<p>My dd is so busy that she hasn’t been able to visit colleges except a few in August before school and that is not the worst of it. She hasn’t had time to think much about what she wants either. SHe tells me things that show me she has not thought about it very long like she doesn’t want to visit school X because it is in a large city though she plans on applying to schools y and z which are in much larger cities.</p>
<p>Hmm…March 31st. I think that tomorrow we’re in the barrel</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>Just joined. My S is a junior this year. We’re planning on visiting a few UC’s (Irvine, LA, SB, Berkeley), Harvey Mudd, and USC over spring break.</p>
<p>Seems like we are bumping up against S’s very busy schedule trying to visit schools before the end of the school year. Right now April vacation is tied up on SAT prep for the May test so I am scrambling to do some weekend trips. We may have to content ourselves with summer visits. Now that we are focused on a business major it helps eliminate a bunch of possibilities. S just told us yesterday, much to my relief, that if he does indeed end up with a major in business he will minor in math. Makes me feel much better.</p>
<p>Welcome dad1518!</p>
<p>missypie, it’s our last few days of being on deck. More metaphors, anyone?</p>
<p>Howdy, Dad1518, and welcome.</p>
<p>I’m taking D1 out to Claremont on Thursday to tour Pomona (snowball’s chance) and Pitzer. D1, who just got her license :eek: told me that freshmen are allowed to have cars at the consortium. I said that’s nice, but no, she wouldn’t be allowed to take a car. She replied don’t we want to see her? I said yes, but there’s that nice Metrolink system. She grumped it would take longer. I said I didn’t really care about that, myself. 
</p>
<p>Speaking of Pomona, I was thinking back to my high school years, when Pomona was a little sleepy school with not much of a reputation. A handful of classmates who were good students but no standouts matriculated. I applied because they offered some substantial National Merit money, and I hoped they would rain some down on me (they didn’t). In short, it didn’t inspire the kind of academic awe that is now its rightful due. I suspect that our kids will experience the same phenomenon when their own kids go through this process.</p>
<p>We toured Pomona et al. for D1 who didn’t apply there. I think what turned her off was the statement by the adcom (for the benefit of parents) that if a student missed a few classes, it wouldn’t be unusual for the prof to give them a ring to see what’s up. However, it is the one LAC that D2 definitely wants to apply to, what she remembers are the oranges that you can pick off the trees on campus. Unfortunately it’s a long shot for acceptance and likely an even longer shot for FA.</p>
<p>Hi folks, </p>
<p>Thanks for the warm welcome! I’ve been trying to get my head around the whole college admission process and must say it’s quite daunting. Each aspect (FA, application/essay writing, standardized tests, school selection) seems like an independent area of study in and of themselves. </p>
<p>My S is a good kid but not particularly forward looking. Then again, how many HS students are? I certainly wasn’t at his age So I’ve taken it upon myself to do some of the leg work to ensure he doesn’t miss the important dates. I’m also trying to temper that against the conventional wisdom that the students should take responsibility for the process since they need to be independent once they head off to college.</p>
<p>Currently S doesn’t know what field of study to pursue. He’s interested in science and math, with a little bit of leanings towards chemistry. He also doesn’t know if he would be interested in a large college or small one, or something in between. His Mom & I are hoping that the upcoming campus visits will give him the basis to decide some of these things. I can’t help but think that the process is so much more complicated today.</p>
<p>Hi dad1518 and welcome to CC!</p>
<p>I think all of us here have the same concerns about trying to balance sending strong, independent kids off to college on the one hand, with the reality of the complexity and competitiveness of college admissions these days. </p>
<p>There’s a wealth of information and experience here, so feel free to ask away. Do you have some good admissions and financial safeties in your state? Have fun on the college visits, it’s an exciting time in their lives!</p>
<p>Hi, all! I’m brand new, with a S in the class of 2011.</p>
<p>We are waiting for his first SAT score tomorrow and trying to figure out what type of schools he has a chance at, and learning as much as we can as a new member here.</p>
<p>S goes to a small town public high school where very, very few students look at out of state colleges, so I think this place will be a real lifeline!</p>
<p>Welcome aboard GKM, love your member name! With all of the admission hubbub, I didn’t realize that tomorrow was a big day for SAT scores, best of luck to your S. Sometimes coming from a small town HS can be an advantage in setting a candidate apart, but you’re smart to come here since your guidance counselors may not have a very broad view of how college admissions works these days.</p>
<p>Welcome to all newbies on this thread. Sit down. Take a fudge brownie or a fresh lemon bar. Owlice (who started this thread) used to bake up a storm. Miss her!!</p>
<p>entomom, I forgot about SAT score date (call it denial). What time will they be online? I’m preparing to obsess. Heh.</p>
<p>Thanks for the welcome, entomom! Yes, it’s nice to be here–so much information! Thanks to this site, my son is making his first college-discussion appointment to see his guidance counselor tomorrow, and he also just signed up for two SAT IIs for June.</p>
<p>I feel a little upset that I didn’t start resarching all this sooner…who knew things had changed so much from when I applied to college!</p>
<p>Hi entomom,</p>
<p>I have incomplete info on the academic matching part since S hasn’t taken SATs yet (signed up for May 1). But GPA (~4.2 weighted) and EC-wise (track, xcountry, Taiko, martial arts, various clubs) he seems to be ok. Roughly speaking, I think matches might be mid-tier UCs and Cal Poly SLO. Reaches would be top tier UC, USC, HMC/CMC, Santa Clara U. Safeties would be lower tier UCs and SJSU (looking into other CSU as well). From the financial aspect I think UC is a match, privates are reaches, and CSUs are safeties. We have a 529 plan, some liquid assets, and capacity in current salaries but it will be tight in later years especially when younger D overlaps in 3 years.</p>
<p>Tomorrow we receive our second set of SAT scores - and I can’t believe that the SAT scores, as well as so many college admissions letters, are issued on April Fools Day!! Keep thinking some hacker would have a field day with the ultimate April Fools Day prank…
Anyway, my fingers are crossed for us all whose children are getting SAT scores tomorrow. It will be interesting to see if any of the SAT prep she has taken between the November SAT tests and the March SAT tests has made any impact…!</p>
<p>dad1518, I love the UCs, but I see there are only California schools on your tentative list. If your son wants to stay in CA, or if you want him to stay, that’s one thing…but you and your son might find other schools of interest elsewhere. In particular, it’s sometimes possible to go out of state and end up paying less than UC. </p>
<p>And another welcome to GKM!</p>
<p>Hi SlitheyTove,</p>
<p>S currently does not have strong opinions on choice of school. I’m hoping that will change once we’ve visited some campuses. I’ve listed all California schools as a starting point as these are within driving distance and the thought is that in-state tuition would be less in most cases. However I am open to OOS schools and I believe S is as well.</p>
<p>Thought the SAT would be up at midnight <sigh> Guess I was wrong, it is so hard to be a parent nowadays :)</sigh></p>
<p>I think SAT results usually come out by 5 am East Coast time (although College Board only promises 8 am) – check the SAT board, the kids are always on top of it.</p>
<p>HA HA - S said when he saw SAT scores, do you think its a mistake? I think he’ll probably keep checking all day! He’s one of those with low gpa and comparitively high SAT. He did outstanding in verbal and writing. Not sure he will share that with his Honors English teacher where he is only getting an 85. Phew is all I have to say! Now if he could just get his grades up.</p>
<p>Sounds like your S did well on the SATs Idinct. Good for him. My S is one whose SAT scores are higher than expected considering his grades. If frustrates the heck out of my H (me too) but it is what it is at this point. </p>
<p>H and S are visiting Bentley and Babson Friday. Both local schools and an easy visit on a day off. Now if we could just fit in some visits to those schools further away.</p>