<p>Geogirl, your list almost completely overlaps with the one our GC gave us, with the exception of Cornell. Hopkins and Tufts were his reaches And my S doesn’t know what he wants to major in but might’ve said science to give the GC an answer. Do you mind sharing your child’s stats? I am just wondering how our GC’s recommendations match those of others. For purposes of parity in disclosure, S has a 4.2 weighted GPA (don’t know unweighted) and only one SAT so far, which was just okay (2010). Took again yesterday and hoping for better. SAT II all 700 +.</p>
<p>tootiredtocare, S’12 in the final analysis only applied to 3 schools and got into all of them. He was perfectly happy so we didn’t bother with the RD applications at all. If your S’13 will be happy then it seems pointless to apply further.</p>
<p>Science vs arts is difficult for D’13. She had thought, up until this year that she would prefer an arts program, but after some consideration she has found that sciences appeal more. She plans to take at least math and physics and has been enjoying BIO, too this year. I guess we’ll have to wait and see! She has never considered engineering (and her Dad is a civil) but even that could change. She probably will never consider medicine, though!</p>
<p>I’m glad that the SAT went well, Swizzle. I know that I’ve read that the longer the essay is the more likely your mark is going to be high! Good that you’ve found those colleges in Manhattan!</p>
<p>Walker: I don’t know for sure, but I have the sense from looking at the American Society for Engineering Education College Profiles, that you are correct that the retention rate for girls in STEM fields (at least engineering) is less than that for boys. In most cases, the F/M ratio is higher for each year of college than the F/M ratio of actual degrees awarded. My D has had a long time interest in programming so she says she wants to major in computer science, but it could end up being electrical engineering. Therefore H and I want her to go somewhere with engineering. However, she also has a creative visual arts and music side, so she could end up doing something completely different. Hence, we are all hesitant to have her limit her future choices by going to a technical school.</p>
<p>Our kids’ safety schools (for admissions) is their #1 choices oddly enough. Well, #1 realistic choice. DS has a reach that is #1 but reach because of low admissions rate not an academic reach. So far they like all of the schools they are considering, which is good. They like some better than others but are ok going to any school they are looking at anyway.</p>
<p>Good morning! Six more days of classes! I’m nervous that DD isn’t in as a good a shape as she leads me to believe. With softball, I worry that not everything for classes got done, especially when her team made it to both state and conference championships. (they lost in the finals, but what a great season!)</p>
<p>Swizzle, I’m glad that you feel good about the SATs and that they are over. Safety schools in NYC sounds great!</p>
<p>Girls and STEM - my D is looking at science (bio) but I could easily see that shifting.
2 of my nieces are stem kids - both mechanical engineering. One graduated fairly recently and the other is still a student at a smaller engineering school, where she is one of a handful of females in the program.</p>
<p>We mapped out a big part of the summer college visit stuff last night. Ugh! I have no idea how to do it all and keep my job! July includes 2 college sports camps and a whirlwind 9-day 6-college tour in between. (and another 2 to stop at on the way to/from I think those will fall off the list - too much already!) I hope that this isn’t too overwhelming.</p>
<p>Safeties: DD doesn’t like our in-state safeties, even though she has a few very good options. I’ve tried to find other good financial safeties that she likes, but none are thrilling her. <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>S has a clear favorite school. We went on an afternoon ride yesterday and he kept referring to this school like he had ownership in it. He was telling about all the professors in his field of interest and all their latest research. I was surprised because it was obvious that he has spent hours researching everything about this school. We have visited and his stats match about the top 25%. I think we will hold off on visiting other schools except UNC because I see no reason spend $1000+ to visit schools unless he is accepted. And he won’t even apply if he gets into #1 choice. We will visit this “chosen” school one more time before ED but it is so obvious that he is already there in his heart. He has visited about 10 schools already over the last few years including most of the IVY’s and at no other school did he just know it was the right school.</p>
<p>Re female STEM majors - my dd13 is a “science and math” kid so she was often told that she should be an engineer - I told her that I was sure she could do well in engineering but that doesn’t mean she would like it! She had the opportunity to take an Engineering 101 class that met before school every day this year - in order to take this you also had to be in Honors Physics - she goes to an all girl school - there were only 9 girls in the class. Needless to say - she is NOT going to major in engineering. She got A’s in both classes but other than chemical engineering she has no interest in engineering! I think it takes a special kind of girl (and I mean that in a good way) to really like engineering. She was invited to a STEM day long program at the State flagship - she went just to check it out and at one point she was the only girl in the room with 17 boys!</p>
<p>CBG - ohhhh I am envious that your S has that feeling toward one school! I hope it is also a financial safety for you! I would love my dd to narrow down!!!</p>
<p>anniezz, I don’t think that an of my D’s safeties “thrill” her, but I think that she would be happy going to them. Many of her friends will be going to the local universities and she doesn’t seem to feel the need to escape.</p>
<p>CBGMass, I’m so glad to har that your S has found a school he really likes and that fits him so well!</p>
<p>CBGMass - Excellent! My D13 has two schools at the top of her list - one she is in the top 25% and has a chance for merit, the other she is in the top 50% academically but her passion and accomplishment for her EC as well as her intended path may make the difference. I still am going to have her apply to at least 4 other schools because I know things can definitely change in a year. My D11 was accepted into her first, second and third choices…by the time we finished the accepted student days, she had chosen her third choice because of the opportunities she became aware of at the accepted student day. These opps were not readily apparent on the web site or wen she spoke to the department head.</p>
<p>Going to be another hot day here! They’re saying 94 today and a cold front comes thru tomorrow to lower us to 74…</p>
<p>DS will be extremely happy if he raises his ACT score Saturday. He keeps asking when he can fill out the app for the U–I think they told us it’s available on 09/04…</p>
<p>So far no “I’m bored” here yet…if I hear it, he can go wash all the cars after he gets all his clothes out of his car :)</p>
<p>Terinzak - I am also in Top of Utah and they are saying 98 F today!</p>
<p>Fellini theme movie finished, no sleep for S last night.</p>
<p>Question - what is the most practical way/layout to write your resume for GC? Needs to be done by Wednesday and I am thinking LOTS of help will be required from my as he still has to finish his AP Euro presentation…</p>
<p>S13s resume is:
Name/Address/Phone/Email
–Work Experience–
Employer, City/Sate, Dates,
Title
Responsibilities/Accomplishments
–Sports & Activities–
Team/Club Name, Dates
Leadership role, Awards
Hobbies
–Summer Programs–
Program Name, City/State, Dates,
Description, Awards
–Education–
High School Name, City/State, Dates
GPA, Rank, SAT/ACT scores
Awards</p>
<p>Walker - My DD will be a STEM major. She is not a humanities person. Math and chem are her natural “abilities”</p>
<p>@Momof NEA - DD is looking for a mid size school with strong engineering and science, since she might opt out of engineering and into Chem or biochem. She also wants to travel abroad in college and that is difficult as an engineering major. She is only 17 and we don’t want to limit her choices. Many schools have science but no engineering. It helps to narrow down the list if you want both. Also, Tufts, Vandy, CMU and some other higher level schools for DD might be difficult to get in, but even if she gets in her stats are not high enough for merit aid, which is critical for us. With 3 kids to pay for, we can’t afford 54K X 4 years X 3 kids. Other schools to consider for your son are:</p>
<p>Bucknell (DD didn’t really love it though during her visit)
Layfattee (DD said too small)
Union College
RPI
Emory
WUST</p>
<p>DD is at 1980 currently, but we hope that will improve a bit with this last testing. Her math score was not in line with her abilities in March and we expect her CR reading to go up a little bit. We shall see how this testing went and then go from there. </p>
<p>Also, a lot of parents want their kids to go to the “best” school. For me, I’d rather DD go to a good school where she is in the middle to upper 25% of the class. As a stem major she will have to go to grad school and I’d rather she have a little bit of fun at college and not struggle with the workload.</p>
<p>geogirl - I totally agree with your saying that you would rather your dd be in the top 25%if she is going to be a STEM major - my DD will probably do some kind of research science and if you go to a top school (if you get in) then you really have to fight to get opportunities to research and work with professors - if you go in as one of the top students I think more opportunities will be there - again, assuming grad school is in the future. AND somewhere with merit aid for undergrad so you can afford a GOOD grad school. My dd’s stats are in the top 25% for some top schools but it still makes me nervous of what her opportunities would be. You just never know!!! Go with merit aid at a good school for undergrad (and have a little fun along the way too!)</p>
<p>Good morning all! I thought S13 would be recuperating from all the grad parties yesterday, but he was up bright and early to go running with the cross country kids. Apparently, hes decided to do cross country this year as if he doesnt have enough on his plate!</p>
<p>Quarters vs. Semesters - I personally liked quarters better. The last of the Ohio schools that are still on quarters are switching to semesters this year. I know a bunch of kids that will be having very short summer breaks this year. </p>
<p>Movies filmed on campuses so which movies are on USC and UCLA campuses? Or any other movies on any other campus that you know of a great way to see different campuses! USC is the only CA school on S13s list, but would only be possible if he got the Trustee scholarship. </p>
<p>Walker and Megpmom Id be with you guys. If they have free tuition at good schools, they can learn to love them! If they want to go elsewhere, more incentive to work hard on those scholarship apps and keep their grades up so they can earn their way!</p>
<p>Swizzle congrats on your SAT! I look forward to hearing about your journey over the next year!</p>
<p>SteveMA I guess admissions reach is a better way to say it S13s reaches arent academic, just reaches for all who apply!</p>
<p>Anniezz congrats on your Ds team for making it to state! My D and I had a great time watching our state finals. Shes just about 9, so still in the learning phase it was good for her to see the bigger girls play. Which schools will you be visiting? </p>
<p>CBG I feel the same as you. We arent doing visits until S13 has acceptance in hand with acceptable financial aid all the schools are scattered and require flying. No sense getting attached to a school only to be denied or it be unaffordable. We dont have time this summer anyway since hes gone for 6 weeks and gets back right before school starts. And really, he doesnt really care. Hes one of those people that would be happy anywhere. His motto is Show Me the Money! (Another good motto for this group!)</p>
<p>Ahsmuoh good thing your D got to sample engineering ahead of time! Until last summer, S13 had only considered Pre-med. We looked for summer programs so he could check out engineering/computer science - knowing the stuff he’s drawn to, I thought it might be a good match, but honestly, neither of us really knew anything about it. He ended up loving Computer programming and physics.</p>
<p>I’m having the same issues as some others where it comes to in state safeties. D wants to major in ChemE and there are some good programs in our state (Ohio) that she not only could afford but would get tuition paid for and perhaps even more. They offer everything she wants except location and selectivity. I told her she has to apply to our state flagship (Ohio State) and one other that offers what she wants and full tuition for her GPA and scores (University of Toledo, Ohio University or perhaps even Miami University or the University of Cincinnati). After that she can apply whereever she wants and the chips will fall where they may. I am proud of her in that she has put herself in the position that no school is academically out of reach, however, selectivity being what it is and our limited ability to fund her education will limit just where she can attend. I want her happy and in an environment she can thrive but I also want her (and us) solvent when this is all over.</p>
<p>MommyDearest13: just copied and pasted your resume format. Thanks! S13 is supposed to do his before he leaves for camp this weekend.</p>
<p>We got the Harvard and Cornell letters too this weekend. Too bad DS hasn’t mentioned a single school that isn’t a safety. Uggh…I think I will come up with at list of 5 reaches, 5 matches and 5 safeties while he is gone and see if he likes any thing about the others. Unfortunately, his friends’ match/reach schools are his safeties and I haven’t been able to get him to think outside his comfort zone.</p>
<p>Morning, all!</p>
<p>MommyD, my ds took up cross country last year, and it was the best thing for him. I love how he’ll just get up and run now. And the increased speed helped him earn a varsity spot on the soccer team.</p>
<p>I’m making ds drive up to school today and take all his textbooks back. He’s got books from sophomore year!</p>
<p>swizzle, good luck on the SAT.</p>
<p>Ds’s resume has the following categories: Education, Employment, Internships, Organizations and Awards, Volunteer Service, Extracurricular Activities, Summer Activities</p>
<p>Geogirl, Lafayette would be a good choice for a study abroad program since they have the study abroad engineering program. My DD had the same reaction to Lafayette…I think it has to do/with campus layout and the way the tour is conducted since population-wise it is similar to others that didnt evoke that reaction.</p>
<p>Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using CC</p>