@buuzn03
At this point I would go to a bookstore or a library and browse recent books on college application to get a big picture rather than browsing through the CC threads.
The only major tasks for sophomores are course planning for next year, planning/scheduling various tests, and summer program/activities planning.
Yes, now kids get to apply to a school within a school such as business school, engineering school, premed program, honors college within university, etc. Computer Science is a major most kids have to apply directly. This you will have to wait until DS explores and figures out his interests and areas of study. Very hard for a sophomore to know though!
On the National Merit thing, you get to worry about it only if DS scores very high on PSAT, close to 1500 out of 1520.
PSAT taken in October of Junior year is considered for that. So until then and when he comes back with a very high PSAT score in a year, nothing to worry about.
@payn4ward thanks!! I’ve Amazon primed a few of the recommended books…figured I’d read them and then he could use as bedside tables for his dorm when I’m done. I was able to find the school’s CC blog, which was helpful (it wasn’t as accessible as I would’ve thought). It did, however suggest slipping in schools while on vacations for preliminary ideas of what would be a good fit as early as IV-V summer break…so that made me feel much less crazy.
And they said anyone with interest in the military academies would need to notify their CC beginning of V form.
@ChoatieMom that’s a great story! I have to know…what major transitioned out of beauty school???
Interesting. Nice to know some BS feel they can assist with this process. The service academies never came up at Choate, and ChoatieKid’s CC pretty much said, “Well, we can’t help him there.” To be fair, though, not much is required of the high school for the SAs beyond transcripts and LORs. I’d be interested to know what other boarding schools actually do for SA candidates.
English Lit (Phi Beta Kappa), eventually to Harvard Business School and a soul-sucking career in technology from which I am now happily retired. I still cut hair and think I may have been happier in a salon. That BF is still my BF, and I bear her no ill-will for yanking me off my chosen path.
Wow!! That’s an awesome story, @ChoatieMom
I was accounting, switched to fashion merchandising with a business minor. Was in fashion industry for 2 years before recession caused the bottom to fall out. Went into insurance and did that for several years…before traveling a whole new circuitous route to my now work-from-home, nothing-to-do-with-my/college-major job. Lol
If DS decides on SA, I’ll definitely let you know how his school handles it…
Hi, I am joining in as a 2021 parent! My daughter was originally class of 2020 (which persists in my user name) but she just joined the class of 2021 at Cushing Academy this week! She was at a public school for 9th and half of 10th, then had some time off due to illness and anxiety treatment, and now she’s excited to be back in school as a Penguin!
Okay…either I have ESP or my digital activity is being monitored. Because since I posted that question about colleges, we’ve received several letters from schools addressed to buuznkid. And neither of us requested info from anyone. :-?
I wish I knew it was ESP…then I could go to Vegas or win the lottery and be able to pay for said college education!!!
Did buuznkid attend (or just briefly visit on the way to class) a college fair at school? It only takes giving your info to a couple reps in passing to start the flow of marketing/recruiting material.
@Altras no—he said they do those in the Spring. And the colleges he’s getting info from are not really any he would’ve Visited with at a fair? He actually thought I was the one initiating it…someone at his old school (local administration) suggested it came from the ACT/PSAT tests he recently took…idk. I just thought it a bit eery since I had just brought up the subject. (Oh…and as an aside, looks like Spring Break will be extraction time -if I can find a willing OMF surgeon…sigh. They all want “consultation visits” first. But his orthodontist is trying to help me persuade an all at once approach. )
I have heard of other people with 2021 kids receiving unsolicited college mail based on the PSATs, so probably that if DS took them in the fall? See, the college rat race is already getting to me — it was bugging me that DS has only received one piece of college mail (he takes PSATs in Feb). He is, however, still receiving prep school emails…
The ESP is real. I read the JBS thread and am now getting JBS ads on my FB feed.
@buuzn03 I was wondering about the wisdom tooth situation and thinking about the need for a consultation. Maybe consult on a Friday/surgery Monday? I am having a hard time even getting haircuts scheduled.
@CTMom21 we keep getting BS emails, too. And I keep thinking they are for buuznkid2, but they are all still addressed to buuznkid1! And that’s eery about the JBS’s! I actually requested infrom from several of them last year…only one sends me emails!
@CTMom21 I’ve been trying to get any of them to call back to agree to something like that…just waiting for the phone to ring. Lol. Thanks for thinking of us. This is when I wish we only lived a few hours away!
Yeah, it’s hard enough having to schedule around the school schedule and all the mandatory extras…definitely way harder when you are a long plane flight away.
Another thought (because my “minor” is planning and logistics) — does SMS have a break next weekend? Will he be home Friday or Monday?
No. No breaks until Spring Break. The only day off is Presidents’ Day but they still have Saturday classes and a game on Saturday. And the dental offices are all closed for Presidents’ Day. Grrr
I’ve been creeping over to the other side of the board…and it is scary over there! SwimKid didn’t take the PSAT because there was a tournament that day, so no college info coming in the mail yet. Trying not to think too much about it, but I did make him create a list of schools over break. I’m sure the CCs may laugh at it but a kid can dream LOL! Hoping to take a road trip this summer just to get an idea of size and location. Can’t we just freeze them in time?
We have been getting deluged with testing information — I say “deluged” though it’s just been a couple of emails, but I feel like the dam has broken. DS doesn’t take the PSATs this year at all, but they are doing a full-length mock SAT today and later in the spring will do a mock ACT, and then the college office will work with us to figure out which to focus on, prep strategy, etc. Standardized tests are not DS’s strong suit and I am expecting very uneven scores and some discouragement, but I am really trying to not get crazy (yet)!