<p>Just starting to think about the college process for my youngest. She is only a Freshman so there is plenty of time but since she is so different from her older sister I need to start from scratch. Assume a B+/A- average, decent ECs but no cure for cancer and solid but not perfect scores. IOW, an average kid, not a CC kid. ;-) Merit aid is important. Will probably focus on East Coast but would consider parts of mid-west.</p>
<p>Looking for small to mid-size schools with:
-strong Spanish/language programs
-strong science departments, probably bio but not pre-med
-a mediocre women's lacrosse team or club lacrosse (D would like to play college lacrosse, she is a solid player but not a superstar)
-an outdoorsy feel and ethos (D loves to hike and camp)</p>
<p>Would love any ideas to get the list jump started. Thanks!</p>
<p>You are expecting this but I will say anyway that I think it is way too early to start. Your daughter’s interests may change considerably over the next few years. My family started around Feb. of junior year, and even then, we did not assume a major or that interests would continue to be the same.</p>
<p>I also think that starting this early creates an unhealthy focus on a future goal that can affect enjoyment of the present. My 2 cents is to let her explore fro awhile without pinning things down: interests and activities or schools.</p>
<p>Why would you start looking now? Your time would be much better spent finding activities involving Spanish or science to see if they are interests that will be sustained over the long haul. (And it’s perfectly fine if they are not!)</p>
<p>As an example older son was very interested in computer programming and science. Summer after freshman year he took CTY Fast Paced chemistry to give him more flexibility in his schedule and allow him to take all the AP sciences. He spent the rest of the summer working on programming on his own. His sophomore year he took a computer graphics course at Columbia U. His junior and senior year summers he got a job in computer programming. </p>
<p>Younger son went to music camp summer after freshman year. Summers after sophomore year he worked part time in my architectural office and part time making origami earings. Summer after junior year he volunteered at the Senior Center, including giving concerts and teaching origami. He also (as a kid with an interest in history) helped archive files of our neighborhood association. </p>
<p>Older son - we always knew he’d probably end up at a tech school and the list was easy to put together. Younger son’s interests were varied. (At school as well as orchestra, he did Science Olympiad and the Literary Magazine.) We didn’t figure out what sort of schools he might look at until spring of Junior year, when the international relations program at Tufts sparked the realization that this might be a good direction for his varied interests.</p>
<p>I would like to say that having a major in mind will make your daughter focus more on which college is a fit for your daughter and that is a good thing, especially if your daughter is passionate already about something. But sometimes many kids do not have a major in mind.</p>
<p>My son did not - and changed his mind many times in college. He ultimately majored in X, but then out of college, he decided to pursue Y - and then went to graduate school for Y. Wisely, though, he had minored in Y in college and after college (post bac) he took courses that would help him with Y. So basically, my son was focused on something specific with which to make a living only after college. I don’t know how typical this is.</p>
<p>Don’t worry. This is my little internal list, not putting it on her at all. But having watched her sibling go through the process she is already thinking about it herself. I agree that she should be able to enjoy herself in the moment without worrying about whether this or that activity or class will look good on her college application. I totally get your concerns but I’m not sure why anyone would assume that a) she is not enjoying the moment, b) she is not pursuing her passions in a myriad of ways, and c) I am not cognizant that she may change her interests (she is sure she will not but that is the way of teens). </p>
<p>She is in a phase of considering her future and possible careers and I don’t think that’s so unusual for kids her age. They are still kids yet also recognizing they will be entering the adult world in just a few short years. Some days she wants to be a translator and travel the world and some days she wants to research unusual diseases. I’m glad she has the opportunity to entertain those ideas. </p>
<p>It’s really more the lacrosse piece that puzzles me. I don’t see recruitment in her future but know she is likely to want to have the opportunity to continue to play. And that is a whole world of which I am ignorant. Just thought I would toss it out there and see if anyone had ideas. No biggie if not!</p>
<p>Re: lacrosse - I wouldn’t worry about that factor too much right now, unless she has her heart set on playing on a varsity team. Many colleges have lacrosse at the club and/or intramural so she can continue to play for fun
I don’t think it is too early for you to start creating lists of potential schools the way you are doing it, without burdening her with the process. It will come in handy later on, and perhaps you will bump into summer programs that would be good for her. Worst case, you throw the list out and start over when things change. It can’t hurt to learn more about colleges in any case!
Biology and Spanish are both really common majors - your hardest part will be narrowing down the choices. She could combine them in public health, so you could also add that to your mix.</p>
<p>I don’t think its too early to start…nothing wrong with planning and getting a few ducks in line. She is almost a sophomore… as you know, each year will fly by… </p>
<p>DD14 and I started the search in her freshman year… just to give her a feel of the process. I know that I don’t have $ to wait until jr year to cram a bunch of trips in before sr year. And to be honest, I doubt that she will have the time/energy on weekends/vacations etc like many parents here on CC do. She will be taking 3 AP classes and a college course… I am sure most of her time off will be spent studying and with her EC’s.</p>
<p>She has seen about 15 schools thus far and we will continue the search throughout the next 14 1/2 months. </p>
<p>Its been great b/c now she knows what is required of her from these colleges and she is able to study/focus accordingly! I would have hated for her to reach the end of jr year and not have her resume, grades, rank, ec’s in order from frosh year. So again, planning is GREAT… Good luck to you!</p>
This is my little internal list, not putting it on her at all. But having watched her sibling go through the process she is already thinking about it herself. I agree that she should be able to enjoy herself in the moment without worrying about whether this or that activity or class will look good on her college application. I totally get your concerns but I’m not sure why anyone would assume that a) she is not enjoying the moment, b) she is not pursuing her passions in a myriad of ways, and c) I am not cognizant that she may change her interests (she is sure she will not but that is the way of teens). </p>