<p>@Giterdone - I love the link to the information about which schools require ACT with writing. Interestingly, the first school I checked was Wheaton in IL which shows not needed but the school website clearly states that it is required. Sigh. This is an issue for my son because he has a 34 composite, 35 superscore, but he has never taken the writing portion and two of his schools require it. Poor guy will have to suffer once more - AND will have a bit of pressure on this one.</p>
<p>Adding S to the delightfully weird group. </p>
<p>Bopper, D, in NJ, looking at PA/NJ/NY, Psychology (pre-med)
BunHeadMom, D, in MN, looking at Midwest/NE/Mid-Atlantic & SE, Classics Mjr-Biology minor
clubacres, D, in S.C., looking mostly at NE/mid-Atlantic, Art History; Medieval & Renaissance Studies; Theater; Film Studies; History; Literature)
crepes, D, in NY, looking at Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, major undecided but possibly Environmental Science/Biology, possibly a Humanities minor
daisychain, D, in NY, looking mostly at Northeast and Midwest LACs, major undecided but likely something in the humanities/arts
DeFour, D, in Delaware, looking at NE/Mid-Atlantic/Midwest LAC’s with a strong English/Creative Writing program
dustypig, D., in California, looking mostly in California and Oregon
felicita, S, in Midwest, looking everywhere, CS, Chem, Physics
FromMD, D, in MD, looking mostly Mid-Atlantic and NE, bio/premed and/or engineering
giterdone, S, in MN, Midwest and South, Science
GoAskDad, S, in KS, looking in Midwest/Plains/South, Biz major (?) - Spanish or Music minor
Hoosier96, D, IN, Southeast, Southwest, international (Canada) and Midwest; getonotology with emphasis on aging policy
hs2015mom, D in IL, looking mostly midwest and northeast, with a few in the south and one in CA. Math, possible art minor/second major/dual degree
ILMom13579, D, in IL, Midwest, Wildlife Bio / Zoology
Irishmomof2: D, in CT, Northeast/dipping a toe into the midwest. Music Therapy.
Jennie11: D, in KS, looking in South, psychology
Joe2015; S, in NC, looking South and northeast, undecided
KSMom1518: S in KS, looking everywhere, Undecided STEM
Mom24boys, S in MD, looking mainly mid-west and Pa or anywhere cold, some kind of social science
Mtrosemom, D in NV, small LAC. Looking in OR, WA, and a few in southeast. Anthropology/archeology
pepper03 D in New England. looking Northeast and VA and NC. Accounting.
planner03 S, NY, wants to stay in NE but still exploring, geoscience
pixleyyy, S, in Oregon, looking mostly western states, Engineering
sally305, D, in WI, looking in Midwest/Plains and possibly South; Dance and undecided second major; no conservatory settings
sbjdorlo S2, in So Cal, looking ?? Maybe So Cal but pretty much everywhere (or nowhere?); Game design? Music? CS? Industrial Design? Product Design? Engineering? Undecided?
shoboemom, D, in Florida, looking mostly in the Southeast, Anthropology (cultural)
Shugmom,D, in New York, looking mostly in NE and Mid-Atlantic states although could be persuaded to consider a little further if the right fit, pre-med with a possible minor in theater
slackerMomd, D in Maryland, looking in PNW, Maryland, Southeast but not Virginia, Biology or Environmental Sciences
STEMFamily, S in NM, looking in East and Midwest, Engineering
suzy100, D in OH, looking east of the Mississippi, humanities/social science + French major or minor
Threesdad: D in NJ, looking at NE/Mid-Atlantic/Midwest LAC’s and University’s, Math & sciences or Economics
tranquil218, D, in NY, looking in NE and Mid-Atlantic, Biochemistry with minors in either Mandarin or Economics
Twogirls, D, in NY, looking in the NE, south, and mid-west
Wolverine86, D2 and S, in MI, looking in the Midwest and Southeast, Psychology (D2), Undecided(S)
Vistajay, D, in LA, looking in Southeast and Northeast, plus maybe WUSTL, pre-med with possible minor in theater.
VSGPeanut101. D, in MD. Everywhere. STEM (physics, chemistry)
wrights1994, S in MI, looking all over the country. CA, to FL to MA and everywhere in between, Finance/Economics
W2BeHome: D, in TX, looking mostly in mid-west, south and northeast; undecided but considering music, theatre, english (possible major/minor combo).</p>
<p>@ClubAcres I’m crashing here (parent of 2014) but have some input regarding your question about submitting scores for colleges in that range, since I’ve just been through the admissions cycle and my D applied to some of those schools.</p>
<p>I personally think you should submit scores if they’re on the higher end of the college’s published range. 700’s not a necessity… you can look up the score ranges on the college board big future site or -I beleive_ in the published common data sets for the colleges. For example, last year Smith’s ranges were CR 610-720, M 600-710, W 620-720. Mount Holyoke’s were CR 610-720, M 610-700, W 630-720. </p>
<p>I think that NOT sending scores to test-optional is really terrific for kids who went to schools where they weren’t encouraged to study for, or even to take, SAT/ACT, and therefore have super low scores but are otherwise bright kids and good students. If a kid went to a high school where SATs are encouraged, the AdCom probably knows that and NOT sending the scores might be more of a question-raiser.</p>
<p>Also, is your D studying over the summer? After junior year my D’s SAT scores were something like 680/590/700-ish. She re-took a second time in October of senior year and got 690/690/720. In between she used the college board website’s $80 online test prep program and one skinny prep book at home. She didn’t spend a ton of time on it, maybe an hour a week over the summer, but it did seem to help push her scores into the higher end for the schools she wanted to apply to.</p>
<p>Hoosier I am with you LOl!!</p>
<p>People here are always getting their cars hit by deer, so either the deer are daring or we have lots of bad drivers! </p>
<p>Hs2015mom congrats!! =D>
Question: did you send in the tests and transcript? Was the acceptance based on self report? </p>
<p>With the coffee and cider donut holes, are we doing yoga tonight since tomorrow is a holiday?</p>
<p>@hs2015mom, congrats! So excited for you. I bet it feels like the pressure valve had a major release.</p>
<p>At S’s summer experience we only get to see him a few hours every so often. We will be visiting tomorrow. I have an entire list of questions about where we should visit, signing up for interest at some schools, summer homework and lots of school papers to sign. He will not be pleased with me, but he can’t focus on anything while he’s there except what he’s there for, this is a few hour break.</p>
<p>D16 refuses to tell me what schools she wants to visit. She won’t even commit to a general school (science, engineering, economics) or a section of the country. I have 3 weeks to fit all the visits for the summer. I wish they would be a little more supportive. I really just want to make this as easy on them as possible.</p>
<p>Oh, question. Does anyone know why Stevens Institute of Technology only has a 38% graduation rate at 4 years? Hubby was floored. I know I need to ask them at our tour, but was wondering if anyone knew anything.</p>
<p>Happy Holiday weekend!</p>
<p>@MuggleMom, the easiest answer is the co-op program. If most of the students go to Stevens for the co-op program, then by definition, they would take more than 4 years to graduate. What are the 5-year and 6-year graduation rates?</p>
<p>It’s practically a New England tradition to have a deer run into your car!</p>
<p>Thanks, all!
@twogirls transcript and scores are both self-reported. For honors college admission, which she’ll do later, you need to have the official transcript sent.</p>
<p>That’s great!! It sounds like the school is one of many that are allowing students to self report and then send in the transcripts and scores after being accepted. D has two schools like that on her list- takes the edge off a bit. </p>
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<p>I’ve noticed that the ACT can replace the SAT and Subject tests ONLY if it is taken with writing.</p>
<p>Thanks OHMomof2. </p>
<p>I am very stressed and I do not know why, because at the end of this process I know my kid can go to Binghamton and do just fine. All of this searching for " perfect" schools ( which don’t exist) and merit money is wearing me out. </p>
<p>Uncertainty is stressful.</p>
<p>Yes OHMom you are absolutely right. </p>
<p>@twogirls, I am very stressed too. I don’t know why for sure, but the last couple days the stress has been at a higher level for me. Up until now I didn’t really feel it as stress. I guess it’s that we seem to have a list of schools, but I am not really satisfied with it, and can’t figure out what to add to make it better. D has very specific things she wants, as do I, and I just don’t know if it’s out there, and attainable. Then her close friend recently said she is also going to apply to D’s dream school, a school that she had previously expressed no interest in. I think I feel mostly hurt by that one. That is one aspect of this college search I hadn’t thought much about. And, I think I had posted before about seeing a friend (and others) talk about their kids happily applying to local schools that are most likely safeties. </p>
<p>@hs2015mom, Wow, that is amazing! An acceptance already! That would be so nice to have! Is your kiddo excited about it?</p>
<p>I understand Shoboemom. What I am trying to come to terms with is the fact that everybody expects my kid to go to a certain type of school ( IF she gets in LOL- these people do not understand that there are a lot of amazing kids out there who are brilliant and talented) but yet they are not paying for it. Then I have other friends who keep insisting she will get money, and then look at me strangely when I tell them that she may not get money to the schools that she really wants because there is a TON of competition out there- who knows. Some days I think it will all work out someplace ( and logically I know it will) and then other days ( like today) I am stressed. People keep looking at me like I am crazy when I tell them that you have to lower your expectations if you want merit. Another thing that bugs me but goes under the category of " that’s life, deal with it" is that so many kids in our HS pay full price for top schools. I can’t do that unless she gets merit or I take out loans to make up the difference. I am trying to get her VERY excited about schools on the list that are " lower" than these top schools that I feel MAY ( or may not) throw some money at her. This years #1 will be attending NE with a very nice merit scholarship- nothing wrong with that!! Last years #1 was a Jefferson Scholar at UVA and actually TURNED IT DOWN for an Ivy. Ugh. </p>
<p>@shoboemom She got up way too early this morning for an appt with the oral surgeon about getting her wisdom teeth out, so is too tired to be excited about much of anything, but yeah, she’s relieved that there’s someplace to go.</p>
<p>It’s a great feeling when that first acceptance comes in because that’s when you know you are going to college. Congrats again! </p>
<p>twogirls:
I learned a few years ago when my DS was applying to colleges that no matter what anyone says, there really is no sure thing when it comes to acceptances as well as merit money. Everyone, including his teachers and the guidance counselor, was telling us that he would get in anywhere he wanted and that he would get a free ride (based on merit) at a lot of schools, or at the least, receive a lot of money. We were in for a rude awakening on both counts! So I am approaching this process differently and very cautiously this time. I am glad to say that he did end up loving his school and it turned out to be the perfect place for him, but it took a while for him to get over his disappointment about the school, and for us to get over the absence of merit money. Don’t mean to add to your stress level but I think you are right about lowering expectations.</p>
<p>Yes shugmom I agree with you. That is why she is applying to a wide variety of schools including at least one in-state safety. So far we have two safety schools on the list that are affordable without any merit. After all of the decisions are in we will look at the offers and decide. I agree that some people are not as knowledgable about this as we are, and of course that just adds to my stress. </p>