hs class 2012, where to apply with this background?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Hello all, first time posting. My daughter is a hs Jr. We have just begun a serious look into what colleges she will be applying to this fall/winter. We are from a small public high school in Ohio. It offers few ap classes but she is taking all that she can next year ( ap Spanish, ap biology, ap English) they offer ap calculus but math is her weak point. She has a cumulative gpa of 4.0. She won 1st place essay award in state of Ohio this year in art criticism, and has just been accepted into national honor society. She was selected as one of 2 girls representing her class to attend buckeye girls state. It is a week long exercise in politics/government held ay mt. Union with girls from Ohio. From what I understand this is a big honor ad several were nominated but only 2 were selected based on essay and application.</p>

<p>Here it gets confusing for us. She has been cheerleader all 4 years, varsity soph. Jr. And Sr. Captain Jr. And will be captain Sr. Also. Her squad finished 11th at state in div.2 and should finish higher this coming year. That is het only ec at school. HOWEVER, excuse the caps, she has dedicated her life to being a dancer...since the age of three. She had danced 3-4 days per week since about the age of seven. She has attended numerous competitions, traveled all over the states and even Cayman islands to participate in dance. She has won many overalls and competed in several national competitions. She is certified in ceccheti ballet thru level 3 and is also a talented tumbler with advanced skills...she also took gymnastics for many years! She spent the second half of 4th grade in California where she was represented by abrams artists agency and managed by Beverly strong. She has auditioned for tv pilots (medium was hrt first) and movies...Willy wonka! Lol. We walked away from that lifestyle because it was very toxic and expensive! </p>

<p>So that is the deal! How do we make it known that she is a talented dancer??? And she also will be volunteering this summer as she did last summer also. We are waiting for 1st round act, pre act predicted score of 28-30 but this was without writing and her math was dreadful. She is taking sat on saturday. Will colleges appreciate het dedication to dance or will it look like, "oh, she just does dance and cheer." She never had time for anything else!!</p>

<p>We are visiting kenyon next week as it is only 45 min. From home. Does she have a shot there? The val. Of last years senior class with 4.0 and perfect scores was rejected! My mom graduated from college of wooster and her cousin goes there now so we feel that is almost a safety for her. Other schools we like are Ohio state, oberlin (her first choice!) Denison, Ohio wesleyan, st. Lawrence, heidelberg, bucknell, bard, Miami Ohio, mt. Union, Vassar and swarthmore. Are we just deluding ourselves to think she actually has a chance at bard, swarthmore, bucknell? Coming from hicksville? Literally the town close to us is named killbuck!!! Oh, we also hosted Chinese exchange student this entire school year. So, if anybody has read this long and rambling post what can you tell us?? Any hope ?? And I don't know if this helps but her dad is just high school graduate and I have my assoc. Degree in nursing. No one on my husbands side has gone to college....</p>

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<p>I should add, despite the fact I love wooster and would be thrilled for her to attend, it is only 18 miles from home which to her is horrible as she wants to be far from her overbearing mother and extremely politically conservative county…Amish country!</p>

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<p>…we were just 17 and 18 years old when she was born.</p>

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<p>Some questions.</p>

<p>First of all, is dance what SHE wants to do??? Recreationally in college or does she want to make a career out of it? You should be able to narrow down her list just based on what she wants to do. Doubt all those schools have a dance major. Doubt they all have a cheer team if that’s what she wants to do for fun. Do you know that most dance majors have to audition (very competitive) to get into most dance programs?</p>

<p>Secondly, your range of schools listed is WAY varied! From very small to very big, from not so competitive to extremely competitive (in terms of admission). Have you visited many of these schools?</p>

<p>Thirdly, you will have to see how her test scores land. Honestly, scores under 30 may make it hard to gain admittance to some of those schools.</p>

<p>Just some thoughts.</p>

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<p>How important is it to her to continue in Cheer and Competitive dance? Other than Ohio State…do any of the schools on her list have any opportunities for that?</p>

<p>Will need test scores to help determine how realistic the list is.</p>

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<p>Poor scores might be a disadvantage, coming from Hicksville can actually be a plus. One or two ECs done at a high level are generally better than a long list. If she’s really good at dance you can have a CD video made. Many colleges encourage submiting an art supplement. As others have said, no way to tell if your list is realistic at this point. For Bard specifically, from our school students are admitted with 1850ish/2400 SAT scores. (Not too many ACT takers, but average was 27.) B to B+ unweighted grades, I’d guess. (It’s 93.85 weighted.) If I remember correctly it’s test optional if she blows math again. The list of score optional colleges is here: [Optional</a> List | FairTest](<a href=“http://fairtest.org/university/optional]Optional”>ACT/SAT Optional List - Fairtest). (I do remember correctly BTW.)</p>

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<p>You should come join us on the thread <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/658245-parents-high-school-class-2012-a-115.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/658245-parents-high-school-class-2012-a-115.html&lt;/a&gt; !</p>

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<p>Is dance her intended major? In a BFA program, her audition might be more important than her ACT. In a BA program, test scores will come into play.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the thoughts! She does not want to major in dance, she wants to do international studies/politics/foreign language something along those lines. She does not want to cheer in college either. But I just think it is important that she emphasizes her dance experience because it is something she has been amazingly dedicated to and very talented with. But yes, I do worry that they will think all she has done is dance and cheer - but it is just that she has spent all her extra time on this. We were planning on submitting videos of some solos as a supplement. And she is very indecisive and I think her college list reflects that, I have had NO input in her choosing these colleges. That is all her and her “sister” (our foregin exchange student). She is definitely an enigma! The only thing I am insisting on is her applying at Wooster because I know how good their financial aid packages are.</p>

<p>I guess at this point it is just wait and see on the sat and act scores! Makes me nervous.</p>

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<p>I am concerned about all of the personal identifying information you are sharing in a very public forum.
You may want to edit your posts while you still can to remove some of the specific detail.</p>

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<p>Have you figured out finances? Some schools are good about merit, others about financial aid. </p>

<p>To be honest, I can’t figure out the rhyme or reason in your list and it doesn’t say politics/ international relations/ languages to me. </p>

<p>Have you looked at American U? It’s bigger than some of those schools and a bit less artsy, but it’s in DC (so there are arts in the city) and they might be interested in a girl from a small town in OH. It has dance and cheer (so they may be interested in her even if she doesn’t pursue) and offers merit $.</p>

<p>By the way, has her coursework been mainly honors courses? And will she have math through precalc?</p>

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<p>Yes come over to the 2012 forum! She will have a resume of extracurricular activity on the common app, and will likely talk about dance in an essay. (In fact maybe dance has broadened her horizons and led to her interest in international relations?) You’ve got some high reaches on that list, which I think is good. (Assuming she has researched and is really interested.) Being from Hicksville is a plus, and clearly she has good grades, so you just want to show the whole person that she is, through essays, recommendations, etc. If her test scores come back a little low she can study over the summer and retake…or not. She’ll have plenty of choices no matter what.</p>

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<p>While it’s great that your daughter has taken ownership of picking colleges, I’ve found that my helpful research was invaluable to my kids. I would suggest that both of you look at one of the many college search sites on line to find a list of a dozen or more schools that have 1) the major, 2) dance 3) good financial or merit aid. There’s a nice one right here on CC that will help with the first two, [College</a> Search - College Confidential](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/college_search]College”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/college_search) and this one - [College</a> Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics](<a href=“College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics”>College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics) is great for stats, i.e. finding out what the average financial aid award has been.</p>

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<p>I recommend a look at Dickinson if international business is her intended major and strongest interest.</p>

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<p>First, calm down! Wow, your daughter sounds pretty terrific to me! Before you think no school would want her because she hasn’t “done enough” or because of where you live, have her figure out what she wants from a college. Does she want large or small; city, suburban, rural; how far from home; traditional requirements with specific gen eds or non-traditional with looser gen eds or even no gen eds. Does she want a school with dance classes that she could take even if she’s not a major or minor? Is extracurricular dance something she’d be interested in? What about cheerleading - does she want to continue with that? Her acting, again, is that something she wants to continue extracurricularly in college?</p>

<p>Your daughter has a lot to offer a college, her activities and interests are numerous and varied especially given your town (as you describe it). It shows she marches to her own beat and knows what she wants and how to go about getting what she wants. Take a deep breath and ask your daughter to answer some of these questions. Buy one of the college books (Princeton Review or Fiske for example) for an overview of each of the schools currently on her list and see how the synopsis matches her needs. Then start delving further into the schools by looking at their websites. First see which schools offer her probable major and then those which are close to her test scores and high school gpa. Once a list is put together like that, then you can delve further into the gray areas of atmosphere, college life, etc. by looking here and on other forums. Visiting is always a good thing if you can but that should be done when you have a better list so that it doesn’t get overwhelming or boring, and preferably while schools are in session.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Most schools are looking for kids who are passionate about what they do. Certainly sounds like your DD. My older D is a dancer, spent probably 20 hours a week dancing all through HS. She is not interested in being a dance major or making it a career. She did put together a 5 minute “greatest hits” video clip as part of an arts supplement. Loaded it up onto YouTube and sent the link with her application. Most schools are interested in classical modern and ballet - so keep that in mind as you pick the clips (skip the tumbling).</p>

<p>In terms of schools – if she does not want to be a dance major, but still wants to dance in college, make sure her schools allow non-majors to take advanced classes. For example, NYU is a great school for dance majors, but only dance majors can take class. A few suggestions of strong dance programs but not totally intense: Tulane, Muhlenberg, Middlebury, Franklin and Marshall, Skidmore, Connecticut College. Also, get in touch with the dance department when you visit schools. If DD sparks their interest they might put in a good word with admissions.</p>

<p>and yes…please join us on the 2012 thread.</p>

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<p>First of all, will she need financial aid to go to any of the colleges? It’s wise to figure out what you can pay and run your numbers through a FAFSA estimator and see what the government has for your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Given your post, it is doubtful that you will qualify for PELL grants.</p>

<p>The usual indicators for getting into colleges are the test scores, grades and the high school. Ask the GC if they subscribe to Naviance. That allows you to see where kids from your D’s school are getting into college with certain test scores and grades. That the val did not get into Kenyon with the stats s/he has does not bode well in terms of an anecdotal example, but you need to see more cases to make any statistical inference. Many times, selective schools are harder on those kids in their locale in terms of admissions than those who will give the school more of a national presence. Also look for the lists of where the kids in previous years have been going to college, and take a good hard read of your school profile that will automatically go with your D’s transcript to all of the colleges. It’ll give you a good idea where she stands academically among her peers.</p>

<p>The dance/cheerleading is a great extra curricular activity for her. It will certainly enhance her application. But there is a big difference between what is called a “tip” and a “hook”. If she were going to major in dance, go out for a cheerleading squad at a school that puts heavy emphasis on those things, it could have a mjajor impact on her admissions. Basically, if the talent, skill, activity can do something for the college, that’s when it counts the most. It’s great that a kid, for instance, is an active college athlete, on the football, basketball, track teams an wins school, district, state recognition in so doing. Makes for good ECs on the application, but no where the impact that a recruited athlete that is going to play the NCAA sport at the college. The impact is even greater if the school has a big emphasis on that sport and if the student is going to be a top prospect on team. Yes, colleges are looking for active students to make the college community vibrant, but the ones who get the favored admissions treatement, and sometimes even scholarship money, are the ones who are going to continue to compete or be in the official school team or groups in that discipline. You indicate that your D is not going to continue at that level.</p>

<p>You are lucky to be in a state that offers so many great schools. I always envy Ohioans for all of their great choices both in public and private colleges. </p>

<p>My advice is to start with the schools that are likely to accept your D and are affordable. Then start adding some chancier schools, hoping for merit, financial aid if eligible. Look at some of the Catholic schools like Marquette, John Carroll , DePauw, Marist. For international business there is American, GW, Catholic, Pitt, yes, Dickinson. Throw in some selective schools to see how it flies. Once the base is covered, you can apply away to any school with abandon.</p>

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<p>Thanks again for the continued great advice! And I know I need to calm down…lol. I just feel like we are waay behind in serious discussions and getting prepared. gwu and American are in the running. What I think happened with the schizophrenic list of colleges is she really likes the idea of a small prestigious school with a pretty campus. And I think once we start actually visiting some of her choices she will get a much better grasp on what she exactly wants. I am pretty sure Ohio state is on that list because she is distantly thinking about getting into medicine/healthcare. She worries that international studies will leave her with little career choice and honestly she wants to make money. Lol. While I don’t doubt she could make it academically in science/medicine, that is not where her passion lies. I always tell her that she needs to do what is in her heart because things will work out better…trust me, as a nurse who should be an English teacher, I know what I am talking about. </p>

<p>Today I did some research and made two lists. One list is if her act and sat come in low and another if they are high. Honestly, I think the test scores and the courses her school offers will be the biggest detriment. Has she taken the hardest classes her school offers? Excluding math absolutely! And she will have completed pre-calc so I don’t think it puts her completely out of the running because her reading section on the pre act was essentially perfect and she is a great on the spot essay writer. Maybe taking sat subject tests will be helpful if the math section is ugly.</p>

<p>And yes, while she doesn’t intend to pursue dance as a career, I am positive it will pay huge dividends with her apps. So, I have decided to stop worrying about her limited variety of extracurriculars. She has dedicated an enormous amount of time and emotion to dance. Has done solos on stage since age 7. Has experienced the highs of winning and the lowest lows of losing and in return gained insight. It has been dysfunctional at times but I am positive it is a major factor in teaching her motivation, self reliance and discipline. So I guess we are off and running and it is going to be a busy summer but I am so excited that she is aiming high! It’s gonna be an interesting year.</p>

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<p>mspearl - Thanks for that, but your apology won’t be necessary in this particular place!</p>

<p>FYI, a lot of folks here in the parents forum are of a certain vintage, and many don’t have computer backgrounds - so they’re NOT aware that USING CAPS in email/posts is EQUIVALENT to SHOUTING at other people. I’ve becoming used to it here, but it’s still a bit jarring. Spend some time here; at first it will appear that there are lots of very upset people posting, but that’s really not the case.</p>