<p>thanks for the great post itsv…the length was worthwhile because of the details you provided. We are going through the process for the first time with DS1 this year…we have mirrored a lot of what you have done with your DD, so your post felt reassuring. thanks.</p>
<p>Dunno if this has been mentioned before, but for those whose kids are going to be hearing about EA or ED, go look back at posts from a year ago on the CC forums for the colleges on your kid’s list. You’ll be able to see the date that decisions were released, how that compared to previous years (meaning, is it always pretty much the same date, or does it move around?), how the school notifies applicants, even sometimes how to tell from the outside of the envelope. 
Up to you if you want to share this info with your kiddos. Me, I’m keeping it to myself and the spouse.</p>
<p>We’re on the west coast, so any admissions decisions announced online can be seen during the school day. I’ve asked D1 not to check while at school–she has a longish drive home, and I don’t want her doing that drive right after getting bad news. When D1 went through this three years ago, smartphones weren’t as common and cell coverage was horrid at her high school, so she had me text her when the ED admissions portal was open so she could go check on the computer in the counseling office.</p>
<p>jrmama, my S was Gaston in Beauty and the Beast this summer, and he had a great time! They had a low-budget production, but it was still very cute!</p>
<p>Congrats 2014ProfDad! Many, many more.</p>
<p>Thanks and welcome itsv.</p>
<p>Any now my DD is sick with the flu. Should I take this as a sign? No, we are pushing on! We fly out tomorrow morning and the trip cannot be postponed. Had a great talk with DD last night (she didn’t have the energy to walk away and seemed in a more mellow mood). I think she gets it now. Hopefully she will recover enough to enjoy her weekend at Baylor.</p>
<p>AvonHSDad, you are right. Born and raised in Ohio, but haven’t lived in the state for almost 9 years (very sad). I will always be a Buckeye at heart, though not because of any allegiance to OSU (I attended BGSU). Might I assume you are a Cleveland westsider (from your username)? Eastsider here.</p>
<p>Buckeye, if DD has the flu, I don’t see how this visit can be successful, for her or for the students she will be coming into contact with, the other passengers on the plane, etc. Can’t you reschedule?</p>
<p>We cannot reschedule as this is part of Baylor’s Invitation to Excellence program. We will have to make a decision by tomorrow morning, but she is already much improved (according to her). Many are praying for her since I spread the word early this morning.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear that your D has the flu. Somehow, though many of my D’s classmates have the flu or have gotten a cold, my D is not sick (yet).</p>
<p>My D has also gotten into Baylor, but we want to hear back from more schools before visiting.</p>
<p>Buckeye - westsider is right on the money. 
Lived here long enough to be an OSU fan although I attend Mizzou back in the day.</p>
<p>Here’s wishing everyone an early Happy Thanksgiving! as we are heading out to visit DS-2011 at his study abroad home this semester in Edinburgh. We are meeting him in London for the weekend and also celebrating DD’s (2014) 18th birthday. We will then take the train north to spend next week in Scotland. No college apps, essays or visits for a week for DD-2014! She is very happy to be stepping away for a week. :D</p>
<p>@AvonHSDad - I am so jealous! DS12 could easily do a semester at St. Andrews in Edinburgh as they have a close bound with Will&Mary and his Physics dept even lays out a course of study for a semester or a year at St.A’s. But I cannot talk him into it - “Mom I am not going to travel just to travel.” “Why not!!!” I want to scream! I could be you next year if only he would see the light! I keep telling him that this is a time in his life where he can try lots of stuff - college makes it easy to do all these cool things! So frustrating to see him not take full advantage of it all! But it is his life and I am moving farther and farther into the back seat!</p>
<p>Hello everyone. New SAT’s are in. S took one last SAT II that he was waiting on before sending all his scores to all his schools. He received his score this morning and was quite pleased. He didn’t have any early applications but he does have some December 1 deadlines. Glad that part is all over with!</p>
<p>Good job to austinareadad’s S.</p>
<p>My daughter is under a lot of stress (and me too). She’s trying to protect her #1 ranking to graduate as Val. Val calculation in her HS is very straight forward: Highest weighted GPA (Semester 1 to Semester 7) is Val (A=4.0 for regular classes, A=5.0 for Honors/APs, ± are not considered). She’s taking 5 APs and 1 Honor (all weighted classes) so all A’s or 1 B is guaranteed Val for her. 2Bs she’s still Val but tied with 1 or more kids. Beyond that, she needs help from the other kids (LOL).</p>
<p>We talked last night and I told her, to be OK not to graduate as Val as long as she tries her best. Currently she has 2 classes that are High A, so those are OK. One is mid A and the rest, they’re either low A or very high B. Their semester ends just before Christmas break and they have a full week off next week for Thanksgiving. So basically it all comes down to the Finals which for most of her classes is about 20% of the grade.</p>
<p>Interestingly though, this has happened in the past wherein she has a lot of high B’s and low A’s just few weeks before the finals and amazingly managed to get an A.</p>
<p>Can’t wait until May 1 and get drunk.</p>
<p>2018dad, I can empathize, as we had a somewhat similar struggle last year. My S was in first place his freshman and sophomore years, but then in his junior year the schedulers gave his main competitor all weighted classes while he was given two that were unweighted. It was inevitable that she was going to pass him up before the end of the year, no matter how hard he tried, and he became very frustrated and upset when she did pass him in the Spring. He knew that this year she would again have all weighted classes and it would be impossible for him to retake the lead, so he began to accept it. Hopefully the experience helped him to mature a little, at least a little.</p>
<p>These comments are making me glad our school no longer has a valedictorian.</p>
<p>SATs came back this morning, and Son '14 is the model of consistency. He got the same score as last time. So, he still needs 10 points to earn a tuition scholarship at his dream school. Talk about frustrating. We truly feel for him, because he has wanted to attend his dream school since the seventh grade. Not sure what his plan is. He may retake the SAT in December, but he admits that the cross country season and its training, a part-time job, a couple of APs and other obligations at school really have left him burned out. Now, I would say that he’s looking forward to Thanksgiving, but he has a huge race that weekend, so…</p>
<p>Oh well. Graduation cannot come soon enough.</p>
<p>Our school system no longer ranks, and doesn’t even give out quartile rankings. </p>
<p>Our school, which is a unique case within the district, does give a GPA range to collleges as part of the school profile since students need to maintain a minimum GPA to remain in the school. </p>
<p>I don’t understand how administrators can just opt to give one student weighted classes but not another student. Don’t the kids have any say in what class they take?</p>
<p>^ At my S’s school, the kids formally request their classes for the next semester, providing a list of their preferred classes and alternates if they don’t get into their first choices. The kids usually do not get all of their preferred classes, as the administrators try to be fair in class assignments. For the junior year, my S asked for all weighted classes, but did not get two of them, while his competitor got all of hers. I was somewhat proud of him for not accusing anyone of foul play. Seniors are usually given priority so it is easier for them to get their preferred classes.</p>
<p>momreads—10 points? 10 points anywhere on the SAT? That is beyond frustrating.</p>
<p>Does he have any practice exams left that he can use next weekend or is he just so out of time that he can’t contemplate another practice test? Would the Jan exam results be accepted for the purpose of scholarship? I realize they cannot be considered for admission, but is there a chance for scholarship?</p>
<p>DS is not vying for Val or Sal , but wants to finish Top Ten. He is currently ranked 6 out of 568. Has 4 APs. Not sure how many kids are tied for places. Ten pictures will hang in the HS office next year, 10 families enjoy the school district awards banquet. His goal is to be one of them. Good luck everyone!</p>
<p>Her sophomore year, my D came home totally freaked out when she found out her biggest academic competitor was dropping band (1.5 credits a year) to take all the AP classes available. There was no way to do both. My D was in tears that there was no way she’d be able to be valedictorian unless she dropped band, which was her passion. She was concerned she wouldn’t get into a top school if she wasn’t Val. I told her that if she had to sacrifice the thing she truly enjoyed, then it wasn’t worth it anyway. I also pointed out that a multi-year EC where she ended up with leadership positions showed her dedication and passion. She still made top 10 and she is at her dream school so it all worked out as it should. I certainly never put that pressure on her to be Val- it was all her own doing and she created a lot of stress for herself. By her senior year, she had accepted it. </p>
<p>Now, S is at number 2 and it is unlikely he’ll be bumped unless he tanks next trimester. Number 1 is struggling a little with AP stats so it is possible he will bump her out, but he is really hoping that doesn’t happen because they are friends and he said it is more important to her than it is to him. Both our Val and Sal give speeches at graduation and there is usually only one boy in the top 10 so he’s feeling pretty special already. He moved from 27th in 9th grade to 2nd by the middle of 11th grade so he’s gotten stronger over time.</p>