D20’s GC was just happy she had added schools to her “Schools I’m Thinking About” list in Naviance at our meeting a couple months ago. D20 also knows this is my jam, and she is happy with her list. I think the GC got the feeling we were in good shape, and focused the meeting more on what D20 is interested in with her future. Not much guidance, but some good fodder for a LOR.
One more week of classes, although I have no idea what they are doing, since D20 doesn’t seem to be doing much homework, and is headed to the beach today after school. She is done with testing.
No independent counselor here…although I need to find a friend who can help review one of her essays for a specific program. The Common App app essay should be fine, as her list is filled with safeties.
Our school made it seem like they had a system the kids went through with the GC, but I don’t know how much it really entails…not much I fear. I know they do some personal inventory/interest assessments, and apparently they do meet with DS occasionally, because a couple weeks ago DS came home saying the GC told him he should look into Iowa State and got him pumped about that school (thanks for that, as it’s the only adjoining state we have no reciprocity agreement with), but they’ve never included me in anything that was going on, or even emailed me for that matter.
@VickiSoCal my D is taking subject tests tomorrow also - US History, Bio, and Math 2 and of course she has not studied at all either. She’s had a hectic few weeks and had some major projects due today (was up late last night putting finishing touches on one and was at Billie Eilish show til late the night before - very important of course and it had to be this week an hour’s drive from home of course! She plans to look at the study materials tonight after ballet class - not sure this last minute it will do any good at all but maybe just get a sense of the pace of how fast the tests will go? Sigh. She’s going to collapse tomorrow after the tests are done.
@hs2020dad Re: private college counselor, I’m a big fan. We did some research and asked numerous families with older kids who they have used and would recommend. We initially went to an introductory session with one other counselor but we did not connect with her. Our current private counselor that we have used since last year is awesome (helped with admissions when she got her Masters at H). She is paid hourly ($250) but is worth her weight in gold. D20 goes to a large public HS and the public counselors are just not too helpful, too many kids per counselor. Here’s what I like:
personalized attention (e.g. she reviews D's entire HS transcript; makes class recommendations, EC's etc);
super knowledgeable about the admissions process, especially for top 50 colleges;
has great insight into the individual differences of many, many colleges;
is very positive and yet firm in what D should be doing over these last two years of HS;
my D is more willing to listen to the counselor instead of hearing this advice from her parents (us!);
my D texts her when she had additional questions and/or just to tell her good news (e.g. received STEM award, etc);
I know this is somewhat controversial, but she has a strategy to "package" D a certain way, showcasing some unique characteristics that will (hopefully) set her apart from her peers;
Overall, I feel that D is in good hands in this coming admission cycle and the few grand we will spend on the counselor will be money well spent. I guess we will know more in the next 6 - 9 months?
Yeah. I’m not a fan of pricey private counselors. At all. I have a great time working through ideas with D17 and D20. Many of the your bullet items, @socaldad2002, sound like they are off a marketing pamphlet to me. Most of that can either be done by a parent, or uncovered on CC by spending just a little bit of time. I am also pretty helicopter-y, so I would hate to be left out of the process.
And, you’re right, it’s that last ‘controversial’ item that really rubs me the wrong way, because, IMO, it speaks to the whole entitlement issue that is a large part of what is wrong with the college admissions process today. So many kids don’t have that advantage. I also don’t think it teaches a good lesson to our kids. Ah, but again, that’s just my opinion.
S20 is taking the SAT one final time tomorrow. He still has another month of school, though he really seems burnt out and just done!
We don’t do a private counselor, they’re too expensive, and we already paid for an SAT tutor. Good luck to everyone testing tomorrow. S20 isn’t taking any subject tests, since they didn’t fit into his schedule and it doesn’t seem like any of his favorite schools want them. He did mention that all his friends are taking them, so I hope we’re not making a mistake!
@NYC2018nyc It is a bit strange for me, this time around, for D20 not to be taking subject tests. D17 took 3 and then in the end, did not attend any schools that even considered them.
If you haven’t seen it (and for the stalkers), there is a list of schools that require/consider/recommend subject tests:
I remember McGill being a weird one, and D17 was considering it for a while: “SAT + two SAT Subject Tests Required , OR ACT with Writing.” That hardly seems like an equal trade-off. :neutral:
@socaldad2002 - thanks so much for the detailed response - appreciate it. I know the topic of ‘taking services of a private counselor’ is a bit controversial. I was thinking/expecting some of the same items you highlighted - mainly DS20 still has some teenage rebellion remnants and/or thinks we don’t know much - so he either ignores our advice or sometimes gets irritated when we talk about college admission stuff. But when we took him to a college counselor (to decide whether to use her services or not) - he was very engaged/enthusiastic with her. This made us think about this service seriously - we can at least outsource some of nagging to this counselor But seriously we are hoping that we can get a counselor who can inspire him to think seriously about college - in the next 5-6 months - and maximize his opportunities (that match his potential). If it takes an outside counselor and some money - I don’t mind.
DS20 is taking his final subject test in Chem today (is already done and happy with SAT1; subject tests in Math and Physics). This is the final standardized test.
@Itisatruth I would have the same concerns and wouldn’t have said anything in front of the GC either. I would say just set your D’s expectations that, based on this past year’s results, some likely schools have become targets, and some targets have become reaches.
and/or thinks we don’t know much - so he either ignores our advice or sometimes gets irritated when we talk about college admission stuff. But when we took him to a college counselor (to decide whether to use her services or not) - he was very engaged/enthusiastic with her. This made us think about this service seriously - we can at least outsource some of nagging to this counselor