Wow, so jealous! Still another 6 weeks of school here! I know AP Lang will be working on essay writing, not sure what the other APs are doing.
We’ve set up a few visits for the summer and hopefully that’s it and we’re done visiting!
my daughter still has a lot of work even though AP tests are over. Big essay due in History, in AP French they have to choose a French language music video and memorize it, recreate the video and perform the song in class I think? Actually right up my daughter’s alley since she likes editing videos as a hobby but still … and in AP English they have to pull together a so-called Tapestry project which unites I think six pieces of writing they’ve done during the year around a theme with some kind of art work? And AP Bio, they are still doing labs and going on a big field trip on Wednesday.
AP English, writing short stories and workshopping.
AP Calc, putting together individual projects on a real-life application of calculus.
APUSH, watched “All the President’s Men” last week and are now creating DBQs for next year’s students.
D20 is out of school after this week. It is great to get out of school reasonably early but it sure is lousy to start back to school first week of August. 
Don’t want to put the downer on the “Yeah school is out” posts, but… does anyone know when most schools post their supplemental essays for the new application cycle so students can start writing them this summer?
@KKreis when my 2015 & 16 grads applied, the answer to your question was ‘it varied.’
Some schools had everything set up for common app release, and some high flyers didn’t have supplementals ready until early September. Occasionally schools will post them early on their websites. Definitely worth looking.
Quick note, some schools have essays ‘pop up ‘ in common app based on questions the student answers. My kids swear Rice added an essay question just before they hit submit.
@KKreis there was just a discussion about this on this thread 4-5 days ago. Check out posts 5670, 5674
and 5679.
Rice has one different essay depending on which school within the university you choose to apply to. Once you pick the school, the appropriate question opens. For example, there may be a different question for an architecture applicant than a natural science applicant. A parent of a Class of 2022 applicant provided this info on the Rice forum, Rice may tweak the application each year so be flexible.
"Here is a heads up on the Rice application - there is an essay that does not show up until you fill in the academics section of the Rice questions on the common app. It is set up this way because there are unique questions that appear if you are applying to architecture. But it could surprise someone if they are just glancing at the essays without filling out the basic data first.
Here is the essay question:
Rice is lauded for creating a collaborative atmosphere that enhances the quality of life for all members of our campus community. The Residential College System is heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspectives would you contribute to life at Rice? (500 word limit)."
Okay, council of 2020 parents, what say ye?
Must the letter of rec be written by a junior year teacher? What if a freshman teacher, who has acted as a mentor for three years, and hence really knows D20, wrote a letter of recommendation?
People seem bent on having the letters written by junior year teachers, including the GC, but what if a teacher from another year is simply a much better option?
Sounds like a good case for an exception, @fencingmom. I guess I’d ask a couple more questions: Does the GC know this specific teacher, and know about your D’s relationship with him/her, and still think it’s not a strong choice? Or is the “don’t use a freshman teacher” something the GC has said generally, not in reference to your D’s situation?
@fencingmom My son would like to ask his sophomore teacher who he has a close relationship with. He went to a college admissions talk with top 10 colleges and asked the question of sophomore versus junior year teacher. One said sophomore teacher was perfectly okay. One said she definitely preferred a junior year teacher unless the sophomore teacher continued to teach the student in junior year! Later my son spoke to her, discussed the specifics of the relationship (he continues to TA for the teacher) and she said that would now be fine. So overall, I would say if choosing the freshman year teacher, that teacher should stress the continued involvement. Ultimately a great letter is a great letter.
About the LOR’s - I recently attended a college info session with an adcom member, she said their college would like to see LOR from junior year teachers with this reasoning: ‘students change a lot over high school, while the diff between 9th and 11th seem irrelevant (and in some cases it might be) they have seen enough cases to believe that junior year teacher LOR is preferable’.
Having said that she went on to add that go with teacher who know you best and can write about some of your ‘recent’ activities/interactions. If teacher is from 9th but with continuous teacher-student interaction, and is familiar with students activities and can articulate them well, it might be OK.
@Octagon Yes, there is continued involvement, but he’s not been her teacher since 9th grade, although he communicates regularly with her current teachers. The other LOR is from a junior year teacher.
She’s going to check in with GC on this and I will report back. Thanks guys!
@fencingmom I agree, it’s fine if the LOR is not from a junior teacher if that letter writer serves as something more than a teacher. I would still get 2 junior year teachers if possible. There may be occasions where you need more than 2 LORs if applying for honors colleges or certain (named) scholarships. I think D17 got 4 LORs (including GC), one of which was from a member of the community who she worked with over the years o service projects. I would liken that to your child’s freshman year teacher. I think the key is that the person is not ‘just’ a frosh teacher.
DD’s school does not allow students to ask for recommendations from sophomore (or freshman) teachers. She’s a bit lucky that her favorite English teacher was her freshman and junior teacher as well as her water polo coach. I think she would prefer her freshman science teacher for her second as he’s also one of her advisors (not college advisor, this is at boarding school) but it’s not an option.
@MAandMEmom Wow. Never heard that one. Do they tell you why?
@bigmacbeth DD told me but I’m not sure. Maybe it’s a NE boarding school thing? Possibly knowing they have to line up recommendations for all grades?
As @MAandMEmom speculates, it’s probably something to do with the additional demands/workload that boarding school teachers carry, and maybe also something to do with wanting to strengthen the message that recommendations from junior teachers are generally considered to be the best choice.
Obviously there are good reasons for exceptions, and if MAandMEmom’s D’s school is like my S1 and S2’s school, even with a rule like that you can make an appeal. Usually. 
I bet it is because they feel junior year teachers will be the most impactful in terms of recommendations. Likely all about strategy…
My daughter is having a sophomore teacher write one of her recs - but she’s also a mentor from her robotics team so she has had continuous knowledge of her. I think she’s also going to be one of her senior teachers, but final schedules aren’t out yet for next year.