<p>I think it also depends on the selectivity of the EA/ED/rolling schools. D1’s list has a couple of rolling/rolling-ish schools, and I think it’s best for her to get those apps in early to 1) have a best shot and 2) use those apps as an early warning system. If she gets turned down by U of O or Pitt early on (this is not a good semester, grade-wise), then she’ll have time to recalibrate (after the shock) for RD season. </p>
<p>There was some thought of applying ED to her current top choice, but since it’s not a school that has a significant admissions advantage in ED, better for her to try to show them a dazzling fall semester. :)</p>
<p>I think EA/ED/rolling strategies depend on each individual student, the schools they’ve chosen and where those early schools fit on their list (reach, match or safety). I’ve been giving this a lot of thought lately for D2 and think she’ll likely apply EA to one school, no ED and rolling to a couple of OOS public schools. She doesn’t really have a first choice school at this point, so the EA/ED selection is based more on tactical considerations than on preference for the school.</p>
<p>Hi everyone…i’ve been reading for awhile and decided to do an intro:</p>
<p>I’m from GA and mom of 3 girls. D1 is class of 2011 and we are in the middle of our college search. We visited one campus last week and she fell in love with it but its the first one so we have to visit some more so she will have something to compare it with. </p>
<p>She has a 4.19 GPA Weighted. Has taken SAT and ACT once but will be taking both again. SAT this Saturday and ACT next Saturday. We are not doing any of the subject tests as her schools of choice don’t require it. Both scores were OK but looking to get improvement.</p>
<p>We will be doing EA for her first choice school and a couple of rolling admit ones for safeties.</p>
<p>Welcome gamomof3, hope your d survives two weekends in a row of testing. She must be very motivated. My 2011 oldest son will take the ACT with writing. He would have preferred not to take the ACT again - got a 31 composite as a sophomore- but he had to have “with writing” for his apps. After testing from 8th grade on, he is pretty sick of standardized tests. He always gripes about having to spend half his Saturday testing. Shawbridge, Thanks for the great story about your son. I’ve always thought gap years were the way to go. I took one to be an AFS exchange student in the '80’s. I just let my oldest daughter take one between her sophomore and junior year of h.s. because she had done a grade skip early on and didn’t like being the youngest in her class. She has spent the past year in S. America as a Rotary exchange student. Sometimes you have to think out of the box to do the right thing for your child.</p>
<p>She took ACT w/o writing first time…found out from college visit that her choice school requires ACT with writing so crossing fingers that they have enough supplies to let her switch to w/writing on day of test since the registration deadline has passed. If not, she will not take it and transfer this registration to the September test. She got 28 composite first time and that was with only half attempt at a couple of the sections due to it being too cold in the room for her to concentrate so I am hoping for at least a couple points improvement. Not worrying too much about SAT right now because her ACT scores were higher and all of the schools she is considering take either test. We have been out of school for 2 weeks so her brain has had time to recover from all the finals, AP tests, etc.</p>
<p>I will be very happy when this year is over, it has been long and hard. I am already trying to figure out how to do things a bit differently for my D’13 in her junior year. She’s way more ambitious…</p>
<p>We discovered that for all of the schools on ShawD’s list (at the moment), she can take the SAT and two SAT II’s (subject tests now?) or the ACT only. It doesn’t make complete sense, but we’re OK with the ACTs. Less studying. </p>
<p>ShawSon had to choose a 3rd SAT II to take during his gap year – what a pain. He chose literature because you didn’t have to remember stuff, just interpret passages.</p>
<p>Well, S says to save my $$ and not pay the change fee as he doesn’t know if he will take the SAT again or whether he will take SAT2 or none at all. I bet he does both, but you never know. I will be so glad when Jr year is over. On a positive note S got his braces off today just in time for prom.</p>
<p>And is he gorgeous? D got hers off right before school started last year…I looked at her and thought “OMG, the boys are really going to start calling now!” I was right…except that they texted instead of calling.</p>
<p>Our student got a “preferred” app from a school–that if the app was done by an early early date, that they waive the GC letter, the App fee and the essay…it is a decent school as well.</p>
<p>What is this about? </p>
<p>I recently heard about “snap apps”…the apps that come via email–based on test scores and such, just click and you have “applied”…seems that is all about marketing because it means there will be tons of apps…</p>
<p>fogfog, regarding the early app…wow! I understand you don’t have to commit, if accepted. I think it is an inducement for high stat kids to apply and make the college look good. Wouldn’t that be nice to start sr year with a yes under your belt?</p>
<p>Welcome Gamomof3! I have a close cousin who moved to GA (Newnan) 35 years ago and now has grandkids down there.</p>
<p>FogFog:
My S (HS class of 2009) got one of those apps as well. It was really comforting to have one acceptance under his belt before Halloween. And they had a nice merit package as well. He did not go there, but that was a lot less pressure (for me anyway)</p>
<p>GaMomof3: Welcome! In addition to the 3 you mentioned, how many colleges total will you be applying to?</p>
<p>^^ Exactly.
I think a few came in–and we ignored them…this one came from a decent school–and caught our eye …I am going to pay attention and not pitch all of these mailings…</p>
<p>Our students stats are far and away on top of the mid 50%–even as far as the high ACT–our students score is higher…so I am guessing it came from a testing thing…</p>
<p>although its not been on the radar–It could be now—AND wow, to be “in” somewhere before really starting the process would be great…</p>
<p>I mentioned to our student that applying to a rolling admissions school to would not be a bad idea…</p>
<p>So on top of all the AP, finals, SAT & ACT stress, S2 got in a car accident this morning (3 blocks from home) while taking a left turn. He is fine and people in the other car were out wandering around until my H drove up in his fancy sports car. They all of a sudden decided to call an ambulance and insisted on being strapped to a gurney while they took photos of each other. (no blood, no airbag deployment and no insurance so hopefully it was just from the shock of the accident) S2 had to give a tape recorded statement to the insurance company after school and I was very, very proud at how articulate and mature he was.</p>
<p>I have since learned a heck of a lot about ‘no fault’ insurance and encourage all of you to check your policies for the “uninsured motorist clause”. Just something else I have to pay for because some folks don’t carry the required insurance.</p>
<p>fogfog - I insisted that S1 apply early to a rolling admissions school and getting that early acceptance greatly reduced our stress level.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about the accident! I’m a little confused though, as we are not in a no-fault state. We definitely have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Doesn’t no fault mean your insurance company would be paying for your damages and their company would pay for theirs, so why would you have an uninsured motorist clause too?</p>
<p>We have to carry uninsured in case the other party illegally does not have insurance. Also, in Minnesota the no fault carries a $4000 max on medical treatment (excluding diagnostics). So if we cause the accident and their medical bills exceed $4000 then our insurance has to pay.</p>
<p>Kajon, sorry about the accident. Glad your S is OK. We carry 1M liability for reasons just like the medical insurance limit and the fear of getting sued and losing the house. Liability insurance is realatively cheap, around $200 for 1M per year.</p>
<p>Ah, I wish my parents cared about my college search/app process like you all do but they’re super apathetic. Your kids don’t realize how lucky they are, haha.</p>
<p>S’s AP English teacher agreed to write one of his college recs and S is “supposedly” trying to touch base with his Freshman History teacher (who may be his Sr history teacher also) to get him to agree to write second rec. He is asking the hishtory teacher because S spent all of his soph year working with this guy on a special high profile project for the school. Plus he runs the MUN EC S is involved in. My concern is S was suppose to do this 2 weeks ago and he still hasn’t contacted this guy in person. He did send him an email, which I felt was totally inappropriate for this request. The teacher never replied to S’s email so I guess he agrees S needs to ask in person. S only has three classes a day right now and I find it hard to believe he cannot track this guy down. Why is it that my S cannot give things the attention and priority they deserve (without my foot on his backside)?</p>