<p>I had looked at Cappex before for the scattergrams, but hadn´t actually signed up. I just did, and it has some great info. It gives you a chart showing a range of your kid´s likely acceptance, and gives you a month by month list for the deadlines, etc for all of the schools you have entered.</p>
<p>OHmom, I’m still confused by the numbers. Unless there is a greater uptick in international applications (and an accompanying higher acceptance rate of that pool), I thought the numbers of U.S. applicants were lower than they were six years ago. The common app allows for an easier application process, sure, just as it did six years ago, but in the end, kids can only attend a single school. I’m reading that the rankings are affecting the selectivity and that the schools are actively courting more students to apply who shouldn’t really be applying. I am just not sure what it all means.</p>
<p>I do know that the UC system has elected to accept the absolute maximum of full pay students from outside California and outside the U.S. in favor of in state students. As a result, there’s been a pretty dramatic change in acceptance rates to the most sought after schools, at least from D’s high school. The GCs tell us that if the kid wants a UC option, she must apply far more widely than ever before. We also hear that last year applications from D’s high school to the UCs dropped in favor of applications to out of state publics. </p>
<p>I’m not a fan of ED either. Apart from the financial implications of an early acceptance, comparing acceptances with all pros and cons firmly in hand is a very good thing. The GCs are pushing early applications very hard here, claiming that their results in the early round were far more impressive than the regular. I’m not sure they looked carefully at how many kids were recruited athletes or had other special hooks that were weighed more heavily in the early decision round.</p>
<p>I swear OHMom, I could have pretty much written your post word-for-word.</p>
<p>OHMomof2, D has mentally drawn a 2 hour radius around our house - colleges must be OUTSIDE this circle.</p>
<p>3girls, I think kids are applying to more and more colleges. When I was applying (back in the stone age when we carved our applications and tossed them into a mailbox), it wasn’t unusual for people to apply to just 4 or 5. Now, it sounds like kids apply to 10 or 12! </p>
<p>I don’t think D even knows about ED. I would support it if she is absolutely sure she wants to attend that college and we could afford it, otherwise I just don’t see the point. I know about the supposed acceptance bump but I wonder about that.</p>
<p>shoboemom, glad your D is ok and I second the suggestion to have a doctor look at her if her sore neck continues. My husband was in a car accident when he was 19, just like the one that 3girls3cats describes, and his parents (the polar opposite of helicopter parents) just assumed he was ok since there were no visible scratches but it turned out that he had hurt his neck and back and should have been treated much earlier.</p>
<p>IJustDrive, we’re not planning a Columbus Day weekend college visit trip either–for the 1st time I’m wishing that D had a Saturday PSAT instead of a Wednesday–these last few weeks for review feel like not enough time. We may do a Veterans Day trip, maybe to Philly and Eastern PA. A friend of mine at work has a house in Easton and has invited us to stay overnight if we want to look at Lafayette (which is down the road from her) and Lehigh. </p>
<p>SlackerMomMD, I hear you on schools needing to be <em>outside</em> the 2 hour circle. I think D has a similar radius and for us that crosses out all the schools in the NYC area! Last month we met a family from California whose son attends Hofstra, 20 minutes from us, and my D was amazed that anyone would ever come from the West Coast to go there. She’s crossed almost every area school off her list. But her best friend’s elder brothers (who attended one of the “best” local college prep schools) both chose colleges in the area so hopefully she’ll realize that it’s ok not to go too far away. One of them went to Fordham and I hear that they do a good open house in November, which I’d like her to attend.</p>
<p>Wow! This place was hopping today! I could not get a break from work to catch up- usually I can at least read during lunch.</p>
<p>My daughter wants to go to school in California but that is not happening. She can go anywhere on the east coast from Maine down to Florida, and as far west as Ohio ( I have to talk my husband into that one as the drive is 10 hours). Crepes we will also be heading to Pennsylvania to see Lafayette and make another visit to Lehigh. My daughter just put U of Rochester back on the table. She likes the fact that you can take whatever classes you want ( I forgot what that is called). </p>
<p>My daughter will be applying EA ( when available) and not ED. She needs to compare offers. As far as school visits are concerned, we will do most of them before senior year begins. We will probably do a few re-visits next fall to schools that are within 2-3 hours away. </p>
<p>Shoboe I hope your daughter feels better. Keep us posted. </p>
<p>Our school is collecting $21 for the PSAT. Do you all have to pay? I am very excited that we got Naviance back.</p>
<p>We pay $16 for the PSAT.</p>
<p>Here are a few links from my favorites on saving on college visits. Some articles are redundant, but offer one or pieces of information another article misses. There’s also a video link interviewing a private college counselor and college admissions author, Kathy Cohen. The last link is one of my favorites for mapping out college visits to maximize savings and time. Enjoy!</p>
<p>[10</a> ways to control the cost of college visits - USATODAY.com](<a href=“http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/perfi/college/2008-08-13-control-costs-of-college-visits_N.htm]10”>10 ways to control the cost of college visits - USATODAY.com)</p>
<p>[Visit</a> colleges on a budget - Video on TODAY.com](<a href=“TODAY Video - Latest TODAY show clips, news & video | TODAY”>TODAY Video - Latest TODAY show clips, news & video | TODAY)</p>
<p>[A</a> study in savings: Amtrak offers half-off a college tour ticket - Los Angeles Times](<a href=“http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/27/news/la-trb-amtrak-half-off-college-tours-fares-20120224]A”>A study in savings: Amtrak offers half-off a college tour ticket)
[Amtrak</a> - Buy One, Get One 50% Off with Campus Visit](<a href=“http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?ff=No&c=AM_Content_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237405732514&cid=1246042642393]Amtrak”>http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?ff=No&c=AM_Content_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237405732514&cid=1246042642393)</p>
<p>[Nine</a> Ways to Cut the Cost of College Visits | Fox Business](<a href=“http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/03/21/nine-ways-to-cut-cost-college-visits/]Nine”>http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/03/21/nine-ways-to-cut-cost-college-visits/)</p>
<p>[What</a> if I Can’t Afford College Visits? - College Admissions Q&As (usnews.com)](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-experts/2011/06/29/what-if-i-cant-afford-college-visits]What”>http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-experts/2011/06/29/what-if-i-cant-afford-college-visits)</p>
<p><a href=“https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/campus-visit-guide/when-to-visit[/url]”>https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/campus-visit-guide/when-to-visit</a></p>
<p>[Saving</a> on College Visits - Businessweek](<a href=“Bloomberg - Are you a robot?”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?)</p>
<p>[8</a> ways to save money on college visits](<a href=“http://www.bankrate.com/finance/college-finance/8-ways-to-save-on-college-visits-1.aspx]8”>Student Loans | Bankrate.com)</p>
<p>[Applying</a> to College - 5 Ways to Cut College Tour Costs](<a href=“http://youngadults.about.com/od/collegeprep/a/collegetourcost.htm]Applying”>http://youngadults.about.com/od/collegeprep/a/collegetourcost.htm)</p>
<p>[How</a> to Save Money on College Visits](<a href=“http://www.thecollegiateblog.org/2013/01/08/how-to-save-money-on-college-visits/]How”>Loading...)</p>
<p>[Saving</a> Money on College Visits - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com](<a href=“Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos”>Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos)</p>
<p>[How</a> to Save Money on College Visits | Grown Up Me](<a href=“http://www.grownupme.com/how-to-save-money-on-college-visits/]How”>http://www.grownupme.com/how-to-save-money-on-college-visits/)</p>
<p>[Go</a> See Campus | College Trip Planning, College Search Resources](<a href=“http://goseecampus.com/]Go”>http://goseecampus.com/)</p>
<p>We do not pay anything for the PSAT or the April ACT. We pay full price for the SAT, SAT IIs, and other ACT test dates. The school heavily subsidizes the AP exams for students, too. Like other posters, pretty much all the families can afford the tests without issue; however, free or reduced fees is just one of the perks of attending BunHeadGirl’s school. </p>
<p>For college visits, we reduce costs by always attempting to visit at least two or three schools that are within a couple of hours driving distance from each other. The only time this is not true is when we are on vacation, or I am traveling for work and only have to pay for BunHeadGirl’s airfare.</p>
<p>We are fortunate enough to have a lot of great schools within a 3-4 hour drive, so that makes it easier. We also stopped taking family vacations ( no time due to sports) so we look at college visits as our vacation. We always drive and my 2015er is probably the only kid who has never been on a plane . </p>
<p>Schools like Lehigh and Lafayette, and even Delaware can be done as a day trip. Our big trip will be in February, with smaller trips planned for April and the summer.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info Bunhead!!</p>
<p>Herandhismom…my kids have been raised on Gtown. I’ve never met anyone who loved their school as much as my husband. My kids have always said they want to go to Gtown but now that D is a junior, I want her to see it with new eyes as compared to other schools and not because that’s the school she’s been raised to love. Also, I’ve been kind of pounding it into her that she may not get in. H’s roommate’s kid got rejected last year and it kind of shocked us all as he was a great student, family legacy and his grandfather and father donated lots of money over the years. But it was a good lesson for my family that we have to prepare for a rejection. If your child is interested in international relations, it doesn’t get better than the School of Foreign Service. Plus it’s a great place to visit with so much to see and do!! I highly recommend attending a basketball game if you’re into sports. What a fun experience that is :).</p>
<p>Our school pays for the PSAT for each junior and we take it during school on that Wed. But only juniors are allowed to take it. I fought very hard for D to take it as a Soph, offering to pay for it, but the school said no so I wound up bringing her to another school that allowed it. I plan to do the same with my boys. They offer the PLAN for the Sophs and students have to pay for it.</p>
<p>My D has ruled out every local school but will consider schools in NYC bc that’s considered “away” in her mind. She is lukewarm about SUNY schools bc she is not a fan of “upstate”. She would love Cali but mean mom says no. I want her within driving distance, she has the entire east coast to choose from so poor child has to pick from that lol!!!</p>
<p>Can’t quite believe that we have to go right back into action with DS’15 after successfully sending off DD’13! </p>
<p>Was just skipping through a couple of weeks of posts, and saw a number of folks worrying about scores and selectivity and what feels like an increase in competition for spots even as the numbers of 18 year olds declines. </p>
<p>I don’t know if anyone has tried this yet (I’m pretty sure some of you must have), but the best thing I did for DD was to read “40 colleges that change lives” (bear with me on form, trying to underline the book title brings up source code!). Brought much needed sanity to the process. You don’t have to agree with everything written, but the process the book lays out (or you can just read the website) is a breath of fresh air. </p>
<p>I need that breath of fresh air after hearing a story today about a guy who spent $40K (that is not a typo, 4 years of $10K/year) on a college advisory service. the punch line is that he had decided, after the fact, that it wasn’t worth it.</p>
<p>Thank you for all the well wishes for my D. She is sore today, but not too bad, hasn´t even wanted tylenol or anything. We may end up at the Dr later this week, just to sort of check in. Her friend who was driving, who did go to the ER, got a bunch of xrays and ended up with a sling for her shoulder (She´s had issues with her shoulder in the past), and the adivce to be sure to stretch it, but take it easy on the shoulder for a while. My D has had so many xrays for other things, I just hate for her to get more if she doesn´t need them. </p>
<p>Bunhead, thank you for that list of links!</p>
<p>PSAT is $20.00 at D´s school.</p>
<p>We got to visit Georgetown VERY briefly this summer. D commented that you would sure get a workout going there, since everything seemed to be up or down a hill. But she loved what little she saw. She loves the DC area in general…(Boston too). I felt like it might be a great place to go to grad school.</p>
<p>Welcome ssacdfamily! </p>
<p>shoboemom (I also want to type that shoebomom!), I’m glad your D seems to be OK. Seems like you are doing all the right things.</p>
<p>To address the college visits issue, D would like to visit schools in the Boston area, the Philly area, and then a number in the south. To me, that’s really 3 separate trips (and it doesn’t include D.C/Baltimore schools!) and we are in Ohio. The expense adds up because it’s not an easy drive, and younger D will probably be tagging along so airfare for 3 is an issue. I think I can handle the cost if D goes far away because it will be just one traveling, but this visiting stuff will be expensive! So far, D isn’t interested in anything west of the Mississippi, but if she wanted to look at schools there I’d be fine with that - just don’t know how to manage that or whittle down the list!</p>
<p>One of bunheadmom’s link suggested early visits be nearby, to somewhat inexpensively narrow down some gross preferences like size and urban/not, or big U/LAC. Makes sense to me.</p>
<p>^^^ That’s how we started with D1, visiting schools within our metro area (and during visits to extended family) to figure out big/small, Uni/LAC/tech, urban/suburban/rural etc. We’re skipping that step with D2, because she got exposed to all those trade-offs while tagging along on Big Sis’s trips. </p>
<p>Their visit itineraries will be pretty different because D1 wanted engineering and D2 probably doesn’t. Also, D1 liked cities and didn’t mind a little grit, whereas D2 prefers cushier suburbs.</p>
<p>Welcome ssacdfamily and congratulations on getting one launched!</p>
<p>I’m jealous of all of you who have colleges nearby for easy visits. School visits will require airplane travel for most visits. </p>
<p>I just heard that my daughter invited several friends to come with us on our October college visits and that at least one is hoping to come with us on our trip!</p>
<p>As the youngest of three, this daughter has visited many different colleges with her sisters and has also visited her sisters’ colleges. She’s also spent summers in programs on college campuses and now has become familiar with the university near her high school. In fact, she’s become so infatuated with one of the libraries at that university that she wants to visit college libraries when we tour colleges.</p>
<p>She is certain that she doesn’t want a rural campus but she isn’t sure whether she prefers urban to suburban or vice versa. She isn’t sure about size either. One sister felt that her school became too small by the end of four years and I think that has made her stop and question her assumption that she’d prefer a smaller school.</p>
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<p>First, I wish to apologize to you as well, Mical1. If you only knew what I go through with BunHeadGirl’s midlife crises on a weekly basis. She’s an A type with OCD issues & an eating disorder that is currently in check—gotta love that darned ballet world. Need I say more—grin. I am the laid-back, absent minded professor type mom all the neighbor & high school kids can relate to, which makes my home Grand Central Station even though I’m an introvert. How did that happen?</p>
<p>Like other posters, some of D’s friends or associates depending on the time of day or week, are killing themselves with course work and ECs. They all are applying to HYPS and top 20 colleges. D sometimes feels inadequate due to all the talk of them applying to H, Y, P, S or B school while D gets excited about Bryn Mawr or Sarah Lawrence, or Goucher, but is too embarrassed about these schools since they are not top 40. Her best friend since she was 10 years old is slowly inching away and starting to belittle D about her college list, and going as far as calling D Generic BunHeadGirl. It is sad, and all I can do is cry with her from her hurt, and let her know her heart will heal in time even though her mind may not think so. I think she now realizes, like another poster, that some of her “friends” are truly snobs and not worth the effort when she has so many other real friends that care for her. I hope she continues to trend away from the Mean Girls and continually moves towards the real-friends. </p>
<p>This school year shall test the best of us as we deal with our children’s vicissitudes as they navigate life and the college application process—a process that begins the road towards adulthood. Grin, I almost feel as if BunHeadGirl is going through the terrible 2’s again—wanting her independence, but holding on to my leg for dear life, wanting to let go, but not sure how. It appears the tantrums are the same as back then, but are a sight to see in teenage form. </p>
<p>As I say nearly every day, “I love the kid on the couch.” I just wish she could look into the mirror and see her true self, and stop trying to be the being that she thinks everyone wants her to be. I hope one day she will embrace the highly intelligent, quirky, retro, boho, hippie that she is–the person that her true friends, teachers, and family love. </p>
<p>Oh, and thanks for the blog resources. I just checked out “The Neurotic Parent” from the library, and what a needed break from the rat race. I needed to let go and laugh!</p>