<p>That's great, rrah & oregon101! Good for them! </p>
<p>Son took the initiative last night & completed the first stage application (all on his own, using own credit card for the app fee) to a South Cal reach school. The warm weather is drawing him in....!</p>
<p>My son was just switched from Dual Credit English to AP English Lit, so his summer reading/work assignments just changed. In AP English, they are supposed to make a college binder, write a letter to a college requesting catalog, application, and other information and write an essay. Looks like they will be really concentrating on this the first semester.</p>
<p>Fortunately, son has a really good idea for his essay that I think captures the essence of him. Now if only he can get past the opening sentence.</p>
<p>Okay, I've only posted a few times. Here's my problem. My S really hasn't done much except here and there checking out colleges on the websites. I have been after him to narrow down his choices and makes lists and start working on his essay, etc. We had planned to do some college visits over the summer but back on 7/5 I broke my ankle and have pretty much been out of commission since then. We have thought about at this point going to Fall Open Houses and making a couple visits in Sept/Oct. Do you think this is too late?</p>
<p>He is interested in studying broadcast/journalism. He's thinking he would like to do something in the lines of either advertising/marketing, but not really sure. We told him he has to pick some colleges in NY because that is where we are from and the financial end of things we are not going to rule out SUNY schools. He really wants to go out of state, but we shall see.</p>
<p>He has awesome grades, not much in the line of extra cur. or clubs.</p>
<p>Any suggestions for a worried mom?</p>
<p>I think it's never too late to visit...although, if your son has some 'safety' schools (SUNY?) or other rolling admission schools he's at least preliminarily interested in, it would probably be in his best interest to apply early (now, if possible) to increase his acceptance chances. You can always visit, later.</p>
<p>That's what we are going to do w/a few schools that son likes but are just too far/expensive (3,000 miles away, $600 plane tickets) to visit unless he gets an acceptance. We'll visit after he hears, if they are still options.</p>
<p>My D has decided that she won't apply to any school she hasn't visited. So the list is complete!</p>
<p>I was trying to figure out how to do a poll to query how many schools the class of 09 is applying to. No luck - I couldn't get it figured out. But in our case, it looks like it is going to be 6. Two NE, two NW, two midwest. Very symmetrical!</p>
<p>Just got back from vacation last night, checked in at CC, and now the margarita-fueled, worry about it manana mom is out and panic mom is in the house! D also said she wouldn't apply to any school she hadn't visited, but now is backing off that statement as the summer clicks away. She started out so gung ho, with thoughtful criteria, a schedule, etc., but now is engaged in magical thinking ("I can work 40 hours a week, travel, do summer work for 4 AP classes, compete on a swim team, visit colleges, have an active social life, and get all my essays and applications done before school starts and I get really busy.")</p>
<p>Anyone have any Tums?</p>
<p>I hear you, chintzy---panic mom came to the fore in our house this past weekend--things have toned down, but at least a little adrenaline jump-started the effort (although I'm groggy from lack of sleep [worrying, researching] and have dreamed for several nights about college admission! ugh...the phrase 'back off' comes to mind, lol). </p>
<p>ChiSquare-- think son is applying to between 15-20 schools (works for him).</p>
<p>Have a nice Pinot Grigio Ladies! (passing the bottle) Take a deep breath! It is the weekend! Having appetizers on the deck, a nice glass of wine and playing on the computer!</p>
<p>S1 is working on his common app essay as I type. He says he has about 170 words and is aiming for about 250 by the end of the evening. He's writing about something (marching band) totally unrelated to his planned major (electrical engineering). I've decided to not second guess his topic as he's a good writer and has a unique, quirky-in-a-good-way style to his writing that I think (hope!) will show his personality well.</p>
<p>I'll be so glad when all the applications are in - is it October yet? ;)</p>
<p>First of all, I was much calmer when I stayed away from CC, but that non-neurotic mom seems to have disappeared.</p>
<p>S has very good test scores and a 3.0 gpa UW with AP and honors classes, but managed to slack his way to a D in HEnglish in 2nd semester soph. He's been doing adult school to replace the grade, but didn't finish last year and won't be done until mid-late September.</p>
<p>My question is, should he still apply now or wait for the replacement grade? One of the schools on his list is a match for him, but definitely not a guarantee, but does have rolling admissions. </p>
<p>Any opinions? My instinct is to have him get the app in and cross our fingers. It's not one of his top schools, but is one of the 8-10 on his list.</p>
<p>Ugh.</p>
<p>I've put on a pot of tea and have overflowing platters of scones with lemon curd and rasbery jam on the side. Join me in the rocker on the front porch while our kids procrastinate us into an early grave!</p>
<p>I asked grils last night how they were doing on the recommended tasks they had been given during our 30 min session last Sun:</p>
<p>TwinE..Oh I got one thing done.
Me...Which one?
TwinE...I have a common app account
Me....you did that in June!
TwineE...yeah but it's still done</p>
<p>Me to TwinK...How about you?
TwinK....uhhhh I totally forgot about it til just now.</p>
<p>I am committed to not nagging I am I am I am. But I am going to ask them each to apply to one CSU campus this week. No essay required. Who know if it will actually happen.</p>
<p>So far each has a list of two schools. One instate private and one instate public. They picked the same two school though they started their lists independently. Hope there ismore variety as time goes on. Heck at this point maybe they should just call it a day ;)</p>
<p>Chi square can I ask which NW schools your D has decided to apply to?</p>
<p>cpeltz-I don't have an answer for you but have a smiliar question. S is taking the ACT in Sept and scores will not be ready until mid Oct. so that is when we figured the first app. would be send. Seems to me that in your case waiting until Sept. is still early and gets rid of the low grade as well as shows that he took it seriously and took care of the problem.</p>
<p>cpeltz I agree that waiting until September is still early enough. If they follow through I am hoping my DDs will apply to three rolling admit schools for which their scores are fine by the end of Sept. Remember many many students don't apply to any rolling or ea schools and they still get great admissions results!</p>
<p>I'm bribing with doughnuts tomorrow morning to get the nuts and bolts of the Common App and the state U app done tomorrow morning. Then he can start working on the essays. Since his fall sport/daily doubles practices start the 18th, I'm really hoping he can have the bulk of paperwork done before all that starts. He has music recordings to do as well, so there are a lot of details. sigh.</p>
<p>ohhhhhh SJTH good plan. I'm going to come up with a reward system for getting the tsks accomplished. Nice!</p>
<p>historymom - can you give more details about how your daughters are applying to a CSU? I've looked on the CSU Mentor site and can't tell how to start the application process prior to Oct 1 for fall 2009. Thanks.</p>
<p>historymom - I'm interested in CSU as well. Have you done much research into the various schools? From what I can tell in my limited search, Sonoma State is the program most like a LAC. Does that sound right?</p>
<p>vballmom: you are obviously ahead of me in touring the CSUmentor website. I just revisited and see that the box that says "click this box if you are applying for;" does not include fall 09 as I had misread it to say. Thaks for bringing that up. I guess I have to revise my plan to say...Get a CSU Mentor account :)</p>
<p>cpeltz: I haven't done a ton of research into any campuses in the CSU system other than Cal Poly SLO and CSU Monterey Bay. Sonoma is the closest to me and my girls have both rejected it on the grounds that "everyone goes there" but it is a lovely campus and like CSUMB, the size is more similar to an LAC. you can find out about all of the SCU campuses at CSUMentor</a> - Explore Campuses</p>
<p>You can check out my visit report for CSUMB if you like and I would be happy to answer questions. We like it because it is small ( under 4,000) focuses on hands-on learning and is a great place to study Biology with the bay right there. We also have family close by so that is an added plus. DDs like the large dorm rooms with in-room bathrooms that are shared only between the roommates.</p>
<p>Thanks historymom, I was thinking I'd missed something on the CSU Mentor site :) </p>
<p>Wouldn't it be nice if the site opened up early, just to get those CSU apps out of the way? But really I can't complain because of all the applications S1 will be doing, the CSU ones are going to be a piece of cake. (thanks for the scones, btw!)</p>
<p>It's amazing the different ways our kids can eliminate schools. </p>
<p>SLO is pretty much out for S as the programs are very specific and since they're all impacted, he'd be stuck. Haven't looked at Monterey yet, but it would be a big "circle of life" experience since I was born at Fort Ord Army Hospital!</p>