<p>Hey parents
I was just thinking about OUR homework–</p>
<p>The kids have summer reading, work, sports camps, internships etc etc…</p>
<p>Don’t We have that Fafsa/Profile and financial data gathering stuff to do…I for one have not started! Yikes! I am thinking Financial pre-reads…etc. Anyone know what our timeline is…I have let this slip completely off our radar</p>
<p>My D dropped a point on her ACT composite. It’s still a nice score for where she wants to be (and she is one who also needs to audition). She’ll be sad that a section she aced went down, but 2 she wanted to raise went up. Superscoring would bring her up a point, actually, and I’m guessing the writing went up, too (but we won’t know for a while on that). We’ll see how much maturity and perspective she can bring to this. It is up to her about taking it again (even if just for pride - she probably doesn’t want her last time to have been a drop, but what if it drops again? I repeat, up to her, and she doesn’t have to decide now). </p>
<p>I have wondered if she’d change her college list at all based on this score - really her chances of putting herself into a whole new bracket with her grades, which improved, the SAT2s, on which she got one very pretty score, and a possibly surprising ACT, were very low. She has a good list, and she’s happy with it. If she adds or drops schools, it will be because of taste, not stats. </p>
<p>Her GPA and scores are pretty aligned, a little wobbly here and there, but she’s got a good take on schools that are right for her. The more I consider adding a “mega-reach” the less it makes sense. What if she got in? Would she really want to be there? What she wants is a mega-reach in the arts. She’s focusing her attention on nailing what she needs to do for that.</p>
<p>Hello All,
I hope those that are getting ACT scores today are happy. S2 took them cold for the most part. He did ok in all sections but tanked in Reading which I’m assuming brought down his composite. Overall it is lower than his SATs based on the Common Data Set for his reach (and top choice). I am wondering if we have to send it, or if ‘hiding’ it is considered bad. Also I wonder if it will show up on his high school transcript. I know the schools don’t used these as official scores, but adcoms are human and if they see these scores, official or not, it would be hard not to consider. They are not ‘bad’, I’d just rather they not be considered. Oh well, only so much you can do. S2’s grades, although not all A’s, are good and not what I consider ‘grade inflation’. Only one AP in Soph allowed, so they are limited to Jr/Sr year. S2 will have 6 APs by graduation. I don’t know what one considers grade inflation, but with an 3.85uw/4.1w, I think they are a fair representation of his grades and difficulty of classes so far. I understand the concept of grade inflation, but would welcome examples. :)</p>
<p>I am usually the one that drives organization on the college information. Luckily H had to fill out a FASFA last year when he started graduate school, so he just went through it. I will GLADLY pass that over to him!!!</p>
<p>ShawSon took the ACTs cold but told me that they were easier than the SATs. ShawD is practing and took her first timed practice on the Science section (before her tutor starts with her to get a sense of what she’s missing. Got a 33. Woohoo. In the less mature, pre-Ritalin days, the Science section would have stumped her. This bodes well. And, the fact that after proudly telling me her score (and asking for a translation into SAT levels), she went back to figure out why she made mistakes in the three questions she got wrong. That never would have happened a year ago. Great to see maturation taking place before my eyes.</p>
<p>Emmybet, I’m with you. If the mega-reach is a mega-reach because most of the students would be stronger than you, what’s going to happen when you get there? Lots of pressure, the possibility of poor performance. Some kids do step it up when they get into a mega-reach, but I suspect the reason it was a mega-reach was that they hadn’t really been applying themselves in HS and would turn on the afterburners when the work became intellectually challenging.</p>
<p>One of the benefits of really needing a school that gives merit money is using that to shorten the list of potential schools, and not doing any “mega reaches”. Since D will need to be in the top quartile of applicants (at least) to be considered for a merit scholarship, that puts high reaches out of contention. Fortunately, so far at least (since we haven’t done any visits yet) it looks like there are some good choices. There are a couple that may have been nice to shoot for if money were not object, but it is, and she’s ok with that.</p>
<p>S2 got a great score on his ACT and I am not complaining or in anyway saying that his English score is bad, but it is out of sync with the other subjects. Any tips on how to study for English if he decides to retake to take advantage of “super scoring”</p>
<p>34 Composite </p>
<p>31 Eng
35 Math
35 Reading
36 Science</p>
<p>Anybody else waiting for AP results? There are some other threads, but I wanted to post here with the “College 2015 folks.” I care mostly because my D will be upset if she does not do well. I just want her to feel good about her work. She is so hard on herself. My role this next year will be to cheerlead and offer perspective. So many great schools and opportunities out there! </p>
<p>S (several years younger) will be another story - lol…</p>
<p>I am waiting for AP results for my son… Not out yet but could be any time now. Really the last piece of the testing puzzle before finalizing the college list…</p>
<p>My son did not do well on the ACT and the score is lower then his SAT scores. I sure wish there were SAT’s or ACT’s in the summer. I hate the fact that he’s going to have to submit applications with current scores. Like MaryOC, my son is not good at the important big tests, which worries all of us for college. He’s much better with projects and less pressure.</p>
<p>fogfog - The FAFSA cannot be submitted before January 1st of 2011 so don’t worry about that one yet. According to college board [CSS/Profile</a> - student financial aid application](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>How to Complete the CSS Profile® – BigFuture | College Board) the profile date is more school specific and should be mentioned on the Colleges finaid site.</p>
<p>I am waiting for AP scores also. Probably will not call in for scores.</p>
<p>Ack, I hate this. My D’s ACT scores are not done yet. Will check again on Wed. This always happens it seems. I will have to ask if something in particular is causing the delay. </p>
<p>Need to see whether we should concentrate on SAT or ACT in the Fall (if she needs to retake). </p>
<p>I can never resist getting the AP scores by phone, just cant take the suspense</p>
<p>I don’t remember who went to Pitt this weekend, but anxiously awaiting a report (we go in a couple of weeks.)</p>
<p>Missypie,
The report on the visit to Pitt is from mdye718 on post #2953, pg 197. :)</p>
<p>Thanks…it got lost among all the ACT scores.</p>
<p>mamom - joining you. Won’t call for the AP scores - we’ll see then when they get here. We are in MA, so according to reports, it should be mid-late July.</p>
<p>D’s enjoying herself in Mexico, despite the hurricane strength winds and high surf. She sent me a picture of her holding a huge shell - I’ve never seen one that big before. I wonder if she plans on bringing it home with her!</p>
<p>missypie -Just go back a couple of pages - <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065138284-post2953.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1065138284-post2953.html</a></p>
<p>We’re planning to visit Pitt at the very end of the month. I’ve been fooling around trying to find a well priced good hotel near the college. Would love suggestions.</p>
<p>Couldn’t call for the AP scores even if I wanted to… D is away all summer and I have no cluewhat her registration is. No matter, they can wait!!</p>
<p>There are definitely ways to find out the scores without the registration number. But at our house we’ve had the experience of calling for the score early and getting a 1…that will cure anyone of the desire to know early!</p>
<p>Wow, Pitt is popular on this board. We will also be visiting at the end of July. There are 5 schools in PA that we want to visit: Pitt, Duquesne (adcom said S would get merit), Franklin & Marshall, Lehigh, and Villanova. F&M is on the list only because it is a LAC and I wanted a LAC on the list. It doesn’t offer a Finance major so we may end up cutting it.</p>
<p>
Kajon, congrats on your son’s great scores! I’m not sure I’d consider the Eng out of sync, really. Among the kids whose scores I know, there seems to always be a cluster of 2 -3 close to each other and 2-3 outliers. For example, my D also got a composite 34. Her’s broke down like this:
Eng 36
Reading 35
Math 33
Science 32
He could try again to improve the Eng, but I wouldn’t advise it unless you’re sure that A)he could re-score equally high on all other subjects, or B) that he’s interested only in schools that superscore. Otherwise I wouldn’t feel its worth the time investment. JMO, but 34 is a great score.</p>