Applying to GT is relatively simple. As I said, if it’s simple to apply, sure. Some schools using CA, however have a lot of supplements.
Someone should conduct an in-debth study. :))
@2muchquan It sounds like they are asking for the ELA score but I’m not sure why they don’t just ask for the ELA score. I haven’t logged into CA yet today. S17 had to send his transcript to Swarthmore today and he said when he logged into the college email account, it had just exploded. He didn’t know what was going on but then saw the subject lines about “Common App is up!”. I think it stressed him out a little being the first thing he saw this morning. 
D17 has had her driver’s license since a few days after she turned 16. She’s had her permit since she was 15, and did the driver’s ed course and all the driving required by the state of Georgia (which is surprisingly comprehensive and restrictive). The girls share a car (big, heavy white SUV from 2008). They go to school out of district, so it wasn’t an option for D not to get her license asap. She hates driving, but does a good job of it (except for one incident where she backed into her friend and did 3k of damage to his car).
D18 has her permit and has done the classroom part. She still has to do road driving with both my H and the driver’s ed place. She’ll have her license in November and the two of them can take turns driving to school. I was ok teaching D17 to drive but I haven’t gone out with D18 yet. Not because she’s a bad driver (I think she’ll be better than D17), but because we squabble under stress.
They won the parking lottery at school and instead of paying $500 to park in the nearby church parking lot, I get to pay $100 for them to park in the school’s parking lot. We pay a lot of fees for activities, although less than D’s freshman year when we disastrously let her do the varsity equestrian team and it cost us over 3k. And we dropped out in April of her freshman year because the coach was abusive. That was our first and last experience with varsity team sports. At least we weren’t suckered into buying a horse.
I don’t want to ding the paid summer camps-I may have mischaracterized this. I think they were wonderful for the girls, but I think expecting adcoms to be impressed by them would be a mistake. They are better than sitting around playing video games, but I think they’re probably about equal to having a job over the summer. I haven’t seen the apps yet, so it it would look like they did nothing over the summer if there is a spot to put stuff in for “what did you do over the summer” and they left it blank, they’ll fill it in. But it won’t make it on an essay.
This week has been all about orthodontists, shots (D17 asked for an “extra” tetanus shot, lol. The engineering building was completely renovated and there’s a TON of new power tools), and other various stuff.
They’re getting their first HPV shots tomorrow-I wanted to wait until their growth plates were ossified since there’s some issues with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis associated with that vaccine in kids with active growth plates. Upside is it looks like the newer shot covers more strains of the virus. No men B shot-I talked to the pediatrician before they both left for camp in the spring and she was like, it’s a really rare thing right now except for certain subgroups. I’ll probably have them do it before they go off to college because, why not? I don’t like to combine vaccination shots so D17 will have to get her “extra” tetanus shot later if she needs one (I’m pretty sure she doesn’t).
D18’s BF was over today and they both fell asleep in front of the TV, they were so tired from camp and LAX tryouts and whatnot. It was adorable. Except for the snoring and drooling part. I should have taken a picture.
I need a JOTD:
A weasel walks into a bar. “You look underage,” says the bartender. “I can’t serve you alcohol.” “OK, then I’ll have a pop,” goes the weasel.
Any of you or your DC using the Common Application app for your iPhone? Claims to help you keep track, etc. I may download it and check it out.
^^You need an intervention, lol.
=)) Thanks @2muchquan ! I needed that laugh.
Oh wow, I didn’t know that in some states you can get a permit at 15. I thought 16 was young.
In Germany back when I got my license, you had to be 18, now it is 17 with a parent supervising.
I had to go to traffic school. Our HS used to offer driver’s ed but discontinued it last year unfortunately.
Congrats to your son, @jedwards70, and to other kids getting their license. My D sounds just like your S in being directionally challenged! We have lived in the same town for all of her 16 years and it is not that huge. We’ll be in the center of town at a restaurant and I’ll ask her which way is home, and she will have to really think about it! Her brother (age 14), just shakes his head. It is astonishing to me, but at least we know her weakness. Driving has helped and she will be spending the next year mainly driving locally. She has driven on the freeways but hates it, and luckily can get around without doing so. She is a very conscientious driver, I mostly worry about other drivers and it just takes time to build experience. I’ve been driving for a very long time and I still can’t believe some of what I see on the roads, mainly due to impatient drivers.
Driving: It’s 15 in Texas as well. D got her permit on her 15th birthday and her license on her 16th birthday. Its very common to do it that way here so long as you book it about 6 months in advance, and its an excused absence for both. Given the full year, its easy to get in the minimum number of hours (day, night, highway).
@Mom2aphysicsgeek - have you looked at Davidson college? They are a smaller school in North Carolina, but I was just looking at their website to check out their international studies program and they have a minor in Russian studies. They do offer merit scholarships, including a few competitive full tuition ones.
@2muchquan I need to change my answer. They are asking for the Writing score not the ELA.
How do I report my ACT combined English/Writing or Writing Subject scores?
If you are reporting an ACT plus Writing test taken prior to September 2015, report the highest Combined English/Writing score.
If your test date for the ACT plus Writing test is September 2015 or later, report the highest Writing Test Score.
In either case, you will report a score from 1-36.
I don’t have my license yet though I’ve had my permit since my 16th birthday but I really haven’t felt ready to drive since then. The plan is for me to work with a driving instructor next summer or the summer after(or both) and get my license before I turn 21 because that’s when my permit expires. My twin sister got her license in October of junior year but she didn’t have a car until senior year. She drove me to school and the parking permit was $15. The amount some of you have to pay is crazy! Oh and my cousin goes to Davidson
@STEM2017 S17 had downloaded the app when we first created his acct. He was unimpressed with the functionality and quickly removed it. Given his reaction to it, I never bothered to try.
@paveyourpath Thank you! She took kit in October 2015, so that makes sense!
I’m glad to here there are so many drivers! Faith restored!
@mommdc Interesting about Germany and driving. I somehow would have thought they drove earlier. Our HS is large, and you can’t get into drivers Ed until senior year. Waaaaay too late, so we have to pay.
Welcome @pittsburghscribe!
@pittsburghscribe Thanks for thinking of my Dd. For her, Davidson would fall into the same category as Richmond. They want 3-5 subject tests. She has taken 2 and is unwilling to do any more standardized tests at this point. (No way she would take 5!) That is her line in the sand. It is hers to draw, so those doors are closed. Thanks, though.
@stem2017’s mentioning of the app made me think of something that hasn’t been discussed. Security of their CA passwords and applications. Make sure they know not to share that kind of info with anyone.
Well it is August 1, and D17 is downstairs holding her first GAM organizing meeting of the year. GAM is in May LOL, I told you she was devoted to this odd little extracurricular. She is making DD20 (also in her troop) sit in on the meeting because in her words “I’m handing this off ot you next year, don’t screw it up”
She promised me 2 hours tomorrow to work on UC app and CA.
Same as Texas in Colorado. Permit at 15, License at 16.
Permit with 30 hour-in-class and a written test. License with 50 hours parent plus 6 hours commercial lesson.
The permit is good for 3 years and S17 is going to need it!
@Mom2aphysicsgeek where did you see that Richmond wants SAT subject test. I don’t see that on collegedata or their website anywhere.