<p>Did any of your 2016 kids applied to summer programs this year? It seems nearly impossible for current sophomores to get into any not really expensive program. They all want juniors. My D got very upset. </p>
<p>My daughter has been looking at them too - and yes mostly for Juniors.</p>
<p>My son has a job lined up at Scout camp for the summer. He will be gone 6 days a week for about 8 weeks. I donât have to feed him and he gets paid a little bit. 
He is planning to apply to summer programs next year. </p>
<p>Anyone taking subject tests this year? My DS qualifies for Chemistry but will not have opportunity for AP chemistry until senior year. Schools he is considering now do not require it. </p>
<p>My D will take Math 2 in June.</p>
<p>@cheeringsection My S16 is taking the chem SAT II in June mainly to insure against being short a science test when it comes time to apply. S14 planned to take the physics subject test in junior year but he had a disastrous teacher (all the best students had to go get tutors) and didnât feel he would do well. It only made a difference at one school, where he would not have been able to apply to engineering early decision if heâd wanted to.</p>
<p>I suspect my S16 wonât do too well, and I also think he isnât likely to be applying to a school with a strict requirement, but I figure it wonât hurt.</p>
<p>My S is taking US History and bio SAT II next week. The respective AP tests will follow shortly thereafter. I think/hope he will be well prepared for those. The plan is to take Math II in Jan next year (when he will complete pre calc) and then possibly Chem in May or June as a Juniorâdepending on how he does on the other tests and whether or not he needs the May or June slot for the SAT.</p>
<p>His sister (HS13) comes home from her gap year experience this Sunday. She is cranky, cranky and absolutely miserable at the thought of leaving and being home for the summer. I hope she can get herself psyched up to start college in AugustâŠ</p>
<p>Iâm joining the 2016 community! winding up D14s College stuff and just booked two tours for Purdue and Michigan State University for D16. we like to do tours in the summer entering junior year because the summer between junior and senior year is so busy with working and common app etc.</p>
<p>Well D S didnât disappoint my expectation with mid-term 4 quarter gradesâŠ
I just hope the lightbulb turns on before the nightlight turns on for his college choices. :-< </p>
<p>Hi @cakeisgreat, Iâm here too now that S14 is on his way. Ditto what @Hoosier96 said for my S16. That plus a greater interest in writing means we might consider very different set of colleges. Looking for a school where he can major in something practical but pursue creative writing on the side. </p>
<p>Nice to have some veterans on this board! I only have one child, so feeling some pressure to get it ârightâ</p>
<p>I am another member who just completed the process with my 2014âer.</p>
<p>I have D15 so we are in process </p>
<p>hi everyone from the 14 thread! so cool to see some familiar faces and to me all the 16 guys. classof2020 youâre going to have so much fun!</p>
<p>Thanks cakeisgreat! Anything you pros will do differently this time around? </p>
<p>My oldest D graduated in 2013. What I would do different? ~have all the testing (SAT, ACT, SAT2) done before Senior year starts. Too much to do that year to worry about testing. </p>
<p>Yes I agree about the testing before senior year. we also had D do her essay before senior year and applied to all the schools we could even tho it was so early. She was glad because she just wanted to enjoy her senior year without added pressure.</p>
<p>What would I do differently? I would urge my S16 to apply EA to most of his schools. This might be possible because he wonât be kicking and screaming to complete the essays. My husband disagrees but I might also encourage ACT in addition to SAT. I also will keep the month of April open for accepted student visits.</p>
<p>Oh my!! Just checked out this thread for the first time, and who do I see but @crowlady and @cakeisgreat, familiar avatars from the Class of 2014 thread.</p>
<p>We also just completed the first round with S14, who made his college decision nine days before the May 1 deadline. We now have S16 in the pipeline. S14 is our high-maintenance child, and S16 is our no-maintenance child. My wife and I joke that we could leave for a year, and other than not having anyone to drive him to swim practice S14 might not even notice. So anticipating a different experience this go-around.</p>
<p>First thing that leaps to mind of âwhat did I learnâ follows closely with @crowladyâs note. It was of great benefit to have applied to some EA schools and some more-or-less rolling admissions schools. Having an acceptance or two early in the process makes those months from January to the end of March significantly more tolerable. If youâre considering a highly-selective lottery school, strongly consider going the binding ED or SCEA route. So many of these schools are admitting such a large fraction of their kids ED/SCEA that the admit rate for their RD pool is half of their overall admit rate. From my standpoint this scenario basically sucks, as it makes a lot of these kids play a guessing game of âhow high should I reach in my one shot (or in my best shot) at an elite school?â . . Also, there is much more merit scholarship money out there than I would have ever imagined. That is a rock that should be turned over. I do have specific thoughts on the testing piece, but itâs late (even out here in CA). . . </p>
<p>@Classof2020 â The college counselors at my kids fancy-pants private high school specifically forbade parents to come here to College Confidential for advice. âWhy would you take advice from some anonymous person, who may or may not know anything and may have some agenda that is not in your childâs best interests?â All I can say is that I have learned SO much from other parents here on CC, from solutions to the technical glitches in the Common App to which schools want to see âdemonstrated interestâ. There are no dumb questions. If you want to get this right youâll of course have to do all sorts of homework from all sorts of sources, but youâre already off to a good start if your child is a sophomore and youâre reading CC.</p>
<p>Hi @asleepatthewheel! So great to see you!</p>
<p>I second and third applying EA to as many colleges as you would likeâŠD14 applied for direct entry nursing programs which is a bit tough and having a few options before or around Christmas felt so rewarding to know at least she was going to college in the program she wanted. </p>
<p>I also totally agree again with @asleepatthewheel in regards to advice on college confidential. I am def a planner and researcher and the real life situations posted here helped so much.
especially learned to stay away from crushing loans, go to accepted student days and colleges interested in for student for the day programs, how to negotiate packages, when to say yes to the slightly more expensive dream schools, what to pack and not pack for college, etc.</p>
<p>I also really loved learning about everyones lives in other states. I learned about life through them too!!</p>