<p>walker: when we met with our CC last spring I asked about NMSF (S13 is 6 points above the prior year’s cut-off from our state ). It was the first time she looked at his scores. I was disappointed. When I asked about Engineering programs she pulled out a binder & started reading the names of schools. It only took a few schools to realize she was reading an alphabetical list to us. When I asked she said it was a list the schools get of the top 100 programs. That is a really broad range. S13 has great ACT (35) but only 3.6 GPA (top 25% at our school). She said EVERY school is a reach b/c of GPA except our state flagship. I left feeling irritated & exasperated. Trying not to whine. </p>
<p>Over the summer HS hired 1/2 time CC to assist full-time CC. Meeting with her on Friday to see if she is any better for us. Over the summer, S13 & I have researched schools on our own (and with the WONDERFUL help of the candid postings/advice on CC). Many of my friends have hired private CCs to help but DH is adamant that we can do without & save the $$ for trip to see school or even tuition in the fall. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, I am following the thread on NMSF to see if son makes cutoff. School knows but won’t tell yet. Weird. Decided to register S13 for October SAT since he can’t do November date b/c of family conflict. </p>
<p>I know I’m whining but wanted you to know that you are not alone in your frustration. Misery loves company? Anyway, trying to be zen about the process. S13 will end up at the right school for him. Luckily for us, state flagship is highly ranked for Computer Engineering…</p>
<p>Midwestmom: send both scores. drop in the bucket & if it helps with admission/financial aid the extra $$ are worth it. some schools superscore and don’t advertise it; if schools only look at one score they will take the best one submitted. Love marching bands; but feel for them in the heat!</p>
<p>Stay safe all of you in the path of Isaac. Worried about niece at Tulane…</p>
<p>anniezz–It’s nice to have a back up. We have no instate publics the kids are applying to, DD is applying to one instate private, other than that, the schools they have found have all be less expensive out of state, some because of merit aid, some because they just cost less. I think our kids will be fine no matter where they end up but it would be really nice if they are able to go to their top choices, both of which right now are their most expensive choices.</p>
<p>Hi all- a friend just introduced me to this site and I’m trying to navigate my way around. I thought DD was in good shape but now I’m totally stressed. She knows where she wants - Northwestern - and will likely apply there ED. She started the common app and supplements for there and even for her back-ups, but does not have word one for her essays written. Should we already be sending scores? She has her teachers lined up but I don’t think the letters are written yet. I told DD to check in with them when school starts next week. When do those go in- before or after common app? Our school says they do everything electronically thru Naviance. We met with the GC last year and thought all was under control. </p>
<p>I know- a lot of questions . Thanks for the input. Hopefully I will be able to return the favor soon!</p>
<p>tootiredtocare–I don’t know if we expect too much out of the GC’s or if they should be familiar with every school in the country. I guess it comes down to how your school views their job. Our GC’s job is very much to get the students through the college process, starting in 9th grade even, but, the school supports that with having other staff to handle discipline, emotional issues, etc. If they don’t have that at your school, it’s just impossible for them to be on top of the 2300+ schools across the nation and deal with the discipline, and the emotional issues, and the scheduling, etc., etc. I’m glad I found this board because over half of the schools our kids are applying to are because of this board, Truman for example. We never would have found that school without this board. We’ve mentioned it to friends too and some of them are now interested in the school as well.</p>
Good for her…assuming you are all aware of what this entails. (1) She is promising to go to NU if they admit her and (2) you won’t be able to compare fin aid offers in April because she committed in December.</p>
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She is already ahead of 95+% of applicants. She should be shooting for about 4-5 drafts of her big essays and 2-3 of the smaller ones (if NU requires these). I would suggest she try to have draft one, which can simply be a salad of thoughts, done by mid-September and one revision a week after that, to be completed by mid-October and in plenty of time for the Nov. 1 deadline.</p>
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Can’t hurt to send them to NU, at least, unless she is planning on taking a September or October test, in which case you might end up having to send those results, too.</p>
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I haven’t been through the Naviance process, yet, so I can’t give your specifics but anything you send–electronically or by snail mail–should have her Common App ID number on it. Presumably Naviance, which integrates with the Common App, will do that for her.</p>
<p>It is a good idea for her to jump start this process when she gets back to school. Your school might have its own forms that need to be filled out prior to sending letters, especially for the counselor’s recommendation. It is also OK for her to suggest, possibly in a letter, examples and themes for her teachers to write about that reinforce aspects of her application (as long as she realizes that ultimately her teachers are free to write anything they want.) Give the teachers at least three weeks headstart and don’t fret if its not done by then. NU and other colleges know that recommendations are out of an applicant’s control and will be indulgent if they arrive a little past the deadline.</p>
<p>Thanks Descartesz- feeling better now. Yes, she understands what ED entails. We were on campus for a second time this past weekend for that very reason- to make sure that’s really what she wanted and she is now positive. It really was the only school where I saw the excitement in her eyes and in her voice. She is a bad procrastinator (I guess what teen isn’t) so I was hoping to push her to get something done on the essays before school started since with soccer and a full schedule she will be so busy then (not to mention the SAT2s in October. But she always seems to get it done.</p>
<p>1316, welcome, and you’re in fine shape. Now, if the rest of us believed it about ourselves!</p>
<p>Ds2 ended up having a great first day. Those texts about something that had gone wrong really early? Turns out his admin played a practical joke, and it wasn’t true. But did he text me to tell me THAT? Oh, hell no! This happens a lot in college – bad-news dumping – but I didn’t think it would start in HS.</p>
<p>I fixed a drink for myself last night anyway. :)</p>
<p>Today, he’s officially asking his teachers and cc for LORs. He said another teacher had posted on his door already something along the lines of, “Don’t ask me for a LOR. I’ve already reached my limit.” Ds thinks his limit is quite low and is glad that he wasn’t counting on him for one. Anyway, feel free to share that story for your procrastinating kids. Some teachers will set a limit on how many LORs they’ll write. You don’t want to be on the wrong end of that. </p>
<p>His packet of stuff to give the teachers was pretty full. I’m sure my four-page brag sheet had nothing to do with that. Yesterday, I guess the kids were talking about college stuff and once people found out ds had his packets done they were peppering him for advice.</p>
<p>Still no word here on AP award, NHRP or NMSF, though it would be a miracle for him to make that last one.</p>
If that’s the case I suggest sending these and all other SAT results to NU and three other schools as part of the four “free ones” you get with each test sitting. Saves $, right? You can send ACT scores right now, however, unless she is doing the September test.</p>
<p>This should also prompt her to think about what those other three schools should be and leads me to my other recommendation: don’t stop the college search and application process because she is doing ED at NU. She should have alternative applications staged–including a sure-bet school–if NU falls through in mid-December, because the two weeks between mid-December and the Jan. 1 RD deadline (for most schools) is not enough time to do a good job on multiple applications. In addition she will probably need a few days to re-focus if she is disappointed in December. NU is a hard “get” and no one’s application strategy should assume admission to it.</p>
<p>BTW, my D hasn’t gotten very far on her essays yet, either.</p>
<p>In S2’s school of very average kids (no overachievers, no NMSFs typically) kids don’t even start thinking about college and applications and LOR until maybe October or November. We met with S2’s GC before school started and I think she thought I was crazy. She emphasized that she wanted to meet with S2 ONLY once school started. So I guess he’s going to be responsible for dealing w HS, which is fine. I’ll stay in the background. I’m a little frustrated because apparently GPA and rank wont be calculated for several weeks and S2’s first application is due Oct 1. Oh well, deep breathing…yoga helps!</p>
<p>My dd came home from her first day yesterday saying that she had made plans to see her GC today to sign the info release form and request transcripts. She also has a “dream school” now and she was going to talk to the GC about advice (one of those that she is well above the stats for but it is OOS and they only accept a certain # of oos students!). She has always been independent in school but I was pleased that she was on the ball with this right when school starts - I was going to give her a week before I gently suggested she get the ball rolling! As much as we all want to help I really believe it is very important for our seniors to “drive the bus” with their counselors and teachers.</p>
<p>YDS - sounds like your ds jumped right in also! My dd’s school has them ask the teachers for LOR at the end of junior year and they are all required to have them done over the summer! I hope they have taken the requirement seriously. The parents also did the “brag sheet” last year for the Guidance department. I guess I should consider dd lucky that her school is on the ball!</p>
<p>Happy to report that both kids survived the first day of school…and I finally stopped crying around Noon. Needless to say…a good day all-around ;)</p>
<p>Jr had a CA “drop-in” session with his CC last night. He was able to put some good work into 3 of his 5 apps. His CC went over his essay with him and they were able to put together a pretty kick-a$$ first paragraph which was the only thing he was missing :)</p>
<p>Interviews: Jr has his coming up on Sept 13th at USC and need some advice on what he should wear. He is going his research and getting his notes together…but I am in charge of wardrobe options. Would love some input…</p>
<p>MDM - Interview - I would guess that khaki pants (not cargo) and a button down or really nice golf type shirt would be appropriate. I am in HR and I interview a lot - this is the typical interview outfit for people interviewing for 100K jobs. BUT - I do not have first hand experience with college interviews.</p>
<p>For ds’s this week in a local coffee shop, he opted for jeans, a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and nice loafers. He looked casual yet clean and confident. If it’s at the college, I would’ve told him to opt for slacks with a short-sleeve polo and the nice loafers. Also, it depends on the school, I think. If his interview was with a highly ranked school that was more of a reach I think I would have gone a little dressier than the nice jeans … Good luck to him!</p>
<p>Thank you!!! I was guessing nice slacks and a collared shirt…his “frat” loafers are due in today, so I am guessing he will be going with those.</p>
<p>For the collared shirt…he has plenty as they are part of his day-to-day life for his school uniform. But I am thinking he needs something a little more clean cut. But I don’t want something with a huge logo on it…any suggestions??</p>
<p>For interviews, I’ve seen boys dressed in a range of things, but the most common “suit” seems to be khakis or other neat slacks, with a polo or button down shirt.</p>
and is glad that he wasn’t counting on him for one. Anyway, feel free to share that story for your procrastinating kids. Some teachers will set a limit on how many LORs they’ll write. You don’t want to be on the wrong end of that. </p>