<p>NE Dad--You're right of course. </p>
<p>Now I'm wondering which one MY kid went to.</p>
<p>"Now I'm wondering which one MY kid went to."</p>
<p>LOL! Whichever it was, just explain to people that it was the best one!</p>
<p>Reminds me of a friend whose daughter got into Haverford and everyone thought she was saying Harvard....hey, it all sounds the same!</p>
<p>It is undeniable that the various so-called national conferences may provide a great experience for high schoolers.</p>
<p>However, the impact of this type of activity on a college application is a lot murkier. The first question to answer is how to list the activity? Because of the non-selective admission process of such conferences, it would be hard to list the participation of a student as an honor or an achievement. After all, how much of an effort is required from the thousands of students who become eligible every year and have parents willing to pay the fees? Not much at all! This leaves only one possibility, and that is to list it as a one time EC activity. The problem here is that most students have to make choices since they typically have more activities to list than the space on the forms allows. </p>
<p>The fact that the participation in such conferences might not yield tangible benefits in the application process should not deter students to participate, especially if the conference complement regular activities of the student.</p>
<p>First, thanks to all who have responded. I suspect that the question of whether or not to include this as an EC depends upon the student as well as the colleges being applied to. My friend's son attends a well-regarded Catholic HS in NE Ohio, and will have numerous athletic honors and decent EC's. My guess - and from what his GC has mentioned - a program like this would add balance to his app. Anyway, he's a really good kid, and it looks like he gets to go.</p>
<p>Mine just put his "this or similar sounding" program in the summer activities section, which I think all of his app's had.</p>
<p>There are many scholarships as well so it is not just for the rich. My D went to a medical one and it helped her clarify what she wanted to do and sparked interests. It also helped her decide not to pursue medical school. She also met great kids, a diverse group from all over the country and 1 1/2 yrs later is still in contact with them. It was worthwhile. She forgot to put it on her resume as it was only a 10 day thing but would have included it if she needed more.</p>
<p>My d is leaving to go to Washington for one of those NYLC leadership conferences. According to the brochure she was sent she has to bring enough "business" attire to cover 6 days. Uh, she has one pair of black pants that she wears to her catering job. All her other stuff is jeans, shorts, casual khakis etc. To church she usually wears jeans, khakis or jean skirts, none of which will do. I should have thought about this earlier but now (due to school and work, etc.)Sunday is the last day I can take her to get some clothes for this trip.</p>
<p>Does anyone have suggestions on what to get for her, taking into consideration that she will probably never wear these types of clothes after she gets back? I was thinking of buying a black blazer to go with anything plus a coordinating skirt. Maybe some kind of ultra nice material khakis and a nice dressy sweater. Does that sound about right? Also, any insights on whether it might be cold or rainy? Should she take a warm coat for early March in Washington? We live in South Texas and I don't even know where we could buy one.</p>
<p>Any help will be appreciated. We dress very casually around here (her dad and I wear scrubs to work) and I'm having a hard time picturing what a teen girl would wear to government meetings in Washington. Should she bring stockings (pantyhose)? She never wears them here. Thanks in advance for any help.</p>
<p>My suggestions:
A pullover sweater
A cardigan
A nice (does not have to be real) pearl necklace
A couple of scarves
A blazer
Another pair of DARK pants- khaki, pinstripe,
Go with simple tops - white, black, blue, yellow
A black or blue skirt
A black raincoat (nordstroms) - it can be used day or night, and with some gloves, it will do fine for the weather, and it always looks good
Polo shirts- don't have to be expensive, but works almost as well as a blouse and layers well- you can get them at target, jc penny, it doesn't have to be $$$$</p>
<p>COMFORTABLE shoes, flats are fine, those ballet type flats are really cute, comfortable, dressy enough, and CHEAP (my fave word), I would send a couple of pairs of pantyhose just in case. Don't take up much room. A couple of pairs of black tights with the black skirt can also instantly change a look. I know, a lot of black, but it won't show the dirt, it is classic, and if you wear it with different shirts and accessories, itll look businessy.</p>
<p>A trick to looking dressy and more business like than you are, and not spending alot of money is, to go for simple classic looks- simple colors, some simple jewelry, with your color coming from a scarf or something - can't go wrong with white polos (cheesy I know, but if they have a dress code, white polos are better then a blouse (blech)
The sweaters can be bright and fun!!!
Mix and match everything</p>
<p>She can probably use whatever she gets now for job interviews in the future. I doubt the styles for this type of "business" attire will change within the next few years.</p>
<p>My D did this program. As a BTW, she loved it, even though we understood that it was nothing in particular as far as college apps it was an absolutely wonderful experience for her. I took her to Ann Taylor because it's cheap(ish) and career-like. But I bet you could do OK at Target too. Weird as it seems, the clothes piece of this program is important. My D looked in the mirror and thought she looked like an adult for the first time. Anyway, we got her a matching black jacket, pants, skirt. She has worn all of them since, especially the jacket. Then we got her two silk blouses and one sweater and she had another sweater set. All plain. I think we did the pearls thing too:) Then I think she had one other pair of pants, and a dress to wear to the dance they had at the end. Which BTW she said was a total makeout fest and the chaperones stood at the outside of a huge swarm of teenagers and just tried to make sure everyone remained upright. Finally, they need comfortable shoes, definitely a raincoat with a lining, an umbrella, some regular teenage jeans, pantyhose which they may not wear (who can blame them?), and a sweatshirt with their high school name on it just for fun.</p>
<p>Grew up in DC so commenting here on weather. March can be wintry (to a Texan, not to a transplant to NE like me) and can be glorious spring. Even February can be glorious spring if you're lucky.</p>
<p>So the black (or whatever color) raincoat suggested above along with the suggested sweaters should do it as a just-in-case. If she is likely to feel cold in 40 degree weather, have a simple pair of gloves and a scarf to go with the raincoat.</p>
<p>Make sure at least one pair of shoes would be ok if get a little wet (don't think she'd want to pack boots).</p>
<p>I would expect 40s/50s - you can check 10-day forecast at weather.com to see if anything weird expected.</p>
<p>Any kind of winter coat should be overkill and a pain-in-the-packing process.</p>
<p>If you have a Ross store nearby you can outfit her quite cheaply. My son is going to DC in a few days and needed some wardrobe help and we did quite well at Ross and Costco of all places.</p>
<p>I'm in the Washington suburbs, and it's freezing here. Lows for next Sunday and Monday night are in the 30s; some rain is expected Monday. You can check <a href="http://www.wtopnews.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.wtopnews.com/</a> for more up-to-date weather forecasts.</p>
<p>I think one more pair of slacks and one skirt would do it, along with a blazer. I wonder if she'd like a corduroy skirt...</p>
<p>I learned from my daughter that teenaged girls here never wear black tights; they only wear nude pantyhose. One of the local drugstores is selling nude kneehighs for 50 cents each...</p>
<p>I can relate to what alumother said about the clothes being important, even though it may sound sort of superficial or whatever. I was a chaperone for our high school's Model UN trip to New York city last year. The conference was held in the UN building itself (on a Saturday) and business attire was REQUIRED for boys and girls. It did seem to make a difference in how the students behaved and carried themselves in their sessions and during the rest of the time, as well. The conference was very interesting in that it included both very affluent students from exclusive private schools and inner city students from NYC (as well as us, the average suburban public school contingent) I was talking to some of the teachers from the inner city schools while the students were in their sessions, and they were telling about all of the efforts they went through to make sure every one of their students was properly attired.</p>
<p>We in SF wear black tights....it can get cold here, it really can!! ah well....My D is going to start volunteering in our Mayor's office, yeah the cute one, so we are building up her wardrobe....she goes to a jesuit school, with a dress code, so we are okay, its just that some of her pants.....argghhh</p>
<p>A portfolio for a notepad, inexpensive at an office supply store, also looks professional.This is always good to have to put business cards in get #,s jot down schedules, take notes., store papers
A watch is really important.
Simple hoop earrings, or posts
A few simple accesorries can make her feel more individual
Oh yeah, very simple makeup- lip gloss, some mascara, not too much</p>
<p>Thanks for all the help. </p>
<p>Good point about using these clothes for job interviews. </p>
<p>I got off work two hours early today and headed over to Kohl's on my own. Bought a whole wardrobe for d with the Kohl's charge card with the intention of returning the clothes if they didn't work.</p>
<p>Got a black skirt, black pinstrip pants, khaki pinstripe pants, two sweater twin sets (one pale pink, one black), floral skirt, 2 mock turtleneck shells, a heavy, nice quality silk type tshirt, heavier cardigan, black blazer, fake pearl necklace, "trouser socks", a button down shirt. Everything coordinates with almost everything else. As I am typing this she's trying it all on. So far she seems to like it all except the button-down shirt. </p>
<p>Still need coat, pantyhose, scarves, maybe that white polo. She already has simple jewelry and the leather ballet-type flat shoes. Umbrella is a good idea. She has the time display thing on her cell phone. Her makeup has alway been understated so no worries about that.</p>
<p>When she came out to model the first outfit she tried on my eyes started watering. Where did the time go? When did she grow up? When did she start looking like a lady? (Can you hear the theme from "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof playing in the background?) sigh.</p>
<p>She LOVES the pearl necklace. Good call on that. </p>
<p>Oh, and by the way, this trip is more of a reward and a token of our appreciation for her many years of hard work and dedication in high school rather than any attempt to pad her high school resume. She's a senior, thus the applications have already been sent to the colleges and so this trip won't have any bearing on college admissions. I just think it will be good for her to go to Washington and see what they're doing up there. Meet people from outside her social group.</p>
<p>Once again thanks to everyone. CC parent's forum is just so great for finding helpful people.</p>
<p>The sight of D looking ready to testify at a Senate panel made me get teary-eyed too. That sounds sarcastic but I'm not at all. And sounds like she is a lucky daughter to have you take care of all that for her.</p>
<p>Kohl's is the best store - everything is always on sale and the styles aren't outlandish!</p>
<p>My 8th grader wears pearls to school every day, goes to a Catholic school with a uniform....my Ds both tesitfied in front of California State Senators in Sacremento, Arnold was down the hall, and I was so proud. All I heard was, gee, don't cry Mom. </p>
<p>I think it is great to be able to participate in something where the goal is not where will it get me in, but what can I do, who can I meet, and what can I change. So this trip will be great. So often what we and our kids to is geared toward getting into the right high school, getting into the right college, so to be able to do something with different goals and agendas in mind is a relief!!!!</p>
<p>Good job, MOM!!</p>
<p>My kids did this trip and ADORED IT - it was GREAT. Daughter took a gorgeous black suit, some slacks, various upscales tops, and one skirt. Lots of stuff from Banana Republic. </p>
<p>Can't say enough good things about the experience! One child is still friends with kids he met in DC - four years ago!!</p>