<p>Way to go DS of Dave_N! It feels good to hit submit on that first app. </p>
<p>Mathmomvt: Getting that CA set up is a big step! once you get all of the basic information, you realize it isn’t that bad.</p>
<p>Calla1-I think your story seeped through. I had sent S an example of generic writing and essay writing (more natural, conveying your own voice and spirit) and hoped he would read it - he did, and came through with his own essay idea! The first draft is the hardest.</p>
<p>D14 is finally realizing how much is involved in this college application process. Unfortunately, she is swamped with homework and E/C’s. I’ve reached the point where I cannot assist anymore - she needs to write the essays, fill in the Activities and Honors sections, etc. Maybe I could do her homework? Or run the Student Senate??</p>
<p>She’s asked for ways to be more efficient at doing her homework, but I don’t know how to advise her. It seems like lots of reading, writing and group projects…all which take time.</p>
<p>2016Barnardmom: Great news for your son! I’m trying to push my 2014er in that direction for the required health credit but interest seems low. ;)</p>
<p>We have an ACT situation weighing heavily on our minds right now. I’d love perspective from parents who have been in the same or similar situation.</p>
<p>DC is scheduled to take the ACT for the fourth time on Saturday. The first attempt was at the end of 10th grade and was done with no prep. Running out of time was a big problem is several sections. </p>
<p>The second attempt came in April of 11th grade. The result was a three point raise in the composite. </p>
<p>The third attempt was DC’s idea. Big plans were made to do a lot if studying. The big plan fizzled, the test was still taken and guess what? The composite score was the same as attempt #2.</p>
<p>DC wants to take the test again. Some studying has been done…practice tests and the Barron’s 36 book.</p>
<p>My question is at what point could one more attempt when that attempt is #4 do more harm than good?</p>
<p>DC is applying to some reach schools where all test scores will need to be sent. Her current ACT is “in the range” for the reaches but low in the range(25th-50th percentile.)</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>My DS can’t seem to reduce his list. He is at 15 and is now realizing how much work it is to do each one. He has only written one additional essay and still has quite a few to go. He is having trouble meeting with his GC to get her OK to go ahead and submit his first two CA schools. They ask that you let them take a look at the applications before submitting. I will start to feel better once he hits the “submit” button on a couple of them at least.</p>
<p>ECs and homework are really taking over DS’s time. He hasn’t worked on essays in 2 weeks. There are a lot of little essays in those supplements, but I think he is going to wait until after the October 5th Subject Matter tests.</p>
<p>jrmama496 – 15 is a lot of work – maybe you can help him narrow it down by asking him “which ones do you want to do first”? And maybe that “first” list of 5-7 will be his real list of schools, then he’ll add 2-3 more and be done.</p>
<p>Our school had college night last night. The plan was S would pick me up at the train station and we’d go over to the school. But he texted me he had a migraine. He’s never used that word before. Then a friend said her son was sick and she was going to miss it; would I take notes; then another friend’s son wasn’t going (this evening was “mandatory” for parents and students), then when I got there, my son’s GC wasn’t there (family emergency). </p>
<p>But there was some worthwhile news. Worst of which is the school’s own pre-deadline. If your school’s deadline is Nov 1, they want the app in to the GC by Oct 15. This is why I was nagging him over the summer.</p>
<p>I’m thinking this is what we’ll be doing Columbus Weekend…</p>
<p>Calla - What a great story!</p>
<p>DD had to pass in her essay for her AP English class also - due today, which they found out yesterday! Apparently the teacher mentioned last week that it was due Thursday but they don’t have class on Thursday this week because of the rotation so it was due today. And it was not up on the teacher website at 10 pm Monday night when she checked it! And it’s not supposed to be just a quick draft. Luckily she had started two and had thought about what she needed to do to edit one to make it better. So she was working on it last night and we’ll see how it goes today and what the teacher thinks of it.</p>
<p>We had an interesting meeting with a guidance counselor last week. DH’s alma mater offers free college counseling to alum kids, whether they’re interested in that school or not. (DD isn’t sure and neither are we. It could be a good fit but her scores aren’t quite up to their level. However, she’s got the rest of the package they’d look for - grades, class rank, leadership, etc.) The counselor’s thoughts were less about showing “passion” for something (many are really too young to have a lifelong passion) and more about conveying “joy” and “enthusiasm” in what you’ve done. She has a long list of activities but for her it’s really not about a padded resume. She absolutely loves them all! So how to make sure the activities section is enhanced by something that shows how enthusiastic they are about what they’re doing. And also looking for “themes” in the activities, and what is important to her, etc. DD is very involved in various community service and the arts (music/theatre) and sometimes there is overlap.</p>
<p>It was a very interesting point of view and hopefully will help her put together an application that better showcases the person she is. We’ll see if she’s able to pull her thoughts together and follow some of the recommendations. They won’t help editing her essays but gave her some guidelines and she can follow up with phone calls or emails if she wants to.</p>
<p>College4many - my D has taken the SAT 3 times, improving each time w/o any studying that I could see. She was planning on taking it a 4th time, but I am also wondering when enough is enough. We did hear for the first time on one of our college tours this summer that some schools look negatively on tests taken more than 3 times. Don’t know if if anyone else has heard that or if it’s indicated anywhere on college websites, but it does have me second-guessing on whether my D should.</p>
<p>Calla1 - Congratulations and great job!! Would love to have that same effect on my D. </p>
<p>Dave_N - Congrats to DS on first app sent! That has to be a wonderful feeling!</p>
<p>And to all the parents whose kids have started on the CA - that seems like a huge step in the right direction.</p>
<p>Hi, I’ve been lurking! I have a D14. She goes to a gigantic test-in high school in \ Brooklyn, where we live. She wants to go away, but not too far. Most of the colleges on our list are in NY state, including a few SUNYs. Her fave is Binghamton, where I attended back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.</p>
<p>College4Many, I think it’s ok for your son to take the ACT again. I doubt the colleges he’s applying to will give much weight to the one he took as a sophomore, and many students take the test 3 times. Most colleges I’ve seen say that there is no harm done to send many results and I have to believe them when they say they consider the best performance.</p>
<p>My daughter took a mock ACT offered by a prep service last winter and got a 26. She took the actual test in the spring and got a 27. She’s been prepping herself here and there and did one session with a prep coach in July. Last week she did a timed test from the red book and she got a 31+! Hoping her actual results on the test on Saturday will match this!</p>
<p>My D told me she was done after three. I wanted her to go for 4 because one more point would’ve made a big difference in the level of merit she was eligible at two of the schools she applied to. She refused. She’s ok with her safety an has been accepted. The automatic merit makes it doable financially, so not taking it again.</p>
<p>Many of my colleagues have indicated, however, that there are diminishing returns. Taking it a 3rd or 4th time is unlikely (though not impossible) to yield much of a bump. But, if you just need a point or two, go for it.</p>
<p>S is also taking SAT for the fourth (and last time) each time as also improved without noticeable study. We probably wouldn’t ask him to take it but he’s a bit below where he should be for his ED school and another school will up guaranteed FA by $1K/yr. if he can squeeze out another 10 points on math or CR. It’s the last SAT that will be accepted by ED so it’ll be our last one period.</p>
<p>Oh, yeah, that’s a point worth making. The much larger 800 pt scale on the SAT is going to show movement more readily than the ACT with its smaller 36 pt scale.</p>
<p>I almost never post on this thread. I have bonded with the HS Class of 09 folks and “live” there. Anyway, I have to report that my '14 is one and done. Visited one school. Liked it. We can afford it. She was notified of her admission on Saturday. Housing contract signed yesterday. She will take the ACT one more time to try to get one point higher for a bit more $.</p>
<p>congrats missypie!</p>
<p>Wow missypie - that’s great! I can’t even imaging being done at this point. But it will sure make senior year so much more enjoyable!</p>
<p>Congratulations, missypie!! That’s got to be great to have that decided! Sounds like she’ll have a wonderful senior year!</p>
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<p>I’m not sure I would call the SAT and 800 point scale when the last digit is always a 0. I know that is what they use and I’ve always wondered why. It could easily be an 80 point scale. Or you could make the ACT a 360 point scale to make them closer. But it really doesn’t matter.</p>
<p>As for college apps…</p>
<p>My son took his last ACT in spring of junior year and was happy with his 33 and didn’t want to take it again. Applied to 3 schools so far and accepted to 2 with $$ and waiting on the third. Mom wants him to apply to 2 more. We’ll see if he does. He his pretty content with the schools he’s accepted to so he may just “enjoy” the senior year AP classes.</p>
<p>Congrats, missypie!!</p>
<p>I wish DS knew what he wanted!! We had college fair last night. Our HS hosted it. It was mostly in-state and neighboring states universities and LACs. Only two DS was interested in … the ones he’s already applied and been accepted to! Nice to visit with those two. Didn’t even visit with the others. With his engineering track, the LACs that were there (and most of the state schools there) don’t offer what he’s wanting.</p>
<p>He has started to get a couple of phone calls. And a couple of the free apps, but not a lot.</p>