Parents of the high school class of 09

<p>My D likes but doesn't love them. She's anxious for the movie, though. I've read all three and thought they were okay, although the last one was so predictable.</p>

<p>My D has scorned the Twilight series. She's more of a Francesca Lia Block fan.</p>

<p>well.... S2 is now a senior. Very different experience from S1 (who did ED to GWU, got in, and never looked back -- hates our hometown -- didn't have many friends, etc., etc.</p>

<p>S2.... is truly in his comfort zone here. Yet he wants to go away. But he's nervous. I joke that he is going to University of XBox360 with a major in Guitar Hero! We've seen some places, not too many. he wants big, but not "Penn State Big". Maybe Maryland/BU big... possibly Northeastern. Spirit... a University with lots of choices (given he has no specific goals). My "unofficial" rule of thumb for him is 15 minutes from a multiplex by train. He needs civilization. His stats are good. He's not phenomenal, but better than average. Slightly lazy, but manages to pull it out at the last minute. He survives on his charm & his smile. Not the attribute I'm most proud of, but, I've gotta tell you.... he works it, and it works for him.</p>

<p>This is going to be a wild ride this time.</p>

<p>pinot grigio here too...clink clink</p>

<p>my d did a first draft of her essay...coaxed her by saying only way to go out tonight w bf---was kind of grounded so she worked it off. she finished pride and prejudice and just started atonement...(which she actually is enjoying)</p>

<p>I can't believe this is the last weekend my son will be at home...take him up to Va next Friday...having a special dinner for him Sunday eve...how did this happen so fast??</p>

<p>oh Lindz...best of luck with the launching. :clink: Enjoy this week.</p>

<p>One daughter -09 who is going to major in broadcasting journalism.
We've visited two universities during this summer where she has a great chance to be accepted: University of Missouri: Columbia and Chapman. She LOVED Mizzou at first sight and decided not even to apply to Chapman. Since we live in CA we would like her to be closer to home, but for her major Mizzou would be the right choice. Moreover she wants to apply ONLY there, even though she had 7colleges in the list before the visit. So college visits are very useful :-)</p>

<p>Welcome Tori_mom how nice that your D has found her heart's desire in a safety. Enjoy the serenity you will experience while we are here pulling out our hair :)</p>

<p>Tori- I am so envious! A safety she loves, what could be better (okay maybe a free ride:D.) D had 2 safeties in PA, decide she doesn't like the STATE! The whole state, and for no particular reason. </p>

<p>And my stomach keeps turning every time someone mentions the rough draft being done, if only mine would actually look at the essay questions!!</p>

<p>4Giggles--you are not alone. We are not "allowed" to use the "C" word around here--still in denial that summer's almost over. I printed out the Common Application questions to have them subtlely laying near DS's computer...no bites whatsoever. But it'll kick in, everyone says and mine's a procrastinator so we decided not to make it a miserable summer for all by constantly nagging.</p>

<p>^^^</p>

<p>Then I will really give you a stomach ache. </p>

<p>THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE ESSAY IS DONE AND IT'S GOOD. FINAL DRAFT :) YEAH :) (Sorry, I have to repeat the words to believe it myself. Gosh, I hope I don't wake up and realize I just dreamed this.)</p>

<p>D will ask a teacher to look at it. I think it is a tad long, but it should be easy enough to delete that "tad". </p>

<p>Anyway, I swear that childbirth will be easier for her than writing the common app essay was.</p>

<p>ignatus, can't even comment. so jealous. Lindz, enjoy your bittersweet weekend--and Tori, jealous here too of loving the safety! clink, everyone--and happy weekend!</p>

<p>Then go to visit Mizzou :-) !
Actually she combined the list of universities with a good broadcasting programs a year ago and all of them were not safety choice ( USC, Northwestern, Columbia, BU…) . Then I did my research and thanks to this website I found out Mizzou Journalism School and “added” it to D’s list with her comments “Mom, why do you want to send me in the middle of nowhere?” Then her school counselor helped me a little bit; she was very excited after she seeing her alma mater on D’s list and telling her how great their journalism program; so it least D AGREEED to visit that place.<br>
When our plane landed at the cloudy and rainy STL airport, she told us “ok, I think I got the picture, can we go home now? “
But the campus visit changed her attitude completely. She was convinced that it’s the best Journalism school in the world with their own TV studio, where students work from first day and they even broadcast to Columbia city on weekends, Mizzou students are the happiest students in the US, the dormitories are so convenient and great that almost all students live there for the entire 4 or 5 years, let alone their really cool fitness facilities, a lot of Sorority houses, numerous cafeterias with a huge variety of food, 2 weeks of Homecoming and so on…. She just wanted already to stay there instead of going to her killer senior year with 7 classes, 5 of which are APs :-) …</p>

<p>Tori -- S1 is a Broadcast Journalism major. He is at GWU. Didn't make the School of Media as a poli com major on the intial ED app, but got into liberal arts, reapplied as a soph to the school of Journalism, and got in. He's a double major in History & Journalism. LOVES IT! But our backup choices: Emerson College (in Boston); BU, NYU, American University (DC), University of Maryland, Penn State (very low on his list), Syracuse.... All East Coast schools. Missouri was suggested, but he negated it -- in the middle of nowhere (he really wanted an embedded city campus -- hence, BU, NYU & Emerson).... and he wanted a fairly significant Jewish population.</p>

<p>Mom In Virginia -- sounds like my house. I made a chart for S2 of all the school we've discussed with his counselor, their location, student body #s, SAT/ACT guides, app deadlines, similiar schools, and my thoughts on each choice. It was attached to a cover sheet of a projected timeline for doing essays, getting rec letters, etc., etc., and a rough draft of his "resume", which, other than sports, is pretty insignificant. He's not a do-er or a joiner, and doesn't really "get" the need for community service. There's also a personal survey sent out in early summer by his guidance counselor that he's supposed to complete, so she gets to know him better. This is kind of silly, since our HS only has 400 students -- each counselor only 200 students (appx. 50 seniors). She knows him very well.... as a matter of fact, as DH & I have gone through a very difficult 2 years, she's been counseling S2 privately, as much as he'll allow himself to open up to her. She's terrific!</p>

<p>But we are not allowed to discuss the "C" word in our home, either. </p>

<p>Like I said... what a year we're in for!</p>

<p>Tori--it was interesting reading your post our S is interested in broadcast/journalism, moreso on the broadcast end. But as I've said before I've been laid up the whole summer with a broken ankle, unable to drive, work, etc. so that killed our plans to do college visits. We are in NY so we are going to visit a few on the East Coast hopefully September when I get this cast off.</p>

<p>Thanks nymom2sons. My DS's GC had us fill out a survey thing for her before school was out, so at least that part is done. My DS is not a community service type either. Will do it for NHS next year, but that's the only reason. The thing for me is that my DS has aspirations for very good schools so it makes me anxious to see such little activity. My analogy is that he is laying fallow to prepare for the Fall Sprint. (just saying this to DH, not him of course)</p>

<p>D just got an email from St. John's University (NYC) asking her to fill out a quick application, waive the application fee and the ESSAY!</p>

<p>She's thrilled about the NO ESSAY! :P</p>

<p>It said:</p>

<p>Your interest in St. John's University - and your potential - entitles you to receive Your Personal Application from St. John's. </p>

<p>Your copy will be arriving in the mail very soon ... but you can get started and apply ONLINE right now! </p>

<p>Complete Your Personal Application and you'll get these extraordinary benefits: </p>

<p>No application fee
An admission decision in just two weeks
Priority financial aid and priority housing consideration
Your essay and recommendation have been waived</p>

<p>And, xxxxxx, when you attend St. John's, you'll adapt easily on our high-tech residential campuses because all incoming students receive their own wireless laptop for their entire college career. </p>

<p>I look forward to receiving your application. </p>

<p>xxx xxx
Director of Admission
St. John's University
Office of Undergraduate Admission
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439 </p>

<p>After careful consideration all summer, she wasn't going to apply (they don't have a football team), but after getting that email she became excited about applying again.</p>

<p>I was trying to figure out why they gave her this "exclusive offer" and I assume it's because she took the SAT and ACT in May and June and had them listed to get a "free" report.</p>

<p>Wow!</p>

<p>Are there any LACs out there that waive (or don't require) the essay? I can see that being a big draw to my kid.</p>

<p>This would be a dream--no essays!</p>

<p>Seriously. S1 would be thrilled.</p>

<p>My older daughter received a bunch of them in 2005. (She graduated high school in 2006.) Most were invitations to apply with no fee but some also waived the essay. One I remember was Tulane. She really had no interest in Tulane but applied anyway. She was accepted but just that month they discontinued their College of Engineering and would need to switch to a different College....it was right after Katrina. </p>

<p>My younger daughter just has received fee waivers from University of Pittsburgh and Dusquesne University......I'm hoping she'll get more and, of course, hopefully a few essay exemptions. (Both of my daughters are science and math kids....and are not big fans of writing essays.)</p>