Swag: The only free swag my DD got was when we went to a Tulane presentation and she got a hat. But we did buy something at almost every school we visited (if she was interested in applying). I think she currently has a Columbia hoodie (from a family member), Stanford shorts, UCSB notebook/pen, UCLA t-shirt, USC teddy bear, Georgetown t-shirt, and Howard t-shirt (I got her the last two on a trip to DC, although she has since visited Georgetown and loves it, and we plan to visit Howard next month).
SAT Subject Tests: I believe Georgetown is the only school she is applying to that “recommends” them so she will be taking three. She’s taken one already and will take two in October.
Driving: She has her permit and is scheduled to take her driving test 8/18 (the permit expires 8/20). I don’t feel she is ready so we need lots of practice the next few weeks. Even is she gets it, she doesn’t plan on driving much. I think she wants it more so she won’t be the only one without one senior year.
Military academies: No way. If you knew my DD, you would understand why. LoL. She is the most non-athletic person (like her mama lol).
Paid summer programs: She attended an expensive summer program, but she was only able to because she got a scholarship through her school district. I’m not sure if she’s including it on her apps, but I know she is putting that she was a recipient of the scholarship so I guess it will be mentioned in that way. Also, it was a wonderful experience for her so I’m sure it will somehow be mentioned in activity section or in an essay as something that has influenced her.
@itsgettingreal17 If you had to fill out every single application separately, have LOR sent out individually, etc, it would definitely cut down on the number of applications. Recommenders are not going to be willing to spend time sending out letters to 15 schools X large # of students. Ditto to GC submitting school profiles, counselor letters and transcripts. if they have do do everything individually, that really increases their workload. Students may have to spend time on the supplements, but that is way easier than coordinating a lot of individual applications with the other people required to complete an application.
The CA has definitely made the # of schools individual apply to increase.
@itsgettingreal17 Seems that many of the schools in the Common App have very little in common. Not looking forward to all the essays. My son just doesn’t have it in him. Oh well.
Our counselors advised similarly that “holistic” at Vandy means scores, scores, and scores.
Something DS discovered (I’m not certain, but I think it was on the PrepScholar’s website) there are certain elite schools that particularly worship/chase high scores. The percentage of admission for 36ACT scores is surprisingly variable, meaning they count much more for some elite schools (like UChicago) than other similarly elite schools.
This has somewhat confused me in the past, so I’m going to post some info from the Common App. It has to do with the “School Report” (sometimes referred to the “Secondary School Report”) and the “Counselor Recommendation”. I’ve seen SSRs where there was a section for the Counselor to fill out that basically was the GC’s recommendation, so I’m guessing when the SSR was requested, then the GC LOR was not necessary. Anyway, I found this about changes made last year, and it seems to make more sense. YMMV:
@itsgettingreal17 Lol. The ‘ease’ of the Common App is under the Common App tab. Of course there is no real benefit beyond that. Just think if each school you are applying to had it’s own app. I’d give my left nugget to just have to answer a 150-word supplement, rather than filling out all that same info under the Common App tab in addition to that supplement!
** Driving ** S still needs to put in 30 more hours of practice and is not motivated to do it. His permit is good for another year.
S will have to grin and bear being the only one without a license senior year. =))
Not excited about still having to drive him to school everyday and to concerts. [-(
I think I’m one of the few CCers that find it pretty important to have a confident, experienced driver heading off to college next fall. And that’s more than just having a license. Boy, Uber has really had an impact on the culture of today’s youth (and not so youthful).
It is expensive, I’ll admit that. Almost as bad a cable. Plus, at D17s HS it’s $200 for a parking permit.
@2muchquan …no, I’m with you too. We’ve been failures in not planning enough for her driving. We thought we could do the parent self-taught (NO!! Terrifying!) and then we just let it go because Jr year hit us so hard. I finally threw in the towel and signed her up for drivers ed to get the hours DONE.
Since she has been home from Germany she has been driving every single day. H and I prioritized it and if she wants to go anywhere, she has to drive. It also helped that we did get her a used car and now she is more excited for the process. She is on track to take the test THIS Friday and then she get her own senior parking spot next week. She is definitely excited about that part of the deal.
Her driving has improved a LOT since we just made it a priority and a goal. She is an only child and I think for her it would be a huge leap to go from having zero independence to being off at college. We wanted her to be confident and learn to plan her time and navigate around a bit.
@payn4ward I told her if she doesn’t like driving and doesn’t plan to drive, there is no use in getting the license, but she is insisting.
@2muchquan I feel it is important too, but DD will most likely end up going to a large urban area for college with good public transportation. The exception is if she ends up staying in CA and she’s in LA area, she is going to need a car (maybe not freshman year, but later for jobs, internships, etc.). I definitely want her to learn and feel confident, but she is saying she doesn’t like driving and won’t be driving much anyways. I feel if that’s the attitude she should just forgo the license for now, suck up the shame of being the “only one” without one (highly doubtful), and just learn when she’s an adult and when it becomes necessary.
I feel so accomplished already today. :))
Created accounts in Common App (just added schools in OUR list) and in ApplyTexas.
Took boys to the annual physical.
They got 3 shots - a second shot of HPV (that was supposed to happen soon after the first one but I forgot. Need to remember to go in for the third shot. Apparently there is a newer HPV. Oh well, not restarting a series), a regular meningitis booster MCV4 (Doctor recommended it due to recent outbreaks), and a meningitis B shot (this is a series so we need to go back for 2 more shots.)
Got all paperwork filled and signed (including BSA part C.)
I took the boys to the dentist and the eye doctor in June so they are good for another year!
For myself on the other hand, I am behind in all those appointments. X_X
@VickiSoCal , D will ask her swimming coach only the school needs the extra letter. She lined up 3 teachers and another outside person. Her coach would be her 5th choice. I think it also depends in how good a writer the coach is. Also amazed by the long tenure of your coach. We feel lucky her varsity coach has been here for D’s whole HS time-- very high coach turnover here.
Hoping for a good, closer parking spot…$100 parking permit . D is going to take her underclass teammates for 5:00am morning swimming practice. She is taking captain duties very seriously, and Jan, Feb mornings can be very cold in PA.
Similar pain here, parking pass for “most” of the year is $300. Parking for all of the year is not available.
Textbook fee was $450 too. At least there are waivers for some of these fees for those who can’t afford. (Admittedly, a small fraction of the students.)
This is my D exactly (on her 2nd one-year permit - expires 8/28) However she does have a younger brother D19 that just turned 16 and passed his drivers test two days later. He is super excited he can use her Preferred Senior parking pass when he drives them to school.
@2muchquan It is driving me crazy that she doesn’t have the interest to learn to drive. But up until about a month ago she had serious fears and I thought it I pushed too much it might back fire. After almost 2 years with a permit she is finally driving on roads with a speed limit over 25mph, more than 2 lanes, and/or stop lights. Up until recently her self imposed restrictions limited driving to our subdivision
@MSHopeful S19 has no interest in driving either and claims he will get one of those self-driving cars (from google, apple, tesla, etc.) :))
Obviously, my boys will need to go to colleges in urban area with good public transportation.
@stlarenas I suggested she just get another permit for a year. We’ll see. Maybe as 8/18 approaches she will re-think taking the test. We really need to practice every night after work as she was gone for a chunk of summer and then we’re always so busy on weekends. Right now she wants to drive in empty spaces which are hard to come by where we live, especially during the times we have available to practice.
Luckily no fee for parking at her school, though they can’t park in the lot. But there is plenty of street parking if you get there early (which she does as she has Leadership at 7:15). I take public transportation to work so she could drop me off and go straight to school and it’s all less than a mile from home so not much driving. We’ll see how she feels as the test approaches.
OK, for those who have looked at the CA, there is a question under “Testing” section of the CA tab…if your DC identified ACT Scores they want you to enter something for “Highest Combined English/Writing or Writing Subject Score”. What is that? D17 just put her Writing score, but what the heck does “Combined English/Writing” score mean?? Seems like a superscore, which we would totally do…but doesn’t make much sense.
all of this talk of fees made me look and get grumpy.
DD '17 Registration total: $890 (inclusive of the $300 parking fee and 450 textbook fee) + 6x AP test fees to come…
DS '20 Registration total: $555 (inclusive of the 450 textbook fee)
oh, and we did private driver’s ed because it is about the same cost as the public school with better access. About $410 vs $350 IIRC.
DS '20 will start driving with permit in 9 months <Insert terrified emoji, there is no emoji that captures the terror>
@SincererLove we were with one club team from Kindergarten through sixth grade, then when the coach moved teams we did too.
She has a different coach at high school, but doesn’t know her nearly as well.
Parking at our high school is 10 dollars!
The only one going to morning practice with D17 will be D20. High school swim season is the only time they swim at the high school, so that’s only a couple of months a year of morning practices. At club they are not in the highest group, so no doubles.
including 3 AP exam fees) and get class assignments and schedule in 9 days.
