@peachysoo I can’t tell if you already did the essays and are maybe regretting, or are you asking advice on future essays?
btw @peachysoo I love this idea of being between two countries.
@Calliemomofgirls hey, I’ve already done my essays, but I’m looking for some advice for perhaps my essays due in February.
@Calliemomofgirls also, thank you! that gave me back a little confidence, haha.
@peachysoo i gave some feedback on writing the essays to another student here a month or two ago — might have been @mondaydevil or @Mercurrii? — that might apply to you and the ice skating topic. If you don’t find it (it might even have been on this thread?) I’ll track it down tomorrow for you.
@peachysoo it was @mondaydevil thread on Improving extracurriculars from early December.
@peachysoo
If every essay for one school is about the same thing then yes, change up an essay for the feb deadline to be about something else.
@one1ofeach no essay for one school is about the same thing, but I did always talk about living in-between China and America (because I love the two countries equally) and how that’s affected me as a person in an essay for every school in some form.
That usually has been the answer to my main essay for each school. Somehow I managed to make it work with every prompt lol
@Calliemomofgirls Thank you, btw! I found the thread. Your owls are very nice. I’ll be sure to take the advice.
@peachysoo DD also wrote about a multicultural experience of living and schooling in different countries and how it shaped her, if you have that experience it is definitely worth sharing.
We submitted everything on Sunday night and suddenly found ourselves with ‘nothing to do’ 
Now the waiting game begins. Just think 8 weeks from today (not that I’m counting) we will have all our decisions… Wishing everyone good luck.
Some advice … do not go back and review your essays after submitting. It’s not worth it as you cannot change any mistakes and will only give you angst.
Make sure you guys follow up with the AO’s, coaches etc
What sort of follow up is best? We have confirmed with our top choices that the application is complete, but I am not sure what else to say to the AOs? While my daughter has a wide range of ECs, none of them are real stand outs, so we didn’t meet with coaches, drama/music teachers, etc. Her only “hook” is test scores and grades.
@southernfemmom Maybe just a Happy New year email from the student stating how hopeful they are to maybe becoming a part of the school community in the fall. Small talk. If she received any awards or outstanding achievements since the interview I would mention.
Make sure you guys follow up with the AO’s, coaches etc
After reading the conversation about competition with people from your own school, here’s some consolation. 25 out of 30 kids in my old grade applied to BS, including 15-ish to Lawrenceville. Happy January 15!
Side note: you probably won’t be talking to the kids from your old school at BS. I actually talk more to my middle school friends who go to other schools now.
apparently groton lets people with “outstanding applicant materials” know on feb 1.
im not entirely sure what this means? does it just mean that on feb 1 theyre going to let people with really good applications know that they have really good applications? @one1ofeach do you have any experience with this?
@mondaydevil they mean “outstanding” materials as in materials not yet received. Not “outstanding” as in you are AWESOME. (although you are. go you!).
ps. just in case anyone is misunderstanding the small talk with your AO, I would definitely not do that this week when they are probably all hands on deck trying to sift through applications and compile them for review.
OHHHHH oops @Calliemomofgirls thank you for clarifying that
Ok wait, all my essays, recommendations, and stuff like that is submitted to Gateway. Is there anything like a final submit button that I need to click or is having everything in considered submitted?