So I finally decided I spend enough time on here that I have started to institute the Ignore feature on a handful of members today. ( nobody from this thread). I think I will find it refreshing.
School news: Essay done and uploaded to Common App. Just waiting on official transcripts/class rank/ LOR and maybe new ACT scores before we go crazy with Early Action apps.
Your GC is incorrect - none of the above is true.
That’s not true about EA at GT. Here is what it says:
“The Early Action application is exactly like the Regular Decision, and we will make our admission decision based on the same factors.”
They do have to do the essays in EA. Also your odds are better at being accepted in EA.
@NerdMom88 - For a OOS girl majoring in AE I with her stats I would apply. DS17’s GF is a AE major and I don’t think there are a girls. So you might get merit.
Hi @TheGFG, welcome back. I don’t have any advice that will make everything better. But, be sure to BREATHE.
I’m a lot less worried about AP test scores this year, because the scores won’t be out until July after they are graduated. DS may even decide not to take some of the tests depending on what they count for at wherever he is attending. I think it matters more that the courses they are taking look rigorous and that the 1st semester grades are good.
DS’s IB Spanish SL class last year was a combo class with the HL year also in the class. It worked OK, I guess. Didn’t encourage him to want to take the HL year. I can see that it would have been more of a problem if it were a potential major for him.
Sorry to hear about your GC not being replaced yet and a coach with control issues.
Here’s an odd incident from the 5-college hotel event we went to last night. During the Q&A, a parent stands up behind us and asks, “What are some of the more innovative things your colleges do with donation money.” On quick glance, no kid sitting with the parent. After a longer glance, it’s one of the Baldwin brothers. DH said he remembers some friends said he was a soccer dad on a team with their kid a few years back.
Must be nice to be able to ask that question, but seems like you would do it in private.
“Never be the first to try the new or the last to try the old”
^Precisely the reason why my current senior went with the ACT for her testing and didn’t even bother with the SAT. Her two testing sessions would have been among the last of the old SAT and the first of the new.
@NerdMom88 What about RPI and WPI? She probably wouldn’t have a 20% chance at full tuition, but she’d have a chance, and being female is an advantage for $ at those schools. They’d be good if she’d like to have a few smaller schools on the list.
Our counselors have scheduled some workshops to help kids with essays. Next week is help with the Brag Sheet (due for kids applying to EA schools that week), mid-October is “getting started with essays”, late October is “work on essays with a partner”, and mid-Nov is filling out the UC applications (due Nov. 30).
I thought DS was running behind schedule, but if we end up on those schedules, it will make me really nervous.
No wonder they still haven’t told the NMSF kids that they have an essay to write for that by mid-Oct.
@NerdMom88 Wait, UMD has guaranteed full tuition merit award? The only full-tuition merit scholarship I’m aware of is Banneker-Key, but that is highly selective and is a competitive process.
@STEM2017 Ok thanks. Most of the apps from S’s schools are about $70. A few years ago when D15 applied they were running $60-65. 
That scheduling is waaaay behind and frankly, unacceptable.
That’s the “Hello, the guidance department is off for the Summer and will return after Labor Day. Please leave a message after the beep. Thank you. Beeeeeep.” schedule.
That doesn’t fly in my house.
@srk2017 and @STEM2017 - I’ve heard the opposite of Common vs. Coalition Apps.
My gut tells me that, until the Coalition app becomes more commonly used (and that ain’t happening this year!), and until students have a chance to prepare a well thought out “locker” that is representative of the progression of their work throughout high school, there is no advantage to the Coalition over the Common App. D17’s sticking with the tried and true, and as @mamaedefamilia says, saving a giant headache!
Please forgive if this is a stupid question. Are students restricted in the number of schools that they can apply EA?
@micgeaux EA (not ED)? Only if they apply to a SCEA (or similar) school.
Lets use Stanford as an Example:
@micgeaux – no such thing as a stupid question in this ever-changing college admission landscape.
No, not limited in # of schools they apply to EA, but potentially limited to type of EA school they can apply to, based on restrictions imposed by an SCEA or REA school.
Some of the SCEA schools allow students to apply EA at state schools but not private schools. And in an entirely new wrinkle this year, U Penn restricts their ED applicants: they can only apply to state schools’ EA programs. The other Ivies allow applicants to apply to public or private EA when applying to their school ED.
I hope my response did not confuse the issue.
One other caveat: some private high schools will limit the # of schools each student can apply to but those are rare.
They posted the Nationl Merit Finalist list from Maine now. There were 5 this year from his school. Never saw that many listed before at his school. His guidance counselor said she was so excited for this class saying there were so many acheivements this year with the kids and couldn’t wait to see how everything shakes out!
Well now that the ACT is behind us my D has moved onto all out panic mode about essays (I am biting the “i told you so” on the tip of my tongue)
She has put the pen to paper but I tend to agree what she has right now is not very good. She is a good writer and reader and excellent student. But she really isn’t very creative. It is hard for her and usually feels forced. I tend to think this is a real disadvantage when it comes to college essays. The common app essay is coming along ok. She has a story to tell so we will get there eventually. But the shorter supplement “why” essays are proving very difficult for her. She really really wants to be honest on these but somehow I think because “you have good teachers, a pretty campus, and smart students” isn’t going to cut it 
@caroldanvers – thanks for the suggestions! I think D2 looked at both of those and I don’t remember why they were cut (maybe the small size or cold weather?) I’ll mention them again.
@longwood – sorry for the confusion. You are correct that Banneker-Key scholarships are the only ones that are full-tuition or better. My kids have tuition remission available at any school in the Maryland state system because their dad worked for one of the universities until his (first) retirement.
@STEM17 – your grandfather sounds like he was much more optimistic than mine. His favorite phrase was “Live in hope and die in despair.”
I wonder why the (horrid-sounding) Coalition App has an essay that’s so much shorter. D’s is currently standing at 770 words, so I’m glad she doesn’t have to chop it to fit anything tighter than 750. Though now that I think about it, some of her “direct to institution” apps might have a lower count. (Adding item to college “to-do” list…)
Like everyone else, I feel behind, but I was recently reminded that it could be much worse. I was digging through papers a bit ago and found oldest D’s old LoR from her English teacher (which was amazing!) and saw it was dated Dec. 15.
See guys, we aren’t doing so bad here!
@thermom, RIT is one of D’s top choices, so I’m thrilled to hear that feedback. It sounds like just what she is looking for. What’s the deal about applying early enough for rolling admissions? On their website they only show ED and RD and only mention rolling admissions in terms of applying after the deadlines. D and I would LOVE to get her RIT decision early. Please, tell me more of your secret knowledge!
@IABooks, my D has not submitted apps anywhere yet, but I fully plan on experiencing “submission remorse” once she does!
@eandesmom, I would have liked a parent brag sheet too. Instead H and I helped with input and advice when D filled out the student brag sheet. We had the whole family sitting around yelling out “5 words that best describe you”! I feel badly for those whose GC letters are going to be based on limited knowledge. Oldest D’s counselor actually gave her a copy and it was very blah (not to mention poorly written). D17 is lucky that her GC LoR will be co-written by GC and her IEP case manager who has known her well since 9th grade.
@TheGFG, rant away, that’s what we’re here for! I’m sorry your D is experiencing all this crud senior year when she should be able to concentrate on college apps and doing well in classes.
@Ynotgo, Don’t leave us in the dark – WHICH BALDWIN BROTHER WAS IT?!
I keep seeing that UMDCP dropped the Coalition App, but their site still says that’s what they’re using:
I’m a confused mom…
Edit: I’m much less confused. I called Undergraduate Admissions, who said that they had changed to using their own Application Portal, with the Coalition App’s essay questions, for the class of 2017. Their plan is to switch entirely to the Coalition App for 2018. I am emailing links for outdated info to them, and they’ll be making corrections to their site.
Whew!