<p>pepper03-one thing is for sure …if he doesn’t apply he definitely won’t get in :)</p>
<p>so…I guess other than his time and the application fee, there isn’t anything to lose by trying!</p>
<p>S also needed SAT 2’s for one school, it is a reach and we do not expect any scholarship money from them. IIRC, one score was in the 700’s other was in mid 600’s. I did not have S retake because the application was already very stressful and this is not his dream school. </p>
<p>If the score is needed for scholarship money then retake the test. Have your S do 10- 15 minutes of studying a day, neither of my kids balked when I told them that is all I expected. Study the stuff they need to work on, don’t study the stuff they already know. I think most schools will reconsider scholarship money if you send a revised score.</p>
<p>Pepper03 and Amandak: Holliesue said it all. If they don’t apply,they won’t get in. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but my daughter was accepted to Penn with a low Spanish SAT II score. We don’t know what really goes on when admissions committees review applications. I wouldn’t let one low score keep my kid from applying. </p>
<p>I think that some school’s curriculums don’t line up well with the subject tests. Kids at our HS score pretty well on math and okay on English, but not as well in the science, language and history tests. I knew that my younger daughter wouldn’t score well on anything other than English, so we stuck to schools that would accept the ACT in place of subject tests. </p>
<p>I hate to see a kid feel like a failure because of a number on one test. Pepper, it sounds like your son is handling it well.</p>
<p>Emmybet: Congrats on New Paltz. I know she still needs to audition, but it’s nice to get through the first hurdle.</p>
<p>Mnmom: Congrats on the EA acceptance! How nice of the school to bump your daughter up to EA. I watched the game last night. I thought night games in Baltimore were cold, but that really looked frigid! </p>
<p>Mamom: The EA delay sounds frustrating. I know how hard the wait can be.</p>
<p>Mnmom Congratulations to you and your daughter. And wow, how nice that she doesnt have to wait till April. </p>
<p>Emmybet Congrats on New Paltz. And good luck to your D on the auditions and interviews. </p>
<p>Pepper I agree with everyone else. The only way to insure 0% chance to not be admitted is not to apply. You Sons personal qualities could overweight his not-quite-perfect SATII score. And if id doesnt work out the way you hope, he will get a free bookmark. 
</p>
<p>Mosb Loved your story (from a dozen pages back) about your Ds audition CD. My S plays piano and in the beginning of the application process, we thought about creating a CD for the art supplement. But he is not applying to music majors and his mad piano skills are not the strongest point of his application, so we decided against it. But I do wish I had his CD for myself and it would be a great present for grandparents. Hearing him play will be one of the things that I will miss the most next year.</p>
<p>Thanks all-I had hoped to send the SAT II scores to augment chances of a scholarship-his top school recommends them but does not require them and some schools don’t accept a January sitting and some do. In other words, I don’t think he needs them to get a scholarship-it would just make his chances maybe better but he absolutely is done with the tests. He is really having a tough quarter at school and at this point I would rather he spend the time he would be taking to prep for the subject tests on his classwork.</p>
<p>If anyone with younger kids is reading this thread for tips I can’t stress enough to make sure you know about these tests-especially if you go to a school that you get no guidance on this. I do agree that the curriculum plays a part in success and I am sure if he had finished up with Chemistry last year he would have done very well-are school is very strong in that area due in no small part to an exceptional teacher.</p>
<p>Yeah he is handling it OK-I am sure he’s more upset than he’ll let on but he does move on rather well and deals with disappointment pretty well. I don’t think it hurt that we are getting our first snow of the year either!</p>
<p>Ah, reaches, reaches, reaches. </p>
<p>I’m in the same boat as some of you - worried about the stress of the extra apps, worried about the likely rejection and whether it’s “worth it.” I hope to talk to my D today - that’s one of the problems with having a busy senior: you don’t have a lot of time with them! I think she’s made a promise to herself that she wants to keep, but I want to make sure she doesn’t somehow think I’d be disappointed if she dropped a school from her list.</p>
<p>I still believe that if a kid meets the mid- (or even low-) 50% stats they shouldn’t feel ashamed to apply. Kids like them HAVE GOTTEN IN. </p>
<p>Scholarship stats are rough, though. I know that’s a whole other ballgame. Good luck to everyone.</p>
<p>Last day of school here, and weather not bad enough to close it. Darn. D has 2 tests today, and she’s awfully tired. But break will finally come. I hope it helps.</p>
<p>Have a great day, people. It’s nice to talk to you.</p>
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>Glad to hear about the good news on so many fronts, and hang in there if the good news hasn’t quite arrived yet.</p>
<p>A slightly off-topic question in an area where I haven’t quite gotten the job done as a parent during the HS years (some of you may also have your own areas that are still on the “to do” list!). My D has taken a number of years of Spanish, but has never had the opportunity for any real immersion – something I think is really important to actually learn a language well, particularly on the speaking front. Any suggestions on any decent, reasonably priced 2-3 week Spanish immersion programs during the summer either here in the US or south of the border?</p>
<p>tribeparent15 - My youngest D had a great experience last summer with Rustic Pathways - I believe the immersion was just 3 weeks and then she went on an eco-service trip in Costa Rica.</p>
<p>Re: immersion ideas: Concordia Language Villages in Moorhead MN. Lots of family friends send kids here. Highly regarded and fun!</p>
<p>Re: SATIIs - that Lit test is notorious. A “lower” score may actually be a pretty high percentile (unlike Math II). We were told by counselor to avoid the Lit test. Unfortunately, D did not know to take her science ones spring of sophomore year (the year she took bio and chem) so she had to take Lit (needed 3 total). I blame myself for not knowing more. Pepper- I agree with you about the younger kids getting some benefit from what we learn with kid 1. It worked out fine in the end; she had an English class that gave her a good foundation. We have suggested to our wonderful GC that the test information be part of the sophomore year information packets from the guidance office. </p>
<p>Reaches: I agree with the general concensus here: give it a go if there is time to do app well and the fees are not a big concern. I say this knowing that all of us on this thread have some solid matches and a beloved safety ;)</p>
<p>A totally-not-related-to-college-admissions thought for the day: It is not right for a husband to have more shoes than his wife.</p>
<p>Our older son has always had many shoes. He got that gene from me, not his dad. His cute wife has not been shoe shopping for a year or so–since her feet swelled up in her pregnancy. She has fewer shoes than he does. We’re going to remedy that today with a Christmas shoe shopping trip and lunch. I went 19 years without a daughter to shop with and for. This is just one of the blessings of our detour!</p>
<p>tribeparent, I found several of these in Mexico, Nicaragua and Costa Rica a few years ago when we thought ShawSon would do these. I’ll dredge the emails/bookmarks and see if I can find the good ones.</p>
<p>I recall one was in San Miguel de Allende, a lovely colonial highland town in Central Mexico, in a program for art and Spanish immersion. Mostly girls. I thought it would be good for ShawSon who is a gifted artistically, but he decided he didn’t want to go. I found another one in Costa Rica where they went surfing and others, I think, in Guadalajara, which were just immersion. In Nicaragua, I saw a school in Granada, I think, and talked to US kids, who were enjoying it. Very inexpensive if I recall. Lovely town on the surface, but haven’t been there for any extended period.</p>
<p>Amanda and Pepper:</p>
<p>The December Subject Tests are “the subject” around our house today too. Engineering focused A student daughter received a relatively low (660) chem score. Her HS is highly regarded, but not so good with preparing kids for things like APs and subject tests, obviously. She did fine on the math and the SAT I, and currently has an A in her advanced chem class. But science is weak at her school apparently.</p>
<p>Can this all be over soon?!!!? (At least her little sis will have have the advantage of my knowing that she will need to prepare extensively for the science subject tests at her school.)</p>
<p>Amandea; Let me know what your GC says about this. Our GCs are on vacation (and have been on vacation already for the past week) until after the first of the year. I know I’m grousing here, but don’t you think that GCs at an expensive private school could be available at this time of the year to families of seniors?</p>
<p>Anyone have any idea if relatively low science SAT subject test scores are the kiss of death for top engineering schools?</p>
<p>olderwisermom: My S has more shoes than my wife and I combined! When did this trend happen? He is a sophmore at college now, and every once in a while another package arrives for him. I am from the time of Keds and PF Flyers, so its beyond me.</p>
<p>Three more apps to get out, one had a 12/31 deadline but is all doable.</p>
<p>Thank God for Prority/Early Applications. My D has 3 acceptances now from schools that she really likes, and I have Fin aid from 2 of them that I really like. The remaining drama is now centered on her two dream schools. But overall must more restful than when my S was looking. One reason is I followed what (to me) is the Prime Commandment her on CC: “LOVE THY SAFETIES!”</p>
<p>Happy Holidays to all! (Personally this is my favorite grilling/smoking season)</p>
<p>Finally catching up on all the results ( just managed to get back from Europe and avoided getting stranded there with all that snow). </p>
<p>Son got accepted into U-Mich after Stanford EA rejection (no kid from his school got in). Hoping he can get into the U-Mich honors program which makes it a better approx. for the Ivies. He groaned after he saw that they had an additional essay component for the honors admissions, but the Stanford rejection appears to have jolted him sufficiently so he is working on that along with U-Chicago and Columbia RD apps.</p>
<p>At least 4 other kids from his school also got into U-Mich. Usually most CA kids don’t apply to U-Mich because of the UCs, but there has been marked interest in U-Mich because of the problems that the UCs have been having. His sister was probably one of the first in their school to break ranks and turn down UCs (UCLA) and instead went to Michigan. Absolutely no regrets from her end ( different story with Mom/Dad whose wallets are a lot lighter).</p>
<p>We are still slogging through the process, albeit with one EA to a great school. The December SAT II results came in today. With a high 600s score in Math II, does anyone have an opinion on (1) retaking just Math II; or (2) retaking Math II and also taking Math I? Do the top schools consider Math I to be of any importance even for a major in the humanities?</p>
<p>The general opinion in CC and other sites is that Math II is preferred by the high ranked schools over Math 1. Also keep in mind that the curve is worse for Math I than Math II. Not sure about the humanities angle - BTW is Jan the last deadline for SAT 2 tests ?</p>
<p>Thanks! Anyone else have any thoughts? Of our schools, only one that will not consider January SAT IIs - I think it was Middlebury.</p>
<p>Hi - I think MathII is the way to go for selective schools like Middlebury. Good luck!</p>
<p>Our son took Mat I SAT II because MIT’s website says they do not have a preference. Maybe one student every 5 years from his school takes the SAT II tests so the GC was no help. After looking at the review books I bought, his IB Math teacher suggested Math I.</p>
<p>He got a 780. I asked on the MIT CC page if he should take the SAT II in January to better his chances for RD at MIT. The admissions staff who post there said absolutely not.</p>
<p>Just an FYI.</p>
<p>Hi everyone!</p>
<p>I’m having a really weird (and good) day. S2 has completed 2 more RD apps, leaving just 2 more to go–(okay–plus 5 art portfolio & creative supplements, but let’s not go there right now.) I feel like celebrating so here’s some fresh egg nog or hot cocoa with real whipped cream!!</p>
<p>Actually, I need to ask your advice as we’ve been presented with an unexpected gift. S2, who you may remember re-took that which shall not be named in Dec, got his scores today. I won’t go into the sheer shock on his and my faces–but he had a rather outrageous increase. (I swear, this feels like a Dickens story with a happy twist at the end!) Of course, this is fabulous and I am so grateful he fought his own demons on this re-take. </p>
<p>I now must ask–should we even consider revisiting his list. Currently, he has no super-reaches and none have been in his dreams due to our need for merit $$ and his previous good but not amazing scores. I realize his score zoom only alters one half of that equation, but I’m feeling like maybe he should give it a shot. I think I need someone to talk sense into me. S2 is really surprised I’m raising this point–but I recall very clearly how stunned he was when many friends started receiving good ED news from such schools. </p>
<p>Anyway, I think this is primarily my issue. But with so little time to go, what would you advise?</p>