<p>Rubyred, can you share more about HWS? We're visiting in September during an open house weekend...I'd prefer a visit that's more personalized but missing school is going to be a huge problem for us this year (my daughter still has a number of schools to visit and will also have to audition at many of them second semester). HWS appeals to her strongly on paper, but if I were a betting person, I would guess that the reality is going to be a letdown. HWS strikes me as an eastern version of Lake Forest, a school that left my daughter lukewarm. What have been your impressions?</p>
<p>I'd cut and paste if I knew how, but I'll just stick with smilies. :)</p>
<p>BlueSon - SoCal</p>
<p>Daughters/Female Applicants: (55)</p>
<p>1ofeach - Mass
amatricia - NY
Anoel - NY
Audiophile - Florida
Bookmom - Illinois</p>
<p>calmom - California
carolyn - California
Crabbylady - Alaska
csshsm - Louisiana
curmudgeon - Texas</p>
<p>dcmom3 - Maryland
echosensei - Michigan
eppsas - Alabama
fireflyscout - Texas
fishingmn - MN</p>
<p>Flounderingfree - Texas
GAdad - Georgia
hayden
holycow - Asia
Juana -IL</p>
<p>ladylazarus - NJ
lalady - California
klmcpa - California
Marny - NY
mel5140 - NJ</p>
<p>mep'smom Tennessee
mezzomom - Michigan
Momnipotent -Ohio
motherof4pearls - Tennessee
Motheroftwogirls - Mass</p>
<p>movinmom -Maine
musicmomic - Iowa
NCEph - North Carolina
ncsu1987 - Virginia
norcalcoastmom - California</p>
<p>nyc -NY
obesmom - NY
Paulchem - NY
pyewacket -Europe
quitejaded - Texas</p>
<p>samuck - England
sent! - DC
shojomo - California
smsmom - midwest
snorky - MI
socalmomof2 - California</p>
<p>SplashMom - Tennessee
taxguy - Maryland
theocmom - California
ThatMom - Georgia
Thumper1 - CT</p>
<p>wishingandhoping - Georgia
Xmere - Greater metropolitan DC/Maryland/VA area
Yankeegirl49 NY
YoMama - CA</p>
<p>Sons/Male Applicants: (47)</p>
<p>2sonmama - Kansas
3boysnjmom - NJ
andison-MA
ASAP - CA
atomom - Arkansas
Beacon - CA</p>
<p>Blizzard - MA
Bluebayou - CA
Cali - California
Cathymee - NY
debruns - CT
doddsmom & doddsdad - Germany</p>
<p>DrDrewsmom Idaho
deb922 - OH
Eagle79 - Rhode Island
Eulenspiegel - Oregon
gandert - Indiana</p>
<p>heidi - south
Iggal - CA -2 sons
jmac - Idaho
Justadog - 2 sons - CT</p>
<p>kathiep - PA
Katwkittens - NC
Karyblue - CA
Kissy - midwest
lanemom - Massachusetts</p>
<p>lddavis03 - Maryland
Mauimom - MD
Mommab - TN
Momofthree - Tennessee
MomofWildChild - Texas</p>
<p>Northeastmom - NJ
Northstarmom -
q's mom - NY
Rascal - VA
reasonabledad-MD
redstar - NY
Rubyred - NY</p>
<p>semamom - Mass
Shennie - WI
sluggbugg - CA
socalmomof2 - California
SouthJerseyChessMom - NJ</p>
<p>sweetkidsmom - CA
Wyogal - MD
andi is offline</p>
<p>OK, now that we're a bit farther along, just wondering if anyone's kids have decided to apply ED anywhere? And, if so, where and why?</p>
<p>My daughter has decided to apply ED to Earlham. She will be applying EA to Beloit and Goucher, and rolling to U of Redlands. Looks like that will be the entire ball of wax. I figure she can add a few last minute schools if these four don't work out by Christmas. </p>
<p>I think she has a nice list of schools for her, but I can't help worrying just a bit that maybe she will change her mind as the year progresses. (Although, I must admit she has never been one to go back and forth once she's made a decision). I also can't help focusing on the warts at all of the schools, especially her ED school. Don't get me wrong - I think they're all good solid choices, but now that the list is solid, I find myself wondering if we didn't miss something. And, I must admit to a little bit of angst about her going so far from home. I encouraged her to look at schools across the country, but now can't help thinking that this time next year we'll probably be packing her up to send her thousands of miles from home. Anyone else having these kinds of thoughts?</p>
<p>Yep. carolyn, only I'm convinced we missed something. D has settled on her much longer list (but she will apply in stages) and I can't help but be convinced that the perfect school on all planes (admissions, fit, and $) was out there had we been smart enough and diligent enough to find it. I can only say what I've said all along , her two longstanding favorites are both schools we can afford and she should be able to gain admission. That does make me feel loads better.</p>
<p>And as to the packing her up in 53 and 1/2 weeks bit ? Nah. Haven't given it a thought.</p>
<p>Here's one that'll get ya. In a week or so, we all start our "This is the last ______ ". Like- this is the last ballgame . This is last concert . This is ......the last time I think about that for a while.</p>
<p>'09 parent observation here:</p>
<p>Carolyn - I also worried re S' list (which was structured and similar in size to your D's). Right up until the acceptances and financial pkgs came in. Worries over. The "winning" school just felt right, and second guessing disappeared.</p>
<p>THEN, I worried, not about the school, but his acclimation. Right up until he visited for two nights during Engineering Scholar Days (parents invited too) and saw him (well, I never actually "saw" him as he did his own thing with his '08 host and peers) melt right in. </p>
<p>NOW? I worry about lost laundry, timing of flights home etc. Oh, and about his acclimation, too - can't I learn :confused:?</p>
<p>Apparently, there is always something to worry about (and I'm <em>not</em> a worrier :o)! But the feelings of pride, elation and celebration are much stronger.</p>
<p>
[Quote]
Here's one that'll get ya. In a week or so, we all start our "This is the last ______ ".
[/Quote]
</p>
<p>My wife always brings up her coworker's "last" vacation with the whole family before his daughter left for college. By now, they've had as many "last family vacations" as Cher's had farewell tours and I think his daughter's now in grad school. ;)</p>
<p>Jmmom, Thanks for the reassurances. That helps and I will just try to keep in mind that D. had very clear ideas about what she was/is looking for and that's exactly what she has ended up with on her list. </p>
<p>Cur, Only 53 and a half weeks? Gulp.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>her two longstanding favorites are both schools we can afford and she should be able to gain admission.<<</p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Isn't this every parent's dream!!</p>
<p>Carolyn and Cur-</p>
<p>Right there with you guys. We aren't at the same place yet, we are still a little loosey-goosey with the "list". </p>
<p>Wrote a huge post about my son making me nuts, re-read it and realized how pathetic it sounded. He isn't being difficult, he's just being himself. Sigh.</p>
<p>I love all the schools on his lists, warts and all. I like ones not on his list. He's not picky, just the opposite. Said he feels lucky to go anywhere. He said he will make do wherever he goes. He is probably being more mature about this than I.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Because finances are a consideration and because D has two number one choices, she'll be applying regular decision. Although she is applying Early Action to Tulane and Early Notification to UT Plan II. </p>
<p>We've been going over the applications today, figuring out which ones need extra essays, which teachers will write recommendations, etc. D really wishes she could use sophomore teachers, but she does have two good teachers from last year.</p>
<p>I'm really itching to create the 3'x5' War Board with the Companion Grid.</p>
<p>Firefly,
My daughter is going back and forth about her recommendations too. She really wishes she could use her art teacher or her religion teacher from last year, both of whom know her really well. But, alas, I guess she needs a core teacher. She is planning on sending a supplemental recommendation from the art teacher, just because art is going to be such a big part of her application.</p>
<p>Screen name:AnnaEurope
Is your junior male or female: female
Home state: Switzerland
Preferred geographic location for college: anywhere
Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): individual support
Child's possible academic interests: cognitive sciences, neuroscience
Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: MIT, Yale
Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): none (should we visit them?)</p>
<p>This thread is getting so long!! DD has her list down to three or four schools (depending on the day). #1 (and it is FAR and AWAY #1) is Santa Clara University. #2 is U of San Diego. She will send in EA applications to both. #3 is U of South Carolina. She received their application in the mail yesterday and will send it in ASAP (SAT scores are already there, and she'll give the GC his "stuff" the first day of school). They have rolling admissions. She loves the school and unless we are misjudging (we hope not...) it is her safety which she would very happily attend. #4 is either Chapman or College of Charleston...but we are visiting Drew in NJ on Friday...so that might be her "localish" school (parents insisted...just in case she changes her mind about going far away). She is working on her essay, and is really mostly set to go. She is patiently waiting for her #1 school application to appear online...she will fill that one out immediately and send it in. I sure do wish I had a crystal ball...and a magic wand!! BTW..welcome back Carolyn...here's hoping that your more frequent posts mean that your daughter is mending well...and getting some rest!!</p>
<p>We're still in the same loosey-goosey category as Kat. Daughter's list is at 8 schools, which I suspect will shrink to 6 after some upcoming visits (not an entirely bad thing, from my perspective...it sure would make filing the FAFSA easier :))</p>
<p>It looks like American is her first choice (on paper; visit is pending) with Otterbein as her safety. Brandeis, Hobart and William Smith, Case, Goucher, Wooster, and Clark all remain on the list, but I suspect at least Case will come off . A campus drive-by of Case didn't move her to get out of the car, but we'll be attending an open house next week mostly because we're taking one of her friends, who is quite interested.</p>
<p>I'm at my wit's end re: essays. I gave her the Torrey Pines survey from a link Carolyn provided months ago...still uncompleted. We've brainstormed characteristics and talents and strengths...the list still sits on the kitchen table. I've printed out a master calendar through June, filling in known school commitments, known audition dates, and anything that might impact her time...I'm the only one that has glanced at it. I suggested that she just let everything percolate until right before school starts on the 24th, and then take a stab at a first draft...if body language is any indicator, my "suggestion" was resented and may be ignored.</p>
<p>I'm really, really trying to keep my big mouth shut (with mixed results), but since virtually every school she's applying to will require additional essays for scholarships, I'm starting to feel a bit panicked. When my daughter does talk about her essays, I'm hearing quite a bit of self-censorship...before one word is even on paper. Does anyone else have a kid who seems petrified into immobility?</p>
<p>mezzomom, mine's not petrified-she's just clueless. She writes an essay, or what she thinks is an essay, and assumes "well, that's finished" let's move on to the next task. She's never done this with a school project. I wonder if the enormity of the app, essay, and testing process has caused her to develop a "just get something down on paper", or "I'll do a better job if I have time later" triage mentality. </p>
<p>After I took D and W out for a nice greasy breakfast/brunch , I insisted on the drive home that we clear off the dining room table of it's foot high college detritus and get every school's folder and every requirement for each school lined out. A timetable built for each one would be nice,too. W went to take a nap and D went to wash her Xterra. Around here when I talk, people listen.</p>
<p>Mezzomom, my daughter has the opposite problem of your daughter. She isn't into self-censoring at all. In fact, she is quite insistent that she will be using what I think is a fairly risky topic (friend's suicide) for all of her applications. I expect that the essays are going to be a sore point between us, so I have been encouraging her to ask her 9th grade English teacher, who knows her very well and likes D's off-beat writing style, to be her mentor when it comes to the essay.
It will be VERY hard for me to resist nit-picking over the essay and she's made it very clear that she wants to do it her way.</p>
<p>By the way, Daughter is feeling better. She is getting around on her own and can now make it upstairs to sleep in her own bed. I think the worst is over.</p>
<p>Yes Weenie, your number is about correct, (wow) I never added them up before. My son is a rising senior ( I think you knew that right?).
We started visiting in summer after sophmore yr just to get a first look. Then husband, son, and I would take side trips to the schools on our time off. We do not live that far from any of them (the furthest is 3.25 hrs away). You can do it in a day easy. Cornell is 1.5 hrs away and many people we know (including ourselves) take day trips to the gorges around Ithaca for the day and we just add in a nice visit to Cornell to see something we haven't before. It seems that every time we visit a school for the second or third time, son get's a little different view. The school doesn't look so 'shiny and new' and he gets to see what it really is like. I like that b/c there is nothing clouding his opinion at these times.
Mezzomom- as far as HWS goes, what are you interested in knowing? My son will be applying, you do need to interview. He feels very comfortable there. He may be looking into the special 3+2 engineering program with Dartmouth they have. They have a Tibetin monk on staff and son thinks that is so cool.
I do not know about the school you mentioned (Forest?) but if you have specific questions about HWS I can surely try to answer them.
We have a very nice Adcom who visits son's school often and they are speaking quite often. Son had a question just recently about the 3 dorms that are being completely renovated this summer that we did not see before so he asked her all about them and she offered to get someone to take my son around on a quickie partial tour even though they are not yet on the tour route. We live 25 mins away so it is easy to visit. It sits right on the lake there and is very clean and pleasant but I think a bit small but its what my son likes I guess. Let me know what I can help you with ok?
Rubyred</p>
<p>I have a question that probably most of us have some knowledge about. It involves the 'supplement' for the online collega apps. If needed by the specific college and son wants to fill out, does anyone have tips for what 'font' and 'size' letter to use for best look? He wants to do all online if possible.
Thx</p>
<p>Screen name: Btysmom</p>
<p>Is your junior male or female: male</p>
<p>Home state: Florida</p>
<p>Preferred geographic location for college: south or southwest</p>
<p>Any specific things looking for in a college (large, small, urban, etc.): free (HA!)</p>
<p>Child's possible academic interests: filmmaking, computer graphics, business - entrepreneurial studies</p>
<p>Schools currently on child's list of possibilities: USC (reach), U Central FL, Florida State U</p>
<p>Schools we've visited (whether or not child is still interested in going there): none</p>