Parents of the high school class of 09

<p>I'm busy planning a summer college road trip (part deux, since I did one four years ago with D). Son already has a number one choice and it will be interesting to see if it retains that status - D's number one fell off the list completely after visiting.</p>

<p>Sharonohio - an AP test in Sadistics?! I love it! Historymom - are you finding Genetics as a major at the LACs you're looking at? My D has been talking about that as a major - this week, anyway. Let's see, now, we've been through architecture, engineering, economics,.... I guess we've made it to the Gs.</p>

<p>ChiSquare, yes AP Sadistics is the name my hubby gave the course -- my D never thought it was very bad and got a 5 on the test. </p>

<p>Actually there are very few schools that have a genetics major from what we've discovered but my D will be more than happy with a good Bio major and knows she will need to go to grad school to really pursue genetics.</p>

<p>I've seen molecular biology majors at LACs - I'm thinking that might be the closest match for Genetics. Good for your daughter for acing the Sadistics test (I've got to remember that one!) - that will be very valuable background for genetics.</p>

<p>parent of ivyhope:
It depends on that "strong student's" goals and objectives and what they want to get out of their undergraduate experience. I understand that from your point of view rank trumps many other important considerations. That is your bias and I know that for you it is valid but I would never consider recommending SJ State over SCU for undergrad. </p>

<p>The entire undergraduate experience offered is what I feel is important in the college selection process. If rank follows, that is wonderful but for me and many other CC parents, the ultimate goal is for our kids to end up where they will get a chance to grow up into a whole person. My bias is towards the smaller, more intimate and overall more intellectual environment of a school like SCU because again it meets the needs of the whole student.</p>

<p>I know that there are plenty of other things to consider, perhaps most importantly cost and geographical location but I would never encourage a weak or a strong student to set their compass by prestige and ranking alone.</p>

<p>ChiSquare: Like Sharon's D she and her sister are looking for solid Bio programs w/ good reputations for vet school acceptance. We have learned that the vast majority of vet school applicants are coming from the Publics but that is largely because there are very few kids who actually complete a pre-vet course of study from freshman year through graduation at most LACs. Those that do have excellent records for acceptance into vet school. Since one or both DDs may change their minds about the whole vet thing, I think it is important to keep the LACs on the table. So far they are in agreement but if UCD or Cal Poly send a couple of fat envelopes their way next March I will have no trouble being happy about it.</p>

<p>Thanks, Pohsmom & Cpeltz.</p>

<p>Guess visiting during school time is out now (which is okay; guess we'll do those 'meet the admiss officer' gatherings & plan for summer trips). </p>

<p>We might try an afternoon visit to a school only 40 mins away, though.</p>

<p>Interesting about the CA schools. Son wants to major in comp sci & has decided he really wants the Cali weather!!</p>

<p>D1 is in the class of 2009.</p>

<p>She's taken her April ACT, May SAT, and AP in lit. She doesn't plan on taking the ACT again, but will take the SAT again in October.</p>

<p>She wants a BIG school (Big 10!) and to leave the northeast corridor. We live about an hour north of the Big Apple. So far we've looked at Michigan, Penn State, and UMASS/Amherst. This summer we're checking out Illinois/Urbana-Champagne, Indiana, Purdue, and Ohio State. She also plans on applying to Arizona State and Colorado/Boulder.</p>

<p>She plans on majoring in finance.</p>

<p>She's tired of the testing (she has her NY State regents coming up). Once applications are available she'll begin working on her essays.</p>

<p>It can be a stressful time, so we're being as supportive and helpful as we can be.</p>

<p>Thankfully, D2 won't be going through this process for another four years!</p>

<p>The thread about 'applying early for rolling admission' was a helpful reminder to me (I know Rutgers in NJ suggests that as well).</p>

<p>Wondered if anyone had given any thought to encouraging the essay-writing for the applications in their junior student, this summer, especially in light of the early target dates for rolling? I understand there is a 'common app' (assuming same essays for all schools using that) but then I guess our plan would be to get a preliminary list of schools, then see what the individual essays look like.</p>

<p>Son is an inveterate procrastinator when it comes to writing (put off the thing that is not-so-pleasant). Anyone have any ideas when they'd encourage the start of this (possibly painful) writing process? </p>

<p>Also wondering--did you plan on giving your student any advice re: the essays (e.g. books to read, etc.) or just have them 'go for it' & see what comes about? Don't want to be too interfering.... :-)</p>

<p>Jolynne, I believe there are schools that use the common app that require school-specific essays. Michigan is already emailing students alerting them to the availability of essay topics. A website that our teachers point students to is called "College Ink" or "Student Ink" (sorry I can't recall the specific site)- has a lot of sample essays available for review. I'm hoping my D will work on some this summer. I think you're probably safe to encourage your student to prepare a personal statement- those seem to be pretty common.</p>

<p>^^^I have. W/ AP season ending in 20 minutes for us, the girls will have way more time on their hands. TwinK is doing an autobiography for her final in AP comp so that shoul help her generate some ideas. TwinE will have to do hers more on her free time since she decided to do her final on another topic.</p>

<p>My interfering will come in the form of nagging and proofing. They are both on CC so I may encourage them to check out the Essays forum but that's about it.</p>

<p>I also intend to encourage the writing of the essay over the summer. Not sure how successful this ploy will be.... I think all of D's intended schools are common app, so that should help. </p>

<p>I'd like to encourage D to apply "as soon as possible" - which leads me to ask - how soon is possible? Can she already apply to schools in August? I suppose some things may have to wait for the start of the school year - this is a naive question, but can one apply piecemeal, e.g., get the application in & have recommendations, transcripts, etc., follow a month later?</p>

<p>It's been so many moons since I applied to college, I have no recollection of any of this. Oh, except that there was a fee for each one. At least the online, free (often) application process is an advantage now.</p>

<p>S will definitely work on "The Essay" during the summer. What I really appreciate is his HS has the students do at least a draft as part of their Jr. English class during the spring term.</p>

<p>My D's school does that as well. Very helpful. She hasn't let me read hers, though.</p>

<p>My D will be away for 10 of the 12 weeks of summer break, working at a camp. I'd be dreaming if I thought she'd actually spend time working on essays without me there to nag her :) So I will send her off with a book on great essays and a notebook to jot down ideas....and will start my nagging come the end of August.</p>

<p>Before school ends in (2 wks!), she will ask teachers if they will write her letters of recommendation. She had come up with a list of teachers with whom she has a good relationship, but she just tweaked the list per the GC's advice on teachers who write "awesome" letters - more personal and specific than others. I thought that was very valuable advice.</p>

<p>Another '09 parent checking in. Fang Jr. is looking at small LACs. In our spring midwest visit he loved Beloit and Macalester, liked Carleton, and hated Grinnell. We'll probably check out Bates and Bowdoin in September, since they start early in the fall and Fang Jr's classes don't start until the end of September. Sometime in the fall we'll take a flying trip to check out Kalamazoo, on paper an excellent prospect for him.</p>

<p>Fang Jr has the Macro AP tomorrow morning, a history test at noon and a math test in the afternoon. Poor thing, it'll be a long day for him.</p>

<p>Cardinal, my d is also in the market for a small LAC. What exactly did your son love about Beloit and Macalester? And like about Carleton? And hate about Grinnell? Funny how opinionated our teens can be.</p>

<p>Fang, we're visiting Beloit next month and I'm curious as well as to what it is you liked about it. I'm excited as I think it would be a great fit for DS, he's not so thrilled about being in a rural environment. We'll be looking at a couple of Jesuit schools in Chicago, so he'll definitely have a chance to see the contrast.</p>

<p>To add a contrarian voice. Kids who like to plan generally may write good essays over the summer. The procrastinators, and you know them if you have one, will probably write their best essay in the last week before the application is due. Just know that fact now and you will save yourselves a lot of agony....</p>

<p>Alum - That's definitely my son! I'm going to give him the Common App and some other essay topics to think about, but won't hound him over the summer. He will, however, have an October 15 deadline for the essays for EA and rolling purposes.</p>