Mostly we’ve incorporated college visits on vacations when we’ve been passing in the vicinity of colleges S might like, although last week over Thanksgiving break we traveled specifically for two university visits. I’ve done most of the research on schools he might like, and so far he likes most of what I have suggested. He’s not done much of his own research but he’s pretty grateful for the work I’ve done. He’s taking the SAT and ACT in December, maybe once he has those scores plus his PSAT he’ll get involved in his own research. He’s really a “bloom where he’s planted” kind of kid though, and he can see himself happily attending a variety of schools.
I’ve drawn up a list with daughter’s input, but it was almost too easy - direct admit nursing programs whittled down the list dramatically, plus she wants to stay in-state. Still, depending on the criteria, there are easily 15 to choose from.
I am assuming we are full pay - my husband is retired, and I work very part-time, but who knows what the financial aid gods will decide. So I have a number that will not make me vomit (too much) and we will work around that. I have another daughter who will go through this in three years, so I have to keep that in mind, too.
We will also look at the list over Christmas break, and at least come up with some questions we want answered. No ranking until we officially visit. My kid is also a “bloom where she’s planted” type. I told her sometimes it just comes down to a couple existential questions: Can I see myself here? Can I be happy here?
In retrospect, picking a preschool was sooooo much easier. 
@bearcatfan - Run the numbers on some of those schools. It will give you a ballpark idea. They all have Net Price Calculators on their websites. I don’t know how accurate it is due to retirement, but it doesn’t hurt to try it.
DD does not have a list, she wants to wait until her PSAT, SAT scores are available.
S18 just got a 1510 on the Nov SAT, which was a nice way to start the test taking process. He wants to take it again but I am not sure he needs to. I am encouraging him to take the ACT in a couple months and then he can see if he wants to take either again. D15 took SAT and ACT 3 times each, which was really bruising. It worked out for her in the end, but I do not want S18 to have to worry about testing during next summer and early fall.
He has a 3.9 and his grades are trending up, so he is a good candidate for many schools. We are not very far along yet. He wants to study either voice or musical theatre at a school where he can also take courses in other disciplines. May double major, do a minor, etc… That leaves out BFA programs, conservatories or schools which make it difficult to take many courses outside your major. Also we are full pay but looking for merit scholarships to at least cut the cost in half. D15 is studying drama at USC, and S18 recently visited her and toured the school. We plan on visiting Vandy (reach!), Sewanee, Rhodes and Alabama over winter break. He is also interested in University of Charleston. LSU is a safety. Tulane is a likely match. His voice teacher keeps pushing Loyola in New Orleans. Loyola has a nice voice and music department and would be a financial match with scholarships, but I would rather him attend a stronger overall academic school. But so much is going to happen with him over the next 6-12 months, that I suspect this list will look very different in a year.
D2 (D18) and I (ok, mostly I) spent many hours this summer creating a long list that incorporated the type of environment she believes she wants, the majors she’s interested in, and the sport she wanted to play (but choosing the schools based on other aspects, too, in case she stopped the sport sometime during college). This included her coaches, as well, but, as I said, emphasized her possible majors and overall environment.
During D1’s college search, I discovered that I loved researching schools, so I did the initial research for D2, and then had her pare the list. (I did something similar with D1.)
D2 was happy with her list, and we visited a couple colleges, taking tours, speaking with coaches, interviewing… All seemed to be going well, and then D decided to quit her sport a couple weeks ago. Honestly, I’ve had a hard time with this decision for many reasons, including that this likely knocks some and maybe many schools she likes off her list because we probably won’t be able to afford them unless she gets a lot of merit money (we’ll be full pay, and I don’t anticipate enough merit money to make many schools possible) and/or because that hook is gone (including one she fell in love with when she visited).
It’s so frustrating to me because her reason for quitting is not great IMO, she doesn’t anticipate replacing her sport with anything else (which, in my eyes, wastes her athletic talent and also doesn’t look good for college applications), and she’s throwing away a chance at a nice hook and money. Don’t get me wrong–I don’t want her to continue the sport just for college because she’d ultimately be unhappy with that. It just smarts right now, and I need to regroup and trust…
Thanks for listening to my vent!
Seconding @ShrimpBurrito - due to extremely generous Presidential Scholarships and one of the highest (if not the highest) percent of NMF in the nation. They attract these kids because of the generous packages they offer.
Warning! this is a blatant brag…
DS made it to semifinalist for the NSLI-Y summer program. I know there’s only a 50/50 chance of making it to the finalist but I am so proud of him. This is something he really wants to do and he is 100% in the driver’s seat. He never even showed us his application or essays!
Congrats to your son, @3scoutsmom I thought for sure my D would make it, but she didn’t. She has a backup plan for the summer, so she probably isn’t too upset. I won’t see her until late tonight.
Forgive my intrusion… not a parent of 2018.
I just wanted to add…I find those stats very important. It lets me and D know what others are making and what is needed for school X, auto merit X, competitive merit X.
I don’t think of it as bragging.
These kids work really hard and their parents should be proud.
Sorry about your daughter @ShrimpBurrito glad she has a back up plan. Is she young enough to apply again next year? Now we’ll be in limbo until late February, our plan B was to try to get an internship for the summer but the one I had in mind has a March application deadline so it will be close, his plan C is to take some DE classes.
On some level, especially here, anonymous on the internet - brag away parents! We are the only ones who can and SHOULD do it! I love all of our successes.
@snowfairy137, thanks for the input! Gonzaga is one of the schools I know more about because D17 has applied. We’re not a religious family, but after visiting I don’t think that will be an issue. When D and I were touring they mentioned a particular business program that sounded great for S18. I always kept an ear out for S’s interests when on tours with D! Good to hear your Dad runs his own business, as that’s what S wants to do eventually.
I don’t know much about UW, except that it’s very competitive. Sounds like CS is more so – yikes. I guess after seeing his scores and this semester’s grades I’ll know if it should even be on the list.
@bearcatfan, I may be asking you questions since I know very little about Syracuse. I could have guessed the snow boots as D17 and I visited several NY schools and they all mentioned the extreme cold! Case is one of the over-lapping schools for D and S. It’s a definite reach, but she’s decided she loves it.
@odannyboySF, I’ve made up the lists for all three of my kids. They tell me everything they’re looking for and what their priorities are. I dive into the internetz and see what I can find. I’m not so much a helicopter parent as an unpaid researcher.
@1822mom, I recognize a number of your schools from the 2017 thread and a few from the 2017 3.0 - 3.4 gpa thread. You may want to do a thread search on those schools to get the lowdown.
@Aida, I’m glad to hear about the great experience with Champlain. D17 loved Burlington when we visited UVM. S and I want to a college fair and spent a good bit of time talking to the Champlain rep. He was pretty enthused. So one of my many secret plans is for D to attend UVM and S Champlain.
I was telling my daughter that back in ye olden days I applied to colleges because they were close by or my siblings went there. I even got into Cornell, lol. Luckily the one school that had exactly what I wanted, and that I fell in love with beyond measure, loved me back and I went there. I’m not sure they’d love me as much now - I’m not even sure I’d get in!
How times have changed!
DD has a list of schools, many of which we’ve visited. She’ll probably add some as we move closer, and she has already taken a few off that first list. We are full pay but not chasing merit money so that takes considerable pressure off her. Don’t get me wrong – merit money is definitely a bonus (primarily for DD because she will keep whatever is left over from her college money when she graduates) but it will be a plus factor, rather than a determining one.
DS14 is in his third year at Case Western and enjoying it. So if anybody who’s interested has questions I can try to answer. He plays a varsity sport, is in a fraternity and is double majoring in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering just in case any of those areas overlap the questions people have. He got good merit money as well. Definitely cold ha ha ha. And definitely on the nerdy side too, but DS seems to have a good social life to balance out a demanding academic load.
And @bearcatfan – I hear you on the much more challenging process our kids are going through. DS and I are Northwestern alums and we often say that we probably wouldn’t get accepted today!
S18 has good SAT results, but his SAT essay score is low. At least one of the colleges of interest considers SAT essay in admissions.
Retaking the entire SAT+writing seems a waste of time, as well as taking ACT with writing. Does anyone have experience with a similar situation? and what was the outcome?
Congrats @3scoutsmom Love the self motivation factor.
S’18 taking the SAT tomorrow. fingers crossed.
@Twicer, we are in the same situation. But I heard the essay cannot be superscored.
Sorry I read it wrong 
We are in the opposite situation with great essay score but ok SAT score.
@Twicer, without knowing how “low” the essay scores were, if he is satisfied with his other scores, then I don’t think I’d have him retake. With the weird ACT essay scoring that happened recently, and the fact that the revised SAT is so new, I’d be very surprised if schools will weight those essay scores heavily. JMO.