Parents of the high school class of 09

<p>The local HS is very large and students have already started asking teachers for rec for apps. Some of the teachers get innundated with requests and prioritize by when they are asked. Several do them over the summer. It's never too early to ask!</p>

<p>ChiSquare :You need to add the universties to the list of interested colleges and then the calendar shows the interesting timeline for all those colleges.</p>

<p>US News premium addition also have similar feature and is also available with princeton review.</p>

<p>One of the best ideas that we've heard concerning timelines came from the U. of Richmond.</p>

<p>One of its admissions reps said that students should make a huge chart of the colleges that they will apply to. List all the colleges on the left. Then, have columns for early decision/action, financial aid forms due, SAT or no SAT (lots of schools will consider one for admission without it or the ACT), SAT II and how many, cost of application, application deadlines.</p>

<p>Then, put this on a bedroom wall. Make sure it's a huge chart. That way, everyone can see it. </p>

<p>My son took the suggestion to heart. Last week, he started to research the information I listed earlier and making his chart.</p>

<p>I tell this because of what happened to one of our top grads a few years ago. He was so excited that he got in early action to one of the top schools in the nation. Then, he blew off the financial aid form. It was due Feb. 1. He said, "I'll get it done and send it Monday or Tuesday." A week late.</p>

<p>Well, here he works to land the dream and I'm telling him not to put it off. Colleges are not too kind about things like that.</p>

<p>Well, he got his financial aid stuff in the mail, and guess what? It wasn't enough. So he drove two hours to the school and pleaded for more money. But there was no more. So, he settled for his No. 2 school. Still a great school, but not his dream school.</p>

<p>My son watched this all play out. Over the past few years, he has seen lots of kids in tears when things did not work out regarding college. He learned that it's nice to shoot for the top schools, but be prepared if things do not work out.</p>

<p>Financial aid is one of those areas where you have to read the instructions carefully. Several times over. One of my daughter's colleges required their financial aid application and the Profile to be submitted by December 31st (yikes!) for regular decision - a requirement that was easily overlooked. And no waiting til the last minute to do taxes!</p>

<p>Hi momreads--great tip about the board--my son '08 created a spreadsheet on the computer with all the deadlines for admission, fin aid, etc. -- printed one out to to hang. kept us on track. he applied to 12 colleges so this was key to managing. (some colleges require FAFSA only, others also Profile CSS, along w non custodial if divorced, some have their own institutional aid forms, UPenn for example, some require sending tax returns, etc.) son admitted to 9 of 12, waitlisted at 1. my best advice re: college search and affording dream schools is to search for colleges that award merit awards and from that list identify where your child is in top 10% . Really worked for my son-and many other students on here...</p>

<p>ChiSquare, has your D taken the SAT yet? If so , she can use her log in info to go to "my organizer" That's where she can launch her college list. Once she makes her college list the calendar feature I think just happens. If you have her log in info and her list you can do it for her. That's what I did after SAT results because then my girls could chart how the "stack up" against kids who were accepted from the previous admissions cycle.</p>

<p>She has taken the ACT but not SAT. Actually, her school has something very similar, and in some ways it's even more helpful, because it plots the stats (GPA & test scores) of other accepted applicants from the same high school. The proverbial apples vs apples comparison.</p>

<p>I was learning my way around the College Board web site this morning & created a list. So far so good! I like the spreadsheet of key dates idea.</p>

<p>Is your program Naviance? We don't have it. I guess with about 20 or so kids a year going to 4 year schools and most of them going into the State University System it would be hard to justify the cost for literally fewer than a dozen kids per year.</p>

<p>We have no apples to compare to mine...that came out wrong but you know what I mean ;) Their HS has sent no one to at least half of the schools on their lists.</p>

<p>yes, I believe it is called Naviance. Definitely something like that, anyway. It's a very slick toy!</p>

<p>We also have Naviance but I know a lot of parents at my son's high school don't necessarily realize it's there or how helpful it can be. They tell the kids about it but (surprise) the parents don't always get the word.</p>

<p>I know my son's done Naviance. I didn't know parents could look at it; I'll have to check it out, thanks!</p>

<p>It's really quite cool. You choose the colleges you are interested in, then it plots your child's test scores and GPA against all other applicants to that college from that high school. It shows which were accepted, which rejected, and which waitlisted. Then it gives means (or maybe medians - it wasn't clear) for the accepted students so you can see how your child compares.</p>

<p>It does other things as well, but the graphs are the most fun!</p>

<p>bumping because I know we have some new parents in the last two weeks</p>

<p>Seconding ChiSquare. Naviance is both useful and entertaining. (Hmm, kind of like CC.)</p>

<p>I think different schools can configure it slightly differently, and add different features to the overall site. At S1's school, the student, mom, and dad each get a different password and different inboxes. Everybody can add schools to the "my colleges" page but no individual can remove a school. Amusingly, the list shows who added which schools, too. </p>

<p>Sorry you don't have it, historymom!</p>

<p>DS is class of 2009. Unless he surprises me, he'll go for an engineering and/or business degree somewhere and be fine. I think he is leaning toward a big 10 school although I'd rather see him at a smaller school. Either way, I'm confident he'll make great friends and learn lots.</p>

<p>Thanks Harriet I wish we had it too though I have to admit that between CC and other college info sites I am already spending LOTS of time on this whole college thing and I have the dust bunnies to prove it.</p>

<p>Speaking of which have you seen <a href="http://www.youniversitytv.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.youniversitytv.com&lt;/a>. It's new and not complete yet but it has a video data base (still in development) of college tour videos. Loads of fun and the ones I looked at were all made within the last year so it is very up to date. You can request they add schools too.</p>

<p>RMGsmom you have what seems like a good, and quite refreshing attitude about this process!</p>

<p>way cool, historymom, thanks for posting that link!</p>

<p>I get nervous when I read threads like these :O. My d's attitude: Relax, I'll get into college and I'll be happy wherever I go. My laid-back d :); we'll see if she makes it completely through the apps process with that comfortable feeling.</p>

<p>D is class of 09 - obviously or I wouldn't be here, right?</p>

<p>She leans toward engineering or physical sciences for a major.
She does not want to attend college anywhere "cold".
She would prefer a cityscape as she is a city girl.<br>
She does not want a large university - small through mid-size.</p>

<p>Third child to go through the apps process in four years. I guess it's easier in some ways, but harder in others - seen disappointment and also college choice based on "name" or "peer pressure" - everyone not directly involved with the decision KNEW it was wrong for the student (confirmed in time). </p>

<p>D is a good student with good ec's and leadership. She will be NMSF. Took two SATs (March 2270; May 2300; superscored 2370 - sorry had to brag and it's such a relief to NEVER have to take the SAT again), no ACT. She took the SAT II Bio E at the end of freshman year and will take SAT II Lit and Math I this weekend and maybe add the US History. Has taken 6 honors classes and three APs. </p>

<p>In-state (TX) colleges: Texas A&M, Rice, Trinity, University of Texas - Dallas (not Austin - too big)
Out of state colleges: Notre Dame and Wash U, and possibilities SLU and Tulsa University (great reps at college fair). </p>

<p>I do think the list will change some by apps time. I would like to see her apply to 6-8 schools probably. Oldest d applied to 11 and said it was too many. S applied to 5 and said it was too few, so I guess somewhere in between is "just right" (feel a little like Goldilocks here). </p>

<p>FYI one student at son's school applied to 32 or 34 - honestly can't remember - but the number was ridiculous. Also one of s's friends applied to all the Ivies and other - 14 in total; decided to wait and only visit schools where he was accepted to save money. Got into all 14 - HPY, Rice, ... The newspaper had a major article on him - he leaned toward P, but is attending H. But I digress.</p>

<p>Hope everyone ends with some happy decision-making to do.</p>

<p>DD1 is '09.
Math major is more likely than anything else at this point. IR or a social science would be next most likely.
Wants to continue to play cello for fun.
Doesn't want a small town or small college. A medium-sized university is most attractive.
Far enough away that we can't drop in.
Likes residential college system (Yale, Rice).
Likely NMSF. Dad would like her to go someplace with full-ride for NMF. I've come around to thinking that is not such a bad idea since there is some chance she would be interested in pricey graduate education.
It's easy to find top schools to be interested in. We need to change our focus to find attractive safeties.</p>

<p>DD2 is '11. With her we'll start with the safeties. Actually, she has started that on her own.</p>

<p>ignatius...Trinity is such a great school. It is currently on my daughters' lists as well.</p>