What’s your advice to a soon-to-be high school parent?
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Anonymous
If my parents had gotten advice like this (or had been paying attention other than being absorbed in themselves), my entire adult life would have been different. |
Anonymous
| Figure out the financial landscape - what are you willing and able to pay, what kind of financial aid you might be eligible for, what is your general philosophy re:paying for college, etc, etc and communicate this to your kid as early as possible. Unless you are one of those families for whom $$$ doesn't matter at all, your financial situation will to some extent guide your college choices and your application strategy. |
Anonymous
| My advice is to let your kid be your kid. Don’t force them to do certain activities or take certain classes just “because it’ll look good on your transcript/college application.” Encourage them to take the most challenging classes available but also to take electives they enjoy. Encourage them to find some extracurricular activities they enjoy and can demonstrate real interest in over time without falling into the trap of forcing them to do certain activities “because they will look good on s college application.” Also set the expectation early that you will find the right college fit for your kid and it doesn’t have to be what everyone else is aiming for. |
Anonymous
| For the PP that said some colleges require 4 years of science, can you give me a link or cite? My teen does not believe me and says this is not what guidance counselor is telling her. |
Anonymous
From the start of high school correct? Not for summer before freshman year? |
Anonymous
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More advice: never allow yourself or your child to utter the term “dream school” particularly if you can’t afford that school without significant aid. It’s a recipe for heartache and absolutely unnecessary.
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Anonymous
+2. Our high school is known for its great college counseling program and they don’t start until sophomore year. |
Anonymous
Op here. I appreciate this as much as the detailed info listed above. As I stated in my OP, We are NOT doing anything crazy now like SAT prep or college visits, but I wanted to know things like the course selection stuff, since that does start early. I’m glad that these kids don’t get inundated with info until sophomore year. I swear I’m not crazy or pushy, just wanted to learn from the wise parents of DCUM who have been through this, so I can chill the F out 
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Anonymous
| Just keep in mind that GPA is the biggest factor... everything else is secondary. |
Anonymous
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OP, it can help to work backwards. KNOW financially what you can generally contribute to college costs. Be real honest with yourself. You need to know if you will need to encourage that they shoot for the top in-state public U or if you can afford private. Consider all of your children. You don't want too much spent on the oldest.
Once you know what they can shoot for, then educate yourself yourself on what it takes to get in. Then, watch and consider carefully what's realistic and a reasonable amount of work for your student (and stress on the family support it) |
Anonymous
| If your kid is struggling in a class and getting a C or lower in the first 6 weeks, get a tutor lined up before their semester grade and GPA suffers. Don't wait until Thanksgiving to notice they need help. That GPA is more important than anything else. |
Anonymous
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https://www.wm.edu/admission/undergraduateadmission/diversityaccess/faqs/index.php
here is a link as to what W&M "looks for" -- we asked similar question at college tours - admissions officers have a school profile and want to see a certain level of rigor in course work based on what is available at the school. From DC area students, they look for "4 years of the solid 5 -- sci, math, history, language and english". It was pretty consistent from all admissions staff at the schools we talked to...esp for DC area students, NOVA specifically. This is becoming more important with test optional for SAT/ACT. The 4th year of science is becoming a "filter" The admission staff implied (2 were very frank when we talked one-on-one) that it becomes part of a filter when sorting application packages. If you have 2 generally equal students - one taking 4 years of a sci and the other didnt -- the applicant that took 4 years of science may get a few extra points; 4 years of a language (if not the same all 4 years, 3 years of one and a year of a different one) vs 3 years...again, extra points for the applicant who did a language all 4 years. This answer was provided by a VA state school and a New England liberal arts school. As a point of reference we toured: UVA, W&M, VCU, Christopher Newport, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Colby, Dartmouth, Williams, Wake Forest, Franklin and Marshall |
Anonymous
Lots recommend it. My DD stopped at 3 (bio, Chem, physics) but did 3 years of a second foreign language (Through AP in a first). Great admissions results, but she has a related major. I suspect it helped her stand out. Certainly more than the 4th year of geoscience or oceanography her humanities friends took. |
Anonymous
I just posted about my kid who did three years of science, and skipped the 4th for foreign language. Currently attending WM. (I’d it apply any other in state) Was accepted with a GPA below the 50%. White female. White and Asian females with higher GPAs and 4 years of science were not accepted. Now, she took 10 APs, so the rigor was there. Just not science after HN Physics. |
Anonymous
| Great news for your daughter -- my son (white), 7 APs, 4.29 GPA, 3 yrs sci, 4 years same language, 1450 SAT, rejected from WM, wait listed UVA, attending Wake. His top choice was W&M and our wallet would have preferred a state school, but he is happy at Wake |