Isn’t Iowa merit based on ACT/SAT and GPA so it’s automatic?
edited - she received one - I guess she hadn’t looked on the portal.
@Nicki20 It is, but at least for the non-residents, it’s not very transparent. There’s no, “if you have this GPA and this ACT, you get this amount” chart like Iowa State does with it’s incoming merit.
At least I never found it.
Yes, Iowa’s awards are automatic. They have some that have a separate application, but they mostly are for in-state students and have a ‘need’ component.
@cshell2 Exactly. Not totally transparent at Iowa, so I was not counting on merit until we actually saw something in writing. Relieved that things didn’t seem to change much from last year.
Reading all these posts makes me nervous. My kids (DS20 & DD20) are so busy with school work that, they have barely started on their essays. They are applying to 6/7 schools on EAs. Not sure how they can finish the application process.
So, when I hear some kids are already admitted or gotten scholarship, I worry whether they are really late or I am just being too worried…
Yes, @junk4rp CC is stressful that way. Especially since my S20 talks about working on essays but isn’t happy enough with any of them to submit. I think it’s self selecting, the people who go on this board are the ones who are ahead of the game.
@junk4rp I told my daughter that she could not miss this oppo trinity to get applications in. She was dragging her feet too. We also had her take a pretty one-sided schedule this year so she had extra time for apps. Things are better now, but this opportunity won’t come again.
@junk4rp - My son didn’t apply to a single school that needed an essay, so applications were easy and all the scholarships were auto ones so far. He’s been “working” on his short answer engineering scholarship application for ISU for over a month now.
Having said that, he got accepted to U of M - Twin Cities CSE today. We’re pretty pumped about that one!
I get it at the rational level…but at the emotional level I would like to jump past these 3 months and would land in January.
I have bit of experience with DS16 - who needed lot of push to finish his essays. With the younger two I thought they would finish everything in summer and I would be sitting pretty in October. But sometimes best plans are still not reality. Oh well!
@junk4rp Couldn’t the get some safety apps in? Those results may encourage them to do more.
Unfortunately, they both in a IB program and their schedule is super stressful during fall due to extra deliverables for the diploma.
They can - except they have their IB EE due this week and they are taking their second subject test tomorrow. So, I guess Sunday would actually start their application season!
@cshell2 Co beats to your S20! My D20 is still dragging her feet on the nursing app for UM-TC. This weekend hopefully.
Wow, looking back at my last couple posts I realize I should not be posting from my Amazon Fire tablet (with built-in ads!). I swear I was not drinking! Lots of autocorrection having to be done.
“Co beats” = Congrats
“one-sided schedule” = “less rigorous schedue” or something. 
Well, if they want it badly enough, they’ll find time @junk4rp
@junk4rp Congrats on wrapping up the EE - my daughter had to turn hers in last week -it’s a big accomplishment! It’s also delayed my daughter working on her essays. Her only acceptance is Iowa where the application took literally 10 minutes and required no essay. I think she only needs a short response for one of her EA schools due Oct 15 - Nov 1 is our big deadline for ED. It’s going to be a busy busy month!
@junk4rp - another parent here with a kid anywhere near submitting an app yet. DS20 is working on his essay (multiple drafts done already but he is still not happy yet). He was planning to do majority of apps in early round - all with Nov1 deadline - now we are starting to worry if he can make that. Let’s see. Plan-B is to apply 2 or 3 in early (apps with no supplements) and do the rest in regular.
We are doing one ED and the rest RD, so DS is focusing on CA/2 supplemental essays for that one ED. would be lucky if he hit the submit button on the day of the ED deadline!
Very exciting to see all the acceptances and scholarships (!) rolling in! Keep them coming!
@bigmacbeth “Co Beats” sounds way cooler than congratulations! ?
Yes, I wish S20 had more schools without supplements, but he only has 1, and won’t submit it because he’s not happy with his common app essay yet.
I had planned on him doing an early safety, to lower the stress level, but of course, he had other ideas!
D20 just texted me “it’s so overwhelming”. She has 1 application due by 10/15 and 3 more due 11/1. And then another 10 (6 UCs) by 11/30. I’m hoping once she gets the first one done, she will be able to recycle some essays, etc. Fall of senior year is tough!