<p>reeinaz - I found that my D1 raised her scores by close to 400 points using a private tutor…for us it was worth it…PM me if you want more info…</p>
<p>Well, the meeting with the private CC as very informative…
My H was a bit skeptical at first, but by the end of the meeting he was the first to hand over the check :)</p>
<p>I walked away knowing (or at least feeling) that the list my S has is not out of his league. After reviewing his test scores and transcripts, the CC was very supportive of his list and suggested a few more…
She gave us a workable time table for the ACT and SAT test that will work with his Track schedule. As well as any make ups if needed and the Subject Test.
We were given some interesting outlooks on the Princeton Review service based on what would be best for our S.
She also gave our S HER opinion of what he needs to do extra if he wants to get into a Stanford or Harvard. This was such a blessing!! Now he can’t think it was just me nagging at him 
Next meeting is in Jan to review test scores and for a one-on-one (S alone this time) to really see what he wants in a College. Academically, Athletically, Socially, etc…
From there, she will compile a list of matches which HE will then work from to research before visits will take place. Again…no more Mom doing all the work. Yippeeee!!</p>
<p>An amazing find to say the least :)</p>
<p>MDmom: Sounds great! I think it would be worth the money to have a time-table for when to do what, to have someone else do the nagging and for help with the essays. The essays were really hard for my first two because basically the essays are for you to try to convey who you are on paper, and for them I don’t know if they really even knew who they were.</p>
<p>Went to Dartmouth presentation at central location for the metro area. Excellent! Articulate and enthusiastic explanation for the difference between an education at a smallish LAC and a large research university. D suddenly perked up at the idea after thinking that small was bad. I am ready to donate to the college just for planting the little-is-good seed in her brain. We were both impressed by the history of the school and the emphasis on recruiting native american students. It helped that the recruiter was native american himself and looked like someone from D’s native country. She is fine with it being probably too far a reach for her but now is thinking about finding less selective schools with some of Darts features…the dedication to undergraduate education, diversity, and outdoors activities/sports for all.</p>
<p>Interesting, fineartsmajormom. Took D to a tour of Swarthmore recently. She loved it and now we are going to be researching/visiting more liberal arts colleges. I foresee a trip to New England this summer - there is just no time during the school year.</p>
<p>I’m with you on that Mambear…
With the class loads, Sports and EC’s that ALL of our kids do, how are you to find time to schedule college visits during the school year?
Especially visits to an opposite coast?</p>
<p>^ Grandparents have offered to take S2 on a couple college visits during Spring Break. Just have to find colleges that don’t have the same Spring Break as our HS so that they will be in session when S2 visits.</p>
<p>^^^Easier said than done when Spring Break is smack in the middle of Track season 
Looking at taking a few “extended weekend” trip during school holidays for the “local” (Nor Cal and Texas) Colleges.
And most likely scheduling an East Coast swing next Aug: Brown, Yale, Harvard, Georgetown and Duke.
Praying that he doesn’t add anymore before then ;)</p>
<p>In terms of scheduling, we are looking to tour one school w/i driving distance every other weekend. We are also trying to attend open houses if available and we are going to do a three day swing in Oct to the mid-Atlantic region.</p>
<p>There are a couple of factors that impacted my oldest Ds decisions when we toured - weather played a huge role, the tour guide, and the kids on campus. So, this time around I am trying to make sure we visit D2’s top schools in the fall or late spring. We are going to skip all winter tours and we will do summer tours if necessary understanding that the campuses will be nearly deserted and we will not get a complete picture. We will need to go back to the top few accepted student days once decisions are in.</p>
<p>I definitely think that HS start the college process too late - it takes alot of time and energy to understand big, small, urban, rural and suburban with all the pros and cons. The other thing is that the kids changes significantly in their senior year so what they liked as juniors is not necessarily what they like as seniors. The other thing to think about is if your kid wants a small school in a remote area, will they still want that when they are entering their junior year of college…D1 thought she wanted to go to school in a beautiful college town but ended up in the city at the 11th hour. She ended up thinking that the small town may end up being too small after a year or two…just a thought.</p>
<p>I too am struggling to get visits in. We are working on getting a good list together still. I think that will take until the winter.</p>
<p>We are attending a college fair tonight and will be able to see a handful of schools on Ds list (Syracuse, Ithaca, Denison, Vassar, Ohio State) We are all over the place since I figure this will be a good chance to get to know many different types of schools. D is meeting with recruiters during the day at school as well. Today she met with Ohio State and although it seems to large for her, she acknowledges it offers everything she is interested in. </p>
<p>We are going to get in the visits we can, and others we may wait until next year. Acceptences are not due until the spring. :)</p>
<p>For my oldest, between soccer, club soccer, track and everything else we did not get to visit all the schools on her list. We toured a few more after she was accepted, and revisited others and were able to make an informed decision.</p>
<p>Just got a funny phone call. Young man on the other end asked for “S2’s mom or dad?” When I identified myself, he said that he was from an SAT prep center and that S2 had been looking for information about the center. I laughingly told him that I highly doubted that he would be looking for SAT prep - and the guy hung up on me! Guess they were just fishing for gullible parents!</p>
<p>I received the same call a week or two ago. D13 was sitting next to me so I checked with her and she said ‘never did it’. I politely told them ‘no thanks’ and hung up. Slimey.</p>
<p>We did most of our out of state tours last summer, they were all in NC and it was a great trip. We are doing our local (Florida) tours (4) in November during their open house events. After those are complete D will have a list of about 9 Colleges, there are a few more she is interested in Maine and Boston however my husband and I think that she would be miserable in the North East in the winter but if she really feels like she needs more than 9 on her list we plan to take her up North in the winter so she can really know what it will mean to be up North.</p>
<p>D2 & I are going to a 5 college presentation tomorrow night (Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, U Penn & Stanford.) Our district’s college fair is in about 2 weeks & they usually have 120-150 colleges represented. There are a couple of colleges visiting her school in the next few weeks plus another multischool college presentation in October. I think she’ll get to “see” 14 out of 19 schools on her list by the end of October; I’m hoping that helps her cull the list closer to a dozen.</p>
<p>DS has made it to our state varsity boat and will be going to the Head of the Charles Regatta!!! 
I had problems with my laptop but will be online soon…</p>
<p>Yay for your S! I had no idea what the Head of the Charles was until I started coming on CC and parents in D1’s class thread started talking about it. Now I know that’s HUGE!</p>
<p>We attended a college fair yesterday- about 120 colleges were there. It was good to open Ds eyes about other options than American University. We visited the small LAC admissions officers and in the end D said, you know, I am not really interested in a LAC school. Okay- good to know. I was really hoping she would take a shine to Vassar or Smith. </p>
<p>Schools she was interested in included Ithaca and Syracuse. She also identified some “safety schools” (those where she should be able to get large scholarships). She handled all questions and conversations. It was good to see- she has a clear idea of what she wants. She did open up about small college towns and on size, and on Catholic Colleges in general. It is always good to have options. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t go to another college fair but it was a good way to get D started.</p>
<p>One last thing about the college fair…D attends an honors school. Between that and CC, I think I loose touch with normal students, and the general population. </p>
<p>Last night was a good reminder to relax. Some of the schools were shocked when D told them what she was targeting as her SAT- not that she is doing the work needed to hit that number Their tune changed and they were all about the cards and the email, and when can we call you. It was good for a change since she is one of many bright kids in her school. Throw in her leadership and ECs, and she is in good shape. Of course she is not targeting Ivy League schools. </p>
<p>Just thought it would be a good reminder for all of us. Relax a bit. In the end they all find a home.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your S Kelowna! I am not that familiar with regattas, but I’m assuming the Head of the Charles is in Boston. That sounds like a great experience!</p>