<p>Absolutely!!! Greedy goes out the window where yummy food exists (just ask the side of my closet for clothes that are too small :). ). And cleaning?! I’m sending over an extra tray of death by chocolate!</p>
<p>Thanks, Williamsdad. I think that schools without big endowments are unable to fund the other half of the cost, so must spend less. It does make sense to pay more for schools that spend more – if they are giving something in return. I guess the question for parents is whether they thaink the schools are giving more, whether what they are giving will in fact be valuable to their kids, and whether/how much they can afford to pay for it. I clearly think many of the brand names do provide value for ambitious (to very ambitious), diligent, beyond normally bright kids. And, I’m fortunately in the situation in which we won’t qualify for financial aid but have put money aside for kids’ education.</p>
<p>I agree that it’s not cut and dry. Based on my sons list of schools we get comments like ‘Oh we don’t believe in private school either.’, or ‘Don’t you think he’d get a better education at a private school?’, or my personal favorite in a hushed voice ‘ooh, were his scores not good? I’m so sorry.’. Give me a break! The fact is my son has a pretty specific major and looked at that, along with fit and came up with some pretty good schools. They didn’t happen to include any privates. It was his choice. Truth be told, we’d have been worried about paying for it, and things would have had to line up, but we were not opposed to private schools on principal. Our son choose his schools.
We have a freshman. When it’s his turn, we’ll discuss finances, his goals, and go from there. We have no idea what direction he’ll take.</p>
<p>When acquaintances ask where my senior is applying, I find it better not to be too specific, partly because I don’t want to explain why he is applying to so many, and partly because he is applying to some real reaches that I don’t particularly feel like advertising about to the world. I usually say something like, “He hasn’t decided what kind of enviroment he wants yet, so he is applying to a few UCs, a few smaller liberal arts schools, and a few on the east coast.”</p>
<p>SD - wise words. I can’t help thinking about another pregnancy analogy: I was the kind of person who didn’t tell people until we were past the 1st trimester, because of the high incidence of miscarriage. I didn’t want to have to “untell” everyone.</p>
<p>I worry about kids who talk for months about “I want to go to X college” (elite or not), “I can’t wait until I go to X college,” “At X college they have the coolest whatever-it-is” and then have to answer the question, “So what happened with X college?” Why relive that pain over and over again with a bunch of strangers?</p>
<p>Our list is so hard to explain - she has very good reasons for applying to some big names and some schools no one has heard of. She mentions a few local likely/safeties and then says “I’m looking at some theater schools out east.” If the right person asks, she’ll mention Boston University, but to most people it signifies geography more than anything else.</p>
<p>Question from my ds - if you had to take a science and a math SATII, which are the “easier” subjects? He did Chem and Bio last yr but had ehhh teachers, doing AP Chem now but it’s early in the yr. Did precalc last yr and doing calc now. Today is the late registration deadline (pro-crastinator?) so he can squeeze these in and still make EA for one blankety blank college that requires this…any thoughts? I’m at that “let’s just not apply then honey” frazzled state.</p>
<p>He sounds like a MIT EA applicant to me! He should do Math II for his math. If I’m right about it being MIT, they say they don’t care which one you pick. However, Stanford prefers Math II if you have the background for it, which he would since he took precalc last year. Since many kids apply to both, it makes sense for him to go with Math II. Also, Math I has a tough curve. </p>
<p>So far as science goes, if you have the College Board Subject Test book, I’d suggest looking through the tests in there to see which he feels he is most comfortable with. Or he can try these online questions:
[SAT</a> Subject Tests - Practice SAT Questions](<a href=“http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-subject-test-preparation]SAT”>http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-subject-test-preparation)</p>
<p>My son took the bio last year and did well but it wasn’t easy. lots to know and remember. in oct he took the math 2 (he’s in calc now), and it too isn’t easy, although a lot of kids do extremely well on it. he practice quite a bit to speed up his timing. that test is tough to finish. i’d say your son may have better luck w/ the math b/c he’s in the midst of it right now and completed the pre-cal just last june. for the bio or chem, he’d have a lot of reviewing to do.</p>
<p>amandak - just FYI, he can change the SATII subjects he is taking. Check the collegeboard site, but I am pretty sure even on the test day you can change the tests from the ones that you registered for. </p>
<p>Agree with 2blue. If math is his strong subjects he would most likely get higher score in Math II than Math I. My S took MathII, Bio, Chem and Physics. His lowest score was in Bio. Even though most people will consider Bio to be the easiest test, more kids take it and its curve is the toughest.</p>
<p>Quote from the collegeboard:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Hi All</p>
<p>Had an interesting day teaching religious symbolism in art…which was a change from 3rd grade earlier in the week and spanish 1 and 2 mid week.</p>
<p>It’s five oclock somewhere so please pass those adult beverages and the bang bang shrimp! I am sorry to have missed the tea and scones today.</p>
<p>One thing I am finding hard is that people IRL (close friends) seem to take it upon themselves to tell me what they think of our student’s school list and whats wrong, and should we or should we not send our student to a private vs a public etc etc.
I’d like to point out to one that their student a) doesn’t have a list (still), b) hasn’t finished testing, c) hasn’t finished essays etc etc etc…and Nov 1 is coming!!
So why, for example, does this dear friend feel it’s necessary to criticize our student’s list. Our student’s got it together and is in a good place. </p>
<p>Then there are the U-ber competitive parents who won’t share/talk/chat AT ALL…like somehow discussing the general mood and climate of the seniors and the apps process will somehow affect the Admissions Comte?? Very odd…</p>
<p>So its nice to “chat” here…</p>
<p>Ever wonder if we might actually know each other IRL and not know it?? haha That would be hilarious…</p>
<p>Glad we can get along in our cyber-world…</p>
<p>Someone told me there is a “pumpkin” martini…and suggested it for Halloween night…</p>
<p>We are all supposedly separated by six degrees of separation so I wouldn’t be surprised if we knew each other IRL through some of our friend’s friends.</p>
<p>I’ll cast another vote in favor of not saying much about where your kid is applying, especially if they are schools with a low acceptance rate. It helps lower the pressure if the kids know they won’t be faced with a bunch of people asking, “Did you get into ___?” when decisions come out.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the quick input, I really am suspecting that we will just drop this one. No it’s not MIT, just Cornell. It is his reach and in retrospect, he should have started SATs earlier so SATIIs could be fitted in at the end of Jr. yr instead of now…(oh and having to take them 3 times took time! maybe if he just prepared well and did once-and-done! why don’t they have these tests over the summer???) he’s just toast at this point. I don’t think he would crack open a review book at all. </p>
<p>Anyways, the whole series of events last yr have spooked him about Cornell. Our neighbor’s ds is there, the apparent coldness/detachment of professors to the sitch freaked out my sensitive ds. I don’t know what to do, push or not push? From Naviance, this is not a likely accept unless he is one of those outliers on the scattergram which I am assuming are athletic recruits. </p>
<p>At this point, I need that drink, pumpkin martini is it? I am sorry to have missed the scones, I used to bake them from scratch too.</p>
<p>amandakayak, there is also a .pdf booklet College Board has available online which contains more subject test questions. I don’t know if they are the same as the online ones I linked to earlier. In case they are different, your son can look through the booklet here: <a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools;
<p>Let us know which ones he picks. Good luck to him!</p>
<p>Oh, I just saw your post, amandakayak. </p>
<p>I just looked online and see that Cornell is Early Decision*, not Early Action, which means if accepted he would have to go there. Personally I vote that he should not apply ED there for two reasons. First, if he’s iffy about the school, I would hate to see him locked into going. Secondly, if financial aid is a consideration for your family, you would not be able to compare FA packages from different schools he’s been accepted to. They can really vary.</p>
<p>*From Cornell’s website ([Cornell</a> University Undergraduate Admissions Office - HOW TO APPLY](<a href=“http://admissions.cornell.edu/apply/firstyear/early.cfm]Cornell”>http://admissions.cornell.edu/apply/firstyear/early.cfm))
“Remember that an early decision application is a commitment. You can apply under early decision to only one college or university. If you’re accepted at Cornell, you must withdraw any applications sent to other schools and send your acceptance deposit by the deadline in early January.”</p>
<p>Just went to go show him that link - very nice thank you! and guess where he is? Yep, asleep in bed. Going on his first official date with the first official girlfriend tonight so I guess he needed his beauty rest. I give up! I fluctuate between reaching for his neck to strangle him or hug him. Cheers!</p>
<p>Hey, my senior son would say he has his priorities straight!</p>
<p>I recommend going for the hug and the pumpkin martini. :)</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I vote no ED. This doesn’t have that ED feeling to me.</p>
<p>God, you are right! I thought they were like everyone else on my chart with EA 11/1 but it is binding ED. You know, I think I will just push SATIIs to Dec then. Maybe, just maybe he will have a chance to get better prepared. And I don’t have to pay the late fee. Thanks!</p>