<p>Hi Cheers,
I wasn't clear, my son is a junior, and we are in NY. He has taken the US History SATII and got a 770 and the Math 1 (A?) and got a 690, taken both of them at the end of 10th grade.
He is an avid skier, but not a great ski racer - soccer is more his sport, so we were thinking small LACs with Div III soccer teams, so perhaps he could play. And I do think a bit of it is just immaturity - he is going to be 17 this summer and is just becoming girl crazy, acting like a 13 year old girl!</p>
<p>Thanks for the new perspective - I have not heard of Pitzer, will go check it out. Thank you,</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pitzer.edu/about/index.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.pitzer.edu/about/index.asp</a></p>
<p>Lots of good soccer, too!</p>
<p>I like your idea, jonri, and will take it up with him - the only issues are that he is going to Japan on an exchange program at the end of June for 2 weeks, and then is going to a soccer camp at one of the colleges. Maybe we should get rid of the college soccer program and go to summer school instead. </p>
<p>(and he did apply to Exeter for 9th grade, but we pulled his application because I couldn't bear the idea of sending him away. I think it would have been better for him in the long run, but not for me.)</p>
<p>Thanks, Paying, lots and lots of good points, which is why I felt comfortable asking here. How did you know about those SAT books that sit around the house?? LOL! That is why he is going to the course - they make him do the work, which he sees as optional as it is not "schoolwork." He would rather watch the history channel and read books about WWII.</p>
<p>And it is VERY tough to not criticize the system that he is in - we are really not the usual family here, probably 10% of kids have parents who want them up and out of here, but I try to balance my criticism with plans for him to succeed in the system.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Finally, as to admissions success - not sure how a combination of rather stellar SAT (1470+) score but rather lackluster GPA (89) will work.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Is that really lackluster? Thank God my daughter's high school still ranks because that would be a top 10% GPA at her school. It seems pretty solid to me even at a school with more liberal grading, especially if there aren't really bad grades in the mix pulling it down. He's got a lot going for him.</p>
<p>Thank you very much!
Adigal</p>
<p>We had been visiting small LAC colleges because he thinks he wants that small family feeling, although he is not shy by any means (he is either called the Mayor or the Town Crier by most people - :) I am going to look into some in the area - any experience with the University of Rochester? Thanks!</p>
<p>Yes, according to his PSAT scores, a few college counselors I have talked to predict around 1450 SATs out of 1600. I am thinking more like 1400 to 1420, but they may be higher. His SATIIs have been 770 in US History and 690 in Math A (or Math 1, I can never remember that test.)
Thanks,
Adigal</p>
<p>I cannot even suggest that to him - he would be on the plane to go visit, and pay for it himself!! :)</p>
<p>We hadn't talked about him going so far, since we live in the NE, and there are so many college choices around here.</p>
<p>Mini,
I haven't researched any universities with good Honors colleges - do you know of any offhand? Also, does a kid apply to the Honor's program, or do they offer students a place in the program regardless of whether the student has applied or not?</p>
<p>CalMom,
According to his PSAT scores, he should get about a 1450 out of 1600; I didn't include the Writing section, just the CR and Math.</p>
<p>Huskemm,
Did you go there, or know someone who went there? My son liked that school a LOT for these reasons: most students lived on campus, they have those Centers, and since he loves chem and history, that might help him, it is near the salt water, (we used to live by the beach in the summer, and it is in all of our blood!!) we saw a professor teaching a class in the Student Center with some pizzas and lots and lots of flyers for activities, and they have an Honor Code, which I liked, and he thinks he would like too.
And info about the school would be much appreciated, and whether he would get in there also.</p>
<p>Thanks - he liked Bates a lot when we visited. I really liked it for the most part, was not too keen on one aspect: when we were there, the school newspaper had an article on the increase in damage to the houses they use as dorms - is this unusual, or do the kids get bored and party way too much on the weekends?</p>
<p>Interesting suggestion - thanks, and no apologies necessary! Oberlin has been mentioned to me once, but I did not know about the music conservatory, which adds to the culture, I am sure. Are you familiar with Kenyon? I have come across that one too.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions - adding them to the list of research!</p>
<p>My impression is you could think of Kenyon as match/safety but Oberlin as match/reach.</p>
<p>As I also dwell in bee-yootiful upstate NY, I think it's worth looking at URochester or Syracuse U as match schools, but he might not feel he's gaining any wings to go so close. And I'm not forgetting Mini's concerns, either. Roch and Syr have the greater univeristy offerings, but I do not perceive that kids "love their school city" when they go to Albany, Roch, Syr, or Buf. They do, however, like their SCHOOLS and get positively caught up in campus spirit and all opportunities! In our upstate cities, the students express, correctly I'm afraid, that these upstate NY cities are just not prosperous and shiny the way NYC, Boston and Chicago are. Students find those cities exciting, and for good reason, whereas they just put up with Alb, Syr, Roch, Buf, of which Buf IS the best of the bunch. </p>
<p>What do you think re: Cornell University? </p>
<p>And as a great nearby safety school for you, with genuine familyness in the same town as Cornell University is "Ithaca College," with strong offerings in musical theater, music, radio, communications in BFA and BA departments. Their history department emphasizes history or history education and seems to be training future h.s. history teachers. Your S might be head-and-shoulders above the intellectual level and mini's making a good point that to have a broad, big course catalogue of choices he'd be much better off at Cornell than at Ithaca. Think of Ithaca as a possible "safety" and visit (while also seeing Cornell) to see if your S likes the balance of the creative spark from all the performing talents at Ithaca College. I'm also thinking that Ithaca College might put him up in their top levels for merit scholarship consideration. </p>
<p>I enjoy your spirit of exploration.</p>
<p>University of Vermont just opened a new dorm this fall for their honors college. if you visit or show interest they will send you a VIP Application with no additional essay required and no application fee. </p>
<p>If he is interested in DIV III soccer, it would be good to contact the coaches at schools he is interested. Most have a recruitment questionaire on their website. He may also want to consider schools with club soccer teams.</p>
<p>IMO HS students who are interested in playing a sport should have a few more schools on their list, especially if they are not highly recruited.</p>
<p>Thanks, Paying. We looked at Cornell and Ithaca - they were the first ones we looked at. Ithaca had no students there, so hard to tell what it was like. Cornell - oooohhh - scary at first, so huge. I went to a state school, but it was nowhere near as spread out as Cornell, but once we went on tour, the colleges make it seem smaller. My son liked it, it is on his list, but we are thinking reach. </p>
<p>We loved the town of Ithaca, however, and if he might get some scholarship from the school it is worth a return trip. And NYU was on his list, but we thought too big, not enough of a campus feel. U of Chicago I read was a really rigorous school, which you can probably tell is not really his cup of tea. He wants laid back kids, not overly competitive, he doesn't like that feeling (is Cornell cutthroat like that?)
Thanks,</p>
<p>Thanks for the info - I didn't know that. I will ask him if he will go check out the website, find out some info.</p>