@buuzn03 Not a BS parent here, but a private school parent. I feel for you on the FA element. S19 was ranked #2 in this year’s graduating class. Was accepted into two top-20 private schools plus the honors program/college at our 2 state schools. We are in the middle, could have swung a private if that was what he really wanted (gulp!), but they don’t offer merit aid and we were not eligible for need-based aid. He chose one of the state schools and the boatload of merit aid (yes, real merit aid!) that they offered. He is thriving there in the honors college.
Other kids who were accepted to private colleges “naturally” went to those. I got a lecture from the mom of one of his friends who was “appalled” that I wasn’t “supporting the best future” for my son. Can’t wait for the same discussions regarding S21…
Help your son find a great fit - there are good opportunities at many college, including state schools!
Well, DS said he’s not sure how the test went…he really had to pee twice and the proctor said to raise your hand if you needed a break. He said both times he raised one hand while answering questions with the other and it took her over 12 minutes each time to even look up. So, to say he was distracted is an understatement.
Then, after he’s telling us about it, DH starts asking him if he thinks he can take the SAT, too…I interrupted and shut that down. I said ‘how about we see how this goes, and see what you CC says? If they suggest you take the SAT, too, you can consider it. But until then, we stick with just the ACT like they suggested over the summer and you focus on your schoolwork ‘ . I mean seriously—don’t succumb to the peer pressure!!!
DS is taking the hardest course load available to him. Admissions officers have said the performance there is more important than the standardized test. I really want him to focus on that aspect, especially now that we are in sit and wait mode.
@SammoJ we must’ve been typing at the same time. There are two really small state schools on his list right now…one is #2 (on paper…we will see after visits this spring). There’s also another small, very narrow focused school on his radar…those both offer merit and actually have high acceptance percentages.
We will see. I have one entering BS when he enters college (S21 & D25). FA is going to be a huge factor for this borderline family. And both kids are well aware.
@SammoJ , my kid went to a BS where more than half the kids get DA, and the kind of choice you were faced with was common. It’s one of the (many) reasons we’re always telling folks not to rely so heavily on matriculation lists when picking schools.
I hope your son is enjoying his experience. No doubt, he was well prepared!
Pro tip: There are hundreds of test optional colleges now including some highly ranked schools (Bowdoin for example) and if your child may go this route, make sure they preserve their best/most engaging junior year graded papers and projects. Chimneykid1 tossed everything at the end of the year - big mistake! Chimneykid2’s school cleans out the google docs at the end of the year. Portfolios submitted in lieu of testing often require graded academic work in both a writing and numbers intensive course from junior or senior year. Photograph artwork against a solid backdrop, collect video clips of jazz band etc. People tend to overlook this portfolio prep stuff and it is very time consuming and can be a great summer project.
I read a recent article that said over 78% of applicants to test optional schools took one of the college entrance exams…and of those applicants, almost 40% took both.
@ChoatieMom lol very true. I guess I should’ve clarified…78% did submit one test and almost 40% submitted both. They pulled the numbers from admissions stats and not from a survey…
Regardless-I think we will do the old school “take one test route, apply to schools that Fit my kid, and hope for the best” with a little of the modern “SAT subject test and APs” as directed by the CC team thrown in.
So far my biggest stress was trying to find a handheld portable CD player at the last minute. Thank you Amazon Prime!!
@buuzn03 This stat is not surprising as most students are applying to a mix of test optional and test mandatory colleges. Even if you are not a strong test taker, you need to put something on the boards and if it’s a decent score why not include it. However as a parent of two very strong students with mild learning differences that make standardized tests a less than accurate gauge of their classroom abilities, I appreciate the test optional and test flexible options. It’s a nice counter weight to all the posts one sees here that suggest that a student who doesn’t score in the 98th percentile can’t succeed at XYZ school which is a bunch of hooey most of the time.
What @buuzn03 described is the path we are taking, especially “apply to schools that fit my kid.” Amen.
DS#2, who is a freshman (even that is hard to comprehend) at a LDS, said seniors are getting ED results. I guess they announced an acceptance and big scholarship at all-school meeting today. It truly makes my stomach do flips to think we’ll be there in a year.
How do you feel about that? To me, it would seem to ratchet up the anxiety and results focus for those who are still awaiting decisions, as most are because it is still EXTREMELY early.
@doschicos, i’m not sure, and I was surprised. DS2 texted me because the school they mentioned is one that DS1 has visited and likes a lot, which is the only reason it had any significance to DS2.
This is a VERY small and collegial school with all kinds of kids (eg, kids going to top-ranked colleges, and DS mentioned someone is going to culinary school). I’m sure there’s a certain degree of college anxiety, but in general it’s not a competitive atmosphere at all. And they have a well-regarded college counseling office that has a reputation for a very individualized approach (as is the school in general), and they seem to know what they’re doing. So it’s not the typical BS environment.
I think too much emphasis on well-marketed and media ranked schools has turned this process into more of a competitive rat race. This is so disheartening. Our LDS has a bell for seniors to ring when they get an acceptance, and each senior has a section of glass on the CC office (the walls are glass) on which to put the stickers of schools who’ve accepted them. It’s treated as a celebration of accomplishment, not a focus on failures or rivalry. The kids seem to love it and since this tradition started, the numbers and variety of acceptances have grown, as has the amount of scholarship money awarded.
I really think how the atmosphere is cultivated determines whether acceptance announcements are a positive thing.
I like the idea of announcing acceptances, actually, if handled correctly. Not every school is for every kid, even if the kids don’t recognize that themselves. In a supportive environment, this method works…and it’s a bridge for real life. At work, many people put in for a promotion and it’s announced company-wide who is selected. Forced retirements and position eliminations are also announced in blanket emails, etc. These kids will have to learn to handle this eventually.
Yeah, although we are new to DS2’s school this year so i’m not really familiar with their practices, it’s a unique school that’s deliberate in everything they do, so I have a hard time imagining them doing anything in a manner that would create or increase anxiety or competition. I have to think the intent is celebratory and that the kids support each other (their college thing is to each paint a brick on a section of wall in one of the academic buildings with their college choice). And of course I am relying on the reporting of a 14 y.o. for whom college is the last thing on his mind.
^That last sentence made me lol. I remember a first grade teacher telling parents "I promise not to believe half of what your kid tells me about what goes on in your house if you will in turn not believe half of what they tell you goes on in this classroom. " Some things are constants!
DS got his ACT scores. I think he should be done…the science section brought his composite down (he said it was mostly life science which he’s not had), but not enough that I would think he’d retake it. However, he’s thinking about retaking??? I told him to talk to his CC but I would figure his SAT subject tests of physics and chemistry in the spring would be enough to show schools he’s strong in science.
Am I smoking crack? He looks at me as if I am. I think he should now just concentrate on doing the best he can in the courses he’s taking…and then in the spring he can rock the APs and subject tests. Idk. This is all so different than when I was applying. There were two test dates each year…fall and spring. And a typewriter for your 2 or 3 applications.
I think the answer is a very unsatisfying, "it depends. " I definitely think having him talk to his CC makes a lot of sense. I also think a lot depends on how his scores look compared to what is normal for the colleges to which he would like to apply and how he profiles. If he’s solidly in range for those schools, I would likely advise just as you did. In the grand scheme of things, my sense is marginal improvements within or even above the normal ranges have marginal value. All of that said, I think there’s something to be said for letting him feel invested in the decision-making process, and part of that comes from letting him make some (informed) choices on testing. Take what I say with a grain of salt, however, as I’m just making it up as I go along too.
Also, on the subject of APs, I noticed that only about 1/4 - 1/3 of the students from my kiddo’s school took any AP tests at all. My kiddo went ahead and signed up for a number of them, but I advised checking in with the CC to see if there’s much value in taking them for classes in which my kiddo will not be looking for college credit. I’m sure they won’t hurt if DC does well, but they’re 3 times as long as the SAT subject tests that DC pretty much needs to take.
Oh, and congrats on potentially being one and done! It does relieve some pressure.
@CaliPops , The topic of AP exams comes up regularly here. I am of the opinion that if your class prepares you (which many do, even without AP in the name), they are worth it. AP scores are self-reported so a bad score is no problem. But the benefits of a good score include:
Corroborating a good grade or showing, in spite of a less wonderful grade, that you mastered the material in your application.
Placing out of a FL requirement in college.
Placing out of a distribution requirement in college (especially nice when they don't relate to your major).
Placement in college above the intro level, so no repeating material you know.
And the thing is this - until you know where you are going to matriculate, you don’t know if you won’t get credit or placement for them. Imho, there is little downside and plenty of upside. The SAT2 are used almost exclusively for admissions but not to avoid repeating material.
