<p>MDMom- D asking 2 teacher today. GC told her to wait until Sept for her LOR and attach D’s complete resume.</p>
<p>Schools here got an early dismissal today because of the heat and humidity. I’m predicting the same for tomorrow.</p>
<p>All this talk about course load and LOR brings up a question - As parents, are you going to see the GC’s and asking these questions or are your kids getting the info? My DD13’s school has a great program where she is with her GC every 6th day doing college planning - which is GREAT but it really takes the parents out of the loop. DD’s school really emphasizes the girls taking this task on themselves! Of course they have had two parent meetings but the girls are getting a lot more - so the question - Do you call the GC’s with questions - and if so - how often!</p>
<p>Wherenext: Thanks :)</p>
<p>Ree: Sounds like a cold drink next to the AC are in order for you guys…stay cool!!!</p>
<p>Ahsmuoh: Jr has an outside GC that we are working for this college list, test prep, resume, Apps and Essay’s. She is very big on working with the kids one on one so I try not to bother her too much 
He also works with his GC from school that he meets with only once a year, but from what I have heard, that all changes once school is back in session in Aug.
Word is from Jr, that they are to fill out a “Senior Survey” over summer (just what EVERY kid wants to do in the middle of summer HW and College Apps) for the GC’s and teachers to use for their LOR.</p>
<p>I am just wondering how many are going with teachers only? One teacher and their GC? A Coach maybe, if a 3rd LOR is allowed…</p>
<p>D asked her junior year English teacher. She said sure but to check in when school starts as she limits herself to 60 LOR’s (60! OMG! She’s an amazing teacher; I can’t imagine that on top of her regular job load.) I know there’s a GC letter that goes in with the transcript & school profile. That’s all for now, unless there’s a special circumstance.</p>
<p>ETA: ahsmuoh: I emailed the GC about the course. The regular registration process was done in school without any input by me (except for sleepily signing the form at 6:30 one morning.) The kids don’t really see their GC’s and we’re already out of school. If D was still in school & would have told her to do this on her own. I think in D1’s case I emailed her GC about 5 times over 3 years (with all being about testing, NMSF/NMF process and class rank.) Looks like it’ll be a little more for D2 but it will still be under 10 total.</p>
<p>Great news, Swizzle! Congratulations on your license, and the NHS induction today. Good luck on the SAT and the relay on Saturday.</p>
<p>89wahoo, I agree “Advanced Seminar” sounds MUCH better than study hall, lol.</p>
<p>drmom, I’m sorry that you’re stressing about the SAT’s. I know that some colleges will take SAT scores as late as the January testing as long as you arrange for them to be sent directly from CB. I hope that you can relax and take a deep breath. Feeling for you :)</p>
<p>MDMom, D’13 plans to get LOR’s from science/math and humanities teachers. She hasn’t quite decided which ones yet. We’ll give her GC a detailed resume in September so that she can add her bit. Her GC did a great job for her older brother, so we feel fairly confident that she will do the same for D. </p>
<p>ahsmuoh, we sent emails to S’12’s GC and she called us once, but that’s the extent of the relationship. He went in on his own to meetings with her but she wasn’t involved with his college choice except to let him know the deadlines for local universities.</p>
<p>GC–I’ve emailed her a couple times with questions and we met with her during parent-teacher conferences but outside of that the kids have been the ones to talk with her as needed.</p>
<p>LOR-DD asked her AP Chem and AP Lit teachers, DS asked his Alg2/AP Calc BC teacher and his AP Lit (or was is AP World??) teachers. It was suggested to us by several Ad Coms to get letters from math/science and humanities but not both from math or both from humanities. Who knows if it makes a difference or not. One school wants one letter from a teacher and one from the GC with the school “stuff” and NO MORE. Other schools have asked for up to 2 LOR from teachers. Some want 2 LOR from a teacher or coach…</p>
<p>Wow! You guys have been busy today!!</p>
<p>I survived D1’s graduation party. We had it primarily in the backyard and it ended up to be a gorgeous day. But it was a little exhausting.</p>
<p>S3 had his drama production Friday night and Saturday night. We did not attend teh weekend before (we were at D1’s graduation). Friday night I worked the snack bar. The teacher, who is a very nice lady, asked me if S3 had told me what happened. Of course he didn’t because he tells me nothing!! Evidently they forgot his name on the program so they hand wrote it in on all the programs. She says it is unforgiveable and if she were the mom she would be really upset. He said it truly did not bother him, but it really bothers me. Oh well. Sunday the drama group went to sort of awards ceremony for High School Musicals put on in the SPring across the county. Evidently this group goes to all the musicals. S3, despite not having a speaking role, got a “bright spot” award. He was pretty excited about it.</p>
<p>Prom is this Saturday. The theme is 007 License to Prom. So he is wearing a “James Bond” style tux with a red bow tie (his date is wearing red). Yesterday S3 went to get his hair cut and he came home with a buzz cut!!! I couldn’t believe it. I can’t imagine his date will be happy. But we will see. </p>
<p>MDMom: I believe most schools require 2 teachers and the GC. Maybe it says on the Common App website or the school’s websites. I remember one from science/math, one from humanities and I think they said not from yearbook or journalism. S3 is going to ask his APUSH teacher (his english teacher is a psychopath) and his AP Bio teacher (who is also the tennis coach).</p>
<p>S13 has to turn in a form in the office with the teachers name listed for LOR. He will list his teachers and then personally ask them as well. It is a relief that this will be taken care of early- i was getting to worry about this. </p>
<p>Senior prom tomorrow at his school. He has to go to prom, return at night and early morning thursday the math team leaves for Penn State for ARML. He will be back only sunday midnight. He has finals to do when he gets back. Can’t wait for june 12th when his classes will be done!!!</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!!</p>
<p>TX5: I was thinking of you on Sat with all of the beautiful weather we had. Happy to hear that the party went off without a hitch! And I too would have been upset about the program. But your S sounds like my Jr…he wouldn’t have told me either. Funny how some of the things that upset us as parents just seem to roll off of their backs.</p>
<p>Thinking I will talk to Jr to see who he is thinking of asking…my guess would be his APUSH teacher and his Hnrs Pre-Cal and AP Cal teacher (the same teacher teaches both classes).</p>
<p>D did not have finals today (her exams ended Friday but others had finals today), but did go in to ask for LOR’s from honors physics teacher and AP Lang teacher. They said, yes, but don’t give me any summary of accomplishments yet. I think they are going to an online system next year for these information.</p>
<p>RobD: Thanks for raising the “most rigorous” question. D has not asked the question of her GC. It seems like a fair question. And the follow-up question, does it seem to make a difference with kids from OUR HS and college X or our hs and college Y?</p>
<p>Congrats to swizzle for the license and the NHS induction.</p>
<p>Good luck to DONIVRIAN’s S for such a busy week and good luck for MDMOM’s son at the track meet. </p>
<p>I can’t keep up, but you guys are a supportive group.</p>
<p>I’m guessing that the only place the ‘most rigorous’ question matters is when comparing applicants from one high school to a particular college as there’s so much difference between schools. How my D can be most rigorous yet has nowhere near 25 honors and AP classes makes me think that. Also for schools with very few such courses, it just wouldn’t be right. So I’m assuming it gives context to the child’s GPA and classes and that’s it?</p>
<p>89W-I was adding up the honors/AP classes for our kids too and they can take a total of 28 classes in 4 years (7 periods x 4 years). Since they have required classes like PE, some kind of music/art class, etc. they don’t even take 25 core classes let alone have 25 honor/AP. At most they can take 20 honors/AP classes. Yes, it is in relation to your school. Now, if they counted classes by quarter, semester or trimester depending on how your school does that, I can see 25 honors/AP classes being pretty easy for any student to take if available.</p>
<p>I missed a page. Imagine that. : )
Tx, glad the party went well. Relying on the weather is always a bit scary…
Ahsmuoh, we met with D’s counselor because we love her but she’s resigning at the end of the year. I know the counselors aren’t all as incredible so wanted her opinions on where we are and what to do in case the next one is a dud. She offered to write D’s rec as they have a great relationship. I’ve emailed her now and then over the years, not too often. She told us their HS has a form the kids give to three teachers who are NOT writing their recs. they give these feedback forms to the counselor who can use them in her letter which is a great relief if the kids don’t know their GC well I think. Then there’s another form the kids fill in for the teacher who they want for the LoR. Meanwhile there was another parent survey about D we did for the GC. It asked for two character traits about her, to tell a story that describes her well, a brief timeline of her life including any ‘issues’ like health problems or divorces I imagine, and one other thing I’ve forgotten. It was actually challenging! The story and the two traits had me thinking long and hard. Anyway we went to the junior night where they offered tips about Naviance and had a local college admissions speaker describe how they review applications. They made suggestions for things to be thinking (basically study hard and consider the environment you may want in a college) but none of this stuff we are discussing on here. I can’t even remember anything about testing! Do I guess perhaps we are ahead of schedule. There is a senior night in September where I’m sure the rest will come up (LoRs, etc).</p>
<p>tx5athome, congratulations to your S3 for the ‘bright spot’ award! I would have been upset, too about leaving out his name from the program. I’m glad that your party went well.</p>
<p>DONIVRIAN, I’m not surprised that you’re anxious for June 12th, your son’s schedule sounds pretty packed!</p>
<p>MDMom, good luck to your son at the track meet!</p>
<p>89wahoo, the parent survey sounds like a lot of work, but I imagine that it’s worth it if the GC doesn’t know the student well. Sounds like a good idea!</p>
<p>thanks everyone for your supportive comments. We really are a busy group. I Was able to change DD Physical to later in June, but still in time for the forms to get to her program! PHEW! (for her and me!)<br>
-About LOR’s I have been advised by GC for DD to find two teachers who know her, not just ones where she got a good grade…preferably one in a math/science and one in a humanities (lang/Eng/social studies/history). I think that she may ask her some outside people (like work/volunteer) as “extras” in case there is a school that allows for extra “letters”…who knows. Maybe that tutor? Maybe not…
I feel a little less stressed this afternoon…time does help a lot. And, DD told me she checked her SAT II’s…she did fine in Math level I (not to her, but she got a 720) but forget American History…I don’t even want to mention it here! so, she has to think what she will do for a second one if Math level II (which she takes this saturday) is not great or if some school really really wants a different test…She does have to be the one to ‘own’ this…I certainly cannot study or take a test for her!<br>
a nice cool basement would be great!</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for the “Good Lucks”!! I will keep you posted :)</p>
<p>CONFESSION TIME!!!</p>
<p>SO…I decided to take a “quick look” at the Admissions tabs on the Stanford website again. And after the first paragraph, I started to feel a bit dizzy…but I read on.
After the “Intellectual Vitality” section I started to feel like I was going to pass out…so I stopped.
What the HE!! is going on with me…and then it hit me…it’s really happening…my sweet round-headed, angel of a baby boy will be off to college in just about a years time…</p>
<p>Walker…get the basement ready…but for now, you can find me in the jacuzz with a cocktail and a tissue box.</p>
<p>MDMom, would you like some company - I promise to bring my own tissues. I was a little tearful during S’12’s graduation ceremony but fortunately dried up by the time we caught up with him. I keep starting to think about what it will be like when he is gone and then consciously avoiding the issue. We’ll even have to celebrate his birthday early! Classes won’t have started but he has to go early because of the tennis team. Sigh…</p>
<p>The more the merrier Fredrick!!!
I just can’t believe that only reading a few paragraphs from a single website hit me so hard…and he hasn’t even started his Sr year!! I mean, what’s going to happen when he starts his College Apps?? I have a feeling his private GC will be earning every dam# red cent we paid her, because I will be a complete mess by then :’(</p>
<p>RobD: What that Pomona person said is really irritating. We have been under the impression all along that it isn’t necessary to take the AP choice every time, but that adcoms want kids taking the most challenging classes in their area of interest. Since our STEM D was the only sophomore signed up for AP Physics B and Calc AB, we discouraged her from simultaneously taking AP World History, even though that is the AP class for nearly every sophomore at her school. We will be going for merit aid so not the really competitive schools but I suppose it could impact scholarship applications. Oh well, too late now.</p>
<p>D will get LOR’s from Physics and her gifted Contemporary Issues and Great Books teacher. She was really lucky to hit it off so well with the gifted teacher because any other humanities teacher would have been really tough. D is generally bored in those classes but says she doesn’t let that show in class (yeah right!). We’ll get the band director if she is allowed and the GC if required. Right now we have no idea who the GC will be in the fall.</p>