Both my kids had very respectable ACT subscores – except for the essay. I had read that some rescores of the essays produced better results, so it might be worth looking into as YMMV. We missed the boat, and/or decided rescoring wasn’t such a big deal, especially as both kids got 5s on the A.P. Literature, which would seem to prove they can write on standardized tests, as separate from proving it on personal application essays and course grades. If interested, see threads on college side of CC about ACT essay writing controversies.
@Charger78 My kids did score super well on the writing components of their standardized tests but both are good writers and the one that scored the lowest on the standardized tests actually gets a lot of accolades for his writing in college. ACT/SAT writing is very formulaic and something neither kid focused on learning and practicing much. They also don’t do well with wiring with time constraints. Oh well! Both go to strong colleges that are good fits for them. One child has really lousy handwriting and I can’t imagine that helps.
“ACT/SAT writing is very formulaic” — another argument for ScultorDad’s daughter following the lead of her teachers right now.
@twinsmama , dd scored strangely, uncharacteristically low on the ACT essay as well. I saw something on CC about re-scoring but it we were past the allotted time. The same kid got a perfect score on the SAT essay and she took the SAT within a few weeks (maybe even one week?) of the ACT! The schools she applied to indicated that they only used the essay to validate the personal essay, if they used it at all.
On a separate topic…what are people’s experiences with when the College Counselors start transitioning from working with seniors to working more actively with the juniors?
I’m a bit antsy to get the process started for 7D2 and her school’s CCs seem pretty tied up with getting the current seniors (Class of 2017) squared away before addressing Class of 2018 questions/needs/hopes/dreams.
@SevenDad At my kids’ school at the time, the focus on juniors didn’t began until January, which makes sense given that was when college counselors got a break from working with the seniors/
What are you antsy to do exactly? I would imagine you are well versed with the process given D1 having gone through it. I would imagine one difference for you would be that D2 is a recruitable athlete and how to play that angle. If it is something along those lines, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to head of college counseling but also her coach and the athletic director as they would likely have some knowledge to share.
Or is this just you in Tiger Dad mode? 
This process seems to be starting now for us at Cate. CCs have been assigned, and group meetings are beginning - I think that these are more process-oriented though, and not necessarily individualized, but I could be wrong. I know that we parents have a lengthy questionnaire to fill out! Gotta get on that…
@doschicos: Yes, it is because of the athletic recruitment angle (or at least that’s what I’m telling people ;-P) …which was not a factor in 7D1’s college process.
In daughter’s sport, very often things are settled by Summer Nationals in July after junior year and I just want to make sure she’s doing the right tests at the right time, etc. I have reached out to a CC who had answered some questions for us in August, but haven’t gotten much response. I’ll try the AD angle (though the sport is not a scholastic sport at new BS) in Jan…if I can wait that long!
We had some general parent sessions at Parents Weekend in October of 11th grade, and the parents survey in the fall I think, but they really focus on 12th graders until January, then transition to 11th graders. DS2 school (he is a freshman at a day school) recommends that seniors be done with applications by this week, prior to exams. DS1 is still working on some supplements.
@carpoolingma , ACT will no longer rescore, so it is what it is. And everything else in his application will give that score the lie.
My post #61 should have read “did not score well” I wouldn’t worry about it, @twinsmama. It’s usually something the colleges give the least weight to when looking at standardized scores, if they consider it at all.
Bump.
Perhaps we could have all Class of 20XX Threads pinned to top. @skieurope
done.
Just finished parent questionnaire on Naviance for DS. His school has tons on information available. Spent some time reviewing scattergrams of admitted students. I was actually shocked at suggested colleges lists. I am pretty displeased with his GPA, and thought this would limit his possibilities. Hoping once he sees the stats for admitted students, it might motivate him to push himself a little more academically. He. Is taking ACT in February- let’s hope I can get him to study.
My DS’s school starts the process with a weekend on campus. They will have numerous talks and available times to meet with the college counselors. I’m looking forward to spending the time with our son as well as the other 2018 parents. DS took the ACT in October (I think) and did quite well, probably better than expected. His percentage on the PSAT was significantly lower so he was told he can stick with the good ACT score and be done with testing. I think he’s quite relieved.
I haven’t really focused too much on the college stuff as I also have another DS applying to BS this cycle. We are on the final leg of the process and then we will focus on colleges. We plan to take a trip this March break to get a good look at some identified schools. Does the craziness ever end??
I am delighted to have found this thread (no clue how I missed it until now : )!
@SevenDad the junior year workload is tough! Swimkid is often up until 1-2 am - or so he says - working on papers and studying. A far, far cry from the workload his former classmates at home seem to experience - again, according to Swimkid and the friends he caught up with over the holidays.
College counseling for the Class of 2018 began on Saturday of Thanksgiving Break with a full morning dedicated to the process for both parents and students. We learned how to access Naviance and what to expect over the remainder of the school year. Swimkid had to complete a Naviance information survey over Thanksgiving that earned him a 1:1 meeting with his college advisor. He had the meeting and took both the SAT and ACT before Christmas. Scores were fine, but need to be higher for several of the schools on his list that he would really like to attend.
Swimkid warned his college advisor about me at his 1:1 meeting - LOL! I lived up to the hype by sending a spreadsheet of the “list” with categories for everything from test score averages and Greek life to varsity sports (he is hoping to swim DIII) to both Swimkid and his advisor at the end of Christmas Break. I ranked each school as safety (financial and/or academic), match (low or high) or reach. I know that his school does a great job with college advising, but I am a worrier and creating the list was the only way to deal with my stress!! Yes, Swimdad and Swimkid helped create the list over break.
We are now waiting on Swimkid and his advisor to review and edit the list based on Naviance scattergrams that we don’t get access to. Once we have the edited list from Swimkid and his advisor, college tour planning will go into full swing! Swimdad is picking up Swimkid for Spring Break and touring colleges in the Northeast and Virginia. I am planning another round of tours with Swimkid over break that includes a few more NC and Tennessee schools.
Are you sure you can’t access the Naviance system? It’s just a login. At public schools, students and parents are given access logins to Naviance.
And can other BS parents comment as to if they have access to Naviance?
My kids’ school gave students and parents access. Prior to 2010, they didn’t but some parents called them out on it and the policy was changed. Schools can tailor it so students/parents can see only what the school authorizes.
We had access from the middle of junior year.