<p>My ds loves cricket! They have a club at school. :)</p>
<p>And because so many schools do things differently, we have to rely on colleges to understand the nuances. That’s why it’s important that your HS have a great profile to explain your school’s idiosyncracies.</p>
<p>My s will be going to a college fair sponsored by his school and apparently no parents are allowed! anyone have their kids go to a fair on their own?</p>
<p>^exactly, youdontsay. The profile also can change year-to-year - DS’ changed pretty dramatically, in fact - so keep an eye on it!</p>
<p>david, DS hasn’t gone to a college fair on his own and I don’t think it would have been very profitable for him. We went to one together and I coached him on the first few (what to ask about, how to respond to questions, what kind of materials to pick up). But, DS isn’t particularly savvy in those kinds of situations anyhow. :-)</p>
<p>Still no word on when my son picks his courses for next year. English, science, and history will consist of 2 semester long electives each. He’ll complete 4 years of math (calculus) and Spanish. Then there’s a fine art/technology elective and phys ed. All seniors also have to complete a year long capstone project. So besides the capstone, next year shouldn’t be much different than previous years.</p>
<p>Pgh, can you coach me about what to ask, how to respond and what materials to pick up? I find the college fairs so overwhelming!</p>
<p>anniezz, I think this pretty much covered the bases for DS:</p>
<p>Ask about:
offerings in major
availability of merit aid (we were fairly sure by then that DS would be an NMSF)
for state schools, whether there was an honors college option
study abroad options
key extracurricular activities (DS’ were quiz bowl and a student radio station)</p>
<p>Introduction (I really did have to script this):
Hi, my name is DS. I go to X HS. I’m thinking of majoring in X. Does your school offer that? How hard would it be to double major in X?
(If it’s a school that “passes the test”): Can you send me more information? (DS’ college fair had a sheet with a bar code that schools just scanned and that got them the info. I’ve also heard of students that made up “business cards” with contact info).
(Just for good measure, I also coached him on how to gracefully get out of a conversation with a school he clearly wasn’t interested in…good life skill!)</p>
<p>What to pick up:
basic viewbook
financial aid info
honors college info
study abroad info</p>
<p>HTH.</p>
<p>David1126, at the college fair DD and I were at yesterday, there were tons of kids their without adults. It seemed pretty common for schools to send buses full of kids with a couple chaperones. I would recommend just giving him a couple questions to use to start off the conversations, and he’ll be fine.</p>
<p>Here are some of D’s most common questions:
What are your most popular majors?
How rigorous are your general education requirements?
Is it easy to find the time to double major?
Do you accept AP credit?
Do you have an honors program?
What kinds of scholarships are available?</p>
<p>PghMom, speaking of National Merit, does anyone know when the first letters will be sent out? Their website says sometime in April the top 50,000 scorers will get letters (commended and NMSF combined I guess?) and we think DD will at least be a commended scholar. :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>If your son enjoys playing cricket he might want to check out Haverford College. They claim to have the only varsity cricket team in the US.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I believe I read somewhere that the 50,000 letters went out today.</p>
<p>^^^I had popped over to the National Merit forum earlier today & it sounds like the mailings to high schools went out today & the kiddos should be getting the letters at home next week (the one where they get to select 2 schools to notify.)</p>
<p>Hi all. </p>
<p>Wanted to pass on some valuable info to you all. Bumped into a friend last night whom works in college admissions (top 20 school but not an IVY) and he passed on some good info. </p>
<p>I asked him about wait lists this year and the seeming large amount of kids that are getting wait listed as opposed to accepted. What he said was that with Early Action, they are filling a lot of their spots in the various programs early. This allows them to be very choosy with the Regular Decision kids and a lot of times, they have ‘wonderful qualified candidates’ (his words) that they simply cannot take because they have already filled up a large amount of spots with the Early Action process. </p>
<p>What I took away from this encounter was that your kid(s) should ‘show early love’ to the place that is on the top of their list. (unless it’s a IVY and then I don’t know if that matters. ha ha) Seriously, for most ‘non-ivies’ it may make the difference between a wait list and an acceptance!</p>
<p>Thanks Laurendog,</p>
<p>We won’t be able to do ED because of FA needs, but for the schools that have it, DD will apply EA. Most of the schools she is thinking about don’t have EA though, only ED. :(</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the great suggestions for the college fair!</p>
<p>Anniezz…don’t worry too much about the ED. For the need blind schools you will see that most have ED rates only slightly higher than RD and those students accepted early at these schools are often athletes or legacies. On the other hand, the non-need blind schools accept not just good candidates in ED but also accept more because they know that most of them will pay full tuition so there is definitely a bias there. We will not qualify for aid but I have already told D that ED is unlikely to be allowed by H and I. Two reasons–I saw my son change his mind between December and April about what type of school he wanted and I think a contractually binding committement at 17 is probably not wise. Second, if she applies to various schools RD she may get merit aid or into a reach school that she didn’t really consider possible. Last, on principle, sh can’t apply ED to non-need-blind schools…I think ED at such schools gives a grossly unfair advantage to well-off families and you have to worry that they may accept a kid who may not be a good fit or will thrive just to get the full-pay kid.</p>
<p>The one super selective school our S is considering specifically told kids to ONLY apply EA (non-binding) IF everything was perfect on their application, 2400/36 SAT/ACT, 4.0 GPA, #1 in the class, etc., etc. They are very selective even among the elite and that the EA pool has a lower acceptance rate than RD. He will apply early, but still on RD.</p>
<p>SteveMA, wow! It’s very confusing - I had an admissions counselor at one school we talked to tell me the opposite, so I guess we need to really find that out for each school.</p>
<p>anniezz–yes, it is confusing. I think some of it might have to do with the difference between the binding and non-binding admissions. For binding admissions, they will select a more well rounded population, I would guess, since they HAVE to attend there if admitted (barring financial considerations). With the non-binding, they are trying to fill out only their “top” student demographics. That is my guess anyway.</p>
<p>To clarify - the school where my friend works does not have ED only EA. </p>
<p>Steve - I’ve never heard what you reported (about the EA process being more selective) I’ve only heard exactly the opposite. However, it may vary with schools. All of the schools we’ve researched/come across have been the opposite of what you have experienced. </p>
<p>One of the Athletic Training program admissions people told me that they fill a huge amount of the program (can’t remember the percentage, it was over 75%) from the EA applications.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Notre Dame website</p>
<p>Here is a list of Early and Regular acceptance rates in 2009:</p>
<p>[Admission</a> Statistics: Acceptance Rates - Early vs. Regular | InLikeMe](<a href=“http://inlikeme.com/admission-statistics-acceptance-rates-early-vs-regular.html]Admission”>http://inlikeme.com/admission-statistics-acceptance-rates-early-vs-regular.html)</p>
<p>I do not see any colleges on this list, where rates are higher for Regular Decision. It does not have Notre Dame. Although, I have read that if one has weak grades in freshman and sophomore years, but improvements in junior year it is better to go Regular, to demonstrate the improving trend is intact thru first semester of senior year.</p>
<p>Boy, we are talking strategy now! Is anybody using the “Colleges I am thinking about” on Naviance? Our school has that, and it lists EA, ED and RD dates. That is very helpful. Of course, I will check them all again this summer to make sure the schools have not changed for the next year application season.</p>