<p>Until cc, I had no idea that schools had multiple, and sometimes 20 :eek: valedictions. Seems like it defeats the purpose of finding the student with the top GPA. Of course, if schools don’t award actual number grades and have only letters that reflect a range of numbers, I guess that’s the only choice. Was just so surprising to me. At our school one year, the last kid in the top 10% had a GPA that was .003 higher than the next kid.</p>
<p>My s’s school does not rank but in the school profile it sends out they state out of how many students what number has no grade lower than B+ and B. So I guess that makes the rank range obvious even though they state they don’t rank.</p>
<p>I just saw that a representative from Yale was at my son’s school today. You needed a 3.5 just to attend the information session…lol.</p>
<p>^^^Wait. What? Srsly? What do they do, check a copy of the transcript at the door?</p>
<p>RobD, you have to use Naviance to sign up for info sessions so it would be pretty easy for someone to check if they wanted.</p>
<p>Just wow. (10 char)</p>
<p>You guys were smart to help your kids get some testing out of the way. Here is D’s lineup before June 2nd. Two ACT, one SAT, two SAT II, two AP. Poor thing.</p>
<p>Do any of you have any thoughts about this concern? My D is one of the top students at her public, very good high school in a county which is highly regarded across the board. She has straight A’s and a schedule consisting of only honors or AP classes (where offered, obviously not gym or early levels of language etc). Her GC says she has an incredible transcript- except for 1600 on the SAT (out of 2400). HPYMS aren’t her schools of choice, but places like UNC, UVA, Emory, JHU are on her list. Can anyone shed light on how colleges may see the SAT relative to her GPA (4.0 UW, 4.33 W, no rankings given but tops in the class GC said when pressed). She will re-take in June and is studying; how much is that likely to help? Many thanks for anything you may be able to share or suggest.</p>
<p>89wahoo, with an SAT of 1600/2400, the schools that you list are most likely out of reach. Unless she has some kind of hook (e.g. recruited athlete, under-represented minority, etc.), and even if she does, scores below the 25th percentile make a school a big reach. And 1600 is probably at least 300 points below the 25th percentile scores for most of those schools.</p>
<p>It is fine to apply to some reaches, of course, but it is most important to build the list of schools from the bottom up, concentrating on safeties and matches. There are lots of great schools out there that she would have good odds at being accepted at, just not Top 20-30 ranked schools.</p>
<p>^ It might also be worth looking into some test-optional schools.<br>
[SAT/ACT</a> Optional 4-Year Universities | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional]SAT/ACT”>ACT/SAT Optional List - Fairtest)</p>
<p>BerneseMtn, I <em>thought</em> we were getting testing out of the way but somehow we have virtually the same schedule as you to look forward to this spring: 2 APs, 2 SAT IIs, and one regular SAT. Finsls, too And maybe an ACT if he doesn’t self combust. I think it is impossible to plan perfectly. There are just too many unknowns.</p>
<p>^^ I meant ‘finals’. Fat fingered typing on tiny device.
Interesting discussion on GPA calculation methods. Our school doesn’t rank but I would be interested in seeing the school profile. I guess GC can provide that. Never knew about that.</p>
<p>We need some guidance on sending SAT scores to schools. DS(2) just took the SAT for the first time on Saturday. Looking at discussions on CC, he is confident that he will be in the 2250-2300+ range. He plans to take the SAT again in June, and plans to apply to 12-15 colleges total this fall (probably 2 safeties, 3-4 matches, the rest reaches). Since he is on the cusp for National Merit Semifinalist, we figured he should send these SAT scores in to them. Beyond that, how should he decide which other schools, if any, he should send scores to at this time?</p>
<p>MumTo3 - Here is my honest advice. I would not send ANY scores anywhere at this time. </p>
<p>Since you have the summer to get the June scores in, before you have to send the scores anywhere, I would wait until the March scores come in (despite your DS’s confidence) and then wait until his June scores come in and then assess all scores. </p>
<p>Unlike olden days 
SAT now offers Score Choice and you don’t have to send all scores to all colleges where he’s applying. I think it’s the prudent thing to do. </p>
<p>What if DS is overconfident and he doesn’t do as well as he’s hoping? What if he’s blown a section, and doesn’t realize it, and now you’ve gone ahead and sent the scores? </p>
<p>Since we now have the ability to review all tests before sending - why not take advantage of it? Let him get his March scores, assess whether or not he’ll take the test again in June, and then, if he does so - wait and look at everything over the summer before sending the scores. By that time, he should have a good college list together anyhow and you’ll know where to send them. </p>
<p>In addition - if he’s planning to take the ACT I would wait until the ACT scores come in and then do an entire assessment of which test he’d like to send. Since you don’t need to send both tests to any school - if the ACT is much much better than the SAT, I would send that and never send the SAT anywhere. </p>
<p>Just my 2 cents.</p>
<p>MomTo3: I always thought one need to send in the scores to colleges which the student is applying to. My S has not send any of his test scores yet</p>
<p>Today, I met with his GC for the first time. She was very friendly and offered many suggesions about list of colleges on my S’s list. My S was asking about next years schedule, she thought it is a bit overwhelming, but My S seemed confident. </p>
<p>So his next year schedule looks like this</p>
<p>AP Laguage arts
AP Economics
AP Bio
AP Physics
AP psychology
Honors Spanish
Online math course: probability theory
Varsity VolleyBall</p>
<p>My S opted for Honors spanish instead of AP Spanish. Good thing, in his school, AP and Honors classes are weighted the same way.</p>
<p>I want to give y’all a glimpse into your futures:</p>
<p>Ds1 flew in from college for spring break after 3, we went out to eat at a local favorite, and he’s now asleep on the couch. Airport to food to nap in less than two hours. 
It’s good to have him home.</p>
<p>Youdon’tsay, Aww, enjoy your time together!</p>
<p>Yep, YDS, my college freshman was home last week and immediately reverted to his old ways of sleeping past noon and staying up half the night playing video games. He is doing very well in his school work though, so I didn’t bug him about it!</p>
<p>We’re traveling out to see our sophomore college boy and our graduate for spring break in a couple weeks. Haven’t seen the “graduate” since well…graduation as he couldn’t get enough time off to come home for Christmas. HS junior son has his college “list” pretty much formed. Just waiting for test results to see if we can trim a couple off the list. Surprisingly one of his favorites is only a couple hours away, what a difference that would make after the 3 plane flights or an 18 hour drive for the older two. It would be a wonderful way to “complete” the college hunt to know that 3 would be close to home. Meanwhile I have our mother/son east coast look see trip planned and booked for mid-April. A nice breather before the onset of the May AP tests and the June ACT. Fortunately we won’t need SATs or SATIIs for any of the colleges. Things have changed so much since I went through this the first time in 2005-2006 with S1. The other major changed is the “lists” have gotten longer. S1 applied to 4, S2 applied to 6 and it looks like S3 will be more like 8-10 TBD ACT scores and the April trip. I refuse to deal with FAFSA and more than 10! It will be most fun to get back info in May from this year’s seniors to find out if those pesky on-line college finaid calculators are remotely accurate.</p>
<p>We’re still on the fence about SAT II’s here. I think D2 will have to take 2 & I’m leaning towards the May date. That’s right around AP US History test time & she’ll be taking the SAT II in US history. I just don’t want her to have to test in June when she’ll have been out of school already for 2 weeks. </p>
<p>State mandated ACT is next week. </p>
<p>Anyone else’s kiddos taking the National Spanish Exam today?</p>