High School Class 2013: Picking Colleges..Check in Here!

[MerMom60_94]

Sorry, my DD didn't look at Emmanuel at all.

FTR, since we knew her fall was going to be really busy, we tried to at least hit the far away colleges over the summer. In addition to cross country, she takes several dance classes a week, babysits, and has honors and AP classes, so I didn't want to add additional pressure. She's pushing to do Early Acceptance, not me--I figure, she can always go regular, but she wants to get applications out of the way. I know a lot of parents want the decision earlier rather than later, but I figure, this is such a big deal, and I'm not going, so the last thing she needs is me pushing. Of course, this depends a great deal on the child's personality, too.

My thought on the visit is, at least now she'll have visited 4 campuses (5, if you count Keene State, which is 2 miles away and she dances there). So, she at least has a good idea of what's important to her in a campus. We will definitely visit any other strong contenders before she decides. Also, if she gets into Loyola, we might make a second trip down there to actually attend classes and see what it's like when the students are there. That's really her dream school.

P.S. Can you work in campus visits on some of the odd days off, like Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, school workshop days? I don't remember which ones MA gets, beyond Patriot's Day...

This is what we will have to do. Volleyball will end early in November so she and my husband could probably hit up a couple of the Boston area schools after she gets out of school in the afternoons, especially if she has an early release. Turns out DH was confused and thought she had to have all her apps in by the end of this month. I know that isn't the case, but I also know the earlier she submits her applications and paperwork, the earlier she gets looked at and by waiting too long funding at the schools that offer monetary assistance may dry up. It is kind of my personality to set goals and make a plan and move forward. I think I probably just have to chill a little bit. She is looking and she is working on it. Today my DH is working and apparently her BF has plans this afternoon so I am hoping I can calmly get her to do some work on her essay and looking at some scholarships.

 

[marcyinPA]

DH and DS are going to Eastern University in St. David's, PA on Monday. I am SO bummed that I can't go. This is the one I wanted to see the most. I am a teacher and have an inservice that day that I can't get out of.

I am anticipating that DS will love it, as everyone he knows who has visited there or who goes there loves it. If he loves it, he will have to fill out that app and write the essay this week, as well as finish the essay for Messiah College. He has been dragging his feet on the writing part. They both have free apps until Nov. 15- so I am trying to get him to understand that it is important to get them in soon (at least to save us some $$).

 

[MerMom60_94]

DH and DS are going to Eastern University in St. David's, PA on Monday. I am SO bummed that I can't go. This is the one I wanted to see the most. I am a teacher and have an inservice that day that I can't get out of.

I am anticipating that DS will love it, as everyone he knows who has visited there or who goes there loves it. If he loves it, he will have to fill out that app and write the essay this week, as well as finish the essay for Messiah College. He has been dragging his feet on the writing part. They both have free apps until Nov. 15- so I am trying to get him to understand that it is important to get them in soon (at least to save us some $$).

Let's hope he gets accepted and then you will be able to go there often. I am going to have to give up on the notion of being there for all DD's visits. I just started a new job in May and already have had to take time off for surgery and doctors visits. I don't really have the flexibility right now to join in on week day visits and since it looks like the last couple of schools will be visited while I am at work I will be in the same boat.

 

[ugadog99]

OH MY GOODNESS!!! My DD received her first acceptance today!! It's to Coastal Carolina University! The ironic part about that is CCU was the college who sent the "you look great but try the test again" letter on Monday! On Sunday afternoon, I actually went in to ACT and sent the scores that were from the June testing that had been a teeny tiny bit higher than the September testing. She didn't do writing in June, so that's why we didn't send those scores. Whatever...I guess that tiny little difference was enough.

She still has to go through the interview/portfolio reveiw process with the theatre department. However, just knowing there is one acceptance feels really good. I will continue with the plan of having the AP send the letter to the admission counselors regarding her test scores to all the other colleges.

She's volunteering at her "new" theatre company today, has a B in math (first time ever in HS), got a college acceptance today, and has Monday and Tuesday out of school. Pretty great weekend here!

 

[padams]

OH MY GOODNESS!!! My DD received her first acceptance today!! It's to Coastal Carolina University! The ironic part about that is CCU was the college who sent the "you look great but try the test again" letter on Monday! On Sunday afternoon, I actually went in to ACT and sent the scores that were from the June testing that had been a teeny tiny bit higher than the September testing. She didn't do writing in June, so that's why we didn't send those scores. Whatever...I guess that tiny little difference was enough.

She still has to go through the interview/portfolio reveiw process with the theatre department. However, just knowing there is one acceptance feels really good. I will continue with the plan of having the AP send the letter to the admission counselors regarding her test scores to all the other colleges.

She's volunteering at her "new" theatre company today, has a B in math (first time ever in HS), got a college acceptance today, and has Monday and Tuesday out of school. Pretty great weekend here!

Congratulations! Nice campus. Close enough to Myrtle Beach to get to work on the many theatre productions there.

 

[luvavacation]

Congrats to your daughter, Ugadog99! It sure is a relief to know that at least one place definitely wants our respective children! Even if my DD never finishes that last essay for the 4th college she is applying to, at least I know she has one place to go!

And now I have a question for those of you with children that have accommodations - if your child has trouble concentrating due to ADHD or ADD, do you pretty much fill out the application and write the essay for your child?

I ask because I have a friend that is at this point with her son. She has him applying to 8 or 9 colleges, and he has no preference for one college over the other. Because he is so slow to make a decision, his mom pretty much makes all decisions for him (that Eagle Scout project he completed? pretty much mom did all the work so he could write "Eagle Scout" on his applications). She says that it takes him a long time just to fill out his name and address on the applications, and he often stops and gets distracted, and goes off to play his video game. He will go back and work on the apps when she yells at him to do so, but she is frustrated over how long it takes him to do anything. She has therefore decided that, in the interest of finishing these apps on time, she will fill in all the blanks and write up a generic essay for him to start from.

My friend asked me what I thought of this, and I told her I did not like it. However, I am not in the same boat as she is, for neither of my children have ADD or ADHD, or any other accommodations. I do have one daughter that is a terrible procrastinator that only completed one application, but luckily it was to her #1 choice school and she was accepted. DD #2 is stuck on her last app out of 4, but she is busy again in school, and she knows that if she wants to go to that school, it is up to her to make the effort. I don't mind helping with the essay, but I won't fill it all out for her.

Do the parents of kids with ADD or ADHD normally help their kids to this extent? If so, do these children still go on to succeed in college? I know her worry is what will happen if he goes off to college and no one is standing over him to make sure he completes his assignments, but I don't understand how her completing his applications is going to help him.

Does it not matter in the long run? Is this how other parents of ADD/ ADHD kids help their children get to college? Never having faced this myself, I find I may be uninformed on how much help these children really do need. I do support my friend with her trials in regards to her son, but I will give my honest opinion if she asks for it, so if I was wrong to disagree with her on this aspect, please tell me. She is the only close friend I have with a child that has received accommodations, but it seems like there are other parents on this thread that have children similar, so I wondered what the thoughts were on this matter.

 

[ugadog99]

My daughter has ADD and anxiety. She is UBER busy with all her theatre projects, but she is also HIGHLY motivated to get out of this town and on to bigger and better theatre. That is what has kept her moving on her apps. I proof all her writing and usually review her apps, but I don't complete anything for her. Now, what I will do is email the schools for her when we have questions that need to be answered/issues to address. However, when I do that, I always make sure it is through her email and sign her name to it. I know the admission counselors look at that kind of thing. She is just so swamped with classes, projects, apps, and theatre, that I give her a break with the emails.

I understand your friend being frustrated, but I really don't know how I feel about her doing it all for him. I see both sides, I guess. If he isn't motivated enough to complete the necessary forms, what will he do if he goes off to college?

 

[Christine]

Congrats to your daughter, Ugadog99! It sure is a relief to know that at least one place definitely wants our respective children! Even if my DD never finishes that last essay for the 4th college she is applying to, at least I know she has one place to go!

And now I have a question for those of you with children that have accommodations - if your child has trouble concentrating due to ADHD or ADD, do you pretty much fill out the application and write the essay for your child?

I ask because I have a friend that is at this point with her son. She has him applying to 8 or 9 colleges, and he has no preference for one college over the other. Because he is so slow to make a decision, his mom pretty much makes all decisions for him (that Eagle Scout project he completed? pretty much mom did all the work so he could write "Eagle Scout" on his applications). She says that it takes him a long time just to fill out his name and address on the applications, and he often stops and gets distracted, and goes off to play his video game. He will go back and work on the apps when she yells at him to do so, but she is frustrated over how long it takes him to do anything. She has therefore decided that, in the interest of finishing these apps on time, she will fill in all the blanks and write up a generic essay for him to start from.

My friend asked me what I thought of this, and I told her I did not like it. However, I am not in the same boat as she is, for neither of my children have ADD or ADHD, or any other accommodations. I do have one daughter that is a terrible procrastinator that only completed one application, but luckily it was to her #1 choice school and she was accepted. DD #2 is stuck on her last app out of 4, but she is busy again in school, and she knows that if she wants to go to that school, it is up to her to make the effort. I don't mind helping with the essay, but I won't fill it all out for her.

Do the parents of kids with ADD or ADHD normally help their kids to this extent? If so, do these children still go on to succeed in college? I know her worry is what will happen if he goes off to college and no one is standing over him to make sure he completes his assignments, but I don't understand how her completing his applications is going to help him.

Does it not matter in the long run? Is this how other parents of ADD/ ADHD kids help their children get to college? Never having faced this myself, I find I may be uninformed on how much help these children really do need. I do support my friend with her trials in regards to her son, but I will give my honest opinion if she asks for it, so if I was wrong to disagree with her on this aspect, please tell me. She is the only close friend I have with a child that has received accommodations, but it seems like there are other parents on this thread that have children similar, so I wondered what the thoughts were on this matter.

Okay, so I think I could write a book on this!!

Both of my kids have ADHD to some degree. My son has/had the "classic" kind in that when he was in 1st grade, you just KNEW it. My DD has/had the inattentive kind and it took years to figure out the problem and she's actually never found a way to really cope with it. Sooooooo....my son, who appears to have it worse, has gotten much better with age. I'm pleased as punch at what a good student he is and he is very motivated. I don't worry much for him. He is completing all his applications and working on his essays. I did try to brainstorm with him for essay topics where the school did not provide a prompt and I did come on the DIS hoping to get some insight on how people approached a "personal statement" without a prompt, and I took a lot of grief on that and was pretty much accused of writing my son's essay. You gotta love this place sometimes, right? Anyway, even though he has ADHD, the medication works well for him, he is highly motivated to go to college, and he's working on it with very minimal help from me.

My DD (who is now 21) is another story. Realize that this was my first child and she went to a school where something like 98% of the grads go to college. It was a lot of pressure. She had poor grades, lackluster SAT scores, and no ability to organize herself to apply to the 8 colleges she needed to. It was just awful. Seeing that, I should have just said "OK, you don't want to do this, then you're not ready to go." But hindsight is 20/20 and it was really kind of scary then. Yes, I did her apps. I did not write her essays but I was on her like you wouldn't believe to get them done. The nice part was that most of the schools she applied to did not require one. In the last 4 years, that certainly has changed!!! My son is applying to some of the same schools and they now require them.

My feeling on this is not so much that it's "wrong". But, to me, it is a good indicator that the child is not ready for college. My DD did get accepted to a college and she did get put on academic suspension. She loved her college and was devastated. It was just the kick in the pants she needed. She came home, went to community college for a year, and then went back to her school. In that time, she learned what it takes FROM HER to be successful in college. She now carries a 3.4 GPA. Do I wish that I had just stayed out of it and forced the community college path? No, I don't think I'd change a thing. She hated community college here and she got a taste of the 4-year-college so after that she had a clear goal. Her flat-out failure was an invaluable lesson for her.

That all said, it really depends on this boy. Are his grades good? His test scores good? If so, and it's just organization, then he just might need that "help" with the applications. I urge your friend to at least, verbally, get him involved in the essay process. Sometimes if he can just shout out his thoughts and she can type, it really helps. Also, if he has accommodations in place in high school, those definitely need to be transferred to the college. My DD does not have accommodations but her advisors have stated that if she could get one, they could really do a lot for her.

 

[marcyinPA]

OH MY GOODNESS!!! My DD received her first acceptance today!! It's to Coastal Carolina University! The ironic part about that is CCU was the college who sent the "you look great but try the test again" letter on Monday! On Sunday afternoon, I actually went in to ACT and sent the scores that were from the June testing that had been a teeny tiny bit higher than the September testing. She didn't do writing in June, so that's why we didn't send those scores. Whatever...I guess that tiny little difference was enough.

She still has to go through the interview/portfolio reveiw process with the theatre department. However, just knowing there is one acceptance feels really good. I will continue with the plan of having the AP send the letter to the admission counselors regarding her test scores to all the other colleges.

She's volunteering at her "new" theatre company today, has a B in math (first time ever in HS), got a college acceptance today, and has Monday and Tuesday out of school. Pretty great weekend here!

Congratulations to your daughter!!!

 

[Christine]

OH MY GOODNESS!!! My DD received her first acceptance today!! It's to Coastal Carolina University! The ironic part about that is CCU was the college who sent the "you look great but try the test again" letter on Monday! On Sunday afternoon, I actually went in to ACT and sent the scores that were from the June testing that had been a teeny tiny bit higher than the September testing. She didn't do writing in June, so that's why we didn't send those scores. Whatever...I guess that tiny little difference was enough.

I know several kids who go to CCU and really like it. A few of my daughter's high school friends went there and are in their senior year. They seemed to be a little bit more "generous" in admitting kids who don't overly test as well as these were the traits of the kids we know who got in there. My cousin went there but had excellent scores and GPA.

This was a school that probably would have accepted my DD but there was no way we could have afforded their tuition! I'm sure my DD would have loved it there.

 

[ugadog99]

Yeah, I'm not sure I can afford it either, Christine. One thing I learned with older DD was just to let her apply where she wanted as long as she understood the decision all came down to aid. My younger DD understands this, too. It's just nice to get one acceptance.

 

[Christine]

Yeah, I'm not sure I can afford it either, Christine. One thing I learned with older DD was just to let her apply where she wanted as long as she understood the decision all came down to aid. My younger DD understands this, too. It's just nice to get one acceptance.

Yes it certainly is nice. I think I will breathe a huge sigh of relief after the first one. But heck, he hasn't even applied!

It would be nice if they did offer some sort of break on the tuition for your daughter. I've never heard one negative thing about that school.

 

[ugadog99]

Giving us a bump as it's been a while since anyone checked in.

My daughter has her final Region One Act competition today. If they win, then it's on to State in two weeks. I think we are both having some mixed feelings about this being the final show with the school.

But then....at the final performance of the show earlier this week, the director made a few remarks after the show was finished. He acknowledged the stage manager, the stage crew, the cast, but he didn't recognize lights or sound. Lights = my daughter. Now, she didn't hear what he was saying because she was in the booth and he was on the floor of the auditorium not speaking very loudly, but I heard it and so did my older D. Further, when my older D went up to the ticket booth to get our tickets for the night, he brushed right by her and said nothing. Keep in mind she is a former student of his. Ugh.....this crap I won't miss!

My D decided to apply to one test optional schoolePaul. She is almost finished with that app. Once it is complete then all applications will be done! Up for the weekend is sprucing up and updating her portfolio. Next weekend is fixing up the prompt books. At that point she should be ready to move forward to interviews/portfolio reviews.

I hope all is going well with your kiddos!

 

[mom2travel]

Giving us a bump as it's been a while since anyone checked in.

My daughter has her final Region One Act competition today. If they win, then it's on to State in two weeks. I think we are both having some mixed feelings about this being the final show with the school.

But then....at the final performance of the show earlier this week, the director made a few remarks after the show was finished. He acknowledged the stage manager, the stage crew, the cast, but he didn't recognize lights or sound. Lights = my daughter. Now, she didn't hear what he was saying because she was in the booth and he was on the floor of the auditorium not speaking very loudly, but I heard it and so did my older D. Further, when my older D went up to the ticket booth to get our tickets for the night, he brushed right by her and said nothing. Keep in mind she is a former student of his. Ugh.....this crap I won't miss!

My D decided to apply to one test optional schoolePaul. She is almost finished with that app. Once it is complete then all applications will be done! Up for the weekend is sprucing up and updating her portfolio. Next weekend is fixing up the prompt books. At that point she should be ready to move forward to interviews/portfolio reviews.

I hope all is going well with your kiddos!

Just breathe and remember you're almost done with him! :


DS submitted his first app last weekend!
He has a few more in the works. Hopefully those will be submitted in the next week or so. I think I've convinced him to add more safeties to his list. His stats are all over the place and we have no idea how they will be perceived by each school. I know he's anxious to see his latest SAT scores when they come out next week.
In the meantime, just trying to enjoy our family time while we have it

 

[marcyinPA]

Just breathe and remember you're almost done with him! :


DS submitted his first app last weekend!
He has a few more in the works. Hopefully those will be submitted in the next week or so. I think I've convinced him to add more safeties to his list. His stats are all over the place and we have no idea how they will be perceived by each school. I know he's anxious to see his latest SAT scores when they come out next week.
In the meantime, just trying to enjoy our family time while we have it

Sounds similar to my DS. He has two apps done (easy ones- no essays) and submitted, but two apps with essays to write. The apps are done- but not the essays. He is truly dragging his feet on them.

I know a year will make a big difference, but I am starting to question his maturity to handle a college environment. Last night, the "you know what" hit the fan, as I walked into his room and thought a bomb exploded in there. The place is a mess- water bottles and wrappers and papers and clothes- just disgusting. The lack of organization, along with procrastinating writing essays and doing an anatomy project- makes me wonder how the heck he will make it next year, when I am not around to nag him?! I feel like it is a double-edged sword. He needs to be on his own to learn how to be on his own, but he might need a year of community college to grow the heck up.

Anyone else feel this way about their college bound kid?

 

[Tinijocaro]

We are anxiously awaiting ds's new sat scores. He got his act fe a 32 to a 34. His sat was 1390? Or something close to that. We are moving the day those new scores come out. Could be a great day or a not so great day.

D'S is staying home alone this weekend an will be working hard on his essays. He's been pretty good so far about working but we are moving next week and he's going to lose some time.

I cant wait till all decisions have been made and financial aide has been settled. I just want to know.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

My DD has requested here recommendations, and her essay has now been reviewed twice by an English teacher, so I think it's just about there. I am staying the heck out of it--she's under enough stress right now, and if she misses the 11/1 deadline, it's not the end of the world.

DD visited Boston U. with her dad last weekend. It was an open house for the ed. dept., and she had a great time. BU was her #2 choice, but may have bumped Loyola out of #1 after this.

DD also got inducted into the World Language Honor Society this week, which should look good on her resume. I was really surprised--in a very competitive school, with 1700 students, only 26 kids were inducted--about half as many as got regular NHS.

SATs are coming up again on Nov. 3. This is our last round. Even if she only gains 20-30 points, it'll be worth it.

 

[PlutoPony]

Joining in with a PSA of the day on college apps. When you're looking at essays in online apps that have a limit on how long they can be, make sure you know the unit of measure! That may sound strange but my son had one application that had a limit of 500 and of course he thought that meant 500 words..... no problem. NO, it was 500 characters! In school they've never been faced with writing a limited number of characters, it's always words, paragraphs, pages, etc. He had done the essay offline and was ready to cut/paste it into the application - oops! It was his bad, should have read more closely but he's never done anything that had a character limitation. Fortunately it was only 7pm when he realized this and he had time to revamp it and meet the midnight deadline but thought I'd mention this as a cautionary tale lol.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Good point about the character limit. It's hard to do but I guess that's the point. To make each word count and really only use the words you need to get your point across.

 

[mom2travel]

Good point about the character limit. It's hard to do but I guess that's the point. To make each word count and really only use the words you need to get your point across.

Yes, DS' app he submitted last weekend had several 500 character questions on it. When he was over, he would come asking me to help proof and eliminate unnecessary spaces & words