<p>congrats electronblue. I wish your D good luck with the ED acceptance. </p>
<p>Had a frustrating experience today. TwinK's UP app has been complete except for the teacher rec for weeks. Teacher, wonderful teacher and mentor, assured D that it went out two weeks ago but when she called was told that the file was only missing the rec. So we faxed the info but when I called to check 40 or so minutes later they said they hadn't received the fax. So, faxed it again and it still didn't make it. I am anticipating that sometime tomorrow the faxes and the snail mail will come through and they will have three copies of the same rec. Would you fax again tomorrow from a different machine and mail another copy or relax and assume that everything will work out?</p>
<p>Histmom, I'll recommend that you let it go for a couple of days, but if it was my neurotic self, I'd be driving it there! :)</p>
<p>Electron, I almost envy the ED. DS's list is now at 11, and while he does have a safety he really liked, he's been very reluctant to visit schools - he's a procrastinator in a big way. Our deal is that send is hit for all but the UC apps in 3 days, and I can't wait for a break!</p>
<p>Our GC sent out email memos to the kids today, saying -- it would be good to make a spreadsheet to keep track of everything; and it's a good time to start sending your test scores and transcripts. "Get SOMETHING checked off the college application to do list." </p>
<p>historymom--I would (yes, nuerotic) send it overnight mail certified. And if you need, you can send it to me and I will hand deliver it. I spoke with our school secretary who sends all of this out and she is very frustated that this happens so often. We all respect the immense job this is for the admissions offices but when it is your own student waiting for a decision, it is hard! 3 out of 4 of S's applications have had some question that meant a call or, minimally tracking...but (crossed fingers here) are all taken care of and now we wait....</p>
<p>oregon101 you are very sweet to offer to hand-deliver the rec.. Thanks so very much! I will call this a.m. to make sure and if it hasn't arrived I will overnight it. </p>
<p>zetesis "smidgen of smugness" made me smile</p>
<p>D was deferred from University of South Florida, they too (along with UCF) want her to bring up her test scores and take a look at first semester grades.</p>
<p>JSM, how is your D taking the deferrals? Hopefully, she sees it as an opportunity! Are you both confident she can improve the test scores? My S has great scores but very mediocre grades, and I anticipate he may get some deferrals for the first semester grades.</p>
<p>My S doesn't want to leave high school. He's brilliant but very immature, and having bipolar disorder sure doesn't help. I've dragged him to a couple of open houses and college fairs, but he just doesn't want to think about next year. I guess a year or two at community college will help him grow up a bit and feel more comfortable about leaving the nest.</p>
<p>stevensmama-consider having him apply to begin mid-year rather than the fall. That will give him a little more time, a few cc classes, and adjust to the idea that his friends have moved away.</p>
<p>D is pretty upbeat about the two deferrals. She was surprised she wasn't outright denied. She knew going in that it would be tough to get into UCF(1), USF(4), and Florida State(2) being that she is an OOS student. She has excellent EC's and recommendations, B+ student GPA, but not so good test scores (she's just horrible at taking the SAT or ACT). She's taking a heavy courseload this year so she will send in her first semester grades, already telling me she'll be getting a 94 in Accounting. She's also waiting on her ACT scores from last month, they will be avaiable on 11/12. She will also send UCF a letter of intent, saying that if they acccept her she will sign up ASAP. I know it's a long way to May 1st, but in a month or two if she is still deferred, we may have to send in a deposit to #3 school (another Florida school that DID accept her) and make a commitment there.</p>
<p>At this point too, she has 5 other schools she's waiting to hear from. As of right now, she's just intent on getting into UCF or Florida State, if not those two, then she will accept the #3 school's offer but try and transfer to UCF or Florida State at some point.</p>
<p>*Rough week grade-wise and looking to get rougher next week. *</p>
<p>I hear ya. AP Gov was reputed to be a GPA killer and that's proving to be true. The teacher prides himself on giving very few, difficult tests and quizzes, so there are few grades. There is a LOT of class discussion, which is quite appropriate in an election year. The teacher says Son makes excellent contributions to the discussions...but absolutely no credit is given for that.</p>
<p>JSM, I'll keep my fingers crossed that your daughter gets into UCF, and I think her commitment and enthusiasm will go a long way. When S had an interview with an adcom, he was VERY clear on how S should handle it if he ended up on a waitlist, "Call me and tell me you're interested and I can assure you that will move you quickly up the list."</p>
<p>S doesn't get grades for a couple weeks yet, and I'm not confident his grades will be an improvement as I never see him study. </p>
<p>The GPA killers here are the art electives. last year it was photography for twinK this year ceramics for twinE. makes a girl feel like Brian in the Breakfast Club when his elephant lamp wouldn't turn on.</p>
<p>thanks cpeltz, now I have to get D to write the letter ready within the next week or so which will coincide with the ACT score release. I was thinking of having D give it to her GC and have the GC send the letter with her first semester grades since the marking period ends next Friday.</p>
<p>Photography was my S's only B in his junior year, and his Dad is a professional photographer! And he got some awesome shots of his then girlfriend. He has actually shot some weddings with my H, B or no B. He was the only kid in there who was a professional. It didn't seem to hurt his chances any.</p>
<p>So bring on elephant lamps. I turns out okay.</p>
<p>Hi everyone. Just checking in here to see what's going on with this year's seniors. D is a junior, so I just want to see what I have to look forward to next year. Your kids all sound like they're getting things done, some just a bit more quickly than others.</p>
<p>History - I sure hope twinK's rec arrives so she can get her acceptance letter already! Did you ask them to check twinE's file, just in case? Just a thought, since they have the same last name and go to the same high school.</p>
<p>It's too bad the art classes are GPA killers at your Ds' school. They have a different attitude about art at my D's school - grades are based on how hard you try, not how talented you are (although I'm sure being talented can't hurt). The good thing for you/bad thing for us is that I've heard many colleges toss the art classes when they recalculate the grades.</p>
<p>Edit - forgot to say that I loved The Breakfast Club, and the elephant lamp analogy is perfect!</p>
<p>:D :D :D sure is nice to show up and get reassurance from you all. LIMom that is an excellent suggestion! I hadn't even thought that their stuff might get mixed up in admissions but you are right. </p>
<p>myth the scoring criteria in art classes is foreign to me sometimes. It is hard to know what would possess a photo teacher to give a B to a student who has been doing photography professionally. When I taught a poetry unit back in my English teacher days I gave everyone who tried an A on their poetry book because how on earth can you score something so qualitative on a quantitative scale? </p>
<p>HMW you are welcome! I love that movie and have been trying for decades to perfect that lipstick trick of Claire's.</p>
<p>cpeltz...don't worry mythmom's and my kids' experiences are hopefully not universal.</p>