Hey, I was on the 2009 thread for a while with my eldest DD, too! You would think the second go-around with youngest DD would be a piece of cake, but no!
My experience is similar to UGADOG, where eldest was the one that scored great on standardized tests, volunteered, had a good GPA and Honors/AP classes, was involved in school academic clubs, etc. She had to work hard for good grades, they didn't come easily, but she got them and hey, it really helped that she did well on those standardized tests, because she had a 32 on the ACT. We knew she had no problem going to the one, and only one, school she would apply to, Purdue.
DD #2 is a different story. She is terrible on standardized tests, yet learning is very easy for her. She picks up new concepts so quickly, and is a wonderful writer, but does not like to volunteer all that much, and school is more social than a place to strive for good grades to make that college application time easier! Last semester of Junior year, she finally realized that college was looming, so she buckled down and got all "A" grades, including the AP and honors classes, but hey, too little too late.
She also did not score as high on the ACT as we had hoped, getting only a 27 the first time, and a 25 the second time. She has a problem with timed tests, she gets very flustered and nervous that she won't finish. We know she could score higher, we are witness to her intelligence every day, but this is what she has, so this is what she is going to be sending on!
This DD is active in sports and band, however, and one of the things she would like in college are badminton and orchestra band programs. She also wants a smaller college than her sister's Purdue, but that makes it harder to find those extra activities!
Originally, DD was going to study Psychology, so over spring break, I took her to see schools within 5 hours of us that offer Psychology (5 hours away by car is her comfort level). After being a nanny this summer, she thinks Elementary Education is more her style, she she went to see the schools that offer that. I hope she won't change her mind again, but if so, I am thinking that she should go to a larger school, so she has options. But what do I know, I am just the parent!
So far, top schools are....
IU Bloomington, IN (loves the beauty of the campus, and best looking guys are there)
Eastern IL, Charleston, IL (says it is like Purdue, but smaller, likes the smaller size)
Quincy University, Quincy, IL (says campus is pretty)
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (sister goes there, and hot farm boys)
Illinois State, Bloomington, IL (did not like the city atmosphere)
Taylor University, Urban, IN (did not like the restrictive religious moral code you have to abide by, but liked the small school size - I liked the moral code!
)
She says that if her sister goes on to graduate school at Purdue, then she will go to Purdue. I am not sure she will get in to either Purdue or IU! Of course, she needs to start those college aps, and pray for some scholarships! Those Indiana schools are expensive for out-of-state residents!
Thank God we plan on moving to Southern IN once she is gone, and what I believe my top IL school fit for her, Eastern, does offer in-state rates for Indiana residents, so score for Eastern either way!
I believe this will be a bumpy ride!