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dufay
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| Joined: | Mon Jul 17th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 41 |
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Posted: Sat Oct 13th, 2007 07:46 pm |
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| Working on the essays- making fairly good progress. Only 2 schools for Common Ap + supplements. I don't know how kids apply to 5+ schools that require additional essays. Although there are some that can be recycled, not all can.
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orchestramom
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| Joined: | Thu Mar 9th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 113 |
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Posted: Sat Oct 13th, 2007 09:13 pm |
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Applications? Ha! We're still working on finalizing THE LIST  (since orchestragirl decided three weeks ago to change focus and NOT go for music performance after all).
But her list always had a nice mix of schools with strong academics, and she was not planning on conservatory in any case, so we didn't have to start from scratch. A few schools have dropped off and a few new ones are now under serious consideration. We just got back from a weeklong college road trip in the midwest, so I am hopeful that this week she'll have the final list down. She has been working on essays, though none are finished yet. No early applications, thank goodness. She's set herself a Thanksgiving deadline to get everything finished and out.
Hope everyone is holding up well....
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jocelynDAD
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Posted: Sat Oct 13th, 2007 10:07 pm |
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| D3 has submitted all applications, only one not a CA. Just a few supplements to complete - this weekend and next should cover those requirements and she can concentrate on Homecoming Dance (this evening) and academics etc while waiting to hear from her Early Action/Rolling Admissions schools.
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lfm
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| Joined: | Sat Jul 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 115 |
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Posted: Sat Oct 13th, 2007 10:32 pm |
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This weekend we are making the final changes to MIT and Caltech. he gave up on U of Chicago for early action. Their essays scared him off.
The essay's were hard for my son who is not going to win any awards for introspection. Here is my personal favorite experience. For MIT one of the choices was to write about a community you are part of. I suggested he write about the local and national math community, since it really is his community. He went off, and a day or two later he said he just couldnt get it working. So, then we suggested he write about his family. He went off and wrote very little (he didnt even mention his sister!!) So, then we suggested he write a bit about his family and his math community. He came back with a 500+ word essay. One small paprgraph at top about his family (still, no sister) and the rest was about the math community. I told him it seemed unbalanced. I suggested he expand the family section or get rid of it completely. He came back later - the family section was history. It was just a really great essay about the math community. Wasn't that what I suggested in the first place??
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Alumother
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| Joined: | Fri Mar 24th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 201 |
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Posted: Sat Oct 13th, 2007 11:33 pm |
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Aluson has decided not to apply early anywhere. I think it's the right decision for him. Let him focus on coursework and the newspaper and this improvisational theater troupe he has joined. And soccer of course. He gets three days off next week, said of his own accord that he plans to get "a bunch of college stuff" done.
NMF was turned in on time.
I suggested he might want to try to have his GPA better this semester than last, i.e. more As than A-s vs. the other way around. I have to choose my moments for these comments, as you can imagine.
S is looking forward to writing essays, or so he thinks . Given our experience with D, I am OK with him taking his time and OK with the last minute crunch. At least I think I am. Check back in December for the sound of Aluteeth gnashing. D will be home from college. Perhaps the wheel of life will turn and she will help her brother.
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Astrid (Moominmama)
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 127 |
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Posted: Sat Oct 13th, 2007 11:45 pm |
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Moomindaughter has written a draft of her essay for SCAD, which they call Statement of Purpose. Scoop and someone from the Other Board gave her some excellent comments and she will expand it. The activities resume is done, the letters of recommendation and transcript have been received, SAT scores are logged in, and all she has to do is finish that statement, decide what to put in her portfolio and turn it into a Powerpoint presentation. I'd really, really like for all this to be done by the end of this month. Just in case she's not accepted (unlikely) or the merit scholarship offer is waay too tiny (not impossible -- nothing's impossible) they she have to apply elsewhere, and those other places have deadlines, even if SCAD doesn't.
Quick question: They annnounced at the school that she was National Merit Commended, but I haven't seen anything in writing about this. Where would that come from?
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revkat
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| Joined: | Thu Jun 21st, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 47 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 01:14 am |
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It seems that I am going to need dramamine as well as duct tape. What a roller coaster! One night H and I are commenting that we are not going to make it through this process as D wails and groans about well, everything to do with college apps. The next night she calmly makes up packets to take to her teachers and guidance counselor. I'm learning, just stay out of the way and have the credit card available when needed!
I thought she'd rethink MIT when she found out about the (highly recommended) interview. She still is very vocal about not wanting to do it, but she contacted the alum and is moving forward.
I have to say, as much as I support public schools, I am envious of those who have GCs who have smaller student loads than, say, 750, and who know something (anything!) about private school applications!
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Consolation
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| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 488 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 01:36 am |
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Alumother wrote: Aluson has decided not to apply early anywhere. ...Check back in December for the sound of Aluteeth gnashing. D will be home from college. Perhaps the wheel of life will turn and she will help her brother.
I have to tell you how much I enjoyed "aluteeth." Just hilarious.
Lots of "consoteeth" gnashing aroud here these days.
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hummingbird
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 03:10 am |
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Astrid (Moominmama) wrote:
Quick question: They annnounced at the school that she was National Merit Commended, but I haven't seen anything in writing about this. Where would that come from?
My son got a 4x6 or 5x7-sized printed award on cardstock that said he was NM commended, and it was signed by the school principal. So I'm thinking the National Merit Scholarship Corp sends these to the schools.
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dufay
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| Joined: | Mon Jul 17th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 41 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 01:58 pm |
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| Hard part is recommendations. As my D cyberschools, it is difficult to really get to know a teacher. She is taking a French class at local Ivy, and will ask that teacher (BTW- this class seems MUCH easier and less work than her previous online college French courses), as well as cyber English. Advisor to online HS already has his out- I have found much faster response all around with cyber teachers etc.
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Alumother
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| Joined: | Fri Mar 24th, 2006 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 04:11 pm |
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Consolation - happy to add even a smidgen of humor to this process. I find if I joke about the whole thing a lot I can pretend it isn't a source of enormous anxiety to me. Hope S is fooled.
And I repeat to myself, with as much fervor as a dedicated yogi repeats her mantra, "He loves his safety, he loves his safety, he loves his safety..."
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dufay
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| Joined: | Mon Jul 17th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 41 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 04:40 pm |
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| Pitt is my daughter's safety, and I must say that the more I read about the Honors program, the more impressed I am. Frankly, I'm even more impressed about it than other "name" schools. We'll see what transpires in the spring and take it from there!
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CarolynLawrence
Administrator
| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 3329 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 05:20 pm |
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Astrid (Moominmama) wrote: Quick question: They annnounced at the school that she was National Merit Commended, but I haven't seen anything in writing about this. Where would that come from?
Hummingbird's right, the official notification and certificate goes to the high school. My son received his two weeks ago, so she might ask her guidance counselor about getting the certificate.
Congratulations to her!
Last edited on Sun Oct 14th, 2007 05:21 pm by CarolynLawrence
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Astrid (Moominmama)
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 06:11 pm |
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Thanks, Carolyn and hummingbird, I'll have her check with the counselor. Two kinda odd things about it -- they announced when she was in the last period drama class, which is noisy, so she didn't hear it, and was getting congratulations from her teachers the next day that at first were out of the blue! Second, she was the only commended at her school, which, although it has a large low-income population has a bunch of really smart kids. Must have been a bad testing day for them. 
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riviera
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| Joined: | Tue Jan 30th, 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 108 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 07:36 pm |
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My son is 75% done for his EA app but that was not easy to reach that point! He is now working on his supplement essay. Fortunately, this is also an English class assignment due for Tuesday, so he should have it finalized by the end of the week. The plan is to submit the application next weekend. After that, the rest should be somewhat easier: he can recycle his 2 essays for the UCs and his second essay for some of the other supplements.
We also have started receiving some of the postcards, which indicates that his counselor has sent the school report. This is really nice to be able to keep track of which pieces of the application the colleges have received so far.
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ellenrch
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| Joined: | Fri Aug 24th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 81 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 11:47 pm |
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Things my son has done today to avoid finishing an EA application that's due soon:
1. Repair his bike, which did not appear to be broken.
2. Attempt to ride his bike without a seat, just to see if it's possible (ouch).
3. Ride to the gas station--with seat--to fill his bike tires. (Are we seeing a pattern here?)
4. Watch a back episode of "Heroes."
5. Do some of his laundry. (Hmmm--he's getting desperate.)
6. Have a long and sociable dinner-table conversation with his parents. (Now he's certifiably desperate.)
Sound familiar?
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CarolynLawrence
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| Joined: | Sun Mar 5th, 2006 |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14th, 2007 11:59 pm |
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Ellenrch, Oh my gosh, you have me in hysterics! 
As we speak, my son is out in the garage wailing on his drums. He finished the final drafts of his two common application essays today, and the CA is ready to go, but he isn't QUITE ready to send them yet...wants to mull them over for a few more days.
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Consolation
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| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 488 |
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Posted: Mon Oct 15th, 2007 12:42 am |
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My son:
- hasn't finalized his list
- missed his high school's deadline for submitting the transcript request in order to get it out in time for EA (and when I asked him if he had completed the forms said "What forms?"). Luckily for him I checked the date and he only missed it by a day, so they are of course going to get it out on time anyway.
-has drafted only ONE of the two required 500 word essays for his EA application and not even looked at any of the other segments (It has to be postmarked by Nov 1st). He refuses to let me see the draft because he says it is "too bad."
In addition to this, we somehow did not receive the information letter about senior pictures for the yearbook that they sent out at the beginning of the summer, and I *just* happened to see it at the high school office when I went there to pick him up on Friday. We have no pictures and the deadline was September 28th. So he may not even appear in his high school yearbook.
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ellenrch
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| Joined: | Fri Aug 24th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 81 |
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Posted: Mon Oct 15th, 2007 02:38 am |
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An update: All that bike fixing must have worked, because he clicked "send" a few minutes ago. In the end, I was the one who thought it might be a good idea to put it aside for a day, but he's meeting with his counselor tomorrow and must have the receipt before the school will send the transcript. So his #1 choice application is done. Why do I feel so nervous? He doesn't.
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hummingbird
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Posted: Mon Oct 15th, 2007 02:55 am |
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Ellen-- you feel nervous because you're the mom and it's your job to worry 
Consolation-- good luck with the duct tape! (and good luck with the senior pictures; hopefully their due date wasn't set in stone)
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