@snowfairy137 even if you don’t get National Merit you can get a full ride at U of Alabama with your stats, it seems like a good fit for me but not sure i want to move to Alabama
@BucketsUCSC Alabama doesn’t offer many full-rides (just the 8 Academic Elite), certainly none that are automatic for stats. I think you may be confusing full ride with full tuition.
There is an automatic full ride at Ole Miss though.
@reidd799 I’ve been to Northwestern and while it’s not exactly “urban” it’s only a 10 minute subway ride to chicago.
@chzbrgr my bad that’s what i meant full tuition not full ride.
My school started at 10:30 today thanks to conferences. All the periods were either 20 or 30 minutes long. We should have just had the day off…
I have a Pre-Calc test tomorrow, and I haven’t paid any attention in class all week. :’)
I just got my report card and I have never been so pissed to have a B+! I had two B+'s in AP Lang and Spanish 2. I’m not really mad about it, since B+'s are pretty good, I just hate the fact that I was so close to an A, but yet so far.
I also learned something that made me really happy. I called Virginia Tech and they confirmed that they DO NOT care about your GPA, only your letter grades. Considering the fact that my GPA is pretty bad, this kind of great. They also the same thing they always do. When it comes to grades, they want applicants to have A’s and B’s in advanced math, science, and English classes.
GPA is such BS. You can be 0.01 from an A and it not be recognized. I think your gpa should be out of a 100 and be an average of your percentage.
@kassh4 i believe this would be fair
@BucketsUCSC I think all the schools in NY do it like this. It really makes me mad when someone that has 5% less than me in the class gets the same gpa from that class.
Well, today’s the day I find out if I’ve been accepted to VESSS. Wish me luck! 
@kassh4 My school and a lot of public schools in Texas do just that because rank is essential for automatic admission to UT, Texas A&M, etc. It has its pros and cons. At very competitive high schools, I can only imagine the chaos.
I JUST GOT THE EMAIL! I’VE BEEN ACCEPTED TO VESSS!
@ak2018 ughh can’t wait till I find out about mine! Early December will be a exciting time with results of WAS, PAST and stuff as well as my finals and my birthday and stuff. Its gonna be craazy
The applications were due on the 4th but counselor and teacher recommendations can be submitted up until Monday so I guess I have a few more days to wait 
@snowfairy137 Good Luck! I really hope you get accepted to the Aerospace program.
Big Tip: Hopefully, you did not make the same mistake I did and apply to both an Aerospace and Earth Science program. Because they’ll put you in the program that needs the most students! :))
Also, are you able to see how many people signed up for the program. I was able to do so, before the deadline, so I could figure out my chances of going to the summer academy. Now that I’m in VESSS, I just need to make it into the top 90% to do so! I’m so excited!
Here’s what the email said BTW:
Congratulations Scholars!
On behalf of NASA Langley Research Center and the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, it is our pleasure to inform you that you have been selected to participate in the Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) program.
Your acceptance into the program is based upon completion of the following requirements by Monday, December 5th 2016 by 11:55 PM (EST):
Acknowledgement of Acceptance by logging in to the online course website https://vsgc.spacegrant.org/course/ (your username is your email address)
Download the VESSS Contract and VESSS Talent Authorization forms, sign them, and upload them back to the course site
Take the Pre-Test (note: this test will not be used in the calculation of your grade in the course)
Take the Pre-Course Survey
If you already have an account on the VSGC Education Programs server, you can log in using your email address at https://vsgc.spacegrant.org/course/ . If you did not already have an account, your login and password information may have already been sent to you, otherwise they will be emailed to you later today, 11/18/2016. Please ensure that you check your SPAM filters if you do not receive an email by that time. Please make use of the “Forgotten Username or Password” function if you have received no emails regarding your password. As soon as you receive your information, please login immediately to ensure you are able to access the course. You will have online access to the Course Introduction immediately upon logging in to the course. The first module of content opens on December 1st.
As a Virginia Earth System Science Scholar, you are required to commit to the online-learning component of the program, which includes seven lesson modules with reading and research assignments, quizzes, simulations, discussion forums, case studies, and a final project. Successful completion of the online course provides you the opportunity to compete for an invitation to attend the all-expense paid, seven-day residential Summer Academy at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia where you may register for an additional two college credits from Thomas Nelson Community College.
The first module assignments will first available on Thursday, December 1st, 2016 and will be due on Saturday, December 31st, 2016 by 11:55 PM (EST). It is imperative that you check your email often, as that will be our main form of contact with you throughout the program. We look forward to your participation in VESSS, and good luck!
So far, I’ve looked over the syllabus and everything we’re going to learn seems pretty interesting:
Module 1: Introduction to Earth Systems
Module 2: Earth in the Solar System
Module 3: Earth’s Interior
Module 4: Atmospheric Composition
Module 5: Weather/Water and Energy Cycle
Module 6: Climate Variability and Change
Module 7: Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems
I’ve also taken a questionnaire and will take the 20-questioned course pre-test around 8pm.
The way the course is done is that we are going to be put into online classes of about 30 students per class assigned to one master teacher. Since discussions are encouraged, we’ll have weekly forums where we can chat and talk about the unit.
I also got my first unit learning targets:
• Explain the objectives of NASA’s mission and vision
• Define the nature of science and how it is applied in Earth Science
• Have a basic Introduction to Earth Science
• Describe the energy budget
• Describe the electromagnetic spectrum
• Connect the concept that the Earth is a system of systems.
• Understand systems thinking enables the observer to make sense of challenging and complex dynamics by providing insights into the patterns that underlie, drive, and govern them.
• Define Earth System Science (ESS)
• Diagram more complex interactions between Earth’s four spheres.
This unit will be due by December 31st. We’ll also have to interpret lab data that will be given to us as well as quizzes.
@ak2018 Idk how many are applying this year but based on past statistics I have like a 50/50 shot. And we don’t have a Earth Science program that I know of so I’m safe there haha
@Hamlon What are some bad things you have noticed?
@snowfairy137 To get into the summer academy or the program itself.
One of my friends also got accepted. We’re going to be study buddies! LOL :))