Parents of the HS Class of 2015

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
5881

<p>TwoGirls, I hope your D skipped the college fair, as studying and getting school done trumps all. Your D can show interest by emailing questions not easily answered from viewing the school’s website. She can email the adcom and request to have a student within a specific major contact her so she can ask questions. At LACs she could contact a department of interest and ask questions & CC the regional adcom. She can sign up & open an account for some schools and join in on scheduled chats. She can open a Facebook account, join the school’s page, and keep up. If the adcom department has a blog, she can ask questions or make comments. </p>

<p>As far as the “cattle call” aspect of most college fairs, I despise the whole setup, but I personally think it important for a student with less than stellar stats to have face to face contact with adcoms present at college fairs for schools of great interest that are attainable–matches and low reaches. Students that make an impression upon an adcom are not just another possible applicant. For example, several adcoms asked BHM to also complete a card in addition to scanning her barcode after speaking with her. She received personalized emails and or postcards from these adcoms in addition to contacts from departments of interest. Most remembered her name and her school from previous encounters. The adcom has a name and a face that they remember. She is upfront with them about her GPA and test scores–why not be, they’re going to see them anyway . She keeps in contact with them, and is how she’s been invited to private gatherings. At this past fall’s CTCL and National fair that she attended last year as well, she went to the same tables for the same schools, as her list has not changed much. That counts as 2-4 contacts per school via the fairs. This means for schools that she visited their campus, she already made at least 3-5 contacts. When you add in the private gatherings, she is up to 4-7+ contacts at some colleges before any discussion of following blogs, liking a school on facebook and making comments, and etc. One adcom even stated at a gathering that showing interest, especially for a student on the boarder of admissions, in a majority of cases, tips the scales towards acceptance, especially for a student that shows drive, interviews well, and discusses the school in such a way that it sounds like the applicant already attends. The Adcom knows the student will be a great addition to the student body, because these students make the school their own and thrive with ease, and do better grade-wise in college than high school because of the student’s motivation and passion. </p>

<p>Perhaps mooing at adcoms during college fair cattle calls is not your student’s cuppa, find other means of showing interest that puts the best light upon the student’s credentials.</p>

<p>The information regarding showing demonstrated interest is repetitive within the links below, but what I track are the schools themselves and their view on showing interest to help BHG’s friends fending for themselves or my friends needing assistance navigating the application process this year.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.oapb.org/files/1213/3918/1949/Demonstration_of_Interest.pdf[/url]”>http://www.oapb.org/files/1213/3918/1949/Demonstration_of_Interest.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>[More</a> ways to ‘demonstrate interest’ in a college - Washington DC College admissions | Examiner.com](<a href=“http://www.examiner.com/article/more-ways-to-demonstrate-interest-a-college]More”>http://www.examiner.com/article/more-ways-to-demonstrate-interest-a-college)</p>

<p>[College</a> Admissions’ Secret: Show Interest - The Daily Beast](<a href=“College Admissions' Secret: Show Interest”>College Admissions' Secret: Show Interest)</p>

<p>[Demonstrated</a> Interest - What It Is and Why It Matters](<a href=“http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/a/demonstrated-interest-college-admissions.htm]Demonstrated”>Demonstrated Interest - What It Is and Why It Matters)</p>

<p>[How</a> to Demonstrate Interest in a College - 8 Ways to Demonstrate Interest When Applying to a College or University](<a href=“http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/tp/how-to-demonstrate-interest-in-a-college.htm]How”>How to Demonstrate Interest When Applying to College)</p>

<p>[Demonstrated</a> Interest](<a href=“http://mycollegestreet.com/AppShowInterest.htm]Demonstrated”>http://mycollegestreet.com/AppShowInterest.htm)</p>

<p>[Colleges</a> favoring applicants who show keen interest - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/03/15/a_new_factor_in_making_that_college_loving_it/?page=full]Colleges”>http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2009/03/15/a_new_factor_in_making_that_college_loving_it/?page=full)</p>

<p>[The</a> Dynamics of Demonstrated Interest - Head Count - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“http://chronicle.com/blogs/headcount/the-dynamics-of-demonstrated-interest/24288]The”>Head Count: The Dynamics of Demonstrated Interest)</p>

5882

<p>ahsmuoh - I was wondering if I would go to a college fair with S (21 - yes that’s high school). By then, I would have forgotten anything about college fairs (like, how crowded it gets)</p>

<p>Shoboemom - no experience with scoliosis but other medical conditions. We only monitor these conditions, with (sometimes often) regular visits to a specialist, hoping things stabilize. </p>

<p>Yesterday, a mom called me asking if D and I wanted to go to another college fair with her and her son. I hedged. Later, I asked D and she is considering it! Does that means she isn’t learning from her mistakes? We’ll see.</p>

<p>Sally22 - congrats to your daughter!</p>

5883

<p>Scoliosis: my daughter has two friends- one had surgery and one had the brace. Both are fine.
3girls- our daughters sound remarkably similar in terms of drive, intensity, and perfectionism. Last year my daughter caused an uproar in her Global class because the teacher took a point off for a right answer ( proven in the text book) and refused to give it back. If this happened all the time then of course I would encourage her to say something, but this time around I told her to forget it. Not worth ruining her relationship with the teacher and she already had her A+ in the class. This triple type A is very difficult. </p>

<p>Migraines: mine are triggered by a change in the weather.
Sally congrats on the academic recognition!</p>

5884

<p>BHM you are a wealth of information. Thank you!!</p>

5885

<p>Wow BHM! That’s a great list of articles and advice. I like the one about contacting the admissions office to ask for a student contact. That seems like it would work very well with D.</p>

<p>I half-hearted agree with you that showing up at college fairs and seeing the adcom for the top choice colleges is a good idea. D isn’t a shoo-in for any college however, she can have an engaging personality and connect very well with people face-to-face. But the kid in me is whining “do I hafta?”</p>

5886

<p>Regarding homework- BHG spends an average of 3 hours M-TH (she does not do HW on Fridays) on homework, and like Sally22’s daughter, BHG reads ahead and studies for future tests. So, she spends about 6-8 hours spread out over the weekend reviewing lecture and textbook notes to prepare for exams, reading for research papers due at the end of the term, reading ahead for the first few days of class for the coming week, and any homework assigned the previous Friday.</p>

5887

<p>Physics takes up a lot of time. Beyond that, the rest of her homework does not take up much time at all. She spends a tremendous amount of time re- writing and studying class notes, doing assignments that are due in the future, and studying for tests that have not yet been announced. If she has a lab due on a Monday she will insist on doing all of it before the weekend. She is the opposite of a procrastinator and really needs to learn how to pace herself in a healthy way. Drive and perfectionism are good, except when they cross the line. Therapy has helped as her meltdowns have diminished greatly over the years. I just have to remind myself that everybody is entitled to an occasional meltdown… The key word is occasional.
My kid also hates group work and wants things done her way. She is ok being in a group if the other kids are like her, but if not, ugh. Thankfully her last group project for an elective resulted in individual grades, which was fair considering one group member did zero. I have a new name for my 5 foot 1 inch 100 pound kid who wears bows in her hair: pitbull girl.</p>

5888

<p>Softball girl was named as part of the " All Star County Team" and was also given an Academic recognition. Congratulations to your D, Sally22! That must be gratifying with all of the time she has put into this.</p>

<p>* D isn’t a shoo-in for any college however, she can have an engaging personality and connect very well with people face-to-face. But the kid in me is whining “do I hafta?”* Oh, I am right there with you SlackerMomMD.</p>

<p>Thank you BHM for all of the information - it is much appreciated!</p>

<p>Biting my nails waiting for SAT results. I have no idea what score would be a good one for her.</p>

5889

<p>Hmmm well that was mean of me calling my daughter a pit bull. Honestly, she is very smiley and nice at school and does a lot of laughing with her teammates. On the flip side she is driven, type A, and competitive academically. That’s why I call her a pit bull. What bothers me is that she will go to extra help sessions ( ie for the Regents) and take meticulous notes ( nobody else goes because they are " too busy") and will then get random texts from kids who never speak to her asking for her notes. Another ugh.</p>

5890

<p>What time are scores released?</p>

5891

<p>We are going to go to the National Performing Arts College Fair. I don’t think there is much in the way of meaningful one on one contact at the fairs, but I think it will be a simple way to get introduced to schools that S hasn’t considered, even though he already has a few in mind.</p>

<p>Good luck to those waiting on scores!!</p>

5892

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<p>Congratulations Sally22 and daughter (cheering for your D with a fist pump into the air)
!
Isn’t wonderful how we think about or worry about how our children can beef up their future college applications, then leadership opportunities, recognition or appointments just fall into our children’s laps when least expected. </p>

<p>I cannot wait to see where all the 2015’s end up in 18 months. It seems so far into the future until you peek at the 2014 thread and watch the application frenzy to finally realize we really only have 10-12 months left for our students to get ready to enter the college/university application pandemonium.</p>

5893

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<p>After 8:00 a.m. ET:

[SAT</a> Reasoning Test - Receiving SAT Scores](<a href=“http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/scores/receiving]SAT”>Getting SAT Scores – SAT Suite of Assessments | College Board)</p>

5894

<p>Thanks BHM- now the dilemma. D2 will be at school, hmmmm should I log on and find out her scores or wait till she has an opportunity to check and report back.</p>

<p>D1 is coming home from college this weekend to take the GRE nearby. Asked her what she would like for dinner. Laughing she said " duh, fish"!</p>

5895

<p>Sally - I’d ask your D if she wants you to check them and comply. I usually am the one to check for my guys. Good luck to your older D on the GRE!!! That one is so nice because you get the scores immediately! (Except for writing). My oldest is currently waiting anxiously for his GRE subject test scores in math. They are due to be released next week…</p>

5896

<p>Momsings I thought that fair was amazing!</p>

5897

<p>Ironically, I have volunteered for college fairs for my alma mater, and it always feels like students are frightened of the “grown ups” behind the table (and not just my table. Colleges want to have contact with students too, not just the other way around. (Besides, it’s boring to stand there and not have anyone talk to you.)</p>

5898

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<p>New College of Florida doesn’t do grades. The professors give narrative reports instead. That’s one reason my D crossed it off her list for now. I think she isn’t sure she’d know what was expected of her, if there aren’t grades. But, something like that could take the pressure off. I’m not sure how many other colleges might do that.</p>

5899

<p>^ My (small Quaker private) high school did it. The only grades we got were credit or no credit but a thick envelope of handwritten evaluations from each teacher came in the mail every trimester.</p>

5900

<p>^ D’s Montessori school also gave written evaluations for 7th and 8th grades instead of grades. </p>

<p>I remember getting a phone call from her current high school demanding her most recent report card by noon the following day when I had asked specifically if they needed grades the previous week. I was furious they first said ‘no’ and then they gave a near-impossible deadline. So I felt great pleasure in faxing 16 pages of written evaluation to the main office and letting them deal with D’s middle school ‘grades’.</p>