<p>Does the shorter application entitle you to a “fast track” or “priority” decision? If so, I would follow that format. If there’s no difference in the time it takes to get a decision, it likely doesn’t matter which one you choose. My sense of these priority applications is that they are primarily intended to boost numbers of applications by making it easier to apply to the school. </p>
<p>Yes it says that she will get a decision in 3 weeks, will be given priority scholarship and honors consideration. The weird thing is that the woman told me that these priority apps will not be looked at until August- so much for the 3 weeks. I also realize that any merit money if considered most likely will not come right away. I think D will use the priority app only because I am nervous that they will think we are rude ( I know- silly) but she will send in a resume and make sure all LOR are sent in with the transcripts. A completed application includes 3 things: app, tests, transcripts. I want her application to have more than that. </p>
<p>I " introduced" D to Trevor Packer and she actually finds him to be " interesting" </p>
<p>I know some kids aren’t even out of school yet, but mine has been out for over 2 weeks and will be at a camp thingy for half of July and she works and is going on vacation with a friend AND goes back to school mid-August, so time really does feel like it’s getting short to get some essays knocked out! She’s got a very heavy senior year schedule and will not have a lot of down time. BUT - I’m sure it will all work out in the (bitter) end. :)</p>
<p>I would definitely use the priority application. They are probably flagged differently so even if you don’t get the decision in 3 weeks (which would be amazing!), the application is treated differently from the regular one.</p>
<p>My daughter would freak if she started reading that twitter feed! She’s decided she’s made terrible mistakes on several of the exams and neither good news nor bad news about the general results will help her. If the testers did well, then it’s embarrassing because she didn’t. If the testers did poorly, then she’s doomed. I keep telling her none of this stuff matters but she can’t hear it. Maturity, where are you?</p>
<p>And one more piece of mail arrived today to add to the anxiety. The guy who generally does photography for the school sent us a senior portrait form. Sittings can be scheduled from now through October but they become more expensive with each month. And they vary in price depending on whether you want a single outfit or multiple ones. What? How many outfits do people change into for a single senior portrait?! Am I missing something?</p>
<p>My D is looking at the essay prompts and working on what to write. I’m guessing that she will be back in school before the ones who are still taking finals, and summer is a busy time for her. I also bet that some kids can come up with what to write (which I think is the hardest part) faster than others. As long as they all get it done it will be fine. 
I just wish we had a solid list so she could know what supplements she will need to work on as well.</p>
<p>D has a skype interview on Tuesday so this weekend she will have to prepare for that. She will be asked to brush her hair and put on a nice shirt. Sounds crazy but she needs to be reminded to do these things. Maybe I will ask her to finish the Pitt app and start to work on a resume, but that may be pushing it. She needs a break. </p>
<p>Sorry for giving folks another reason to worry. Just remember: misery (me) loves company. I find no matter what I do or think, this process is nerve-racking. And this is with child #3, my baby.</p>
<p>Me too erlanger. I thought I’d be a pro by now and none of this would get to me. Too bad for me that child #3 turned out to be the intense one.</p>
<p>Ok ok, you guys can stress over Common App essays before we are done with junior year but you have to promise not to post that your kids’ essays are done and ready to submit when we are still in summer mode. Deal?</p>
<p>I am not stressing about Trevor Packer. D took AP chem test. I see from the tweets that 40% of the test takers earned a zero in one of the frq’s! Ha ha! My D couldn’t even remember that question. </p>
<p>@erlanger thanks for the Trevor Packer twitter tip - very interesting!</p>
<p>@3girls3cats, S14 had two shirt/tie combinations for his senior photograph session. They had a suit jacket he could wear and a graduation cap and gown. All together 6 different looks and a couple poses for each look. I’ve heard that athletes bring letter jackets/uniforms and other props. For us, one photo goes into the yearbook, but you can order any of the poses for yourself. We bought the CD and I had prints made myself, it was less than the packages they offered.</p>
<p>I am finding Trevor packer fascinating! I love transparency and getting such raw data. More than anything, It puts things in perspective to see the range of scores. Why is my kid stressing so much about 4s vs 5s? I had no idea that so many kids get 1s. I mean almost 30% for some tests! My D is thrilled that I can give her a break and Instead worry in abstract about all those kids out there sweating and hoping for a 3. </p>
<p>Did the FSU tour today. It’s a pretty campus, but I think D just isn’t going to like a big state u. She said she could imagine living there but not going to classes there. It really is like a city, and as a city seems pretty nice, but they did talk about the large classes, lecture halls, etc and that is a big no-go for D. We’d have to research the specifics on large classes since I think getting credit for some AP and IB classes would help since the largest classes are the those required courses and the honors program lets you take some smaller honors versions of classes. She says she plans to apply as a safety ( though we realize it’s not a true safety if she doesn’t really like it).
On the question of taking the sat and act more than once, I think, unless you did exceptionally well the first time on the sat, it can’t really hurt to take it again and can possibly help, both in admissions and in merit aid. Fewer places superscore the act so if your kiddo is sure of where they want to apply and they don’t superscore, then I might just stick with the first act score if you are happy with it. </p>
<p>We signed up for 3 outfits (only because it was 1, 3, or 5). DS wants pictures in his marching band uniform and I wanted some in a nice shirt and tie. He doesn’t own a jacket right now but we might get one figuring he will probably need one sometime in the next 3 or 4 years anyway (I’m tentatively assuming he’s done growing). I guess then we will also do some shots in casual clothes. The cap and gown and yearbook picture are also included. We jumped on the early bird discount so he is getting them done in July. </p>
<p>And all those years of serving with the Band Boosters paid off to get early access to a uniform!</p>
<p>@my2sonsfromca and @STEMfamily, thank you for explaining this to me. That makes much more sense. Have you ever seen those engagement photo sessions where couples take pictures in different outfits and in different venues? I was afraid it was something like that and the prospect of having to take D to choose three different stylish outfits was not something I relished. </p>
<p>@VSGPeanut101, I agree that the data is interesting. It gives some real insight into how many kids are taking the exams and in what areas they are best prepared. (I’m not surprised but impressed that there are so many perfect scores on the Comp Sci exam and that participation jumped so much this year.) The key though is seeing that data juxtaposed against your kid’s school data. When 75-80% of a given school population is scoring at the 4 or 5 level, well, that’s why the kids here are stressing about 4s and 5s. Unfortunately.</p>
<p>Well, the Marley obviously didn’t work. I may need to try a different approach tomorrow. In the meantime, here is the Lana Del Rey track I mentioned this morning. If you like the Black Keys, you may recognize a few sonic hooks in Dan Auerbach’s production work on this. Del Rey’s debut album set off hipster civil wars over credibility but largely lived up to her promise of being a “punk Nancy Sinatra.” It will be intersting to hear the new album all the way through. </p>
<p>[Lana</a> Del Rey – “West Coast”](<a href=“Lana Del Rey - West Coast - YouTube”>Lana Del Rey - West Coast - YouTube)</p>
<p>A newly posted list of diversity fly-in programs for 2014: <a href=“2014 Diversity College Weekends: Free Fall Visits for Rising Seniors | Get Me To College”>http://getmetocollege.org/hs/2014-diversity-college-weekends-free-fall-visits-for-rising-seniors</a></p>
<p>I checked a number of the links and was surprised to see that Asians are considered URMs, so eligible for these programs, not only at the places you’d expect (Midwestern LACs, Bowdoin, Colby, Bates) but at schools where >10% of the kids are Asian - Amherst (13%), Williams (11%) and I think Swarthmore (14%).</p>
<p>Okay, since the Bob Marley clearly did not mitigate stress levels yesterday, we’re going to try something different this morning. Here’s what I need you to do: </p>
<p>1) Close your office door or get to a quiet place.<br>
2) Turn the speakers on your computer all the way up.
3) Click the link below.
4) Head-bang, air punch, or just generally get all your stress and aggression out for about six minutes.
5) Repeat as needed. </p>
<p>Have a great day, folks! </p>
<p>[Ministry</a> – “Stigmata”](<a href=“Ministry - Stigmata (Video Version) - YouTube”>Ministry - Stigmata (Video Version) - YouTube)</p>
<p>“How many outfits do people change into for a single senior portrait?!”</p>
<p>Good question. When did a senior picture morph into a photo shoot on par with a modeling portfolio? Our school doesn’t even provide a list of photographers, the letter just gives guidelines for an appropriate photo submission. So on top of everything else I have to search for a photographer? And I know it is odd, maybe even bizarre because no one else seems to share my sentiment, but I’m not a picture person and I don’t even want a senior picture…</p>