Why is it considered socially acceptable to give people a hard time about liking STEM subjects? I can’t stand that. My daughter just finished her Tulane admissions interview and, after being asked what subjects she liked in HS and what she wanted to study in college (math and chemistry), apparently the admissions counselor responded with, “I don’t even understand people like you (who like Math and Science).” I’m telling you, she was not wild about doing that interview in the first place, and to be honest, if she were on the fence about applying - that would not have helped. Can you imagine if my daughter had said to the current student who also attended the interview, that she didn’t understand how anyone could major in communications? I’m a Tulane fan, but based upon feedback with how they answered her questions (not well) plus the jab at STEM majors - they did not do a good job of selling themselves in that interview.
@AlmostThere2018 I am starting to agree with your son about going online for consistency. So much is up in the air and with the no online 1st week, that throws our county’s plan a curveball. We have to decide by July 20th about online, but I’m hopeful they will extend that. There is so much unknown with the plans, I would like more time. There are probably a lot of people that don’t know we are starting early this year!!!
Not sure if you are from Illinois (or a state that AO also covers) but this is common place for that person. Sorry that happened to your D.
@3kids2dogs wow, that is really unprofessional of that AO. I work in a STEM field and I still hear those types comments from people. I think some people that were not good at Math and Science while in school feel the need to say these things to make themselves feel better about not doing well.
@3kids2dogs What? Not cool. And now I’m scared to have D sign up for a Tulane interview.
In a weird way, I think people say these things as an intended compliment, like wow I could never do that, but…
I’m more inclined to agree with @evergreen5. And maybe it’s just my jaded attitude from living by NYC, but I simply don’t see the comment as insulting. I wouldn’t think twice about it. Different strokes for different folks and all…
Was this an alumni interview or one conducted by the AO?
I am from Illinois, but this is a different AO. I mean, I get it, you probably aren’t going to go into college admissions for a career after majoring in a STEM field, but that doesn’t mean you get to comment on someone else’s likes and dislikes.
It just doesn’t seem to be a good way to sell your school.
Oh well, it’s done.
@3kids2dogs I am so sorry your daughter had to go through this. That is unprofessional not to mention insensitive.
@homerdog , my daughter had a completely different experience a few weeks ago. The AO encouraged her to talk about the subjects that she was interested in (Math, Physics and Biology) and asked really good questions about why she wants to major in biomedical engineering. He was really nice to her complementing her and telling her how impressed he was with the research she did and how she prepared for the interview. Not just the AO, our regional admissions officer is also really nice, she replies to my daughter’s emails usually within 24-48 hours.
I checked S21’s ACT registration two days ago and everything was a go for his July 18 test location. I just needed to upload a current photo for his registration ticket. (Because, quarantine - his hair is so much longer!) I just snapped a photo, uploaded it and printed out his test day ticket. Then, decided to double check the canceled test centers and now his location is on it. No email announcing they’ve canceled, nothing on the ticket. So aggravating!
@evergreen5 @eb23282 I completely understand what you are saying and that’s what I told my daughter. Like if someone said their passion was running marathons, a person might respond - Wow, I could never do that - in kind of a self depreciating way, but insinuating that the person who runs the marathons is amazing.
Apparently, this was not said in that way - more just as a statement. Or maybe it was just the way my daughter interpreted it. I’m not sure. All I can go by is her impression. But it’s not like she hasn’t heard things like that before. It happens more often than you’d think (and people who run marathons would probably say the same).
Anyway, my daughter was also very interested to know the answers to two specific things (both STEM related) and asked questions. Neither got a good answer, but one of them was kind of her own fault.
First she wanted to know if it was common (not possible, she knows it’s possible) for STEM majors, particularly premed STEM majors to study abroad an entire semester and still graduate in 4 years. She knows she has a lot of classes to take and some are sequential, but also has a strong desire to study abroad. All she got was - most kids study abroad, across all majors. It was nothing more than you would get on a tour.
She also had the question as to whether there was a medical school recommendation committee at Tulane. She said they completely misunderstood the question and said that applying for undergraduate school was not the same as applying to Tulane Medical School. But, my daughter said she felt too awkward to correct them/clarify her question, so she just responded, OK thanks.
Of course, I’m thinking - now they think you thought you could apply to medical school at the same time as undergraduate, but I kept that to myself since she can’t go back and fix it.
I’m sure other people will have excellent interviews and @TXStuMom I’m so glad your daughter had a great experience to balance out my daughter’s kind of so-so experience. It just didn’t feel STEM friendly, that’s all.
@flyawayx2 yep no communication from ACT or, for that matter, CB when tests are cancelled. Still makes us want to just bag the whole thing. If D21 revs up and studies AGAIN for the SAT and it is cancelled in Aug, it’s going to be very hard for her to bother for Sept or Oct.
@3kids2dogs Thinking about the Tulane comment from a teen’s perspective, I think most would be flummoxed. What do you even say in response to that? But, I must say I’ve said similar things to people who are engineers, CS, etc., as a way of saying 1) they are smart in a way I am not, and 2) I don’t have the slightest idea what they do. Crazy, but it’s a complement. Now, I know not to say those things! I think it’s ingrained in our society that people who “get” math and science (and pursue it in college and do it for a living) are smarter than those of us who don’t. But, regardless, sounds like she did not have a good interviewer!
@homerdog Its so frustrating! It just seems like when a test location is canceled it’d could trigger an email to the kids who are registered for that site. But, maybe that makes too much sense. LOL! I’m with you, I wish we could just bag the whole thing, considering most schools will be TO. S21 really wants to give the ACT a shot, so I guess we’ll try for September. Though that will likely get canceled too.
@flyawayx2 See if you can reach someone local to double check.
My story… We got the email saying our test was on. I have checked the cancellation list daily, since the June test was on, but then cancelled a few days out. On 7/6 in the AM it was not on the cancellation list, by dinner it showed up. Checked again 7/7, still listed as cancelled, so D stopped her review. I read on a FB board that some sites were changing, and one lady said her cancelled site was not there anymore. I checked last night and sure enough, our site was gone off the list!
I emailed a PR guy for my county and explained the scenario. He wrote me back right away (about 9pm!) that he thought it was on and would check with the site admin and get back to me. I had a reply shortly after 10 pm that they had to cancel some late registrants to meet the lower required occupancy, so perhaps that is what triggered it showing on the cancelled list. He assured me it was on, said rooms assignments had been made and double checked that my daughter’s name was on his list. He even gave me his cell # in case I have more questions. I signed up in March as soon as we knew April was cancelled. I’m guessing she made the cut because she was early to sign up.
District just announced its hybrid plan. HS students will be 100% online until end of Sept and then they will do A-day / B-day schedule. A-day cohort will Mon/Tues; intensive cleaning on Wed., and then B-day cohort will be Thurs./Fri.
(They are doing A day/B day from day 1 of school for K-5)
This transition to A day / B day could be delayed and classes stay online if numbers aren’t trending the right direction. Conversely, it’s possible they’ll move up in-person instruction if they can. One of the issues preventing earlier in person start for MS and HS is securing enough PPE for the staff and teachers.
Not sure yet when students will have to decide between hybrid and 100% remote.
@Rue4 That gives me a sliver of hope. I’ll keep checking the list and also see if I can find a contact to call. Thanks!
Can anyone shed some light on Washington and Lee University? My daughter just started talking about that along with Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr. I’ve heard a lot of good things about both Swarthmore and Bryn Mawr but not sure about W&L. Thanks!
Argh!! Saw S21’s ACT test site on cancellation list 2 days ago, but no notification from ACT. Took forever to contact a real person at the site because they are all working remotely. Yep, cancelled. “But I’m sure the ACT will contact you regarding new site.” Right…
Now waiting for AP scores to come out. Two of S21’s colleges recommend SAT subject tests but one - Georgetown - says under current circumstances, they will accept AP scores in lieu of. If the AP scores are decent, I will likely change his August SAT sitting from subject tests to SAT. He has a very good SAT already but wants to shoot higher, and I’m afraid by September, all the test sites will be closed again.
He is so disheartened.