<p>S is at the end of his jr. yr. and making his list of colleges. Some of them are a SERIOUS reach - even w/legacy. I’m on pins and needles - how will he finish the yr grade-wise? His GC says he’s doing fine. He won’t be top 10% and I knew that after his freshman yr! I’ve been following his progress w/online grade checks, making sure he’s doing his homework (and turning it in!) w/subtle reminders. Just trying to stay in the background yet still guide him…its been tough.</p>
<p>The info that really gives you an idea about which colleges to apply to is the SAT scores. It can give you hope for the reaches or make you focus on a lower tier.</p>
<p>But I know what you mean–it seems that there are a lot of little ducks that have to line up for any kid to put together the kind of application that will lead to acceptances at reaches. As a parent, you hold your breath as each duck gets shot down.</p>
<p>top 10 percent means alot in top tier schools, depends on the reach,</p>
<p>Some schools don’t count grade 9 in their GPA calculations (for example, Stanford). So a leaden grade 9 may not sink the ship.</p>
<p>lilmom, I know exactly what you mean. I’ve been riding waves of doubt and confidence for my jr son all year, but especially during this last quarter. </p>
<p>My son won’t be top 10%, either. But, that’s OK. He chose “passion” with 5 credits of music and 6 credits of foreign language when other kids were loading up on weighted APs. So, with “only” 6 APs by graduation he’ll have to settle for ranking 45th out of 310. </p>
<p>Oh, and SATs? :rolleyes: First try fell short. ACT was where it needed to be. But since Maryland publics prefer SATs, a lot is riding on October’s test. </p>
<p>Yup. Waves of doubt and confidence. The tiniest little thing can make me love the reaches, or hate 'em.</p>
<p>We won’t know SAT scores until 5/21. He did well in the PSAT - and I really pushed him to prep for the SAT.<br>
DougBetsy, my S chose music over APs, too. He’ll have fewer APs than your son! He’s 93rd in a class of 715. Huge class. Part of the problem. I hope I’m more optimistic after next week when SAT scores are out! He’s got his heart set on staying close to home (but living on campus.)</p>
<p>DB, I don’t mean to hijack this thread, and feel free to reply in the 10 thread, but can you expand on the MD schools preferring SATs? I was under the impression that all schools pretty much treated both tests equally now, even if they receive more of one than the other due to their geographic location.</p>
<p>Sorry, jackie, I’m guilty of over-generalizing in my previous post. We’re really just focused on 3 MD publics: College Park, St. Mary’s, and Salisbury. Those schools all accept ACT in addition to SAT. </p>
<p>My post was primarily based on a visit to St. Mary’s in which the admissions guy who spoke told the group that, although the school accepts both, they prefer SAT. </p>
<p>Secondarily, I suppose my post showed one of my waves of doubt. Since Salisbury is one of Son’s safeties, we need him to be OVER the SAT 75%. Currently he’s only AT the 75%. Hence, my SAT anxiety there. </p>
<p>Lastly, there’s College Park. For that one, it’s the GC focusing on SAT and ignoring ACT. She’s not putting much faith in the 29; she says Son needs to raise the SAT.</p>
<p>So, there’s a little bit of reality, self-inflicted anxiety, and guidance advice all mixed together in my first post.</p>
<p>lilmom, this must be your first child to apply to college. i know this is a cliche, but just relax and enjoy his last year at home. he’ll be gone before you know it.</p>
<p>Lilmom welcome - it’s hard to relax, but I’ve come to the conclusion it is what it is. My younger son’s grades were really strong this year and the SAT scores showed a big jump over PSAT, so we were looking at some fairly reachy schools, but he blew an AP Bio test and may have really screwed his grades. If worst comes to worst he’ll just have to lower his sights a little and apply to more and safer safeties.</p>
<p>That’s the conundrum: We wish we could do it for them, 'cause we’d know what to do. Instead we try and tell them – ummm, advise them what to do, and we all know how well that can go. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>So instead, we’re on pins and needles. </p>
<p>And no one tell me that they don’t think that their child’s success doesn’t in some way reflect on them. (Or am I the only mama who thinks that??)</p>
<p>right you are, VeryHappy! If we mothers have to take all the blame for our kids’ failures, i think we can at least take some of the credit for their successes! :D</p>
<p>wolfpackmom, yep, he’s my first. After talking to his GC (I needed some reassurance), she assured me that he’s doing well. I’m satisfied that we (my DH and I) have really tried to stay back and let him lead. Of course, there were many times when we had to pull on the reins and redirect him. Proof is in his choice to major in music - neither DH nor I are musical at all. In fact, DH comes from a very athletic family while I come from the classically “nerdy” family. Go figure.</p>
<p>DD was top 5% of her class. BUT her SAT scores were 1230 CR/Math…not nearly high enough for those “reachy” schools. Still, she will be finishing her junior college year soon, and found a terrific school. There is life beyond those top schools.</p>
<p>thanks for the answer DB and I know we are all worried about how our kids will fare, but have to put it all in perspective and only worry about things that we can positively alter.</p>
<p>Interesting what St Mary’s said, do you know if that is also stated on their website?</p>
<p>jackie - no, St. Mary’s preference for SAT is not officially stated on its website. But, the school just kinda glosses over ACT by saying it accepts the test. And that’s all you see. </p>
<p>Here’s the 2008 class profile: [url=<a href=“http://www.smcm.edu/admissions/apply/apply_profile.html]St”>http://www.smcm.edu/admissions/apply/apply_profile.html]St</a>. Mary’s College of Maryland - How to Apply - 2008 Class Profile<a href=“barely%20mentions%20ACT”>/url</a></p>
<p>Here are the college facts [url=<a href=“http://www.smcm.edu/about_collegefacts.html]College”>http://www.smcm.edu/about_collegefacts.html]College</a> Facts: About St. Mary’s College of Maryland<a href=“no%20ACT%20mentioned”>/url</a></p>
<p>Here’s the collegeboard’s page: [url=<a href=“College Search - BigFuture | College Board”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board]College</a> Search - St. Mary’s College of Maryland - St. Mary’s - SAT®, AP®, CLEP®<a href=“no%20ACT%20composite%20even%20listed”>/url</a> </p>
<p>University of MD College Park doesn’t show ACT on its collegeboard profile, either. And, according to the school’s website, only 11% of applicants submit scores. Kinda underwhelming and somewhat subliminal, thereby fueling my anxiety.</p>
<p>^It’s a state school in a state where historically most kids took the SAT, that doesn’t mean they don’t accept the ACT, it’s just that fewer kids submit it - enough fewer that they probably don’t feel it’s statistically significant, if anything it might mean that the ACT scores they accept are in the lower end of the range and don’t make the college look as good. That’s possible since in the east I suspect most kids who submit the ACT tend to do less well on standardized tests overall.</p>
<p>Another thing that helped me get through my kid’s last year was to focus on things I could do at home to make every occassion a big celebration. So I went “all out” in preparation for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve, birthdays, etc. I looked to make every occassion, big or small, a memorable one. It helped to have a project of my own to focus on.</p>
<p>OP, I’m sure you realize that you’ve got to chill. If you’re on pins and needles already, by next spring you’ll be in a home.</p>
<p>I think that having a kid apply to a highly selective school is like having a lottery ticket on the day the winning numbers are announced. Let’s say, for example, that there are 5 main areas that a kid needs to button down to put together a good app for these types of colleges. </p>
<p>Kid is getting great grades in all honors/AP classes. “24”–yes!</p>
<p>Kid has a passion and is pursuing it not only at school, but outside of the school, and has even won some honors and served in leadership positions. “16”–yes!</p>
<p>Kid took the SAT and SAT2 tests and got great grades (with luck, over 750 on each section). “42”–yes!</p>
<p>Kid has found some continuing community service that he participates in, not just one shot deals. “7”–yes!</p>
<p>Kid is able to craft a college application, including essays, that really bring out who ihe is and which really SING. “33”–yes!</p>
<p>Now the downer is that what you have won with this lottery ticket is the chance to put your ticket into a giant bin with others who have the same matching 5 numbers, knowing that less than 10% of you will be winners.</p>
<p>Missypie is right–pace yourself for the long haul!</p>