JOTD (in honor of the recent announcement):
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Q: Why did Bob Dylan install a knocker on his door?
A: He wanted to win the No-bell prize!
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QOTD: The theory behind some introverts being drawn to large schools, as I understand it, is that it’s easier to hide in a crowd or in a large classroom. If you ditch class or remain silent in a small class, the professor will notice. Chances are, students also will be required to (gasp) talk within a more interactive classroom than a large lecture hall.
That said, my introvert D refused to consider very large schools or campuses in very dense urban areas. Her ideal is a LAC in a Midwestern town. It would be hard to go smaller than her HS, which has less than 300 students total.
@MotherOfDragons I suspect PSAT scores will come out sooner this year. Last year, if I remember correctly, they were delayed due to the CB trying to figure out how to curve the exam and calculate percentages due to the new format. I also heard somewhere here on CC that the SAT results were originally scheduled for the 21st but were then pushed back to the 27th. Good luck!
@dfbdfb Thanks for the clarification on Macalester. It’s one of two applications that D has not yet submitted - she’s still tinkering with the essay and sinus congestion has temporarily displaced her brain.
A quick word of advice for all of you and your DC to keep an eye on those portals and status pages. Son’s UMD application was submitted on Oct 3 and all supporting docs went out immediately following. But even today the status page says nothing has arrived. So I called and the very helpful admissions rep said we have all his supporting docs but we don’t have his application! After a few minutes of them searching and getting a more senior admissions rep involved, they were able to locate the app and connect it to all the supporting docs. Priority deadline is Nov 1 so I’m glad I made the call.
Wow, good advice @STEM2017 thanks!
I checked on S’s ASU portal and it now has everything marked as in and the app is being processed! It is his fiest (and so far only) app to be submitted. He is set to go on a couple more after tonight when he completes his Board of Review and can say he is an Eagle Scout!
S is feeling pressure today (and he is a very type-B kid) because he has a chem test and a Calc III test today, an English paper due tonight, plus his BOR tonight. Today, for him, there are not enough hours in the day. He had to cancel his golf lesson to get the paper completed. :((
@STEM2017 wow I will look at it with her when she gets home tonight. I will say the biggest issue H has with UMD is that it felt like a “slip between the cracks and nobody will notice” kind of school. There’s the first crack, lol. I’m glad you called and got it figured out.
@MotherOfDragons I must say that they were extremely helpful and very apologetic, for whatever that’s worth.
^^Yep, I did not mean to infer that UMD’s not good-it’s just SO big that stuff like that can happen.
@hadmeathello My D too is getting quite annoying about grades right now. I’m like, why. Do well but stop obsessing. Geez! She got a B on something for second quarter and to her everything was falling apart.
@IABooks Last year’s PSAT score release was total snafu.
@MotherOfDragons This year’s PSAT score release is estimated for December 12th.
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/k12-educators/psat-nmsqt-dates?&affiliateId=aru%7Cpn-scores-%28landing-page%29&bannerId=
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Once my D’s essays was 650 words and another was 500. She tried to cut the long essay down to 500 then she discovered the 500 words was actually 2500 characters. She has a preference for overly long words so she has to cut to well under 400 words. Spaces are also part of the 2500 characters to she is only using a single space between spaces.
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Introvert - My D sounds exactly like yours, she does not mind a roommate, but she will need to find a quite place to get lost for at least 4 or 5 hours a day.
@CaucAsianDad Do you remember which school had the character count for an essay? Did the directions specify number of words but the uploading part specified number of characters?
D is trying to get a really good 425ish word essay for two applications up to more than 500 for a third application. She’s frustrated.
@WhereIsMyKindle D had several that were characters. Those are tougher, I think. Tips for lengthening an essay: an additional example if appropriate or a lesson learned.
Did I ask about FAFSA showing up in portals in this forum? If I did the answer is that most schools probably have to upgrade their FinAid systems for Aid year 1718 before they do. The school I work for is doing that this weekend. Since FAFSA was changed to be available early it’s also a change in operating procedures. My school use to do that upgrade the weekend before Thanksgiving every year but has had to move everything up.
QOTD: on a scale of 1 Introvert to 10 Extrovert my D is a -3. She’s diagnosed Selective Mutism/Social Anxiety. She’s made strides but doesn’t put the effort in that she should. Her top choices are more academically focused schools like Chicago and MIT. She wants to take her cat as an emotional support animal to school with her but I told her that all the schools are filled with emotional support animals - they’re called humans. She has her core group of friends but basically doesn’t talk to other people socially. She talks in small group discussion at school but it’s painful for her to speak out loud in class. Her only B was due to not talking in class enough.
@Dolemite mit has a cat dorm…
@WhereIsMyKindle It’s the Coalition App, my D is applying to UF and they are only accepting Coalition applications.
The school that had a 650 word limit (FSU) had some text above the essay box saying that sometimes the best essays are only 300 - 400 words so do not think you need to use all the space. However their essay is also optional so maybe they just don’t put much weight on it and would rather get through them quickly.
@CaucAsianDad Huh Coalition. UMd is using the Coalition prompts within their own application platform. Anyone remember if Maryland’s essay uploaded “properly” according to word count? She says the essay is now 471 words which is close to UMd’s 500 word limit.
QOTD: Introvert vs Extrovert
Introvert, in the classical sense. Enjoys other people, but after interactions, departs for 1-4 hours in room alone.
Regarding application for University of Maryland - DS uploaded his Common App essay. But when he was about to submit the application, he noticed it referred to a 500 word essay. The PDF of the application though shows the whole essay. Anyone else apply to University of Maryland College Park & submit an essay longer than 500 words? thanks!!
Watching these MD posts with interest, and wondering the same thing. I cannot imagine how long it will take him to cut a 650 word essay down to 500, but I am going to attempt to force him to submit to MD this weekend (and another EA that escapes me right now) so that he can leave the SCEA for the following weekend…Endless process.