<p>DrMom123 – I agree with everyone about the SAT v ACT. I also think your advice to Carla was spot on!</p>
<p>Carla2012 – I feel for ya – our D is so close to finishing the last small parts of most of her apps, but can’t seem to do it…driving me crazy! Also, I will tell you from our experience with our D’s hs selection it was very much about “fit”. I know it’s difficult to compare college to hs, but FWIW, there are tons of colleges that will look good and sound good, but until they visit or know someone close that can help with “fit” what may sound good on paper or look good on the internet may not be the same in person.</p>
<p>Quick question:</p>
<p>MTSU application – does their application include an essay, or is it a typical in-state application, with mostly general information? D asked me if it had an essay, and I told her that I wasn’t going to log in and make a password to check…ugh. If anyone can let me know I’ll share with her. Thanks!</p>
<p>Laurendog–yeah we did that schedule thing too. And then the dates would come and go and I would be nagging again. At the same time DH is saying, “She has to learn from this! There are consequences to procrastinating! Let her learn from this!” No way around it, Senior year, from August to November (early action!) just stinks! It was awful for D1 and although I hoped it wouldn’t be awful this time around with D2, it. just. is.</p>
<p>I have to bite my tongue and let her go after her lottery schools. She is a better risk taker than I am. I would always go for the guarranteed second choice (coach support) over the riskier first choice (no coach support). She isn’t that way, and I actually think its wonderful. But its also painful as a parent to watch.</p>
<p>I just wish I could get her to focus a little more on Plan B back-up now. But there is no making this kid do what she doesn’t want to do, or look at a school she doesn’t want to look at. And with her success rate to date, i have little standing to force this issue.</p>
<p>I think I may ask her to apply to another safety for my sake though.</p>
<p>So, I lost it with D13. I just couldn’t take her indifferent attitude anymore. I told her that if she really didn’t care enough to engage 100% in this process then I wasn’t going to make any more lifestyle sacrifices so we could just hand over tuition for her to “not care”…well, that certainly got her attention. She has now submitted all her apps and is the first one “done” in her class (not that it really matters). She actually thanked me…is this my kid?</p>
<p>You should definitely let her apply to her Lottery school! She (and you) has to know it is her choice, and not someone else’s. I would suggest 2-3 safety schools that she will want to attend if all does not go as she wishes. (maybe you can put it into a sports metaphor?) it is just too difficult these days to not do that. But as I tell my DH, we don’t want her at age 40 telling us at age 75 that “you never let me try to get into XX!!” I don’t want to be hearing that when I am trying to rest from all the parenting I did earlier on in life!!</p>
<p>Carla, I’m sorry that you’re losing sleep. Does she have a safety or two?</p>
<p>I think for high-achieving kids, it’s natural to want to 1) be surrounded by their intellectual peers, and 2) feel like a great, prestigious college is their reward for working so hard all through HS. Both understandable, but the truth is that every college is going to have its share of bright, bright kids. And tons of the brightest kids get turned down from top schools all the time.</p>
<p>Ask her: Don’t you want to have choices come April if the ED school doesn’t work out? And then tell her that you’re instituting the parent prerogative school – the school she has to apply to because YOU think it’s a great fit for her. And then, naturally, don’t pick somewhere you think she’ll be miserable. Be thoughtful in your pick. Find a school much like her ED school in size, location, price, but with less selective. We can come up with ideas, if you like! Both my boys were good with the concept of the parental prerogative if it was a Common App school and so didn’t require a lot of extra work.</p>
<p>Drmom, are you sure that both Math subject tests will count? I was under the impression that for math it was one or the other. I would double check and get confirmation from the schools if I were you.</p>
<p>Drmom – schools that require two subject tests are going to see taking the two math tests as compromising the requirement even if they don’t explicitly prohibit that approach. They’ll want to see another test. Some will even specify another non-quantitative test like history, lit, or a language. If not, at least one other non-math test should be submitted.</p>
<p>I have heard it strongly suggested to avoid the “listening” versions of the language tests because (1) they are scheduled infrequently, (2) the quality of the audio equipment needed and the training of the moderators is highly variable, and (3) the quality of the recordings themselves leaves something to be desired. As far as I know the colleges don’t care which you take. As YDS has said many here will come up with suggestions for her if you bring us her requirements.</p>
<p>BTW, ACT=28 comes out to be about 1260/1880 in SAT terms. I would agree that focusing on the SAT scores is a good idea.</p>
<p>Carla–she needs at least one sure-bet school that she would like to go to. Insist she find one before she goes forward with her apps. Once she has one she can shoot for the moon. This is probably the most basic rule in executing college searches. If she insists on having perceived intellectual peers have her look into honors colleges and honors programs at otherwise certain-admission schools. As YDS has said, many here will come up with suggestions if she can give us requirements.</p>
<p>I understood Drmom to be saying that her DD is taking 2 more because she had already taken two math, and those count as the same. I would also advise against the listening version because that is the one that supposedly native speakers take, so it is reputedly more difficult to score well if it is a second language.</p>
<p>YDS - you get it exactly. I just can’t decide if I want her to add another school, or add more visits to show interest, or just find a way to leave it alone.</p>
<p>Carla, if she doesn’t have a true academic and financial safety or two, then I think that needs to be your priority.</p>
<p>Also, there are LOTS of ways to show interest. Ds has been doing these live chats with schools. He doesn’t have to do anything but log on in his PJs and ask a question or two. I know American, for instance, counts that as demonstrated interest. Can you research those opportunities for schools already on her list?</p>
<p>Monday afternoon we found out that one of the boys Jr played FB with died of a drug overdose. His father was also very good friends with my H and they played HS FB together as well.</p>
<p>The boy left our school mid-way through his Soph year, but we all still kept in touch. We knew that he was into drugs, but on the surface it just looked like pot only. We tried reaching out to the parents, but all was just brushed aside by them.</p>
<p>It has been very emotional for us the past few days as we mourn for the loss of this young man. Wonder what kind of pain he was in…if we could have done more…
Jr has been struggling as he feels that it’s not fair. That the boy should be getting ready for the next phase in his life just like he is.</p>
<p>Parents, talk to your kids. Talk to them about drugs and even if you have, please do it again.</p>
<p>MDMom - so, so sorry. I wish kids would understand how drugs can affect so many things. Praying for your son, the boy who passed away, and his family, though I’d rather these kind of posts were not necessary :(</p>
<p>…I apologize if this posts more than once because it keeps telling me I already posted this, or that I should wait 60 seconds between posts, and so on…and it’s not showing up yet! </p>
<p>DrMom123 – I agree with everyone about the SAT v ACT. I also think your advice to Carla was spot on!</p>
<p>Carla2012 – I feel for ya – our D is so close to finishing the last small parts of most of her apps, but can’t seem to do it…driving me crazy! Also, I will tell you from our experience with our D’s hs selection it was very much about “fit”. I know it’s difficult to compare college to hs, but FWIW, there are tons of colleges that will look good and sound good, but until they visit or know someone close that can help with “fit” what may sound good on paper or look good on the internet may not be the same in person.</p>
<p>Quick question:</p>
<p>MTSU acceptances – does their application include an essay, or is it a typical in-state application, with mostly general information? D asked me if it had an essay, and I told her that I wasn’t going to log in and make a password to check…ugh. If anyone can let me know I’ll share with her. Thanks!</p>
<p>YDS and crommett - congrats on the A&M admits! I have an (old) engineering degree from there, probably don’t have the answer to many questions since it’s been awhile, but fire away if you want. I was there 2 weeks ago - amazed at the construction and growth. More engineering buildings on campus than probably the total number of buildings across all disciplines when I was there! I was thinking how ‘values’ oriented the place is with ‘loyalty’ ‘leadership’ ‘integrity’ flags waving along Texas Ave.</p>
<p>…I apologize if this posts more than once because it keeps telling me I already posted this, or that I should wait 60 seconds between posts, and so on…and it’s not showing up yet Seems like I can post from my phone, but not my pc. Really??</p>
<p>DrMom123 I agree with everyone about the SAT v ACT. I also think your advice to Carla was spot on!</p>
<p>Carla2012 I feel for ya our D is so close to finishing the last small parts of most of her apps, but cant seem to do it…driving me crazy! Also, I will tell you from our experience with our Ds hs selection it was very much about fit. I know its difficult to compare college to hs, but FWIW, there are tons of colleges that will look good and sound good, but until they visit or know someone close that can help with fit what may sound good on paper or look good on the internet may not be the same in person.</p>
<p>Quick question:</p>
<p>MTSU acceptances does their application include an essay, or is it a typical in-state application, with mostly general information? D asked me if it had an essay, and I told her that I wasnt going to log in and make a password to check ugh. If anyone can let me know Ill share with her. Thanks!</p>
<p>I keep getting the “wait 60 seconds” message too. </p>
<p>Tonight is my last Back to School Night. I was going to say it is #18, but it is my 18th year, but there were many years when they were in 2 or 3 different schools so it is more than that.</p>
<p>S3 is busy, busy, busy between ASB, 5 APs, Youth &Government, Cross Country, Journalism (they start Broadcasting today), etc…I think I am going to lock him in his room until his essays are done this weekend. </p>
<p>MDmom: sorry about your sons friend. How very sad. My thoughts are with his family and your community.</p>
<p>Math 1 assumes math up through Algebra 2 and Trigonometry. Math 2 assumes math through Pre-Calculus, i.e., about a year more advanced.</p>
<p>Some people say Math 1 is graded on a tougher curve. It is certainly the case that fewer test-takers score high on Math 1. Among college-bound HS seniors in 2012, for example, 32% of those taking Math 2 scored in the 750-800 range, while only 7% of those taking Math 1 scored in that same range. Partly this is probably just selection bias; the mathematically advanced and/or mathematically gifted are going to gravitate toward Math 2, and a lot of them do very well on that test. Math I is going to attract test-takers who think they’re not up to the challenge of Math 2, either because their math skills aren’t great or because they haven’t taken as advanced math. But Math 1 isn’t necessarily an easier test; it just tests on less advanced math, which is not the same thing as easier. Some people who take both tests say they’re of about equal difficulty (if you have Pre-Calc) but the curve on Math 1 is less forgiving. But I don’t think there’s any way of verifying this.</p>
<p>Many STEM programs want to see a Math 2 score.</p>
Seems like I can post from my phone, but not my pc. Really??</p>