<p>welcome ohio and congrats to mom and mom and sandrews.</p>
<p>Dd did better on the SAT all over the first time around. She was too stressed the second time that she bombed. She also refused at that point to take another test, so when I suggested she take the ACT, without even studying, she refused. So, letting Rule number 15 guide me, I dropped it. And, dd has gotten into her first choice, so I guess we did the right thing! Not that I wanted to stop, just had to follow her lead!</p>
<p>S just got a hand-written Chanukah card from his interviewer at Muhlenberg. So nice!</p>
<p>Congrats to DMMLE, Srandrew and Mom2009!</p>
<p>Welcome Ohiobassmom.</p>
<p>Thatsmyboy: All colleges will accept the ACT with writing in place of the SAT. If the ACT looks like the better test for your son, I would just focus on that.</p>
<p>Ohiobassmom makes a good point about keeping test scores in sync with grades. My D2 exceeded her goal on the ACT and refused to take it a third time. If her scores had gotten higher, she would have looked like a slacker for not taking more difficult courses.</p>
<p>I do think that once a kid’s scores are withing the middle ranges for the schools they want to pursue, it’s time to move on. I remember an admissions rep at Penn telling the students “not to make SAT prep an extracurricular activity.” An admissions rep at NYU said that once the scores are in their expected ranges, they look at other factors.</p>
<p>Are the “rules” gathered into one post anywhere or just throughout the topic? I admit i just read the last 30 pages or so, not the last seven-hundred-and-change :)</p>
<p>Thank you for the welcome everyone.</p>
<p>Not to belabor the point much further, but I used to agree that once you hit the benchmark for acceptance to a college there was no need to keep taking more tests. However, I learned as I had more kids applying to college, that your ACT/SAT score factors a great deal on what type of scholarships you will be offered (see earlier post which also mentioned this issue.) The difference in just two points on the ACT can change your scholarship potential quite radically. It will also affect whether you get pre-admitted into certain business schools and honors programs.</p>
<p>D just found out she was accepted to College of Charleston. Not sure it will break in to the top three, but it does present an interesting alternative. She still waits for March 15th…There is only one school left. Fingers crossed.</p>
<p>Socaldad–Congrats! I love that school and that city!</p>
<p>Good Morning! D2 was accepted yesterday to Drexel with a $12K per year scholarship! So far she is 3/3 and waiting on the other 3 colleges. Yay! </p>
<p>I think its time to start planning to revisit some schools. When my D1 was choosing last year, we worked it out so that she could spend some time at the school and attend some classes, as if she were a student. This seemed to be more valuable than attending “accepted student” programs, which were somewhat duplicative of information sessions if you have already attended one. </p>
<p>Anyone else have strategies for helping your S/D decide among schools?</p>
<p>Continued congratulations! This thread really will be an inspiration to any B student. Everyone sounds like they made great lists - with excellent matches and safeties, in particular, all of which are wonderful schools. The reaches, well, that’s what they are, by definition. </p>
<p>B students are in the lower half of applicants to “top” schools (however defined), and they have the right to apply if they want to take that chance. Sometimes reaching a bit pays off, as we’re seeing here, but having a couple of rejections is nothing to be ashamed of.</p>
<p>This is really inspiring, as we all know kids and families who cluelessly made unrealistic lists that are giving them unsatisfying results. That makes me sad, when it can be avoided so easily with a little extra knowledge and support.</p>
<p>Congrats to Socaldad and Pamom on the latest acceptances!</p>
<p>I agree with Pamom that the best way for a kid to get a feel for a school was to spend time on campus and sit in on classes. It’s really helpful to spend some informal time with students. I suggest having your S or D contact anyone they know at each school and ask them to meet for lunch or coffee. Happy students enjoy the chance to show off their school, and unhappy students may offer valuable insight.</p>
<p>Emmybet, you said it so well. It is so rewarding to see the kids on this thread being so successful! It is such a fear with a B student that they will feel “not as good as” their friends that are A students. With the successes here, it is clear that with a little footwork, our kids can have wonderful choices, and I mean choices, not just one acceptance that might work… Thanks to all of you for your support.</p>
<p>woo hoo again to panmom and socal. can’t wait to hear about your return visits.</p>
<p>Congratulations on all the acceptances! It really does seem that the support and suggestions/guidance on this thread have helped many of our students to find potentially good ‘fits’ to which to apply. And best wishes to all who are still waiting on decisions!</p>
<p>congratulations socal! we love cofc. hoping good news follows…</p>
<p>Wow! So much good news here! I love to hear it (even though we are a year behind many of you).</p>
<p>After there was talk about publicizing our list (from recent pages), the publicist in me started thinking further about this thread. You know who needs to know about it? Well, for one, the Reform Jewish magazine that has the annual college issue. Do you want me to share the link with them? There’s no identifying info on here – if they wanted to PM anyone for info, they could do that just like any one can. And you are free to share your name or not. RVM: you are the originator of this thread - what do you think?</p>
<p>Wow! Congrats to Socaldad and Pamom! The good news just keeps on coming! Keeping my fingers crossed for those still waiting!</p>
<p>Congratulations on all the acceptances! The great track record shows that you all did your homework and applied to schools that matched your requirements! </p>
<p>I think going to visit a couple of schools once you are admitted is a great idea. Kids will look at the school from a different perspective once they have been accepted. I second the idea of attending a class while you are there. D2 was surprised by the interaction in chemistry classes she attended at two different colleges, one was a pleasant surprise at a private southern school that had great interaction between the professor and his students and appalled at the lack of interest by the students (a large number walked out during class) at an East coast private college. Granted much of this may be reflective of the quality of the professor, but you can get a real vibe from just sitting in a classroom. </p>
<p>I once visited her Organic Chemistry class right before mid-terms and you could cut the tension with a hatchet (frankly, I don’t know how science majors do it.) So I would make sure to visit early in the semester, ;-)</p>
<p>Congratulations to socaldad and pamom - this is such fabulous news!</p>
<p>LINYMOM - publicize away! I am too busy at new job these days to be as involved as I used to be - but I think it is a nice idea to publicize this thread further. I did actually contact Reform Judaism magazine back in July - thinking they might have some interest in my doing a freelance article for them - but they explained that they plan the college issue a year in advance and that I should contact then in the fall for August 2012 - which I am now too busy to do. But you feel free to simply share the link or do more - whatever they are interested in and whatever you want to do!</p>
<p>Pamom, Congrats on Drexel. The scholarship offer must feel good.</p>
<p>We are vacillating about visits. All of our choices are east coast, and D has seen all her contenders except CofC. I think we will wait for Delaware decision. If need be, we will travel extensively in late march and April. That is current thinking. Who knows, maybe a charleston trip Presidents weekend will emerge.</p>