<p>That was me. I said if I suggested a retake of the ACT- SAT she would hit me with a frying pan. If she retakes there is a bigger chance of going down than up, despite the fact that scores tend to increase senior year. </p>
<p>The Common App questions are unchanged from last year. In my limited experience, it seems sensible to draft in your regular word processing program and not worry about whether the online application is live until just before you upload the final version. </p>
<p><a href=“https://appsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33013/Article/1694/2014-15-Common-Application-Essay-Prompts”>https://appsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33013/Article/1694/2014-15-Common-Application-Essay-Prompts</a> </p>
<p>I agree with SOG. Have your S write the essay using a regular word processing document and upload/copy it to the CA when it goes live for the 2015ers in August. D has started her CA essay that way because she has to turn it in for her GC to review by July 1.</p>
<p>Erlanger S mentioned something like that. He said the scores were coming in the lowest in many years? </p>
<p>She has visited UVa, W&M, VT, UAz, Georgetown, UMCP, JHU, MIT, WPI, and might still visit a few others, probably in California (i.e. Stanford, Berkeley). I will also encourage her to apply to schools that she hasn’t visited. She does not seem very comfortable with very large schools or inner city schools. She plans to major in STEM, hasn’t narrowed it down more than that yet.</p>
<p>Not all bad news: I think it depends on which AP test. He has praised high scores for some like CompScience and Physics C, but talked about FRQ zeros on others (World History). For me it just creates more anxiety/buzz when I am trying to relax over the process for the summer . . . </p>
<p>@SomeOldGuy, thanks for the link. That’s helpful. I poked around on the CA website but sure didn’t find that list. I will print it out and give it to DS so he can pick a topic and get started! If it doesn’t happen this summer, I have no idea when he’d do it, anyway. Jealous of those who have high schools that provide even the slightest bit of direction on all this stuff. If not for CC, DS & I would be completely clueless. It makes me feel really bad for other students and families who have no knowledge of the process at all, and no help/guidance in even getting started.</p>
<p>@GoAskDad Here are the common App prompts for our 2015ers (from <a href=“https://appsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33013/Article/1694/2014-15-Common-Application-Essay-Prompts):”>https://appsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33013/Article/1694/2014-15-Common-Application-Essay-Prompts):</a>
2014-15 Common Application Essay Prompts</p>
<p>The Common Application will retain the current set of first-year essay prompts for 2014-15, without any edits or additions. The essay length will continue to be capped at 650 words. The feedback received from member colleges and school counselors has been positive. The essay prompts will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that they continue to serve students and member colleges well.</p>
<p>The essay prompts are as follows:</p>
<p>–Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.<br>
–Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
–Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
–Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
–Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.</p>
<p>Oops. Someone beat me to it. :-)</p>
<p>If cost is a concern then there’s no point in considering Berkeley from out of state. For Stanford, run the Net Price Calculator to see if it will be affordable–they only offer need-based aid but they are one of the most generous schools. </p>
<p>Aside from Wellesley, there could be some significant merit money opportunities at women’s colleges. Has she toured any yet?</p>
<p>How did she do on the PSAT? Is she a national merit semi-finalist?</p>
<p>Today we were reminded not to open the common app until September 1 and they were given the essay prompts which are the same as last year. Anybody else feeling anxious?? </p>
<p>Twogirls, no warning to us about waiting until Sept. 1 to start on the CA. I thought the problems/issues were because the CB significantly changed it last year and that eased everything up for the 2014ers. </p>
<p>I’m just anxious because D has not yet started on a single essay. :-w </p>
<p>Don’t worry Suzy100 my D is not even done with school yet. She will do her essays in July.
Mtrosemom the common app opens on August 1 but I think they are just being extra careful because of last years problems. My D will spend the summer doing her common app essays and apps that are not on the common app. </p>
<p>Thanks twogirls. Ds first set of apps are due Nov. 1 and I know she wants to be mostly done with the easy parts of the app before Sr. year starts rocking and rolling. </p>
<p>I was gonna say the same as Twogirls…we are still in school here so everyone enjoy the summer and don’t stress about the Common App essay. You can stress when we are out of school and we’re all officially seniors.</p>
<p>Two more Regents to go here. I’m so hating on NYS for not telling these kids their scores on the Common Core Regents they were forced to take at the beginning of the month. Between AP tests, ACT’s, SAT’s, SAT subject tests, quarterlies, finals and Regents, this year has been ridiculous in the amount of tests taken. I feel bad for these kids. I am not going to mention anything about any essay until we get home from our vacation in July.</p>
<p>great twitter tip… something else to be addicted to! My nephew and his pregnant wife were very close to the tornados last night, glad they are safe.</p>
<p>I asked my friend who told her they had to pay for the ND tour and she brushed off the question… not sure where the paid tour information came from</p>
<p>S15 is about 1/3 of the way between Newark and Lima… :)</p>
<p>D is finished with her essay but that was the English final. We are not allowed to send apps out until D’s CG proofs it. </p>
<p>They do flagship app has part as the seminar the first week of August, for those applying. This seminar is mandatory; for those who aren’t applying to the flagship those students will complete the Common App.
The Common App is done at school.</p>
<p>They take of the admission process away from the parents the only thing we are involved is PAYING from now until its complete.</p>
<p>I think D thought she had to get a 2400 before taking the SAT for the first time. I did not have a goal in my mind at all and my approach was one of wait and see. Given that lofty goal, it’s no surprise that she wanted to retake the test after her first attempt. We actively discouraged her, believing the common wisdom that most test takers don’t improve on a second administration so close to the first. In fact, I felt the chances were great that she’d do worse the second time around. What I learned is that you have to know your kid. When you have one who is prone to test anxiety, retesting in the same environment can make a difference. She was so relaxed going in and coming out that time it’s no surprise that she matched her two good scores and brought the third one up to the same range. So for her it was worth it.</p>
<p>Now she’s already anxious about the subject tests she took in June and wants to sign up for a second chance in October. She doesn’t even have the first set of scores back yet. </p>
<p>Trevor Packer is making me nervous. </p>
<p>The Common App essays are making me nervous. D hasn’t looked at them. She is about to leave for the summer and will have no time to work on them. </p>
<p>Senior year is making me nervous.</p>
<p>It doesn’t take much. </p>
<p>I agree with Keepme. Everybody here could use a break before we go full steam ahead. My D is finished Friday but some juniors here do not finish until next week so don’t stress about the essays. </p>
<p>I will, however, obsess about UPitt: question- UPitt sent me and D emails about their " special status" application and today in the mail we got an invite to their special status application along with a waiver of some kind giving guidance permission to scan the transcript. I called admissions and was told that the regular application is longer but if you fill out the special status app you could send them a resume of ECs along with it. So here is my question: is it rude to complete the regular application that is on the website given that they emailed her the shorter application and also sent us an invite in the mail? Do they keep track of this stuff and will they care if she bypasses their invite and goes straight to the regular, longer application? If D does the select status app she will send in a resume and we will wait until September to send the transcript along with the LOR. Sorry for obsessing. </p>
<p>Trevor Packer is just making me more anxious. I started to read and then stopped or I would have called over D to see if she remembers anything. </p>