I have a question, over the years people have posted on CC the SAT 2 subject tests scores that they sent to colleges, and I was under the impression that if a college asks for two, send more than two. S is applying to a school regularly listed on CC where students list all their SAT subject tests scores and when he asked if he could send 3 they told him they would only look at 2 and to not send the 3rd one. They also told him not to send his AP scores. So do the students that take 3-4 subject tests just send two if the college only requires two or do ignore what the college wants and send more and their AP scores anyway?
@AsleepAtTheWheel, I found it interesting that yesterday you posted about the let down of sophomore year, which I hadnât heard of before, but not surprised to hear. I went onto another site yesterday and someone was mentioning about when picking a school, a student needs to consider that after freshman year all the excitement is gone and they will still have 3 years to go, so to pick wisely. Also, thank you for the encouragement and pickmeups about S tests over the years. Being my first go-around with this college thing I have been a basketcase at times.
Congratulations to everyone on acceptances and the merit offers also.
On another note, I have been reading and lurking on CC since S was in 6th grade, over the years I have read so many stats and ECâs from students, it is a strange feeling to see that S has basically completed his resume. All these years it has been something where we look at what still needs to be done and now the view has been reversed to looking at what he has accomplished. Now that standardized testing is over (depending on where he is matriculating to, he most likely wonât take any AP tests in the spring) it is nice to see him have some down time. I told him from now on I want him to go out with friends every Friday and Saturday night. Tonight we are going to a hockey game!!!
Congrats to all on submissions and accceptances. @cakeisgreat if your daughter is still interested in food science, look at the Intâl food tenchnologist website, IFT.ORG and search scholarships. There is a freshman scholarship availabel to kids who choose appproved food science programs (Purdue has one). There are also scholarships she can apply for in later years.
@Mysonsdad My son only took two SAT subject tests since none of the schools he is applying to need any more than that. I guess I have not been lurking long enough on CC (really only started about a year or so ago) to realize that even with that requirement, some schools look more favorably on having more than the required number. However, I thought that when sending SAT scores that ALL scores get sent, which would include all subject test scores as well. Wouldnât schools get those âextraâ subject test scores automatically then? I know there is an option to use âscore choiceâ with sending the SAT scores to pick and choose what is sent, but I believe there are a fair amount of schools that donât allow âscore choiceâ as an option.
So very happy that your S has some down time and can have pockets of âteenage normalcyâ such as going out with friends on the weekend. We are not there yetâŠbut I am dreaming of the day that becomes reality! S16 has 2 weeks left of cross country, then he will have a little more time each day. However, he still has several more college apps to complete (due in the next week, and in early January). Some of those are the ones with the difficult supplements, multiple essays, etc. - and there is major writers block happening in our household! In addition there are honors applications, scholarship applications that need to be done during the same time period - and the nagging fear is there will not be enough time for everything, or a deadline will get missed in the craziness!
@4kids2graduate, when sending scores, CB will ask you to pick what scores to send. Some colleges (like UCâs) want all scores, others will want all the SAT 1 scores, but will let a student use score choice on the subject tests. I was just on the schoolâs website and it said to âsend as many subject test scores as you like,â which is a contradiction to what the admissions office said. Ugh!, I already sent his scores, so now do I send the third score anyway? Looks like another phone call. I wish colleges would get their story straight. They expect kids to be perfect and yet the colleges themselves arenât.
@Mysonsdad We sent everything SAT-related, everything. Since he only has one sitting for every test, we ended up sending: 1) one set of SAT Reasoning, 2) one Math Level II, 3) one Physics, and 4) one Bio E
I remember MIT ad officer saying that regardless of how many sciences (Bio, Chem, and Physics) and math (level I and II) tests you send them, they will only pick the two highest scores, one for Math and one for Science. They want students to look their very best. Even in the actual application, there are just two spots for subject test, one for math and one for science. Previously in his application my son had his Bio E for Science but replaced it with his Physics.
We didnât send actual AP scores but he did self-report them in the application, including the ugly 3 in AP Bio
I donât know which schools you DS in applying to but I think that a lot of them do the same, unless they do have a preference for one science over the other. In our case, we are letting schools choose the test they want, although I suspect they will pick Physics every time because not only is it his highest Science score but he is also applying for engineering, and thatâs the preferred science for engineering students.
Yea! D16 received an acceptance from her super safety, where the tuition is already guaranteed waived and she could live at home and commute. This might be her only viable option once all the financial aid letters arrive, especially given that our household income is going to be cut in half after October (unless the new-job fairies favor us, but Iâm not holding my breath). Although it doesnât have her desired major and sheâs not keen on the school, I actually believe sheâd thrive there. Still, sheâd have to do a self-designed major to even come close to her undergrad academic goals. And if she attended this school, sheâd have to forgo advanced standing in an MSW program for grad school, so that tacks an additional year onto the masters. Oh, well. At least sheâs got a sure thing for undergrad.
D is trying to finish up a scholarship app for one of her schools. So many short answer questions with arbitrary response length limits! Sheâs agonizing over getting her answers down to the allotted length.
One answer must be written in third person and there is a 50 word limit. Thereâs an example for a suggested way to answer. The example has 69 words! If they canât get their own answer down to 50 words or less - why does she have to?!
So, weâre starting to realize, after a brief hiatus from submitting apps, that now thereâs a new wave of scholarship and honors programs apps to submit once a student gets admitted. Back at the grindstone.
@dyiu13 The first apps my son sent in were safeties (with easy apps, no essays). He is interested in those only if he gets into the honors programs at each and qualifies for decent scholarshipsâŠand those honors/scholarship apps DO have essays and more in depth applications. It is VERY hard to keep up with that second wave of apps/requirements for honors/scholarships when the first wave of general college applications is not done yet!
@MostlyDelores That is crazy! Why would a school give an example that doesnât meet their own criteria?
Son is on lock down this weekend writing essays for his ED school. He finally has the common app essay about 98% done but is now struggling with the Why us? essay. Tomorrow I will be gone all day watching my youngest daughter cox the womenâs novice 8+ in her first regatta so son will be on his own. The goal was to have the ED application done this weekend. :))
Sympathy, @Dragonflygarden. Those âWhy Us?â essays are hard. Does S16 want to join older sib? And good luck to your cox! Lots of pressure but exciting too.
@EastGrad Thanks! I spent most of today editing essays and helping Dâ19 make a costume to wear in the boat. Since this regatta is so close to Halloween the kids are allowed to dress up every year.
D13/17âs college is currently his 3rd choice.
diyu-my sister went to a college where she had to self-design her major. She never came close to working in that field, but the fact that she had designed her entire course of study got her in the door with some jobs. And she did use bits and pieces of what sheâd learned, just not as planned. Free and close to home has a lot going for it!
@Mysonsdad DH and I are also working on CSS right now. I assume we can go back on it next year after 2015 tax forms are done. Right? We are adding a lot of estimated numbers. 2015 has been very different than 2014 for us.
