I have a Common App question. When DD was starting the process, she entered an e-mail address (school address) for a teacher recommendation. This apparently was a mistake because this teacher has a different e-mail in Naviance (a personal e-mail address). DD’s advisor asked that she change it, so she sent an e-mail to Common App support and they said she would have to invite the teacher as an “other recommender”.
We were a little confused. Under the Common App site help section, there’s this blurb:
Should she have even done a “teacher recommender”? I’m confused.
@Muad_dib
I asked the same thing of my D’s counselor just the other day. If the school is using Naviance, your D doesn’t have to do anything for recommenders. The school submits the recommendations for you (at least, that’s what I was told).
@3SailAway Thank you for the encouraging info. I wonder if people will feel confident enough in the safety of the vaccine to take it. I recall reading many controversial articles on the HPV vaccine before deciding to give it to my son. That controversy was going on two decades after the vaccine was introduced!
@whydannyboy and @3kids2dogs Wow! You must be so proud of your kids for opting out of the college prestige arms race. They must be really exceptional to know their own minds and to be firm in their decisions. It can be so hard to follow a different path, especially given the peer pressure at competitive schools. I remember when my first kid applied to a nice mix of safety, match, and reach, all of which were a good fit. I got so sick of hearing, “What, no Ivy?”
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) authorizes the FDA to facilitate availability of an unapproved product during a declared state of emergency. Rather than requiring the full vetting of the FDA, these drugs only need to clear a lower bar that it is “reasonable to believe” that the drug “may be effective”.
Many SARS-CoV-2 tests and therapeutics are operating under EUA right now, because time was of the essence, and the preliminary data looked decent.
The FDA has released guidance explaining the conditions that need to be met before a vaccine receives an EUA for COVID-19. For effectiveness, this includes at least a 50% reduction in coronavirus infection. For safety, this means a strong track record through at least a median of two months of follow-up time.
DH is in NY’s first phase to receive the vaccine. He plans to take one of the mRNA vaccines (Moderna’s or Pfizer’s), if they get EUA. He thinks they have the least risk of side effects/complications due to the way they are made. If it’s not off topic, I’d be happy to update when there is solid info, or post a link to info.
Looks like everybody is making progress! We are getting there slowly just like I expected. D21 has an almost final draft of her main essay finally. She didn’t want any help except for small suggestions and grammar, total opposite of D19. I think it is pretty good, it gets across a side of her that was not shown in the application which was the main goal. No amazing quirky stories or anything but it is very “her.”
Neither of my girls wanted to go for the big reach schools, D19 didn’t even apply to any super reaches (she is at Tulane which is a maybe for anyone but her stats were within range so it wasn’t a super reach.) D21 may throw in 1-2 schools that would be reaches if they weren’t test optional but they are not even her favorites as of now. She is still very worried that she doesn’t have a favorite yet, she changes her mind so much who knows how this will all end!
Right now she still only has one teacher rec letter. None of her schools require two but for some reason it makes me feel better to have two. Although at this point I am afraid the teacher who has ignored her email (after saying yes last school year) might be annoyed and not write the best letter anyway.
Yesterday D had her 3 BFFs come over to have “college day” on my couch. They all brought their laptops and worked on their stuff while I watched football and answered their questions as they went. D was working on her supplementals while they were all working on inputting their grades, I don’t know how she got anything done with all of the talking and laughing though.
@homerdog While helping the girls out one asked me about U Delaware. This girl has lower grades but high rigor and will go test optional but she is also first generation and her brothers went to UDel. I told her I would look it up to see their average GPA’s, scores, etc and found out that if she goes TO she has to do THREE extra supplementals at 250 world each! And it is due November 1st!
FYI to anyone applying to College of Charleston - I noticed D had an email from them and checked it out. They said you can have a fee waiver just by clicking the “I am using a fee waiver” button- you don’t need a code or anything.
One daughter done with apps and taking a similar approach as @whydannyboy and @3kids2dogs - 1 ED school that she loves everything about it and was able to visit and have lots of additional touch points. It is a target and she already received an email from the area AO telling her that she was so happy to received her ED application and that she would be a wonderful addition the community - not an acceptance - but my daughter is loving the extra love.
She also sent in 2 EA schools and she would be equally excited to attend. She had a very high, high reach and many other more “named” targets and just proud of her for deciding that fit was it for her. She has a list (but hasn’t done the essays) for another 3 RD schools that will be a crunch, if needed.
As @mamaedefamilia noted, some snarky type comments from her friends about not reaching high enough or you ED’d where/why. We are happy and I think being remote for senior year has helped a lot to get out of the fishbowl of her small competitive private school.
Her twin sister is technically done as a sports recruit - they say she is in, but we won’t believe it until the official acceptance from admissions in mid-december. She promises to finish her two EA and one State school app by this weekend - as she has to have options - just in case. It will be a terrible late December if the sports school falls apart (I know it rarely happens, but a global pandemic rarely happens too and I worry about cuts to the department).
December 15th can’t come fast enough - I might be one of the only people happy to see Christmas decorations up at Target now - as I want it be here fast !!!
@whydannyboy@3kids2dogs@mamaedefamilia FWIW I feel I am better able to ignore the snark because I have been through this with D17, who was not impressed with prestige despite being a top student with high stats, great ECs, etc. Now she is graduating (a semester early) from Tulane and starting on graduate school applications over winter break - it flew by so quickly! Anyone who feels trapped in the college arms race should read “Where You Go In Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania” by Frank Bruni. It really puts everything in perspective.
Hi, @3SailAway, I also want to chime in with thanks for offering your H’s perspective on the vaccine, (and, in advance for any future info about this you can give us). It’s hard to find trustworthy opinions! I tend to be overly cautious (and sometimes a little pessimistic) but even I have had some hope that next fall things will be close enough to normal that kids can have a good experience on campus (even if some extra precautions would need to be taken). Still, I’ve wondered if I’m being crazy to let my kid apply ED. The fact that you and your H are willing to take that chance, allowing your D21 apply ED is reassuring.
Hello everyone. I’ve been lurking in this thread but just wanted to say Hi to all. Like everyone, we are in the midst of the madness, compounded by COVID and the fact this is our oldest child so first-timers.
It’s been comforting read the thread and see that what we are grappling with is being repeated all over the country! Helps to know we are in this together.
Wishing all the kids best of everything as they navigate college admissions!! D21 received first acceptance letter today! She is an athletic recruit and coach texted her congratulations. She is going to text back how excited and grateful she is for the opportunity while we await the other schools. We were very surprised it came so quick - this is all new to us. Applications were sent in on the 16th.
Still waiting for our hail Mary test score from ACT. It’s been 3 weeks now. Excited that 4 EAs have the essays loaded and are ready to go in the common app. Cal and UC in good shape too. However, S is struggling with one of his AP classes and is feeling overwhelmed. Since his school started late and just finished switching to in person, the teachers are putting the pedal to the medal to catch up.
S only has until 11/1 to complete a key target school essay and a half hearted start was made last weekend. Of course I wanted to say “that one could have been done at the end of the summer when you had all the time in the world.” Another bummer - UW on the additional Coalition App (due 11/15) has two substantial essays on diversity (challenging one for S) and another long, introspective topic that he hasn’t done for a another school. Oye!
Hi. The coach told her that there was no rush - she would like answer by 12/1. For the other applications she did RD, but for one of the school’s applied using their friendly ED process which is non binding but gives financial aid information.
None of her schools require two but for some reason it makes me feel better to have two. Although at this point I am afraid the teacher who has ignored her email (after saying yes last school year) might be annoyed and not write the best letter anyway.