<p>Sat II’s: We are still debating, but it looks like, more than likely, S3 will take the Math II, and 2 others in June. Probably Biology and US History. I am very jealous of those who are done. If he hits the June ACT out of the park, we could be done, but more than likely he will take the SAT again in October.</p>
<p>Sure it’s nice to have testing done early. And if you have lots to take, it makes sense to avoid taking them all at the last minute. But in the end, it’s not like the early testers have a head start over the late testers. Besides, if I didn’t have testing to obsess over right now, I don’t know what I’d be doing with my time 
Heck, unless you’re applying ED or EA, I think most schools accept test dates from Dec of senior year.</p>
<p>tx5 – My son THOUGHT he’d be done with testing (34 ACT; 2100 SAT) with the SAT II in May, but too many people keep telling him he needs to take it twice. Pomona is his high reach school and they require all testing. I don’t want him to take ACT twice for fear he’ll do lower.</p>
<p>School Counselor finally got back to us and has confirmed he will check the “Most difficult” or whatever it is box on the common app. That is a relief.</p>
<p>The worst part of my son’s application right now is GPA and there is not too much he can do to improve it. Fingers crossed he just won’t let it go below 3.5 UW/3.99 W. Counselor told me max GPA is 4.5. </p>
<p>Not sure I’ll make it to 4/1/2013. This stuff stresses me more than I ever thought possible. Very grateful for my cyber friends. My family wouldn’t be able to stand it if I expressed half my stress of this process to them.</p>
<p>I want to use a Private Counselor who charges by the hour, but not sure son is on board with it. We could really use an “outsider” to keep him on track with writing essays and crafting his resume. I thought he was forgetting things on his resume, but instead, he just didn’t find any of them important enough to mention.</p>
<p>Longhaul: Why would he need to take a 34 on the ACT again? Doesn’t make sense to me! I am considering a private counselor too. Mostly to take the stress off of me.</p>
<p>tx5 - I told him I’d pay for him to retest IF he waited until October. By then, I think he’ll just decide to not retest. I think his friends are all following a checklist of Spring/Fall testing. Frankly, even a perfect score won’t overshadow his GPA, so I agree, no point.</p>
<p>The private counselor I’d use is someone who I went to college with. She worked in admissions at a mid-tier (75ish on the US News) LAC and really knows her stuff to play the merit game. Our school counselor is very regional PA/NJ/DE, while she more national connections. I don’t think she can “get him in” anywhere, but I do think she has a better handle on what the out of region schools will consider. PM me if you want her contact info. She only charges $75/hour</p>
<p>Pomona doesn’t require, nor even recommend, Subject tests if the ACT is submitted. Only 12 schools absolutely require the Subject tests</p>
<p>CalTech
CMU
Columbia U
Cornell U
Dartmouth College
Franklin Olin College
Harvard U
Harvey Mudd College
MIT
Princeton U
Webb Institute
Williams College</p>
<p>24 schools recommend (sometimes “strongly recommend”) that SAT Subject tests be submitted. In some of these cases particular programs in the school (such as ISP at Northwestern) require Subject tests.</p>
<p>Carleton College
Claremont McKenna
Cooper Union
Davidson College
Emory University
Georgetown University
Hollins University
Johns Hopkins University
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Occidental College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Scripps College
Skidmore College
Stanford University
University of Delaware
University of Georgia
University of Southern California
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Washington and Lee University
Washington University in St. Louis</p>
<p>If his aim is to maintain enough flexibility to be able to apply to these schools, that would be a good reason to take them. But there is no need to take them in order to apply to Pomona when he already has a strong ACT score at hand.</p>
<p>I know there is a lot of temptation to try the counselor route to keep the deadlines and application stress from poisoning the family dinner conversations. My D is pretty good about doing stuff but I know that even with good intentions she will underestimate how long essays and applications are going to take. I am dreading being in the role of enforcer. It is easy to say “let them own the process” but reality is that such a multi-tasking, multi-deadline process is going to be tough on top of managing all of their ECs and homework. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone else do the nagging and organizing and worrying? However, before going with a “neutral third party” who may not be much help and will cost a lot of money consider doing the following (based on my experience with my VERY disorganized son who is now at CMU).<br>
- If your school requires they write an college essay as a summer assigment, insist that it be the main one for the common app. If the school does not require this, you can use drastic methods: (stick) no car keys until essay is written or (carrot)…$200 bucks to spend on xyz if you get it done by Aug 1.<br>
- Ditto for filling out the Common App</p>
<p>As a parent of an IB student with the extended essay looming precisely during application season, my big worry is her getting that done during the summer. Potentially, the extended essay may help with the app essays …at least the app essays will seem easy after the IB one.</p>
<p>I am mulling over a plan to involve my D’s best friends with help from other moms. We will pay for a long weekend at the beach with her friends and moms if all the extended essay drafts are ready. Moms will sit and chill and the girls can socialize together in afternoons and evenings but will each provide some feedback on a friends essay in the mornings (social pressure to get a decent essay done). I think they may go for it…</p>
<p>THEN…best advice EVER from cc during my son’s march to college. Beginning in August, agree that college stuff will be isolated to only one time per week. No one is to discuss college apps except every sunday morning from 10-12 (pick a day) a time that will be devoted to applications etc no matter what the critical issue or homework. No whining, moaning or excuses or it will be moved to the next Friday AND Saturday evening. Worked like a charm for my son who really liked NOT talking college stuff. It worked for the most part with only a panic/stress for some scholarship applications in the early spring when admissions came in and so did senior slump.</p>
<p>I have seen some of these SAT tutoring firms offer essay writing programs that promise to help a kid organize and concentrate on the essays but I worry that they will end up directing the essay and either end up as borderline cheating or killing any original voice/tone that is my kid. I remember reading a really bizarre essay by my son and letting him send it to a very selective school thinking…“if they hate it they won’t let him in…but then again, would he want to go to a school where everyone will 'hate” his quirky/eccentric side?"</p>
<p>fineartsmajormom—YOU ARE A GENIUS!!! I never thought of doing a “girls weekend” to complete essays. FANTASTIC IDEA!!! Now, where to go!!! Who to invite? What should be the drink of the weekend for the parents???</p>
<p>We have told the kids that deadline for having the common app and all other apps filled out is mid-August, not submitted, just filled out. Once schools starts they just won’t have time with their fall schedule. EVERY weekend in Sept and Oct is booked with their band activities and other things. If we can do a weekend somewhere fun with friends right before school starts, maybe even Labor Day weekend, they can have everything done for applications then they will only have to worry about scholarship applications. EXCELLENT!!!</p>
<p>Longhaul–what will the counselor help with as far as merit aid goes, or anything else for that matter? I “think” we have a good handle on looking at the right schools for the kids based on the average GPA/ACT’s for the various schools and merit awards given. Both kids are looking at schools where they come in at the top 25%, and are great fits for them for their majors and interests. Is there something else we should consider? For DS, his major is limited so we have been searching off the professional organization recommended list and are very comfortable with his choices both for that major any any other major he would consider. For DD, wanting to go to med school, focus there is getting through with no loans (or a very small amount in loans), plus she will have athletic aid. Every school she has looked at and wants to attend the chances of her having to pay anything or more than say $5000/year are very high. Anything else we should think about?</p>
<p>Descartz - thank you thank you thank you.</p>
<p>Okay, I think my D is officially ready for the stress of the upcoming application season. Two days after everyone she knew had already received their decision letters for Governnor’s school, she has now received hers. She is in! Yea!!!</p>
<p>blueshoe–YEAH!!! I have no idea what the Governors’s program is but YEAH!!! :D</p>
<p>Regarding the discussion about SAT subject tests, I just saw on a different thread that BU (Boston) will no longer require subject tests. BU was somewhat unique among its selectivity level peers for requiring them. It is mostly just the super selective schools that require or recommend them.</p>
<p>Since D isn’t aiming at the super selective schools, I’ve decided that she will skip taking them. BU was the only school on the “maybe consider” list that asked for them.</p>
<p>With S2’s summer less than six weeks away, I am also starting to get a little nervous about deadlines and essays. He leaves immediately on June 5 to his voice festivals/camps and won’t be home until the beginning of August. Then he has to get his wisdom teeth extracted, so I know he won’t feel like doing anything for a few days. </p>
<p>School starts August 27 (a week later than usual) so maybe we can squeeze in his common app essay. He also has to make an extensive audition video for the Young Arts competition which is due October 19. Why am I worrying about all this now??? Don’t know, but I am.</p>
<p>I’m not having D13 worry about subject tests - for any schools on her radar that may suggest them they will likely accept the ACT instead and I think she’ll do decently on that but honestly the higher tier schools aren’t on her radar and won’t be.</p>
<p>She did just get asked to prom though by a good friend and it is the night before the ACT but I told her if she commits to studing the prep guides for the ACT a night off from thinking about it won’t be a bad thing. The lack of sleep may be but I told her that wasn’t reason enough not to go to prom if she wanted to. We skipped the May ACT because of the AP exams and prom wasn’t on the radar but we’ll see!</p>
<p>Steve, a month this summer spent at university studying in the area of humanities. She was selected from her school and then competed with kids from our very large suburban school system and was chosen from that group. Her application then went to the state level where she was ultimately selected to attend. Program is for gifted students and tuition is paid for by the state.:)</p>
<p>OK so I was thinking it was SAT plus subject tests or ACT, but it could be SAT + ACT? </p>
<p>FAmom: you are very wise! Thanks for all of your wisdom! D1 and S2 struggled a lot with the essays mostly what to write about. I think they didn’t have a clue of who they were. Add to that, S2 was a HUGE procrastinator, so that part of the process was very painful. S3 is a different kid, more than likely we don’t NEED a college counselor, although we get almost no help from the school, but I just thought it might make my “last time” a little easier. But I agree, I don’t want to lose his voice on the essays.</p>
<p>Congrats to Blueshoe’s DD!!</p>
<p>Congrats to Blueshoe’s D! My son did the VA Fine arts summer gov program 4 years ago. FA joined with the humanities program and it was, perhaps still is, the most meaningful few weeks of his young life. He is still in touch via facebook with friends he made there and many are studying fine art/music/humanities at their colleges. I am not sure who is going from my D’s class but the school usually sends a couple to each of the programs. It is pretty intense and sounded a lot like my first few weeks of college and freshman orientation–suddenly being with a group of like minded young people, treated like adults with freedoms and amazing learning opportunities , and they just seem to meet the challenge and enjoy themselves tremendously. Get ready, however, to experience a taste of losing that first-born to college life? I found it traumatic to have no communication with him for a month since there was no cell phone coverage at the time at U of Richmond…gave him a calling card to use the regular phone…I believe it is still in his wallet…unused!</p>
<p>Hey everyone it has simply been hectic around here since our college tour two weeks ago! I can’t even remember if I posted a trip review and just too lazy to look! So here is a quick synopsis:</p>
<p>TAMU- The Marine Bio program is good and D will get decent merit aid, the negatives were the dorms, D did not like “visiting hours” and honestly most of her friends are male so I don’t blame her, D also felt the campus lacked character and that too many students transfer out to College Station. I didn’t like Houston traffic at all and she would fly into and out of there every break. D might apply.</p>
<p>Spent the weekend in OK visiting D’s friend in the Army…she now has a Boyfriend in the Army He is a great guy and they have been friends for a long time but the distance will definitely be a challenge, but my Dh is military so she is somewhat use to it. </p>
<p>We skipped Rhodes College, other than a drive thru the campus which was really pretty but they lack Marine Bio or Science so D doesn’t want to pursue it.</p>
<p>U of Alabama, we met with an Honors College Rep, D sat in on an Honors College class, met with ambassador, toured the dorms and then met with the head of Bio/Marine Science Program. Initially D was overwhelmed with he size of the campus but as the day progressed that waned, in the end she really liked it. One huge plus is that D will have a ton of core classes done thru DE, she will finish in 3yrs and only need to take 12 credit hour semesters Definitely will apply and submit housing deposit when the apps open.</p>
<p>U of South Carolina- Maybe Alabama was a hard act to follow but the information just wasn’t as put together as UA. The campus is nice enough although we did not feel like the kids were as nice as UA and the Marine Classes are not taught on the water where as at UA they are taught at Dauphin Island during the summer D will probably not apply.</p>
<p>As for prom, D has a gorgeous dress that we ordered back in Feb, shoes and purse died to match unfortunately D is not going. Originally someone asked her in Jan, then that changed so she was going to go with a friend but she really wanted the new BF to go even when he was just a friend but unfortunately he can’t get leave. So D is going to keep the dress for next yr and I am taking her to OK for the weekend. Frankly there has been a little drama about the new BF with a couple of girls so this is really for the better.</p>
<p>SAT II’s nope not taking them!</p>
<p>Here is D’s list so far:</p>
<p>U Alabama
FSU
U Miami
Duke
UNC-Chapel Hill
UNC-Wilmington
College of Charleston
Rollins College
Clemson</p>
<p>So far she has a 3.8 UW/ 4.3 W…I expect the W to be about a 4.5…with 40 or so DE Credits by graduation. I am hoping she will have a lot of apps finished by the end of Aug, as she is pretty motivated!</p>
<p>The Choice (NY Times education section) just published their first draft of the 2012 admissions decisions data: <a href=“https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0ArlRBr9Qvz0mdEdLNzNsRnBKT3Z1dDZ5QTFCQVV1NkE&output=html[/url]”>2012 Admission Decisions - Google Drive; </p>
<p>Some interesting data pieces in there. Some admissions rates are up, some are down, but they also have wait list #'s in there as well. Stuff to ponder.</p>
<p>^^Saw this earlier today…scary!</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your memories of your S’s experience at gov school FAMM. I read your post to my D. She has heard the same from older friends who have attended.:)</p>