<p>We end late and go back after Labor Day. New York. </p>
<p>My Ss last day of class/exams is 6/26. He returns 9/8 </p>
<p>I will try and share our and S’15’s “takes” from our visits. He’s not the most expressive [-( And we might be a little biased toward UST. That is D’12’s school and she LOVES IT! :x My initial impressions are; UST has a more business and social science focus; St. O, Gustavus and MAC are LAC through and through and Hamline and Concordia, St. Paul are more into the physical and life sciences. St. O and Gustavus are rural, the rest are urban but with very defined campuses (Concordia a little less so). UST is the biggest of the group.</p>
<p>I’ll post again next Friday when we’re done.</p>
<p>Thanks Giterdone !! I am quite shocked and almost spit out my coffee as D entered the kitchen and said " ok I am ready to talk about my college list now." Well we went through the list of about 15 schools and immediately knocked off 4 that she did not see herself at. The list has 11 with 4 or 5 being of the " reachy" type and 6 being of the non-reachy variety. Of those non-reachy she has a few financial safeties so we are good to go. </p>
<p>She also agreed to a mock interview tonight, agreed to fill out the UPitt app, and started searching on line for all of the essay prompts and announced that she will start the one on the common app first. She is very driven and now that school is out it appears as though she has taken that drive and transferred it over to the application process. I will not complain right now. My only gripe is that she refuses to apply to the U of SC, which is a school that I wanted her to apply to. She is very opinionated so I am not sure I will win this one, but there are a few more on my list that she agreed to apply to so for now I will remain quiet. </p>
<p>6/23/14 (tomorrow!) is the 1st date of MC score availability for the June 14th ACT test date. Essay scores will post roughly 2 weeks after MC scores. <a href=“ACT Test Scores | ACT Scoring | ACT”>ACT Test Scores | ACT Scoring | ACT;
Next ACT test dates: 9/13 & 10/25</p>
<p>6/26/14 (5 days away!) is the 1st date of score availability for the June 7th SAT test date. <a href=“Getting SAT Scores – SAT Suite of Assessments | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board; (Thanks, @SomeOldGuy)
Next SAT test dates: 10/11 & 11/8</p>
<p>@Twogirls–I’m excited for you that your D is now into the college selection process. She probably had to much on her plate to think about college while in school. </p>
<p>Thanks BHM yes I agree, and now that school is over she seems to be transferring that energy towards the college apps. Perhaps this is what they mean by " owning the process?" I still feel like I have to drive this process somewhat since I am the one paying, but she is heading in the right direction, and for that I am grateful. 
</p>
<p>Tonight I bring you glad tidings of indie rock joy. Bob Mould is back! About twenty years after his last album, the legendary Husker Du and Sugar frontman has released a new set of songs, and he may be better than ever. The lyrics are sadder but wiser, but the power pop sound will take you back to “Copper Blue.” Enjoy your weekend, y’all. </p>
<p>[Bob</a> Mould – “I Don’t Know You Anymore”](<a href=“http://vimeo.com/96611068]Bob”>Bob Mould - I Don't Know You Anymore on Vimeo)</p>
<p>That is really great, @twogirls ! So nice your D is getting into the process. I hope our upcoming college tour will get my D proactive, too. How are you staging a mock interview? Did you find a script somewhere?</p>
<p>As a teacher I finish Friday 6/27, but D finished last final Friday and is officially a senior. We have 4 more visits for this summer bringing the total to 11. Only one has come off list. Two colleges we previously visited called last week and want her to come in for interview and she has scheduled them. My D called another school we visited for an interview and set that up as well. D sent emails to the admit reps in her top 5 to make sure they all visit her school in the Fall and they do.
She will be putting many hrs. in as a lifeguard again this summer, so scheduling becomes a bit tricky. These NYorkers looking forward to our two week VT vacation in Aug.</p>
<p>Mom2twotallgirls we just finished our mock interview and she actually enjoyed it. I researched a bunch of typical college interview questions and we spent about 45 minutes " interviewing." </p>
<p>I am happy to report that D actually did her common app essay tonight ( 650 words). I am stunned. </p>
<p>S’15 is not applying anywhere where an interview is part of the process. When D’12 applied to NU and Brown, they offered alumni interviews, but weren’t required. She was relieved. I don’t think S’15 would be up for it either.</p>
<p>I may be wrong, but I cannot see my shy, introverted DS doing well in an interview. BUT I wouldn’t change a thing about his personality. Ok, well his personality most of the time…</p>
<p>D has one school that requires an interview and two schools that may ( or may not) request an interview. </p>
<p>Eerboco sounds like your daughter is moving forward very nicely!! I hope you enjoy your summer as I am sure you are exhausted from the school year. </p>
<p>thank you, @twogirls. i will google around a little on this topic as well. and to be clear, I don’t believe interviews are required for any of the schools D is visiting. we just figured that since we were bothering to make the visit, she might as well interview too, if they offer it. she appreciates the opportunity to talk one on one with someone from the school.</p>
<p>Sounds like the end of the school year has been just what the doctor ordered. I want to repeat something we were told at college night by an admin counselor at a well regarded private school. Pick someone who does not know your child at all. Have them meet in a neutral public location (you obviously know the person so it isn’t really for safety issues just she finds kids are more comfortable). After the interview ask the person if they would share with your child their impressions of them and if anything really stands out. She said it almost always reveals the essence of the student what drives them what makes them tick. She has found it has led to some really great essays. This woman was so nice she offered to read any essays sent in from our HS for comments. It was really a very upbeat positive session and it made me feel the process isn’t totally crazy!</p>
<p>I know I mentioned that here a while back but since kids are now writing essays I wanted to just send out a reminder. </p>
<p>Essays…interviews? Ack, D is doing none of it, yet. A family friend is an admissions rep for a selective LAC and has offered a trial run interview to D but honestly I doubt she’ll take him up on it, almost harder than with a stranger!</p>
<p>Nothing here either she is busy with some EC’s the next couple of weeks. We did have a nice talk the other day and she is pretty solid on her major and limiting her number of schools applied to. She is in good shape compared to her big brother who at this point was not even thinking about much of anything other than writing his novel. She’s going to be a piece of cake compared to him. Remind me when I am freaking out that I said that OK?</p>
<p>Don’t want to bore you with the entire run-down of our north western states college tour, but if you were interested in hearing our thoughts about the colleges we visited in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Utah, feel free to read my blog posting on it.</p>
<p><a href=“A Scrap of Life: Our College Road Trip”>http://pixleyyy.blogspot.com/2014/06/our-college-road-trip.html</a> </p>
<p>@Pixleyyy–Wonderful college tour blog entries! Just an FYI, the CC TOS does not allow links to private blogs. <a href=“http://auth.collegeconfidential.com/module.php/hobsonspolicies/policy.php?policy=tos”>http://auth.collegeconfidential.com/module.php/hobsonspolicies/policy.php?policy=tos</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/481600-please-don-t-post-links-to-private-blogs.html#latest”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/481600-please-don-t-post-links-to-private-blogs.html#latest</a></p>