<p>tx5-that is sooo disappointing and stinks! The wine has been passed(:</p>
<p>YDS-I am hearing the rocky song for your DS Cal test tomorrow! Good luck to all kids tomorrow!</p>
<p>The teachers are being nice to the kids, they had NO HOMEWORK yesterday. I can’t remember the last time that happened. They have been doing enough prep in class for their AP’s that they just did nothing last night. They sat around and watched TV all night (well after their sports practice). They both needed that.</p>
<p>I am so glad to find a space to “stress”…I agree, it makes it worse to show the kiddo. She’s stressed enough. she came home last night saying “everyone has already asked for teacher reccomendations” and then added she is afraid to ask her teachers because she did poorly on a recent test…I feel like I want to call up the teachers and ask for them, but I know i can’t. i also know that it’s not true about teachers not liking her…Good luck to all the AP-ers still on the treadmill. My D’ finished yesterday. I’m in the NY-NJ area. I personally dont mind her going far, maybe not by plane but a long drive is okay. she’s the one who is a bit more limiting; however, by next fall or april, she may have a different idea…so let me know what you all think.</p>
<p>My take on distance, I would prefer that the kids either go 3 hours or less from home for driving or more than 6 hours and fly. That in between distance is really hard, not close enough to justify flying but really far to do a up and back in a day type trip and if you go up and stay overnight in a hotel, by the time you pay for gas and the hotel, you spent about the same as you would for a plane ticket, nevermind the time involved, so they might as well be farther away. Our DD started out wanting to be closer to home then after one visit that was at a school about 5 hours away, the drive wasn’t too bad and they had a shuttle to take kids close to our house on vacations. Then she opened up her search some. THEN we told her about this new invention called the airplane and she realized that she didn’t need to be that close to home and is looking all over the place now.</p>
<p>Welcome drmom. I’m pretty new here too and it is a great place stress, vent and learn.</p>
<p>My son is talking alot about schools. Seems with all the senior excitement and talk that the juniors are getting excited about applying. S has already talked to one teacher about a recommendation. Debating on who to ask for the second one. </p>
<p>S decided not get a job for the summer and will visit lots of schools and volunteer with a local mental health organization. He has decided to cast a wide net so we will be taking lots of trips to visit. </p>
<p>SteveMa - one must have on our list is that the school must have an airport near. S really wants major city so that shouldn’t be a problem.</p>
<p>Anyone know about Reed? I think it is small for son but from what I have read it seems like a place he would love.</p>
<p>Happy testing day for the students today.</p>
<p>Welcome drmom!</p>
<p>(I know I said I was taking a break… I think I’m addicted!)</p>
<p>For other schools for your DD, take a look at the upstate NY schools - Bard, Sarah Lawrence, Skidmore, Hamilton and Colgate.
Skidmore does was SAT 2s, but I think most of the others don’t and several are test-optional.
If your DD likes Wesleyan and Brown, she’d probably like several of these as well.</p>
<p>SteveMA–I like your idea. I think that deep down, she is just not as ready as some of her peers to believe she is going away. So, that makes me think we may end up seeing schools a bit later than others…but you are correct, there is this Airplane thing…
Aniezz–she did like Brown but I actually dont think its for her (it doesnt seem to have enough structure or limits for her) but yes, a more relaxed, collaborative school where kids are non competetive. I don’t really know what she liked about Wesleyan. I know of Hamilton, and mentioned it to her, but she didnt want to look…dont know why. We have seen some schools near Philadelphia and She did see Skidmore. She loved the town but disliked the tour guide…so, of course…it’s off the list…(for now)…
I finally told her “the next set of schools i take you to, you have to first look them up on the web yourself and decide they look like a possibiltly”…because I hate driving around, and she find lots of reasons why it’s not going to work.</p>
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<p>DS considered it and would have applied but he got in early at his first choice. I loved it “on paper.” It used to have more of a mission of taking underachievers, but with all the competition, I don’t think that’s the case so much anymore.
My sister discouraged her DD from applying though - she thought that the drug culture there was too big a part of the school.</p>
<p>(ok, sneaking back out of here for the rest of the day…)</p>
<p>Apollo6…Thanks…it sounds interesting but so far away…I have read so many mixed reviews from students…none of whom have actually attended. I know about the weekend and I think that is a great way to weed out the kids who couldn’t handle being there…
I think because we need FA it’s appealing to her… but as the saying goes…nothing is really free…
especially all the Valium I would need…</p>
<p>Welcome Drmom123…through CC I found a site called College Navigator…nces.ed.gov…it will pull up schools by state so you could look at schools in your area…with her scores she’ll be fine…the site is really informative…you can even compare schools…</p>
<p>May the odds be ever in the favor of all the test takers this week!!!</p>
<p>I can’t imagine being in their shoes…things were not so stressful when I was in HS…
And from what I’ve been reading we all have some pretty GREAT KIDS…
So KUDOS to them!!!
and US for caring enough to be there for them…
Some kids are not so lucky…</p>
<p>CBGMass- I know someone whos kid goes to Reed and loves it. She is a ‘writer’ and a very calm, non cometitive kid who beat to her own drum. did not get into all the HS drama that other kids found themselves; it is a good school. for my d—it would be “that airplane ride” and so far she doesnt want that…</p>
<p>Drmom: I’m originally from North Jersey so I’m pretty familiar with the tri-state area. If we still lived up there, I’d insist that my D’s apply to TCNJ. It’s a really great school. There’s this odd thing that happens up there, where NJ residents underappreciate their state schools. Rutgers is the prime example, but TCNJ suffers as well. D1 loved Lafayette when we visited and it’s in Easton, PA. </p>
<p>Since she liked Brown, Haverford & Wesleyan, how about Vassar? It’s only in Poughkeepsie. </p>
<p>YDS: You have me intrigued. You’re blowing up your college strategy? Mind sharing insights?</p>
<p>Thanks Drmom for mentioning about letters of recommendation. We’d talked about D asking before school ended so she’ll need to do that before the end of next week. I also need to remember to email her GC to ask for class rank after exams. They don’t really share that but we know D’s in the top 25 because she gets invited to the luncheon each year. I remember asking for D1 so she could put that on apps she did over the summer and the GC looked it up. </p>
<p>Oh, and I was told that they’re writing their common app essays in English this week. Yay for awesome English teachers :)</p>
<p>drmom123…Vassar is another Great school…have you been?..Selective, artsy but also excellent academics…beautiful campus…
Does she know what she wants to study?
I know for us we are starting with the strength of a schools programs…
She is not a STEM kid so choices are different for us…
There are so Many great schools out there, trying to narrow down the choices is a full time job…
Thank Goodness we have the internet at our disposal…</p>
<p>Ama308–sorry for my ignoranc,what is a STEM kid?
Vassar is on “my” list…but i’ve heard that they have some mandate to only take 40% men, which may work in daughter favor for acceptance…but for socializing, not so sure…? anyone have a thought on that?</p>
<p>Vassar for years was only Women…it’s not a mandate it’s the stat they are trying to bring up…they do want more men there…Socially there are several Colleges around…Bard,Marist and SUNY New Paltz There is always things to do…
My D is in an all girls school so she totally wants a co-ed school now…I understand your concerns…
Vassar is a Great school…take her…if she’s artsy she’ll love it…and Bard is right up the road…</p>
<p>STEM is science,tech, engineering,math…and those majors are the most competitive at the higher end schools…</p>
<p>What does she want in a school? Ask her to make a list of pros and cons
That may help her narrow down YOUR driving time…
But you know how they change their minds…UGH…</p>
<p>tx5, I’m sorry to hear about your son. Very disappointing for him.</p>
<p>drmom, I’ve found that for my D13 the summer helps to let her focus on herself and her own needs and desires. Not only is the stress of school over but she also sees her school friends less (maybe a trip to the beach, etc.) and her sports friends more (lots of traveling to tournaments). She tends to be more easily influenced by her peers and their expectations than S12, who basically does his own thing and expects his friends to do theirs! Perhaps the summer will help your own D!</p>
<p>drmom, don’t forget about the Common Data Set. Looks like the girls’ admit rate is 44% and the boys’ is 75%. [C</a>. First-time, First-year (Freshman) Admission - Institutional Research - Vassar College](<a href=“Institutional Research – Vassar College”>Institutional Research – Vassar College)</p>
<p>Rob, I’m in denial. I may have to resort to making a :eek: spreadsheet. Last night, we were able to ask another Questbridge school about the EFC, and we got comments similar to what we had been thinking: forgo the Match round. Doing the Match round is the sole reason we went to California in February to check out Pomona. Oh well. He was going to go binding with Pomona and Rice. Now, ds is going to have to do a whole more work, and I’m going to have to do more legwork. He’ll make the final decision in July, after that D.C. camp, when he can decide whether he just HAS to go to school in DC or whether it’s all been too built up in his head. If DC loses its luster, then maybe he’ll still do QB Match, but, really, it just seems like such a longshot for him. He’ll still do QB, but just not Match, I guess.</p>
<p>Sooooo … anyone know if there’s a good website that lists various colleges’ FA policies? I now need to revisit his list and see how many of his schools are need-blind, meet 100% of need and whether that’s with loans.</p>
<p>drmom, has she ever done an away camp at a college to see what dorm life is like?</p>
<p>RobD–you are so right about the kids not wanting to be in their own back yard–even though it is a good one! I told her we had to at least drive through Rutgers…maybe in the fall, after she’s had a good time to think…
Ama308—I think we will have to find time to visit Vassar. Sounds like a reasonable one to see. It is finding that time…especialy now, with all the testing and her weekend commitments; she dances…so there are competitions and recitals…it really eats away at time.
fredricksdttir–She is going to be away this summer for about 7 weeks. She will be working at the summer camp she attended since a kid. unfortunately (or fortunately) not all the kids who she “grew” with are coming back; but yes, i think you are right, she will have less stress and a time to decompress. I’ve been thinking of just not looking at any more schools, and trying hard to not even suggest other things to “do” (like, she’s never tried the ACT…should she?) and wait until the fall to do more College stuff. But, then we all hear about other kids and what they are doing…and so the anxiety goes up that we are not doing enough, or the right thing and she will end up with too few schools. My thought is she should find a school to apply early to…but that then sets up a crunch…but wouldnt it be great to get all this over with early??</p>
<p>drmom123…Do as much as you can early if she has a Killer senior schedule…a friend took a 5 day road trip and knocked out a lot…if you don’t start school till Sept …end Aug is good…and her camp should be finished by then…
NJ schools are great too and PA has a bunch of small LAC if that’s what she wants…Lafayette…which someone already mentioned is nice too and better boy/girl ratio…</p>
<p>The early bird catches the worm…as they say…
and she can start school at least having some really good choices to consider and start her apps.</p>
<p>My D did much better on the ACT…but yours did fine on the SAT…is it worth the stress to up the scores?..That depends on the stats for the schools she is looking at…and remember the test scores are only part of the equation…</p>
<p>Youdon’tsay - here is a list to start. Not sure how accurate it is. I found a list before that showed schools that were need blind, met need, and very limited or no loans. I need to find that list again.</p>
<p>[Need-blind</a> admission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind_admission]Need-blind”>Need-blind admission - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>drmon:</p>
<p>If you really want to reduce the stress and anxiety, you might consider not visiting CC very often. 
It is a bit of a bizzaro world here.</p>
<p>I like it here but have never bought into the mass testing thing. Son will take no subject tests. Sure, it might limit some of the places he can apply, but the reality is that there are lots and lots of really great schools that do not require or suggest them. Many of which do a better job teaching critical thinking and writing skills than the ‘elite’ schools.</p>