@JAF09 My D was told scores would be out two weeks after the test, which would be tomorrow. We weren’t really focused on it until she got an email today saying her scores were now available. I assume she would not have gotten that email if they had not yet scored her test, but it’s College Board so go figure.
She’s not home now so haven’t checked this evening to see if maybe College Board finally posted them.
Which is why I said that we need to work toward cultural change!
But I don’t think that your logic works (that kids applying to hyperselectives is evidence that they prefer those hyperselectives to safeties). If someone knew they would be equally happy at a hyperselective than a safety—or even if they knew they would be slightly less happy at the hyperselective—why not go ahead and apply to both? There are, after all, additional factors (e.g., finances) that could nudge the gauge in one direction or the other, so if they’re close then they’re worth applying to.
But I’ll also note that for college-going high school seniors, the modal number of applications is one.
The whole phenomenon of applying to lots of colleges is only a thing for a narrow—and self selected!—slice of the population.
We had read the same thing - that scores are usually available two weeks after the test, but then we got the email this week. It was kind of cruel. The subject line was something like “Login to your College Board account! Your SAT score is available…” and then it said in the email …“on April 15.” Maybe it was a belated April Fool’s Day joke. I really hate the CB now.
Anyway, I hope you get your D’s score today and you’re all very happy with it.
My comment was in response to OP’s statement that the student had no desire to attend the schools they applied to.
Safeties are schools that a student is very likely to be accepted to, are affordable without aid and one that a student would be willing to attend (academically and socially) if admitted.
There are thousands of colleges in the US. Now is the time to look beyond the emails and marketing and into the details (cost, majors, size, housing, location, weather, etc.) that matter to your student. Don’t send applications to schools that you can’t afford or that your student is not willing to attend.
Sure, I get what a safety is. The OP saying their student “has no desire to attend” is not the same as saying they won’t ultimately be “willing to attend” when they get over the disappointment that they didn’t get their targets or reaches. It doesn’t necessarily mean they picked their safeties poorly; it may simply mean they had expectations and aspiration that couldn’t be matched with any safety. The safeties may still have represented what they considered the “least evil” outcome if they didn’t get their higher picks. It would be great if every student was willing to get excited about the merit of a school almost certainly attainable for them, but that’s not always (and often isn’t) the case.
Great news- now all of my D23’s schools are on the common all so she just has to work on the extra essays.
We’ve done several info sessions, and they have varied widely in format and in usefulness. We’re using them to narrow down the list of applications. Most of the virtual visits have been quite helpful in moving schools to the “for sure” “maybe” or “no” categories. They have also helped us select priorities for in-person visits.
I am glad we have taken the time to do them, and I recommend it. We don’t have enough money (or time) to visit everywhere, so we have to select carefully. Some of the virtual sessions have impressed us a TON, others have been meh. Some of the more selective colleges have had subpar virtual sessions, and even in-person visits. We speculate that it’s because they’re not hurting for applicants, so they don’t bother putting much effort into it.
If possible, I highly recommend discipline-specific sessions when available (engineering, in our case). Some of them are only offered once a month, so you have to book them kind of early. Those have been by far the most useful. For the schools that offer those, we have not found it necessary to do the more generic virtual visits. My kid doesn’t really care about campus amenities or extracurriculars, so a kid that does would likely feel different about the generic sessions.
Go ahead and skip the virtual campus tour, unless it’s the only option for a virtual session, or you know you won’t be able to visit in person. Most of them have a pre-recorded virtual tour anyway. If a school weighs “demonstrated interest” in admissions decisions, that would also be a reason to do a virtual tour session.
If you’re in the Midwest, Rose-Hulman has a great one (Catapult), and Michigan Tech has a TON.
the michigan tech programs look good and i’ll bet its beautiful there. I wish it was just not so far, or easier to get to
ACT scores came from 2 weeks ago. So excited for my kiddo. She got a 36 
my daughter’s are back too. not that amazing but nice (32); she’s already asking if she should take it again. good grief! we are merit seeking; but just want to give it a break for now. One of the schools she is looking at is GPA merit this year; but they said that could easily change for class of 2023.
My kiddo took it a year ago and got a 34 with no studying. This time she did the online practice once the day before. If your kiddo wants to take it again, and isn’t going to stress about it, I say go for it!
I cannot believe our 2023s are “next up” in application season! Our college counseling office is having more meetings with them, teachers are piling on the work, and APs are around the corner! Our D is very independent and seems to be headed for a good finish to junior year. Summer programming is lined up(got into the desired academic option!), as are more college tours (as soon as APs are done). The 22s at the school seem to have had a bumpy ride and the stress is sweeping downhill to the juniors(common to share classes in 11&12th, and she is very good friends with a few seniors). College list is definitely under 20 and hopefully will be under 15 by fall. I think she is going to be very unpredictable with admissions, but she is being careful to try to find many schools she loves, not just one or two.
Agreed. It’s like we’re still on the platform but at the front of the line for a rollercoaster. I don’t like rollercoasters, lol!
This is an excellent analogy! We’re standing here, nervous that it will be our turn next and while we’re seeing some people getting off the ride with huge smiles and fist bumps and some people getting off with wet pants.
What. are. we. in. for.
And meanwhile, there are a few who got off the ride a bit ago and are back again, because apparently some of us are masochists that way.
(But having taken a look at maybe riding the apprenticeship roller coaster instead, the drops and loops are just as intense over there too, so🤷.)
And my s23 in his true adhd ways hasn’t even bought the park ticket yet to get into the rollercoasters. 
Hi everyone!
I thought I’d chime in here because I’ve never posted on this thread about my D23. She’s my youngest of 2 and I’m getting back into College Confidential now after becoming obsessed (ha!) back with my S20. It’s funny how things don’t always follow the path you assume they will because my son (36/1600, NMF), deferred a year, then started at a T15 in CS has veered off that path and is now not in school, for a variety of reasons. But he’s now working FT in a CS apprenticeship earning an incredible salary w/benefits and may never need that degree. Anyway… it has shown me that things don’t always follow the logic and path you think they might and it’s OK!
So, with that, my D23 is WAY different than my son and is one of those kids that works HARD for her grades and accomplishments. Their personalities are quite different and the whole past 2 years have taught me in more ways than one, sometimes the path to a goal isn’t always straight. D23 wants to become a Physician Assistant and we’ve started college visits and doing lots of research. There are a FEW direct entry PA programs, but they are out there. Most PA-students-to-be follow the path of applying to PA school while in college (where they major in health sciences/biology/biological sciences/etc) or after they graduate, work for a year to get patient care experience and THEN apply to PA. She would love to get into a direct entry program, but it’s ultra competitive and there aren’t even that many out there. And some that are out there may not provide that “typical” college experience with sports teams and other aspects of college she feels she wants (possibly participating in her sport she has been heavily involved in in HS - most likely on a “club” type level, so not a crazy time commitment she’s been used to). She has some cool stuff coming up in the next 6-12 months that are related to her intended track (going to a medical exploration program on a college campus for 9 days this summer, volunteering this summer at our local hospital now that she will have time (!), participating in a program her senior year where she goes offsite 3 class periods a day at a Career Center where she will be trained in the medical field, earn a CNA and get direct patient experience during clinicals. She’s very excited about these opportunities and hopefully she will enjoy all the experiences and have some good fodder for application essays.
If there are any other parents of PA-track kids out there, I’d love to hear any advice and thoughts! It’s hard to believe we are the next ones to jump into the world of college visits, applications and all that fun stuff! Hope my post made sense…I kind of rambled.
Welcome! What else is she looking for in a college?
@dreambig55 I also have a DD20 graduate that changed paths within the last 2 years. She started at her dream college and after one semester transferred to a school that wasn’t even on her top 5 list. She has changed her major from nursing to Health systems Management and is now thriving. It’s crazy how we as parents get so involved in this process and think our kids have it figured out by their senior year and as we all know life happens and dreams become different dreams. I also have a DD23 that we are starting to explore schools. She has spring break next week so we are going to 3 schools that she never toured with big sister. Good luck to your DD23 as well as your DS20.