<p>All the writing!!! S2 has had a detour for several days to fill out a five page GC questionnaire needed for recommendations. We now understand how she does these for 800 students in a school of 3,000. Seven pages of essays by the student and parent. He’d intended on giving her an academic resume so he was surprised with this assignment.
I told him to be honest, but this was his chance to let the admission know just want he wanted that didn’t show up on his transcript. If he was going to write that recommendation, what was important to him to stand out.
Some questions were predictable. What three words would you use to describe yourself and why? I loved the question that asked what was their ‘motto’, or I should say I loved his answer. It was quick to mind, literary in reference, true to he is today, but warmly rooted in something his father said often when he was quite young. You never know when they are listening.
Although it took a few days he’s glad to have his done early before everything else gets nuts. It’s the second week of school so most students haven’t thought about meeting with the GC, let alone filling this out. One thing to check off!</p>
<p>Congrats on the LSU admission! My oldest two kids wouldn’t consider it (too large for one, too hot for the other) but I’m hoping my '14 will. I know several current students and alum who speak very highly of the school.</p>
<p>Congratulations NJP! Fabulous to have one in the bag…</p>
<p>So, D’s open house was last night. Had a few free minutes, so stopped by to see her GC and say thank you for helping her with the schedule and all her requests. He was working on her transcript/rec when I got there. Good to see!! He’s a busy man, with lots of kids to take care of - can’t quite remember where D is applying, but he is confident that she will have lots of acceptances!! Very nice man, even if a tad bit clueless :)</p>
<p>Met all her teachers last night. Was really refreshing to sit in on the quick 10 min presentation in each class and have the teachers say - “this is a great group of kids, self-motivated, self-starters - they will have absolutely no problems in this class”. None of the usual grading policies stories. Of course, most of the classes were AP classes and the same set of students were in all of them - they call it the Core 4 - 4 APs (Eng, Calc BC, Physics and Stats).</p>
<p>Interesting note - the Physics teacher was happy that they introduced a Honors Physics class this year. In earlier years, the only Physics class offered with AP - and he often had a diverse set of students - some taking it because they wanted Physics and some taking it and intending to sit for the AP exam. This year, the AP Physics classes are smaller - and more focussed.</p>
<p>NJ Paladin: what great news! you must be feeling a huge relief (and your D too!). Start the sticky!</p>
<p>Keylimepie–my daughter’s school offers Calc III as well, but it counts the same as an AP course for weighting purposes. As AP Calc is apparently a prereq for Calc III, it really should be weighted at least as high as an AP. Has your child tried to see whether the Calc III weighting could be appealed?</p>
<p>To all of you who have an admissions acceptance already: CONGRATULATIONS!! What a huge relief that must be - talk about cutting down on the stress - that is terrific!</p>
<p>My greatest hope is that we will be in that same situation by mid-October…how nice it would be to just have to maintain your grades and enjoy your senior year, knowing that you are all set for next year = bliss!</p>
<p>I was a part of fogfog’s lunch date, and it was really great to put a face to the name and get to actually discuss everything college related face-to-face. It was more than worth the drive :)</p>
<p>^^ Yes it was FUN!</p>
<p>While we all enjoy the ability to post here with privacey–its been a blessing to make some new friends along the way…that way my kiddo doesn’t have to hear mom and dad discuss all of the ins and outs of the process. Not that it isn’t a family topic–it is however one topic our kiddo2is tired of hearing about already…</p>
<p>An envelope arrived for kiddo–with a certificate for AP Scholar in it…
My DH said…“no check”…
ha ha :rolleyes:</p>
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<p>Just wait until kiddo gets another one at this time next year. I always think that wins the prize for The Most Useless High School Honor…the one you receive after you’ve already started college!</p>
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<p>I wonder how many of the GCs have actually been on the Common App website. I know they’re very busy, but I think it would be very helpful if they created a dummy account and entered some information (everything short of hitting “submit.”) I remember at open house of Son’s senior year, I stopped to say hello to the GC and was chatting about some technical issues we’d had with the Common App (e.g. how it wouldn’t work if we had the pop-up blocker enabled, etc.) and the GC had no idea what I was talking about…it was very clear that she’d never logged onto the site.</p>
<p>Congrats all. My son’ AP Scholar with Distinction certificate also came, and he said “this is it? this is what I get for all that work?”</p>
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<p>I know–really–I find it funny when in the fall–the school posts on the web site all of the kids who are now in college who got this certificate from their APs Jr and Sr yr!
Kiddo has 6 more APs on the schedule this yr…10 total and frankly other than “rigor” (AP Calc, AP Physics–that kind of thing) these classes wont do much for kiddo next yr…</p>
<p>DS2 finally got his transcript fixed (wrong grades!!!), finally got a list of schools set, finally arranged for rec letters, and hopefully, asked for two transcripts to be sent out today to schools that do not require anything but the transcript and to which he should be admitted… now, if he could only finish those essays…</p>
<p>Yes - essays and ACT prep (hey, she WANTS to take it again, so she’s asking for nagging). Oh, yeah, and monologues … some days I want to say “Just what is it that you want so much again?” But I figure she’ll do what she does. I remind her (at reasonable intervals) and then I’m going to let it be. Misses EA deadline? Then I guess she’ll just have to wait. Preps at the last minute? Oh, well - she’ll take the results. And, darn it, she really is working hard at school, plus she’s awfully good company lately.</p>
<p>If she were really so uninvested and screwing up so much that I was resenting the app fees and all that, then I’d do differently. But really, still, it’s just a case of her not conforming to MY standards. I’m trying to keep that in mind ALL THE TIME.</p>
<p>(Didn’t I post the same thing a week or two ago? Didn’t I say it was taking a lot of work to maintain a rational attitude? See? And wasn’t it just Sunday that I was so happy with her about the Minn application? Now who’s being mercurial?)</p>
<p>Any midwestern '11ers want to do lunch? I’m about 2 hours from northern IL …</p>
<p>I missed the lunch mention until now. Where did you all meet up? I’ve met a couple of people on this bulletin board and several from another one. Anyone live in Philadelphia or NYC or thereabouts? I like lunch!</p>
<p>Schocolade - It’s even better. S takes 2 AP classes and 3 college classes this year. His weighted GPA will be calculated as if he is taking 2 AP and 4 regular classes. As of the end of Jr. year he was ranked #1, but most likely will lose this spot because of his college classes (ironic, ha). He would not do anything to appeal the weighting, and though I am a little bit upset about the situation, I would rather have a kid with lower GPA that likes classes that he is taking, than miserable kid who is bored in school.</p>
<p>anothermom - Give your son four ‘Atta Boys’! Sounds like he had a productive few days.</p>
<p>Missypie - I agree the GCs have a lot on their plate but it would be nice if they went thru ‘the process’ with the Common App & FAFSA in their downtime.</p>
<p>Congrats to all those getting their AP awards. It really is a wonderful achievement that I’m sure will pay off in college even if not financially.</p>
<p>Anyone for lunch or a visit to South Florida?</p>
<p>Yay! Our foreign exchange student is hanging out with friends after school for the first time! My only fear has been that she’ll be lonely and bored - but there is hope!</p>
<p>Making some good progress on the huge admission “to do” list this week. Went to a traveling roadshow for Bowdoin, Swarthmore, Pomona, and Carleton, and it really threw the college list into disarray. Did get the NMF essay written, and part of the forms done. Requests for admissions interview have gone out (like there will be alumni interviewers here…) So some items are getting checked off the incredible to-do list. I am SO glad there the SAT/ACT studying is behind us. I can imagine adding that stress.</p>
<p>Emmybet, I would love a midwestern '11ers lunch! I think you and I are less than 2 1/2 hrs apart…if we met in the middle, it would be just a little over an hour’s drive apiece.</p>
<p>Anyone else “near” the Illinois/Wisconsin border interested?</p>
<p>edit–I can’t imagine adding that stress.</p>
<p>(I hate the 20 minute edit limit on this site.)</p>