<p>as I ran the coffee this am, I was reflecting back on what makes this thread and Mudgette (Mudgling don't fit for someone who can dunk a basketball, while playing tuba in the marching band--LOL ) so endearing, and then I read maineparent's post and beleive that our collective thoughts and ideas are described perfectly.</p>
<p>Cur: "not well suited or equipped..." After 1700 posts, don't sell yourself short...you probably know a LOT more than your GC. </p>
<p>Now, everyone with a senior kid with early apps, let's get at that CSS Profile. :(</p>
<p>How come all the nicknames are mudgish? How 'bout Curlein? Curby? (Doesn't that sound like somebody who raises goats and plays the tuba?) Curmette? Curmling? </p>
<p>Two random thoughts (does that make me an adcom?):
1. My S1 and his HS friends had a game at school -- they gave each other extra points for using certain words in every day conversation, and in every language arts paper. (It drove the teacher crazy). One of those words was Curmudgeon. Just thought you'd like to know. (Another was Djibouti).</p>
<ol>
<li> I saw my first European Red Stag last week in Austria, running throught the middle of a field of cows. It was pretty amazing. I think I like the red deer better than the goats.</li>
</ol>
<p>Thinking back to some completely unfathomable posts, I can't keep from responding. Sorry, I tried. I really did because I doubt any good will come of my efforts. Just another limitation of my nature I guess. So here goes, </p>
<p>First, quiltguru gets a 36 on the reading. Two changes. Test score. Potential EFC change. 1+1=2. 2 big ones , I might add. </p>
<p>The second will take a bit longer:Since art was brought up,</p>
<p>the way my daughter lives her life is an art form of great beauty. The way she cares for animals and others is her poetry. The way she sees mathematical concepts in symbols and curving graphs is her painting. The way she searches out what if's? to experimental questions is her acting. The way she plays basketball is her dance. She is a performance piece, you could say. </p>
<p>She is a good writer, maybe not a great one. Maybe she's not as capable of showing her excitement about learning in her essays. Maybe she's not as comfortable with written words as she may be some day but she won't resort to parlor tricks to impress adcoms. And she won't add ec's to impress adcoms. And contrary to the suggestions of many -"baby animals" and surviving her less than perfect dad will not be her choices either. </p>
<p>She will write about her calculus teacher who was frightening and wouldn't accept her shyness and inspired her to be bold. She will write about Mr. Ramirez who will benefit from her boldness the next time he is in the hospital because she demanded a change in the way volunteers were trained . The fact that she is now working on a presentation to effect that change in training is part of who she is. She will write what she lives and if that is not good enough...... then we might consider bringing out the magic tricks if she's waitlisted.;)</p>
<p>Sjmom2329: when you said
"...why not an Ivy?...and it's the peer group that makes such a difference. The kids on my son's floor come from all over the country, and even the world, and you can hear German, Russian, Chinese and other languages just while walking to the shower..." you did echo my thoughts, but 1. Amherst will have the same peer group, and 2. I wore out my flame retardant duds when I first started posting on CC!</p>
<p>This is so funny. I too was thinking of posting "Why is Cur's thread so compelling?" But you all have done it for me. Just add that Cur is a hell of an engaging writer, so much so that he had to write "Not Funny" as the title of the thread. Hey, wait, some of this has been funny!</p>
<p><em>blinks eyes and shakes head concurrently at own dopeyness</em></p>
<p>Alu, I'll make a stab at it if I may. I'm just a normal guy. I am Joe Shmoe. Joe Regular. Or even more correctly,</p>
<p>I am "Everyman", and my daughter is everyone's.</p>
<p>Hey,that's the best I got but I do appreciate the help from everybody. Remember the old saying, "It takes a cyber-village if your dad's Curmudgeon.".;)</p>
<p>Translated: Dad is a regular guy and his daughter is just a click here or there away from my kid or that kid over there. She's not yo-yo ma, or Hawking and if my kid could get this turned that way than she would have an even better chance than C's D.</p>
<p>Donemom, I know that Amherst is comparable to Dartmouth. And little C will have a great experience wherever she goes. But I'm the type that still occasionally buys a lottery ticket at the grocery store! For the $65 application fee, I'd love to see curmudgeon's daughter apply to at least one Ivy -- just because she'll "never pass this way again."</p>
<p>sjmom2329, There is one on her list of 13. I'm calling admissions at one Monday to see if I'm reading something right about a particular program at that school.</p>
<p>Curmudgeon -- I wish you and your daughter the best. I've been there, so I know how intense this time of your lives can be. One suggestion, though: Have your daughter call. I never called and asked a question on my daughter's behalf. I made her do the calling, because she was the one going to college. (And because I think it looks better too.)</p>
<p>Oh sillystring. They would never get my name. LOL. It's an admission's program generic question and a name is not necessary. I am quite with you on your point. I agree wholeheartedly. Although I do talk basketball to the coaches, because they talk to me if D isn't here. LOL. And I have talked to FA about EFC questions. Do you think that is appropriate? I really hadn't considered that. It's my tax return. D has no idea whether they will add back in depreciation on 1040 Schedule F for items expensed in the year of purchase. Hmmmm.</p>
<p>Yes, I started to mention FA but didn't. I never called admissions, e-mailed professors, arranged tours or anything like that. I did talk to Financial Aid because even though I wasn't going to college, my money sure was!</p>
<p>I definitely spoke to the FA offices -- the financial issues did not belong to my son. And I did actually call to arrange an on campus interview for him and a friend, when we spontaneously decided to travel the next day to see a school. I just said that my S asked me to call, since he wouldn't be home until after admissions had closed. Any other questions, and any interview requests, were up to him to arrange.</p>
<p>It has come to my attention that my reasons for posting this thread have been questioned. Some have suggested that I am appealing to a fan club with this thread. Playing to an audience. That appalls me. It embarrasses me. ( But not when I'm trying to be funny. But this wasn't funny to me. Hence the title....loooong and not funny...)</p>
<p>I do appreciate the kindnesses that have been shown my daughter and myself on this thread in specific and this board in general. The good natured people of this board are it's lifeblood and because of them I felt comfortable posting a highly personal thread asking for help for a highly personal matter after 2 different and important factors in the admissions equation changed. I felt time limited. I felt stress .</p>
<p>I had heard from close friends and experts, both paid and unpaid, that I was doing "it" wrong. Carolyn finally pushed me over the edge the day I started the thread. So, I asked for help @ 2 weeks prior to ED/EA deadlines , two days or so prior to some scholarship deadlines. I needed quick help and I received bunches. That's all the thread was about from my perspective.</p>
<p>Anybody who wants to P.M. me, if they want to discuss my motivations for starting this thread , please do. I'll be happy to oblige. Somewhere earlier in the thread I apologized if someone thought I was bragging or big headed. I'll gladly apologize personally, too. </p>
<p>I didn't mean to brag. I wanted to be precise with the stats. And I don't think everything is about me. But this one thread was about my kid and our situation. And I don't want a fan club. Although an entourage would be nice for a weekend. I've always wanted an entourage. Can they be rented? ;) </p>
<p>Please, let's let this one die. My level of nakedness has reached new heights.</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone's help. The list is coming together. Now those apps....</p>
<p>Curmudgeon, I certainly don't question your personal motives. I think when you start a thread on a public forum, then a certain amount of debate is to be expected -- there will be those who will encourage your daughter to reach for the stars and those who will wonder what is so special about a single test score to cause her to change her focus. That's a legitimate topic for discussion... but I certainly don't think you came here to brag or to flaunt. I think that you are like most parents and are overwhelmed by the process, and hit constantly with conflicting information. </p>
<p>In fact, if your daughter will give any credence whatsoever to suggestions you make... all I have to say is, more power to you. I have totally given up any notion whatsoever that I have control or influence over the process - but then consistency was never my daughter's virtue. I thought this board was mostly a place for us parents to play on our own because our kids are shutting us out. ;)</p>
<p>Anyway, we all wish your daughter luck. I do think that the most important thing is for her to find a college where she wil be happy and that you can afford - a high test score is a wonderful bonus, but your Mudgie might find that it is worth more to her in terms of merit aid or honors-type opportunities offered at a less selective college than as an entrance to an elite. If you remember the saga of Evil Robot last year, you will know what I am talking about. But I do think that with her grades and test scores there should be no school knocked off her list because you or she thinks that it is too high of a reach. </p>
<p>By the way, I think raising goats in rural Texas is part of what makes your daughter unique and certainly should be mentioned, but I don't think it is "hook". A "hook" is something that gives the college what it needs or fills a niche the college wants filled: that is, the tuba will be a hook at a college that just happens to need a tuba player for its marching band next year -- but not at a college that already has too many tuba players. Unless a college also needs someone to tend its herd of goats, goat-rearing falls into the
category of "interesting fact to set Mudge-daughter apart"... not "hook". </p>
<p>I say that only as a reminder for all our kids is that the goal of the college essay is not merely to get noticed, but rather to show the college what special qualities above and beyond the norm each student offers. Between the tuba and the basketball and your daughter's strong science prowess, she is probably as well-hooked as any kid can get .. the goats are just a nice added touch to spice things up.</p>
<p>That, which does not kill us only makes us stronger. Well, you are well along in the admission process, seems you are still alive so I can only conclude that you must be a lot stronger.</p>
<p>It is hard to believe that anyone that has followed the saga of your journey would question your motives. It has been a learning experience for everyone You Your daughter and everyone following your threads. Many of us see our own sons or daughters personified in your quest. Some have lived through the experience with a mixed bag of results. I see hope, excitement, happiness but also disappointment and at times bitterness. As can be expected our posts often reflect our personal experiences. But that is what they are personal experiences, which may or may not apply to your situation. Everyone is unique and from the sounds of it your daughter is more unique than most.</p>
<p>I believe someone else said it but all public posts play to an audience. If they didnt then nobody would respond. With no responses there would be no thread only isolated solitary posts. Given that situation, nobody would benefit. </p>
<p>Since you know my feelings about public posting, I give you a lot of credit for being as open as you have been. Hopefully, this has been a two way street. In reading this thread, I have seen a multitude of opinions spread over the entire admission spectrum. You will always have people who see the glass as either half full or half empty then you will also have people who even refuse to see the glass. Now it is your choice as to making the decisions that fit your unique situation.</p>
<p>As for stress heck I feel stress just making this posting. I swore that I would not do this again. As for bragging as they said in the old Dragnet just stating the facts. I gave up posting specifics a long time ago true or not too many negative reactions. Either way whatever you do dont apologize just make what seem like the best decisions at the time and enjoy the ride. Looking back on it, after two successful episodes, it seems like it was a lot more fun and less stressful than it was when we were going through it. As it says in the good book this too shall pass and in retrospect it almost passed too quickly.</p>
<p>Good luck with your choices and applications. Keep your lines of communication open based on my experience, there will be times when she needs your input and there will be times when you need hers.</p>
<p>Cur, I agree with both Calmom and ST2. You don't need to feel guilty. There will always be people who disagree. You GIVE far more on this forum than you take. I see this forum as a way to get feedback, see how others are coping with the process and just to smile at all the antics. I don't agree all the time with everyone, but like to see all sides of the issues. This particular topic has been fantastic and I for one appreciate you baring your soul a bit to share your thougths and feelings on a subject that many of us are interested in but might not be brave enough to post about.</p>