<p>Riddle me this folks</p>
<p>WHY on the apps…(I have just seen it on a supplement) - does the college ask wehre else is the student applying?
Is this to sniff out obvious safeties? Tufts Syndrom?</p>
<p>DREAMS - Definitely had the ‘forgetting locker combo’ one many times. Can’t believe others did too. Also opening locker and everything was gone.</p>
<p>Loved the fundraiser idea re: parking spots. Students already pay for permit. Since we are a Title 1 school, I doubt admin would OK it. I’ll suggest it anyway.</p>
<p>Happy holiday to CC families who celebrate tonight.</p>
<p>I think they ask for other colleges you’re applying to just to get a holistic look at the student. They’d like to see what type of schools they are looking for. Are they only applying to small LACs, or are they all over the board.</p>
<p>I read a book recently that said you should only cite comparable colleges. It seems a little bit dishonest, but the last one I read didn’t ask you to list ALL of the colleges you are applying to. The book said not to list safeties and don’t list Juilliard if the application is to an engineering school. The student should look at it as how they can use it to their advantage.</p>
<p>Is there a way for schools to find out independently where else you are applying? If they can, and you are not forthright on that question, I think it would be a red flag.</p>
<p>^^ I remember reading about it, too. The idea is to make it look like the college is a “match”.</p>
<p>UT, there’s no way for them to find out ethically or legally where else a student is applying. Even if a school could somehow find out where else a student submitted the Common App, or sent transcripts or scores, that still wouldn’t confirm that they applied there. That’s because the application isn’t complete until all of the pieces are in. I’m sure D1 isn’t the only student who sent in the first part of an application and then changed her mind. </p>
<p>CC collective wisdom on the “where else are you applying?” question has all kinds of answers to this, including that you decline to state on the basis of best admissions practices that said school is supposed to uphold. Mentioning a few schools and giving them a unifying theme, e.g. “My list includes small LACs with strong science programs” or “Urban universities with a great internship program” is an approach that sounds good to me. </p>
<p>In advance of Rosh Hashana, I’ve got some virtual snacks: an incredibly tender challah made with pastry flour and honey, an apple cake, and a honey cake that is moist and delicious enough to convert the honey cake haters who’ve only ever had those miserable dried-out honey cake loaves. :)</p>
<p>Speaking of Tufts Syndrome, an amusing story from D1’s interview at U Rochester. The interviewer first looked at D1’s stats, school, course rigor, etc, so he had a sense of where she stood academically. Later during the interview, he asked where else she’d been travelling on her trip. She mentioned Boston (where she’d visited BU and Tufts). “Oh, did you stop in Cambridge?” D1 said no, just Boston. Later yet, the interviewer asked yet again if she’d been in Cambridge. It was pretty clear that he thought she was going to be considering Harvard. Which is ridiculous; she doesn’t have the grades for it, and even if she did it’s just not of interest to her. It does make me think that it is important for students to treat their match and safety application essays seriously, though.</p>
<p>SlitheyTove - Knock, knock…Do you hear our family at your door? Your RH treats sound yummy. Mmmm…good.</p>
<p>Speaking of RH, one of S’s schools is having Parent’s Weekend this weekend. School is in Boston area and has a Hillel and somewhat of a Jewish population (not sure of the numbers). Any reaction from anyone?</p>
<p>Hello fellow parents of class of 2011-ers. I’ve been lurking on CC for the past few months, and have learned so much valuable information. I want to say a huge “Merci” to all of you who post on CC-it provides insight and information that is simply not available elsewhere.</p>
<p>My D started her senior year yesterday. She attends a large public selective enrollment high school. I believe that kids must be in top 5% of the city to get in. School doesn’t officially rank, but will provide decile/quartile information to colleges. I don’t know which decile/quartile she’s in, but I wonder if anyone knows if top colleges will still expect her to be in the top 10% of her class?</p>
<p>She’s way behind most of your kids in terms of college apps. So far, she started the app for our state’s flagship before school started and has now put that on hold while she does homework etc. </p>
<p>Almost all in her AP Lang/Comp class are seniors, so teacher has asked the kids to bring their essay prompts from their college applications in so they can work on essays in class. Hey- she might actually get them done!</p>
<p>Anyone have kiddos taking the test this weekend etc
We expect this to be the last test (except for the APs in May)
Kiddo is shooting for a few pts on the ACT (very doable)</p>
<p>ACT - D agreed to take it one more time to try to get more merit aid at her favorite school. She’s gone to a few tutoring sessions and has taken a couple of practice tests but hasn’t improved her score (except in English, which is already way higher than her other scores.) Last weekend I told her to pick one area to concentrate on improving - she chose math and has done a few practice questions, but at this point I won’t be holding my breath for a higher score.</p>
<p>So here I am thinking we’re done testing for a few years…then we get a letter saying that because freshman D is so cute (I don’t remember the real reason) the school district will pay to have her take the PSAT in October. I guess I’ll let her, but I’m certainly not going to send her to one of the prep classes they are recommending.</p>
<p>mommylaw - welcome.</p>
<p>Good luck to kids taking ACT this weekend. We are done with the standardized testing here and it feels great. </p>
<p>missypie - no need to prep for the PSAT freshman year, but it’s great that your D has the opportunity to take PSAT that early. Makes them familiar with the test.</p>
<p>I’m really kind of curious as to the PSAT score younger D will receive. Of my three kids, I’ve never been able to get a good handle on how smart she is…she doesn’t do fantastically in school (more the top 25% type) but she doesn’t have the best academic work ethic either. (Aside: her work ethic for things physicial [e.g. gynmastics, tumbling, sports,etc] is incredible and I’ve always been amazed that it doesn’t translate into academics at all.)</p>
<p>mommylaw - In addition to the application, essays, LORs, scores, etc that the adcoms receive, they also get a School Profile generated by your school. It usually describes the demographics, college readiness, special programs etc as they relate to your school. You can get a copy from the GC. For example, the adcoms do not expect kids applying to a top school to take AP classes if a school does not offer them. </p>
<p>Good luck to all taking ACT this weekend.</p>
<p>D still has not made up her mind on whether she wants to take the tests again. I reminded her yesterday that she’s fast running out of time, especially for the early action schools. Her current scores are good - taking it again would be an attempt to better the scores in the hope that better merit aid will follow (similar to missypie’s D). But if she doesn’t prepare (or at least attempt to prepare!), I don’t know that it is worth the effort to take the test again…</p>
<p>DD is taking her second and final ACT on Saturday to try and improve any merit aid she may get. She intends to apply ED to University of Puget Sound. Common app about half done, essay is turned in to school for a grade as per her English teacher request, her school requires the student complete an online form/survey prior to asking for rec letters- that’s not done yet…I am impatient but she seems to have it all under (her!) control!</p>
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<p>Unless it is Brandeis that doesn’t surprise me. Society in general just doesn’t seem very observant of Jewsish Holidays. As a non practicing Catholic (whose kids go to private), I am always surprised at how my local public schools celebrate Xmas and Easter. There are non Christian kids in the school system and I just find it very disrespectful. OTOH, Boston has a huge Catholic population. I am embarassed to admit it wasn’t til I started working after college that I met my first Jew.</p>
<p>Retaking ACT/SAT
</p>
<p>I really think the key to improving scores is to concentrate on one or two areas. Take practice tests and review those answers you get wrong. </p>
<p>Good luck to everyone taking tests this weekend.</p>
<p>Wecome Mommylaw.</p>
<p>Just got notification that a sr. on the S’s HS football team has committed to play D1 ball at one particular school next year. Must be nice to know where you are going. I am sure these athletes have a much different experience than the non athletes but I am not sure it is less stressfull.</p>
<p>Son was actually happy to hear that there is a section in his syllabus in the AP Lit for College essay’s. I’m glad that someone else is going to read it too. </p>
<p>Just a reminder to anyone that has their first child going off to college… College admissions reps use the fall to visit High Schools and often kids can sign up for small and sometimes one-on-one visits with these people. At our HS, it’s not broadcast very well and a small college may only have a couple of kids. If your student hasn’t had a chance to meet personally with the admissions rep from a school that’s on their list, this would be a good opportunity.</p>