Good luck to those with an SAT or ACT coming up - it’s sounds as if there are a handful. (@homerdog I like your D’s rationale on stopping after the one practice test, especially given that she’ll be fine test optional if it shakes out that way…can’t believe her test day has finally come)! S21 has given up on more testing, though D23 has a PSAT in October.
I used to travel to New Orleans weekly on business back in the 90s. I think we used to go to a place called Brennan’s. And I made the obligatory stop at Cafe du Monde, singing Jimmy Buffett in my head ("the coffee is strong at the Cafe du Monde…the donuts are too hot to touch). I also recall arriving each week on an 11PM flight (because there were no nonstops from Boston to New Orleans so I had to go through Dallas) and feeling like I’d hit a wall when I walked outside into the humidity that was still in the air that late at night. It felt significantly different to me at the time…of course, now I live in the Atlanta area, and we’ve got some of that humidity ourselves! Still not a fan of it, haha.
@123Mom123
I have been on the student room quite a bit (found that much earlier in the process than CC) It has been really helpful - especially since we obviously can’t visit this year. All of the schools have been holding virtual open days and have uploaded virtual tours, but it is obviously not the same. We will try to plan a visit next year if she is accepted and still seriously considering.
@AlmostThere2018
D is applying to Oxford as well! It is in fact the school that started her down this path. At this point, she is just hoping for an interview. The only kind of positive about COVID is that all interviews will be done via skype so if she does get that far she won’t be at a disadvantage. She is also looking at UCL, Imperial, Kings and possibly Durham. Hoping to submit UCAS this week once letter of rec is finalized – such a different system!
@Mwfan1921
Yes, it appears many of the UK schools are oversubscribed this year due to the way they handled their A level results after the exams were cancelled
like here it is also not clear if more students deferred their 2020 entry and what that means for spaces available. it is a mess.
I had not seen the St A sexual allegations story but Durham was recently in the news for a series of chats by some of the boys.
D21 will be taking another shot at the SAT on Oct 3 (totally her idea!). I doubt she’ll score any higher, but she wants to give it a go. Of course, the school she’s taking it at is closed today for cleaning after a teacher tested positive so…we’ll see. It’s pretty rural, so I’m guessing it will go off but I won’t be devastated if it doesn’t! D21 might be after studying again, but she has a score and it works everywhere she’s applying.
She was accepted to her first safety - WVU. Today they announced all in person visits are canceled until April 30, so I guess that means no in person admitted student day. Highly unlikely it would be her final pick, but she loves visiting so is bummed.
@hurlz13 Welcome! We are in the midst of UCAS. My DC21 is applying to some schools - seems like same as yours except no Durham. What subject is your daughter looking to study? My DC21 is looking at a degree in the biological sciences. Thankfully no additional testing required. The UK are all about the standardized testing so thankfully we have checked that box off but the personal statement is definitely causing more angst than the common app essay lol.
@NJWrestlingmom I love visiting, too. It is disappointing to know that visit option is out all the way through Apr 30. I wonder whether more schools will start saying the same? And congrats on the first admission!
So, Cornell pushed back its ED to Nov 16. Does this indicate that ED numbers, so far, are lower than typical? Seems like it would be a bit premature, but maybe they have some usual numbers they look for?
Edit: Duke is also Nov 16
U Chicago Nov 2, though that may have been there, not exactly a push-back
@evergreen5 I have been wondering the same thing about what ED numbers look like. I know this isn’t proof, but it’s good to have a data point, at least!
That seems odd to me that they are already extending the ED dates. Maybe fewer applicants…or maybe they think some are getting their ACT or SAT tests taken after all??
Idk. I hope it’s b/c of the former.
S21 is getting LOTS of daily emails from schools in the past week. Definite uptick it seems. I’m getting a little irritated by them all to be honest. It’s like ENOUGH.
D21 has also seen a massive uptick in college emails over the past couple of weeks. I have too…both U of Chicago and Columbia seem to think I am applying…
@hurlz13 – My D did not get an interview at Oxford. A friend of hers in her HS, however, did, then got accepted and took it – so it does happen! He was on a poli sci / econ track.
When I looked into it, I thought St. Andrews seemed party oriented and their biology program (her field) was very marine focused which was not her thing. Neat place though!
Durham seemed pretty cool from the little research I did. Edinburgh seemed very international (a good thing) and like you pretty much have to be a grown up already and self sufficient to thrive. Less of a campus/collegiate environment – which could be similar to Imperial, Kings and UCL, I’d think?
What made her realize she didn’t want to go to the UK, in the end, was the strong focus on your ‘course.’ She realized she wanted a broader set of options. She’s STEM (bio major / math minor) but still enjoys taking a wide array of classes and there’s less ability to do that in the UK system, as I’m sure you know. St. Andrews has a bit more b/c they are 4 years and you can choose a secondary ‘course,’ if I recall.
@GlobalFencingMom
My daughter is applying for biological sciences as well! And she is also happy to have completed testing with scores that meet min entry requirements
The personal statement has been a challenge here too but i think it is just about finalized. it is definitely VERY different than here
Is your daughter adding a 5th choice school in ucas?
@AlmostThere2018
it is helpful to hear about your daughter’s journey through this process! mine looked at St A and Edinburgh - she was just not as excited by them as the UK schools. Honestly i think the fact they are 4 year programs actually turned her off to them a bit.
We talked with her a lot about the differences in the UK collegiate structure and a main reason for the 3 year programs being that there are not really electives - you just study your major. It is actually one of the reasons she is so interested in Melbourne and Sydney – still 3 years but they include some breadth of study/electives outside your course. But for me, those are so so so far away!
If nothing else this will be a very interesting year!
What do colleges expect? Do they really think they are going to see a normal level of ED candidates when there’s a pandemic? How are kids supposed to commit when they can’t get on campus? Plus,many family’s finances have changed. They do a net price calculator for 2019 finances but that number might not match what they now make in 2020 so there’s no way to be confident in a NPC result.
And, if large numbers of people aren’t willing to get the COVID vaccine when it IS available, then I don’t see anything improving on college campuses for F21. It would largely be f2f again.
I say this b/c according to nightly news polls findings, a significant number of people do NOT plan to get the vaccine when it’s introduced. Like one Pew research finding a couple weeks ago indicated 51% would get it, 49% would NOT.
(I need to put my head back in the sand I think and hum.)
@dadof4kids Northeaster has been great for S19 even this year Covid and all. It has a pre professional vibe, the kids are very collaborate, S19 is a CS major so not sure about pre med weed out culture. In CS there are two classes that are required first year fundies I and fundies II, there were many kids that switched majors because of these classes. Northeaster says it is not a weed out class some kids say otherwise. D19 said there were some very smart kids who just could not get the hang of the class. I think more kids get frustrated and TA will not write the code for you or even show you examples, they more guide you with questions ( kind of like law school). There is plenty of help but you have to ask for it in advance. The TA’s are jampack the day before something is due. D21 is in his second year so he has not had a co-op yet but I hear lots of good things about it and it was big draw for him.
This year I am sure it is different, but last year he was in the CS LLC and one professor had evening office hours in the dorm, also the TA’s did as well. His classes are large, but all of the schools he looked at had large numbers for CS. His non CS classes tend to be small 15-20 kids. The kids seem to work hard during the week, and some on the weekend. Most of his friends go out one night a week per covid.
As for D21, she wants to study classics, which they do not offer, but even if they did I do not think that Northeastern is the right school for her. She wants small discussion based classes and people to talk to that love to learn for the sake of learning. Northeaster has smart kids that are career focused.
Too bad so sad. I’m sure colleges (at least private ones) can tell students they have to take the vaccine in order to come to college. Mine will be first in line!
I’ve been reading the new Jeff Selingo book “Who Gets In and Why”, and he talks about how ED is the cornerstone of private admissions. The admissions departments have to be feeling a lot of pressure to lock in a class that meets the school’s goals.
I think the fear on both sides is that there is such a political push to get it out, safe or not. I’m an ardent pro-vaxxer, and it’s one of the few issues I’m not afraid to ruin a nice dinner over if someone crosses the line.
But I think this is a bit different. Putin got a half tested vaccine approved in Russia. I wish I could say we are different here, but I don’t think we are anymore. Politics trumps (little t) reason and science. Honestly I think a post-election vaccine will have more credibility than one that is released before mid November.
Speaking of Northeastern, S21 received a personalized postcard from them with his name and his high school name, virtual admissions date, and a QR code to register yesterday. Today he got the most impressive yet: a black pleather folder with Northeastern’s name on it with a notepad inside, and a bunch of glossy brochures. Very nice. Maybe looking for ED applicants since he has expressed interest in the school? He is a good student, but nowhere near the level of D17 who got into Northeastern EA in 2017 with merit money. She never received anything like this pre-decision and it is a reach for S21. Good marketing department (and, just to say, we do like the school a lot).
I just don’t think we will get one before the election. Johnson and Johnson just started another study. This one on 60,000 people and only requires one shot and not two. I’m feeling confident that we are going to get multiple vaccines and they will only get better over time.
It has been really helpful - especially since we obviously can’t visit this year. All of the schools have been holding virtual open days and have uploaded virtual tours, but it is obviously not the same. We will try to plan a visit next year if she is accepted and still seriously considering.