Anonymous
Post 09/17/2012 10:04     Subject: Clueless about college
Anonymous wrote:I'll confess: I'm completely clueless when it comes to the college process. I didn't go through anything of the sort when I went to college, and my oldest DD is currently looking at schools. I have no idea where she falls compared to her peers, in her state or nationally. I also don't know which schools she can realistically get into and attend (I am not very familiar with US schools.) She goes to an all girls private high school and has all A's so far in hs with one B+. Her SAT score is a 2230: 680 math, 750 critical reading and 800 writing. She is a very smart girl who has always had a strong interest in the sciences. She's not a super genius, but she has an extreme love of learning and a curiosity about the world that I think is unusual in a teenage girl (her peers, although also very bright, seem more concerned with "mixers" and television than planetary science and current events). Can someone tell me a realistic goal for colleges? Public or private, how expensive, does she need to test again, etc?
This is just for me-I am letting her choose the school ultimately (as long as it is financially viable) but I want some basic information that all the other parents seem to already know.


You don't sound as clueless as you made it out to be. Private high school, detailed SAT scores, etc. My parents were in fact clueless. They couldn't even tell you the name of my high school, LOL.
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2012 12:26     Subject: Clueless about college
I would turn your whole strategy around. Start by thinking about what your daughter is like and what kind of environment would work for her. Large school? Small school? Urban? Rural? Far from home? Close to home? Are there particular activities/sports/etc. that would be important for her? Once you've factored all those things in and figured a list of possible schools, then look at the admissions profile for those schools and see if she is likely to get in, with her academic background.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2012 08:50     Subject: Clueless about college
Anonymous wrote:You can only have one ED pending at a time, At the same time you can apply to other schools EA. If you get accepted to your ED school, you have to withdraw all other apps. For more info, see the Common App ED agreement.


This is correct as far as it goes, however, it's important to note that schools with an EA option vary in whether they permit applicants to apply early to other schools. All EA options are non-binding, but some are exclusive, prohibiting applicants from applying early elsewhere or, in some cases, prohibiting them from applying early to other private colleges, but allowing them to apply EA to public colleges.
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2012 07:39     Subject: Clueless about college
know a kid there now whose top choices were Stanford and Princeton. May have had one school lower than Williams but it was his backup. Obviously not too many kids in that position, including my own kids. Hence my point that the range of likelies and safeties is totally kid dependent.


If his only three schools were Stanford, Princeton, and Williams as a safety, he was poorly advised and very lucky.


Agree (new poster here -- former admissions staffer with 3 kids of my own in college or now graduated)
Anonymous
Post 09/12/2012 07:28     Subject: Clueless about college
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Williams is nobody's safety.


Agree.


I know a kid there now whose top choices were Stanford and Princeton. May have had one school lower than Williams but it was his backup. Obviously not too many kids in that position, including my own kids. Hence my point that the range of likelies and safeties is totally kid dependent.


If his only three schools were Stanford, Princeton, and Williams as a safety, he was poorly advised and very lucky.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2012 21:09     Subject: Clueless about college
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Williams is nobody's safety.


Agree.


I know a kid there now whose top choices were Stanford and Princeton. May have had one school lower than Williams but it was his backup. Obviously not too many kids in that position, including my own kids. Hence my point that the range of likelies and safeties is totally kid dependent.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2012 20:39     Subject: Re:Clueless about college
Anonymous wrote:OP here-I sense that my dd's college counselor has far too many kids to counsel, as her school used to have more counselors but they downsized a few years back. She is difficult to get a hold of that is all. My DD informed me that she is researching schools such as Washington University in St. Louis, University of Pittsburgh and Northwestern. I will go search these schools too. Thank you 09:17 for your helpful post.



Maybe, but not as many as my son has at his highly touted Western MCPS high school. That counselor has 500 - 600 students that she alone has to guide through the process. As you can imagine, we are not leaving it in her hands. We not even talk to her about it. She is just too too busy. She won't talk to parents unless their kid is a junior. No talking at all!
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2012 20:29     Subject: Clueless about college
Anonymous wrote:Williams is nobody's safety.


Agree.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2012 17:24     Subject: Clueless about college
Williams is nobody's safety.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2012 14:41     Subject: Re:Clueless about college
Anonymous wrote:I know that this varies from kid to kid, but as a general matter, what are the well thought off "safeties" or "likelies".


No such thing. One kids stretch is another kids safety. Safeties can be anywhere from Williams to U of MD to Montgomery College.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2012 14:34     Subject: Re:Clueless about college
I know that this varies from kid to kid, but as a general matter, what are the well thought off "safeties" or "likelies".
Anonymous
Post 07/17/2012 16:48     Subject: Clueless about college
Anonymous wrote:You can only have one ED pending at a time, At the same time you can apply to other schools EA. If you get accepted to your ED school, you have to withdraw all other apps. For more info, see the Common App ED agreement.


Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 07/17/2012 13:26     Subject: Clueless about college
You can only have one ED pending at a time, At the same time you can apply to other schools EA. If you get accepted to your ED school, you have to withdraw all other apps. For more info, see the Common App ED agreement.
Anonymous
Post 07/17/2012 12:27     Subject: Clueless about college
Is it OK to apply to one school ED and another school EA? Or is that wrong vis a vis the ED school?