<p>We are now on a visit to the greater NYC and Philadephia areas because of family obligagtions (two bar/bat mitzvahs) so it just make sense to expose S’12 to a few college tours. It is unlikely that he will see the schools in the northeast until after the acceptances come out in senior year because we live in South Florida, he is too swamped with schoolwork (7 academic classes), EC’s, sports and weekend testing during the school year, and there just is not time to get on a plane and do trips. It is now, and next summer (at which time he will already need to have done his state school applications…since in case you guys were unfamiliar, for Florida schools they need to be done in the summer before senior year). My son says that he wants to go to school out of state but dosen’t have a clue as to where or what but realistically speaking (from experience) he may well end up at UF or UMiami because every out of state school is really far from home. He will do his application for UF at the end of JUNE next year and submit it within the first few days of July. This is essential to getting a good number in the queue for on campus housing (which is scarce and dismal). Although they do not have ED at UF, applications are DUE NOV. 1. They only look at applications submitted after the deadline on a “space available” basis. On a good note, he probably will be able to use his UF essay or modify it somewhat to use it for the common application…they topic is almost identical.</p>
<p>My '12 son is starting SAT tutoring this summer. I didn’t do this with my older son, mostly because we didn’t plan ahead and ran out of time. Once the school year starts it just gets too busy. So for this son I learned my lesson. He’ll either take the Oct or Nov SAT, but I can’t pick until I see sports schedules for the fall. </p>
<p>My son has already seen a few schools after following us around with his brother. We will be visiting family up in New England in July and my son asked to see Northeastern, so we’ll add that to our trip. He asked me to show him Elon last spring and really liked it. He is going to a soccer camp there soon, hopefully that will give him a close up feel for the campus. </p>
<p>I am going into this process with experience this time and hoping to take some of the stress out by planning for the time that is needed to get everything done.</p>
<p>Seiclan, What’s your take on Florida State? D’12 has some interest because of the freshman year abroad options. She’ll probably study international relations.</p>
<p>Florida State is a very good school with a really nice campus. I am not that fond of Tallahassee. Even though it is the seat of Florida’s government it is not that “happening” a city and not so easy to get into and out of (flight are very expensive and sparse, unlike say Jacksonville which is about a 2 hour drive). I know of many kids who go to FSU and they are very devoted to their school. The frat/sorority scene is pretty big there but that is probably true of any huge school with a big football team presence. If your daughter has some interest I definitely recommend a visit. They have two different campus tour options there, the van tour or the walking tour. They have two brand new freshman residence halls that are really nice suite style and the stadium at FSU is very impressive. Both of my girls considered FSU at one point but neither attended (one went to UF and the other to UCF). I believe that the 6 1/2 hour drive home was too much for my girls and there just aren’t enough good flights from Tallahasee to Fort Lauderdale. My friend’s kids who attend FSU drive to Jacksonville and park there to fly home. The honors program at FSU is very good too btw. If applying to FSU, definitely do so the summer before senior year. Decisions are then known by early December (and they are non binding…you don’t need to deposit until May 1).</p>
<p>My D started SAT prep today. It is ALOT of homework and she is having some sadness about less beach time. She also has a job, although luckily, that is only four weeks of the summer (camp counselor.) She is going to Summer at Brown for two weeks, so they gave her all the homework and practice tests to take while she is gone. I told her since the flights are so long, she could get lots of work done on the plane, leaving more time for fun at Brown. She is going to try to do that. I did not realize the sheer amount of homework. But she has a friend in her class and they are texting commiserations back and forth. And there will be time to have fun. Its only three days a week, and then only four hours each of those days. I did not do this type of SAT prep with my older daughter who did not need huge SAT scores as 80% of her admission was based on audition. </p>
<p>We are very much looking forward to our visit to Yale and Wesleyan later this week. My older D is also excited as Yale has a great MFA Drama program. I will let you know what I learn at the tours for Yale, Brown and Wesleyan.</p>
<p>We are looking at colleges for S12, and are beginning to talk about matches/reaches with family history. Grandmother ran Columbia’s off campus housing dept. for 40+ years (Mrs. Foley) and son (S grandfather) attended but did not graduate from there (it was the 60s and Berkeley called to him). Great Grandfather graduated from Wesleyan as did my SIL (H half sister). Can we count any of those people as legacy?</p>
<p>We are beginning the Midwestern College tours this summer. We go to Wabash Science day on Friday, then tour DePauw, IU, DePauw, Loyola, Uof Chicago, Earlham and Northwestern for October. Since we are looking for merit aid, S is looking to schools that will give him substancial aid as well, so additional colleges are on agenda for Junior year.</p>
<p>I dropped my D off at IU for a summer program over the weekend. Loved their campus. Enjoy your tour of schools and let us know what you find.</p>
<p>We just got back to the hotel after doing the NYU information session and tour. We were all pleasantly surprised at how much we liked the school. I posted a visit report on CC a few minutes ago. Guess we will be adding that one to son’s college list now. I never thought he would like such an urban campus!</p>
<p>NYU is in a very “cool” part of NYC – a lot of distractions and high rent, though.</p>
<p>^^^Yes, but university housing is guaranteed for all four years at NYU. I do agree that NYC has a lot of distractions though.</p>
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<p>That was the main reason my oldest wanted to go there - 4 yrs of living in Manhattan! She’s glad she decided not to attend but she still dreams of that NYC life which she thinks is so glamourous!</p>
<p>Thanks for feedback on Florida State. I don’t know if my daughter will seriously consider it, but the freshman year abroad program does look very appealing. Re. NYU and distractions, I think it all depends on your budget. I was a student at Barnard in the '80’s. I wasn’t able to take advantage of nearly as many opportunities as I hoped simply because I didn’t have the $. There are free and low cost things to do but not as many as you would think. I had considered NYU, too but liked the Barnard-Columbia campus better. I guess I like the “gated community”.</p>
<p>Dual credit - Is it worth the cost? I took my 2012 daughter to her orientation at her new school - a state boarding school for high school juniors and seniors on a college campus. Many of the classes she will take over the next two years could be taken for college credit if I pay ~ $600 per class. Her old school had a few such opportunities but I’d always assumed the credit would only be accepted in state and thought it better to only gamble $80 on the AP exam. What do you think? I am toying with the idea of signing her up to get college credit for her Chinese class next year. She’ll be looking for merit scholarships - probably studying international relations - She has high stats but we will be trying to save $ for law school.</p>
<p>two schools I know with good IA programs that give good merit are GWU , University of South carolina, My D
s friend is now in Hong Kong, for 14 months. They sought her out becuase of how she did on her chinese AP exam. full boat.</p>
<p>Well, the USH SAT subject score was not what I hoped. She’s a MUCH better student than her brother but can’t seem to do better on the SAT. This is surprising because she has ALWAYS outscored him on every standardarized test…even the SAT in middle school. </p>
<p>I just can’t figure it out. Lower soph PSAT and now a lower USH SAT. </p>
<p>The bright spot is that she’s not at all concerned because she hates history and it’s her worst subject. Heck, a year from now, her apps may not even need subject tests. Moving on. :)</p>
<p>DS did well on SAT subject test in Math 2, his first real test, making us think that perhaps his wide college net will remain wide (since the reaches might be within his realm). Visitiing our fourth school in 4 days today, Muhlenberg college, a safety for him that I believe that he may really like. U Penn was nice but DS was more impressed by Columbia the day before. Will post visit reports soon. He still has not started his AP Lang, summer work packet…yikes!</p>
<p>Can’t wait to hear about your visits, seiclan. DD loved Columbia on our visit there last year, as well.</p>
<p>Our DD loved Columbia too - it must be something in that NY water - the same thing that makes the bagels and pizza dough so good.</p>
<p>DB- right there with you commiserating… D2 is a better math student than D1 and did much worse on the SAT2. She isn’t deterred, she says she will study and take it again. I will keep up my encouragement not to compare and we will look at some test optional schools. But I need to find out from her GC which schools which require tests will emphasize them less than her good (not great) grades and rigorous curriculum</p>