There has been a recent change to the Search function. It was noted on another recent thread (that I can’t find because the Search feature is messed up - LOL!). The default used to be Forum Search but now they’ve changed it to Search Entire Site. The temporary solution mentioned by a moderator is to click the down arrow icon beside the search box and change to Advanced Forum Search.
I used to use the search feature a lot, but now don’t bother because I’m a seasoned, jaded, skeptical long term member and know pretty much everything (slight sarcasm).
My kid is still in school for several more days, but his 2 most important finals are over, and the next few days are just silly waste of time days for the most part. He’s looking forward to some down time. I’m going to try to convince him to visit a few more schools just so he can compare them with a few current favorites, and I want him to visit a few safeties just in case things don’t go as planned.
I think he had a decent year, probably better than I thought he’d do in terms of academics, and his athletic achievements were a nice added unexpected boost to the year and certainly added some well needed fun to the year.
Good luck to any kids still taking exams and those who have started cranking out essays.
Kiddo is back from the ‘boot camp’ Hah. Some boot camp if it’s only half a day. Not a single pushup.
Anyhow, he created his Common App account and filled in a lot of detail.
They had a bunch of English teachers on hand to read and give feedback on the essays. He gave them an essay to read that I hadn’t heard yet. He got some great feedback. He just read me the essay and in my subjective Mom-opinion it is really very good. A great extended metaphor, some self-deprecating humor, a bit too much sarcasm. It gets a bit repetitive in parts, but that will diminish as he thinks about it and edits it.
All in all I’m glad I signed him up for this. If he had to submit all applications tomorrow I think that essay would get him into his safeties and at least half his matches.
Okay well I think I have made the first official mistake of the 2019 application season, folks! Y’all can be glad I got it out of the way for everyone. Yesterday D19 got an email from one of her schools prompting her to fill out a preliminary application. I was going to put this off but I went ahead and clicked into it in the evening and saw that it mostly pre-populated because she’s already in their database and filled out information about GPA and campus interests when booking her campus visit next month. Right before I went to bed I thought, well, we should just go ahead and click “submit”. So I did. And moments later, an email addressed to ME came to my email thanking me for my application. WHAT?!
Ugh. So…apparently I somehow managed to change the pre-populated information for D19’s name and email to the Google auto-fill settings with my name and email. Everything else is correct for D19.
I didn’t even tell D19 this happened because this will stress her out. Instead I tried sending a self-deprecating but straightforward email to the regional rep explaining my mistake. She did respond quickly, even though it was pretty late by then, with a “Thanks for letting us know” response. I was hoping for a friendlier "“Haha that’s funny; we’ve all been there,” tone, which this definitely didn’t have, but oh well.
Also not sure now…should she submit a new form? Should she presume “my” application was corrected with her info? I guess we’ll sit on this for a while. I don’t know the point of a preliminary application in June anyway tbh.
So…I guess I got this misstep out of the way early, right here in June. Ugh!!! Hopefully her eventual application is not now flagged with a “Crazy mom submitted the preliminary application in her own name”. Ugh!!
Very cool about the bootcamp…I think I would’ve had D19 take advantage of that too. Today I have tried to gently suggest she start drafting an essay and nothing is happening so I can see the benefit of some structure or deadlines there.
@SDCounty3Mom, I hope you don’t mind, but that was a laugh I very desperately needed this morning! 
ETA: And no, unfortunately I don’t know what the right course of action is at this point,
LOL @SDCounty3Mom !! Hey the file might be stamped with “crazy tiger mom”. but at least you showed an outstanding level of interest by applying in June!! Your like 5 months ahead of schedule, slow your roll lady!! Ha
@SDCounty3Mom !! OMG, Hilarious. Soooooooo something I would do. Yeah, D would be furious with me but oh well. That’s how we roll :))
I would probably just pretend it didn’t happen and reapply with your D’s name, but arg- what do I know 
Let us know when you get your acceptance letter @SDCounty3Mom . I so could see myself doing something like that.
Haha yes it must’ve been my subconscious desire to relive my youth that managed to get those auto-fills changed! Let’s hope they like my application! I hear I’m a pretty good kid.
I’m just whistling past the graveyard on this one and not confessing to nuttin’. What D19 doesn’t know can’t hurt her…
I just got a followup from the rep. She said she deleted “my” application and D can now submit hers.
So…sniff! my fledgling second college career is over as quickly as it began.
For anyone interested, last week I asked our flagship about the new concordance and auto scholarships. They said they’re using the middle scores rather than the minimum score on the concordance tables.
@evergreen5 wow. That was some quick turn around time on the part of that school. I didn’t expect any schools to change their policies so quickly.
@evergreen5 Can you explain what that would mean? Is it a change for SAT, ACT or both?
@gallentjill I assume it means ACT cut offs stay the same. There’s no reason to change those. They will use the new concordance table to pick the SAT cut off. And choose that asterisked number. So, if there’s a 35 cut off for something, the corresponding SAT score is a 1540, not a 1530 which is the lowest “35” on the concordance.
Woohoo! Kiddo has cut the ‘maybe’ list down from 21 schools to 8! And one of those is Trinity Dublin, which I don’t think he’s serious about applying to anyhow. The boot camp thingie worked well, I might have to look for something similar later in the summer.
The ‘definite’ list now stands at 6 and I think one or two might sneak onto the final roster.
Kid said he had completely forgotten that he already applied to Arcadia when we visited next fall. I think he still needs to send them a teacher rec, but he can’t do anything about that until school starts again. And honestly September is soon enough.
@ninakatarina That’s some serious progress. That boot camp really helped!
S19 filled out the common app today so it will roll over and be ready when he gets back from his summer programs. I’m somewhat taken aback that everything which was only theoretical yesterday is suddenly real. He has exactly 2 weeks left at home this summer before senior year starts and there is a lot to pack in there - finalizing the essay, reading the AP Euro assigned novel, filming prescreens, etc. But he’s done what he needed to do for now and can enjoy a couple weeks doing what he loves at Penn State.
We had a moment of debate over the common app question about whether he will take the SAT again. He got a great score the first time but wanted 10 more points to qualify for his school’s wall of fame. He took it a second time with no extra practice and got the same score. I figured he’d take it again but he’s says he’s done because he won’t have time to study. That elusive 10 points would bump him to the next level on the ACT concordance scale and I suspect might open the door to more merit money so I’m kind of hoping he’ll change his mind. But I’m leaving the decision up to him.
FYI - There are a number of colleges visiting the Greater ATL area this summer. Probably true in other regions. I checked all our prospective schools for “Events in Your Area” just in case. Our prospective publics don’t do a good job updating their website calendars. Greater Atlanta Regional Network has a series of college fairs that might be helpful if your student hasn’t met their regional rep.
Had a really productive chat with S19. Apparently, being relaxed and on vacation allows for thoughtfulness about one’s future.
The list is officially at six. For now. We have three visits left and I am already guessing that at least one will be a no-go. He wants to visit George Washington because his cousin went there and despite the fact that he is not interested in a city school with no real campus.
CONFESSION: Mr InfiniteWaves and I attended the same Jesuit college. We have been harboring a desire for S19 to apply to at least one Jesuit college. Our school is out of the running as it does not have the music offerings he wants. But there are TWO Jesuit colleges (Fordham and Saint Joseph’s) on the current list of six. We have been very low key about this, letting him whittle things down on his own. But I figured you all would understand the excitement of there being at at least a slight chance of him sort of following in our footsteps. We’re totally cool with whatever he ends up doing. BUT THERE’S A CHANCE! A CHANCE! 
Last day of finals today and a 1/2 day as well. They just go in on Monday for a clean up day, so basically summer has begun. I think my son is relieved this year is over.
Good luck to everyone on their “list” building.
@InfiniteWaves I’ve read about parents putting a “parents’ choice” on the list even if the student isn’t thrilled about it. And sometimes it’s actually chosen in the end!