Has anyone had experience with a state directional school listing demonstrated interest as “Important” on the CDS and really mean it? D19 has a school on her list, a safety for all intents and purposes, with a 75%+ acceptance rate and I just saw that demonstrated interest was marked important. I’m concerned now as we are not going to be able to visit probably until spring, they will not be visiting her school and are not attending any close-by college fairs. So what should she do…add them to her Twitter/Instagram accounts? Request info? Does it really matter? This is new territory for us so any advice would be welcome.
@ILMom13579 I just checked S19’s state directional safety CDS. Level of interest is “considered” which actually surprises me. He has already been admitted but we did attend an open house. Is your S19 on the mailing list? Can she do a virtual tour online? You can typically enter contact info when you do the virtual tour.
Although I am not sure what would constitute “important” over “considered.”
Thanks @InfiniteWaves - we will take a look at that when she gets home. We will definitely as for info to be mailed so she can be on the mailing list and do anything online necessary. Like so many schools, they have a greater female-male ratio so I’m afraid that given all things equal, and she doesn’t show interest, the fact she is female might tip the scales not in her favor. I certainly could be reading too much into it, but this is a safety on all fronts for her but esp. financially so I can’t afford to overlook anything that might take this school out of the running.
The Apply Texas Topic A prompt is stupid, if you ask me. "What was the environment in which you were raised? Describe your family, home, neighborhood, or community, and explain how it has shaped you as a person. So my S19 has FINALLY written his essay, but I’m afraid that it isn’t completely following the prompt. He wrote his “story” describing a scene from when he was 4 years old and described me (his mom) and daycare, and trip to the hospital and how this whole ordeal impacted his life and the direction he wants to take with his career. It is very well written and draws you in. But I’m afraid that it’s “off on a tangent” so to speak. Does he need to re-write it and only talk about his environment? He says our environment is boring (and I kind of agree ). I was so excited that he finally got it done - It only took him a month to get this done. cry
OK, I was wrong…apparently they WILL be at the college fair nearby so I will take her to that and have her talk to the rep and put her name on their list. At least that will be a good start. Then we can go from their with maybe doing some “online” visiting, etc.
@JaceyK - if the hospital is in your community, staffed/run/directed by members of your community and the hospital ordeal had to do a lot with that environment, then I’d say he met the topic requirements. It might not be the “normal” or ideal way to talk about the topic, but if it is in his voice and written from his perspective, then I say “Well Done!”
Getting nervous as we get closer to submitting apps. D19 wants to be a physical therapist and all the schools have an early deadline for the direct entry 6 or 7 year programs (deadlines range from Nov 1-Dec 1). Worried because these programs only accept anywhere from 40-60 students! Hard to have any idea what her chances are with such small groups. She has 12 schools Wondering if she should have a back-up plan/major. I am having a hard time picturing any school as a safety when the numbers admitted are so small!
@EENYMum have a back up major with plans to apply to PT school if she’s not admitted to direct entry programs. Direct entry PT programs are extremely competitive.
Thanks @carolinamom2boys . I am also wondering if schools would offer admission to school even if declined for PT program. She meets general admission requirements for all the schools applying for. So looking forward to January ?
@EENYMum I would think that if she applies for the direct admit program she would only be accepted or denied on that basis. Otherwise, don’t some programs admit students to a more general health science major with application/acceptance to a PT program happening after sophomore year? It’s a good question to call the schools and ask.
@Acersaccharum students that are not accepted into direct entry programs complete an undergrad degree , then apply to grad school to earn their PT degree.
Can they be accepted into undergrad as @EENYMum hopes, with the same application they used for the direct admit program?
My D is looking at health science majors and a common option seems to be a general core program the first two years followed by a separate application to a specific major after sophomore year. They say you can still graduate in 4 years, but on paper it looks hard to do. I wonder if schools encourage the general core to make sure students can really handle the specific majors.
@cinn124 I’d give it a few days, or even weeks to settle. I do need to get S19 an ID
@JaceyK I don’t care for those prompts as I worry how that feels to a kid who maybe doesn’t have a family, home, neighborhood or community. It’s like rubbing salt in an open wound.
A friend of my daughter’s applied to direct entry PA programs, in August. I would recommend to apply asap to competitive seat programs.
She could apply to Slippery Rock University or St Francis University in Loretta PA, both have good direct entry 6 yr DPT programs.
Duquesne has a free application and had an optional essay (which my D wrote), and let her report SAT score on the HS transcript.
DS just received his first two acceptances, one of which is his top choice. All is good for now. He just has to push to the finish for this school year and not dork things up.
Congrats @“Erin’s Dad” ! And here’s to keeping the dork factor at a minimum! 
Congrats, @Erin’s Dad!
I feel ya on the final push; D has to keep her GPA up and it’ll be a struggle all year.
Congrats to @“Erin’s Dad” , great news, your S must be relieved. He got into his top choice, so he’s done applying now? That must be a great feeling, having the rest of your senior year to enjoy and not stress out
Great news @ErinsDad !