My kid applied to one school where the school as a whole was…fine, nothing compelling. But when we got a tour of the specific program/major, she was blown away by the facility, the resources, the projects, everything.
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D26 said that she’s received some emails from a few colleges saying they were giving her an extra day to get her application in. Ironically, none of those colleges were ones that she’s corresponded with or reached out to at all. One school said they’re extending their EA deadline from 11/1 to 12/15.
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D19 didn’t like much about Brandeis but the fact that it was cold and snowy (in April, yay
Boston 
) and no one was around outside was a definite factor. However to be fair I’d say it wasn’t just the snow because we toured BU that afternoon and still cold and snowy but the school just felt much more warm and welcoming. I suspect there wouldn’t have been much change in her ranking (Brandeis off the list and BU in top 5) if the weather had been sunny.
C26 feels that most dorm rooms are pretty much the same but doesn’t really care about the food much. They tend to go for plainer food (sensory issues as is common with kids like them I believe) so long as there is some combination of pasta, rice, chicken, tomatoes and cheese available - and maybe the occasional Asian chicken/noodles dish, a turkey sandwich or a burger - they’re good . I don’t think that’s too difficult!
Definitely something we need to try organize - from what I recall one of the EA schools offers a regular tour of the arch department while another rarely does so but says they are happy to set up individual tours if people are visiting campus. We did do the department tour at Boulder and C26 did the summer workshop at SLO, so they do have two different arch/environmental design studios to use as comparison.
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So my D26 applied to 9 schools- submitted them all on August 1. Toured places, worked hard on her essay(s), asked for recommendations, etc., etc. And it all came down to her choosing Auburn as her number 1. All they want for application is Unofficial transcript, Official test scores and an uploaded resume. No essay, no recommendations, nothing else. And she heard back on 10/17 so she is DONE. She could have only submitted to Auburn and then waited to apply anywhere else, but she really wanted to submit everything all at once and be done. She still has 5 more schools to hear back from but at this point it is sort of moot. So I feel you on all that work for what ended up being a very easy, straight-forward application.
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Sometimes, the tour guide makes a difference. If the tour guide is offputting, not enthusiastic, indifferent, it can make a huge difference.
Not sure if schools even know the impact of a tour guide’s influence on the application process.
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Once acceptances are in we plan to narrow it to 3-4 that are within budget and that she likes and then do admitted student days or tours if those aren’t available. And then hopefully it becomes obvious which one she likes the most. She doesn’t care about dorms, just wants to live in one and says she doesn’t care if communal bathroom etc. Does care about food, but pasta, chicken sandwich, and salad will suffice.
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I wonder how much of the extensions are related to 11/1 being on a Saturday.
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It’s not like this was…a surprise though, right?
UIC always had their EA date as 11/3 this year, presumably for this reason (it’s usually 11/1).
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S26 is cutting his list down, we had a review of TAG with a local CC and since UCSD and UCSB are his top choices he’s not sure why he would bother applying to many other schools. UCSD doesn’t participate in TAG but still has a high transfer rate.
He applied and was accepted to University of Hawaii, he didn’t get any aid but they are part of WUE so tuition is manageable.
He’s applying to a few private schools but realistically he wants to be in socal in a UC which clears up the application process. He’s cut out 5-7 schools from his list as he would rather go the CC route than go to a private school he’s not excited about. I keep pushing Hawaii telling him I’d visit him in Honolulu multiples times a year. I don’t think that sold it.
Congrats to those who made a decision already. We have a few more months to go.
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@beefeater and @nervousmom8 Here, here! I like wine too! One day we should just drink wine while “chatting” on this thread!
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D19 had a number of friends who did the TAG route. SBCC is very popular for its similarity to attending a 4-year college (there’s also a thread somewhere on CC specifically about SBCC-UCSB).
Separately… I know we’ve spoken before here about the how that DC moms forum can be so scathing about non-t20ish colleges so I had some trepidation when a Google search about Pitt suggested a link there. But, to my astonishment, they seem to love it as much as CC! Full of reports about solid academics and happy kids.
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One last football game this coming Friday for S26 which happens to be Senior Night for him as well AND the last time their marching band will be performing their show. It will be a bittersweet night for him and his marching band senior friends. Four years of hours of practice, long competition days, long football game nights. I am going to be a hot mess. I love being a band mom - such a great supportive community!
Their marching band got a Superior rating yesterday (marching band assessment) AND also got 1st place again in their division/group. They’ve placed 1st in every competition this year, which is a first!
Today was mostly a rest day for S. He did fill out a self-reported thing (STARS) for Virginia Tech, completing his application finally (STARS was due Nov 10) and uploaded a PDF of his SAT scores for another college. Tomorrow he plans to finish his creative writing portfolio to submit and then on to RD apps and essays! (sigh).
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My S23 is currently at Pitt and loving it! So much opportunity for research - even for freshmen! You have to love an urban campus, but there’s so much green space nearby and within walking distance that you forget for a little while that you’re in an urban campus. Having CMU next door is wonderful and Pitt students can go to CMU’s library.
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The BS Arch students take 2 classes at CMU as a normal part of their curriculum.
I have said it before but bears repeating, so glad this forum raised awareness for us! From not even really on the radar about a month or so ago it is now a very solid option for C26. (And I am so glad there was no supplemental essay, because they were essayed-out by then and it would have been a hard no I’m sure.)
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For anyone going to Pitt for admitted students’ days, go to the Cathedral of Learning! “Cathy,” as students call it, gives out Harry Potter Hogwarts vibes - especially during Christmas. Sign up for a tour of the nationality rooms - they gorgeous and it’s incredible that students have classes in those beautiful rooms. You have to sign up/call to schedule a tour and tours fill up fast!
@SJ2727 that is awesome and exciting! I’m so glad your C applied! I wish my S applied, but he prefers the traditional campus - green spaces like at UVA - and I think he wants his “own” college separate from big brother! Pitt was recently named a public Ivy so I imagine lots of applications this year.
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Yeah a friends kid didn’t get accepted to any UC initially, went to DeAnza applied to engineering at UCLA and Cal and got accepted to both last year. He’ having a great time now and between his AP and DeAnza credits he could finish in two years.
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You know I’m with you on this! I made it through senior night in one piece, but our last run of the show is Fri, Nov 14, and then we’re having band banquet/awards night on Nov 17. I’m sure I’ll be a mess then. 
Our symphonic band and chorus is going on a trip to D.C. the first weekend of Thanksgiving break, and if the football team wins on Nov 14, we’ll have an away game more than an hour away on Nov 21. So D26 will get home close to midnight or later, and she has to be at the airport at 5:30 the next morning for a 7:40am flight. Oh, and the airport is an hour from our house.
Two years ago when they went to NYC, I didn’t let her go to the Friday night game. But there’s no reasonable way I can keep her home as a senior, in what might be her last high school football game ever. Oy.
I know we talked about this, but if your S26 lands at a school with a marching band, will he march? Mine can’t imagine not marching if there is a band, but I have some reservations about the commitment, especially if she lands somewhere like Pitt. I think she might just burn out. So I’m almost rooting for her to pick a school with just a pep band (in her case that would be RIT, provided she’s accepted).
But I’m not voicing any of this until all acceptances are in and we get a chance to do some more visits!
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I seriously think the weather and the tour guide have THE biggest impact on a perception/opinion of a school on a visit day.
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We made it through a very busy weekend. Senior night was Friday night. The football team LOST which is terrible, but the cheer team had a great night. Each senior was announced and got to run the field which was fun. Then it was off to Halloween parties until al hours. Saturday was their first cheer comp of the season- they got 2nd- had one stunt fall but considering they had to redo their routine at the 11th hour due to an athlete injury they looked good. Then more parties Saturday night, then powder puff practice Sunday morning. I am exhausted on her behalf! She spent the rest of the day with her new guy and seems to really be enjoying that. She has her housing time slot for school middle of the day Wednesday so she will come home to do that and then go back to school. First playoff gam this Friday and another cheer comp Saturday…
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We loved the student who did our tour at Rice – she was so fun and kind and down to earth, and she was playing some hilarious game with the other tour guides where she had to hold a spoon in the air the entire time she was giving us a tour? I dunno, but my kid was endlessly amused.
And then in a fun coincidence, she ended up being my daughter’s O-week mom. She graduated that year, but she still follows my kid on Insta and sends her supportive notes. That culture of care is pretty awesome.
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