<p>And yes, Rease and her could be twins:)</p>
<p>should you really be relishing in that physical aspect of your own daughter....eww</p>
<p>"relishing" is creepy, but that's your word and your thought. My D is smart and attractive and I'm very proud of her.</p>
<p>The legally blonde comparison is a light-hearted comment and in the context of a California girl going to an Ivy college. Lighten-up.</p>
<p>oh well, congrats to you and your daughter...im sure she'll do well</p>
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<ol> <li>Essay/Interview (aka communication skills. They're looking for someone who can communicate and therefore contribute to society)</li> </ol>
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<p>I wonder about this communitarian/socialist drivel you're buying into. Don't.</p>
<p>"contribute to society" does not mean communitarian and socialism. In my world you "contribute to society" by creating businesses and employing people (creating jobs). For 150 years people in Chicago and San Francisco have thought of my family as hard core capitalists. My employees would get a kick out of hearing someone refer to me as a socialist. You'd really have them laughing with that one.</p>
<p>In silicon valley where I work I've never met a business founder with bad communication skills. And unlike Ellison and Gates most business founders did graduate from college. And many in silicon valley from Stanford and east coast Ivy's.</p>
<p>i kinda agree about the essay and interview. if anything, just make sure your essay stands out from the rest as the admissions ppl will be reading soooo many and so fast. also, i did very few interviews for schools. even for schools that "highly reccomended" or "stressed" the interview, i didnt do one. i got accepted to most all of my schools all in the top 20 (by us news) and several ivies. i think the interview would make the diff between being rejected and wled, showing your interest (they throw you a bone). also, you met with a consultant for the applications...what is that?</p>
<p>oh and also, this may be abad example, but i spent only 2 days on filling out all my applications (including all but one of the essays) whereas i know other ppl who spent months and months on theirs and not getting in to schools i did. i think the proccess stuff (compiling of app, interview, essay) are way overstressed so that the school can get people who normally woulndt apply (bc rank, sat) to have hope and apply so the school makes more money.</p>
<p>"consultant" ?</p>
<p>Where I live people hire consultants to select the cheese for a party:) I kid you not. The "consultant" is a college admissions expert. The few good ones in my area are retired admission personnel from Ivy schools or retired college counselors from top prep HS. Much of the same information you learn here but as with most things with kids...they'll listen to anyone other than their parents so it's worth a few hundred bucks for my D to focus on the right issues regarding her future. One bit of info that I thought was very smart was a recommendation not to do ED. The idea being that seeing what schools "you get in to" is part of the whole life/college experience so why miss that. And many kids feel like they missed a life experience by going ED. I'm a big believer in this approach, life is happening now and not at some later time, so ED seems shortsighted from an "experiencing life" view point.</p>
<p>While applying ED may be "shortsighted from an experiencing life viewpoint", it definitely may work in your favor if you know what school you want to attend. </p>
<p>It's a known fact that there is a higher rate of ED applicants accepted to Columbia, for instance. This information is pretty much available for all of the selective schools. So, you can see how much applying ED will increase your D's chances of admittance as opposed to RD. My son applied to Columbia ED, was deferred and ultimately accepted RD. During the time he was waiting to hear RD, he had the opportunity to update his accomplishments and elaborate on his interest in attending Columbia.</p>
<p>After his acceptance, his regional rep told him that she was fighting for him in the ED round, but they were limiting the number of acceptances this year from the ED round. She knew then that she was going to continue to fight for him in the RD round, and she did. My point is that if you are definitely sure as to where you want to go, ED is the way to do it. BTW, because he was deferred ED, he applied to 9 other colleges RD and had the pleasure of seeing where he would have gotten into anyway. It was a win/win situation for him. Good luck.</p>
<p>Miramontedad -- I also disagree on this point with your paid advisor. IF your daughter is sure Columbia is her first choice and IF you think it would be a good place for her and IF you think her decision is a thoughtful one, then there doesn't seem any doubt that applying ED will significantly increase her chances to get in. Because Columbia takes so many kids in the ED round, the RD round acceptance rate is less than 10 percent. And, still on the table at that point are the students who were deferred ED, who have already exhibited to Columbia that it is their first choice and that they will attend if selected. Then come the students who got deferred or rejected from single choice EA colleges like Harvard, Yale, Stanford -- and even some who got accepted at those places. In the RD round Columbia can really pick for the slots they haven't yet filled, whether it be minorities, bassoon players, female lacrosse players, or kids from Nebraska who intend to major in astrophysics.</p>
<p>Unlike your daughter, our son did not have a clear first choice. He just wasn't anywhere near wrapping his mind around the whole process and therefore we did not encourage him to apply anywhere ED. However, his school counselor did suggest he apply some place non-binding early for two reasons: first, so that he would get his essay and application together early enough to do a good job; second, so that the feedback from being rejected, accepted, or deferred could help him shape his final list. He applied to a college with single choice EA (got in). He also applied to UCs, which I assume might also function as matches, reaches, and safeties for your daughter. He went into the RD round with acceptances already on his plate, which is a wonderful position to be in. So I would at least encourage your daughter to apply early places where it is not binding.</p>
<p>If your advisor is suggesting that your daughter not apply early because she will learn more about what kind of college experience she really wants as she goes through the process, that is a different issue altogether. It implies that she/he doesn't feel your daughter is as sure about Columbia as you've portrayed here. Then, it does make sense to wait -- kids do learn a lot by visiting and considering different schools. However, your daughter should understand that her odds of getting into Columbia are not super, and are even less super RD. On the other hand, she will get into some place great and wherever she goes she'll thrive.</p>
<p>o.k., where is my few hundred bucks? I could also be persuaded to consult on cheese.</p>
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<p>For 150 years people in Chicago and San Francisco have thought of >my family as hard core capitalists. excellent, then i'll be looking forward to your D getting in. </p>
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<p>Well I would say that as early round becomes even more competitive, the gains from ED/EA at the top tier become even more marginal. Of course ceteris paribus that margin counts. And I can also pick cheeses.</p>
<p>i wouldn't worry so much about her getting in. i had 4s and 5s on my AP tests, even one 3, and it didn't stop me. they don't care if your D is not an award winning astrophysicist. as long as she's an energetic person who enjoys learning and life, she's got as good a chance as any. just keep in mind that this is a crapshoot. if she gets in, then yay. if not, there's nothing else you could have done.</p>
<p>Columbia doesn't ask for AP scores on their application. They never saw my son's AP scores as his GC doesn't send that information to the colleges. </p>
<p>As I said in an earlier post, my son applied ED and was deferred. The advantage to my son was that it gave the regional rep a 2nd opportunity to fight for his admission. As the ED round becomes more competitive, this may be one of the few advantages of applying ED. It was a long wait, but it was worth it.</p>
<p>While your daughter seems like a very bright and accomplished student, I don't see the wow factor in any of her activities.</p>