<p>I’m not bugging my son about the applications at all until after his Eagle project is done. That needs to be his focus as it needs to be done before school starts. He can write essays on weekends. His Eagle paperwork will take a while to do and process. </p>
<p>I think his AP summer work is all finished. I know he has read the two books he needed to read. </p>
<p>He had a float party last night which means they are working on the Homecoming float already. School doesn’t start until after Labor Day and they are working on the float already.</p>
<p>Well DS finished his internship and CC course and has moved on to his essays, studying for SATs and school visits. We were going try to fit in driver’s ed but don’t think that will happen.</p>
<p>He signed on to common app and he has been plugging away writing multiple drafts of his common app essay. Though he originally started the draft the last 2 wks in his English class ,it still needs A LOT of work. Writing is not his best subject (not mine either) but somehow if we can get the essays done without me going completely crazy it will be a miracle!</p>
<p>We live in MA, so lots of schools around our area to pick from and our list for those will be mostly safeties/matches from around here. For reach schools we are willing to let him go out of state within a 5-6 hour driving radius or 1-3 hours fly time. That leaves out west coast schools or southern ones. So our summer travels have been mostly to reach schools - WUSTL, NU (off the list now), Notre Dame, U Mich. Next month we will go to Cornell, Lehigh, CMU, UVA, U Richmond, and Georgetown. The list is still expanding and contracting daily but it is around 15 now but I think we’ll end up with about 10. Georgetown and NYU have been on and off the list. We’ll see if it stays on after our visit next month. My DS is looking to ED to one of his reaches so we think it’s important for him to like the school he will be ED-ing to. If not, lots of EAs schools.</p>
<p>crazy4disney, congrats on your son’s application! I’d say he is finished or at least almost! Must be such a great feeling! </p>
<p>ecouter, you have some wonderful ECs! I think anything international or national award is fantastic especially if it’s in your area of interest!</p>
<p>spritle: Well, he will never know if he can get in if he does not apply. Right? Second, W & M has done some interesting things over the years. For example, several years ago, it admitted one of my former students who had a 1400+ on his SAT, but his GPA was about 3.5. He was not ranked in the top 10 percent of his class. But, it waitlisted the valedictorian. She had a 4.2 GPA and 1370 on the SAT. She also was a top softball recruit. Our guidance counselor went off when he learned that she had been waitlisted. Two years later, another young lady who was in the top four in her class and had a little lower SAT/GPA got in. </p>
<p>Are you in Northern Virginia or elsewhere? That also could determine his chances of getting in. We lived in a rural area at the time. Now, we live closer to the DC area. W & M does not have EA, only ED. So, if he does get in, he has to go. You may want to think about that, if finances are an issue. Neither my oldest nor my youngest applied/will apply ED.</p>
<p>DS’14 got on the CA last night and filled in a lot of the preliminary stuff. it took a little time to hunt down all the info requested.</p>
<p>It was interesting to see him go through the process of adding schools (Several are not yet available to be added to the Common App.) Not sure if he will eventually submit each one and I am sure he will add more, but I got a glimpse of his thinking - a few surprises. He has started drafting essays, but nothing close to being uploaded.</p>
<p>Our state flagship on-line app is not up yet. Plenty of time ahead.</p>
<p>Indycat - DS had to try to log on several times, but was eventually able to do it, open an account and get a lot of the preliminary info uploaded.</p>
<p>I suspect that there is a very high volume of traffic inasmuch as the CA just went up on-line, but I really don’t know why it took a while to get on.</p>
<p>Parent of a ‘13er here. Before you set up a Common App account, you may want to check to see if your school guidance office wants the kids to pick user names/passwords in a particular format. Our (very large) HS wanted user names based off the kids’ school ID numbers because that helped them routinize their process for uploading the school grade reports and recommendations. I’m not sure how many other places do that, but it wouldn’t surprise me if other large schools have similar requests of their students.</p>
<p>K2 has started the CA.
Was able to add only 4 of the schools as some aren’t on yet.
Did some of the basic info.
Was on both last night and earlier today.
We are on eastern seaboard. Don’t know when the traffic is the heaviest.</p>
<p>Sent one school the ACT score. GC will send the transcript later in the month.</p>
<p>K2 started essay…I am hoping to encourage K2 to have everything ready to go before school starts at the end of the month.
CA essays, any supplements…
summer reading (tests first day of school)
and finish a major EC project</p>
<p>I’ve been gathering info from CC for awhile now, but just found this link…and just in time. Can I join the party? My K1 just started common app. Applying to PA program at RIT and nursing programs at Villanova, Uconn, UDelaware, Quinnipiac, and Northeastern. Stats most likely will get K1 into the school, but not sure about the competitive programs. Maybe you guys can give me peace about that…SAT 1980, 3.81 GPA, lots of leadership/ECs. What do you think? Has two interviews coming up. Anyway, just a hello!</p>
<p>Yesway–a friend’s D was accepted to nursing programs at Nova, Fairfield, UVM, and others I cannot remember. Have you considered Fairfield? I believe that a few of the programs offered her nice amounts of merit aid (non-financial).</p>
<p>Yesway: have you considered the PA program at Philadelphia U? What about the nursing school at U Penn? When we did the tour and info session at Penn they were almost doing a hard sell for their college of nursing. It seems like it might be much easier to get in than Penn in general.</p>
<p>Ecouter, your awards are impressive! Can you pull the six week research and minister of education out and list them elsewhere? E.g. as ec’s but mention the competitive nature? I picked those two because they’re not just awards but also activities.</p>
<p>Hello, my S is about to have his only interview. He’s a consistant B student with high SATs. If he’s asked “Have you performed to your abilities in HS” or “How do you explain a discrepancy between your grades and SATs”, what would be the best answer? Reality-forgetful, didn’t turn in homework. Thanks!</p>
<p>*- One of 18 selected to represent country in an international competition (2013)
Best in Category for Sigma Xi Online Research Showcase - judged by members of the Scientific Research Society, and I got made a Sigma Xi member as an HS student
2nd in Regional Fair (biggest in country),
top 20 (silver medal) for research (2012), various smaller awards for science fair
Participant in a provincially competitive program for research - gave me 6 weeks of funding.
I also used to live in NY and won state awards for writing (Honourable mention for best news story) and business (FBLA - 2nd place, 4th place in New York). Awards for Model UN/Debate/Speech.
I also got selected to advise my Minister of Education for a year, again provincially/state competitive. *</p>
<p>All very impressive, but my top favorites – Minister of Education award, competitive research, international competition and Sigma Xi. But I’m not an ad com :)</p>
<p>We brought DS14 home from his Summer Engineering Seminar. He has a very good time and his design team apparently swept all the competitions- potato launcher, egg drop, bridge design… but he is no closer to declaring an engineering major than before. Hopefully, he will cull out his options in the next few months.</p>
<p>We toured Stanford this week. It was interesting to feel the tension in room during the admissions talk- especially among parents. Many international parents seemed perplexed at the notion that grades and test scores are not the only piece of the puzzle- EC’s and “participation in your community” was something many of them didn’t seem to get. The campus is huge and very beautiful. Whether or not DS14 applies, it was an interesting tour… and I believe we are done with campus visits until acceptance letter(s) arrive next Spring. </p>
<p>We are not even thinking about CA at this point. Summer AP work, clothes and supplies, and getting back on schedule are top priorities right now. DS11 started his apps in October. His AP Lit class worked on essays, though his best and final versions were written at home with a relative and family friend as those extra sets of eyes. The motivation really kicked in at that point and it was all done before Thanksgiving.</p>
<p>vvs2010 – that’s a good question – could he say he prefers the finite structure of a standardized test? He prepares; he sets aside a block of time; he does the task? Whereas he finds homework assignments more nebulous and open ended? </p>
<p>Is your school stingy in handing out As? Did he take a lot of APs? </p>
<p>I have my own Q on interviews – should S bring a copy of his transcript? Or nobody asks for that?</p>
<p>Class, thank you for your suggestion. The interview is with the director of recruiting for our state and he said to bring unofficial transcript. He’ll also bring his resume to show his ECs and work experience. Our school is very competitive, “Gold” medal school, and he did have a rigorous schedule. Will probably emphasize that.</p>
<p>Thanks CT1417, Quagmiro, and Class! I will definitely check out Fairfield. Thought about UPenn but D doesnt want to live in the city. Her favs if doesnt get into RIT is Nova and Northeastern. Both are so expensive! We have 4 kids so definitely looking for some help anywhere, LOL!</p>