now that he has submitted 2 apps - he has a break until the Common App is up August 1 - and then he will do the next 2. I think my breaking down this daunting project into smaller, more manageable pieces is a workable approach and he can focus on the quality of the applications and let me worry about the deadlines and prioritizing what to do first and what to do second, and so forth.</p>

<p>He’s calm and happy - I’m calm and happy - he has 2 apps submitted - I think my approach is working just fine for us. :)</p>

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<p>Things sure do change in two years! Not long ago, a packet of papers came in the mail for college enrollment: health forms, advising profiles, family information, etc. etc… The student just filled out all the papers and sent them back. Simple. Now, everything is online but comes from all over the place - links to here, links to there, different due dates for everything. Add to that the fact that my daughter’s college email refuses to work - she keeps calling and asking them to fix it and they are trying - but meanwhile the anxiety is mounting about what information she is missing and what due dates are passing by. We hear bits and pieces about what needs to be done, and then have to search through websites to find the right things to do or send…this is so disorganized! I understand the need for everything to be online - but I wish that they would just simulate that packet of papers! OK - thanks for letting me vent!</p>

1 Like
9075

<p>RVM, having a weekly goal schedule sounds like a good idea. Currently, I am doing a day by day. For instance, I work tomorrow, so I left a list to review common app, look at the essays and pick a couple to write (she took creative writing this year so prompts are easy for her and she may just need to pull out some work to rewrite), I also asked her to finish a self portrait she has to do for AP studio art (but what finished means, who knows) and finally to read for her media and lit class. I am not really pushing applications until they come out on 8/1, but then we will be away for 5 days college touring and then band camp…where does summer go?</p>

<p>I will try RVM’s approach when we get into August. Thanks for the suggestion.</p>

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<p>I’m holding over her head a dance intensive she wants to do the first two weeks of school in getting the apps and at least two of the essays done. She’s only read one of her CA books and has a Calc packet to do as well. Sigh. She’s at a program until July 31 and school stuff starts the 10th but classes don’t start until the 17th of August.</p>

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<p>I am feeling your frustration as it weaves its way through cyberspace. Just remember, this too shall pass. I took the same route as RVM and insisted that essay goals were met in the summer so that apps could be submitted as soon as school started. It really eases the pressure during the first semester.</p>

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<p>We had a discussion a few pages back about colleges that offer Kosher food - so I wanted to add that I heard today that adding a Kosher dining option is under discussion at Elon. Nothing definite yet - and this would be for the 2012-13 school year - but they are looking into it. Add this piece of info to their offering of Hebrew this fall - the dedicated Hillel House that is in the works - a Jewish studies minor under discussion - trying to start an AEPi chapter - I think Elon is really putting actions into place to recruit and welcome Jewish students.</p>

9079

<p>Thanks for the info, RVM–I really appreciate it :)</p>

9080

<p>Finally settling back in at home after our trip last week to DC and NYC and I have a few questions for you guys.</p>

<p>Georgetown: touts the on-payroll rabbi and vast diversity of it’s student body’s background, but the crosses everywhere, the theology requirement, anyone have personal experience to relay? It’s a huge stretch for my D and I don’t even think it’s one of her top reaches, but still would like input.</p>

<p>American…we went to American first on Tuesday afternoon and thought they did a really nice job with their presentation, some humor along with a decent amount of information. VERY nice room for the presentation, good AC and outlets for charging! They also provided water bottles and cloth backpacks that we used the rest of our trip! Tour was decent, we think it’s a safety for my daughter (she IS more an A than a B student–which I confessed to early on here-- but we’re midwest so I figure that’s a factor LOL). Anyway, she (oddly IMO) felt American was more part of DC than Georgetown. I think it’s because the metro stop in Tenley had the AU shuttle waiting and it was quick, while the walk into GT was LONG and HOT. </p>

<p>Seriously, what DO you do about kids and their weird perceptions???</p>

<p>GW remains a top choice for her, she apparently feels REALLY strongly about the urban part of things! Torrential rain/thunder/lightning so we didn’t get to do the tour but she had toured last summer so didn’t feel too disappointed. I think GW is a pretty solid meet for her. </p>

<p>I know the reputation order of these three is GT/GW/AU. Does anyone have any real life experience with these institutions? </p>

<p>Took the megabus from DC to NYC, visited NYU on Thursday afternoon. She loved it, as I expected she would. From the way our guide described things, they are pretty reasonable with merit money, but I get the sense around here that this is not so. She just loved the energy of NYC, we did NOT see a dorm, nor a classroom do to construction, but she didn’t care and loved the 4 years guaranteed housing. Very interested at this moment in the Gallatin Independent Study program, since her interests remain all over the map.</p>

<p>Went to the midnight Harry Potter so we were ambivalent about seeing Columbia on Friday morning, but I insisted since we were already there, even though it’s not even really a reach for her. Anyway, I worried for nothing as she hated it. HATED. Didn’t care for the presentation, especially didn’t like the core curriculum requirements (especially after NYU LOL), didn’t even want to see the tour. That said, it was not well air-conditioned, there were MANY MANY people in the lecture room where the presentation was given, it was extremely low-tech and just turned her off at once.</p>

<p>We had considered looking at Hofstra since the rest of the weekend was spent on Long Island, but after reading some stuff on this board we decided against it.</p>

<p>I had questions when I started, now I can’t remember what I wanted to ask. Will come back later!</p>