College Admission Websites

[Namewithheld]

Well we got Ms. Namewithheld's PSAT scores back yesterday and she didn't score high enough to be a National Merit Semi-Finalist so Auburn and UGA may be out of reach unless other scholarships are available.

UT (the evil traffic cone color one) may be her only option and she hates it but hey when the you get wiped out in the market over the last few years...adjustments have to be made...

 

[NickDanger]

Let me recommend that you go to the school's (whichever one) website and look at their application. Some use the common application and you can google that easily, but I don't think any SEC schools use it. So, look at their application and print it out so that daughter namewithheld doesn't have to write any extra essays. Make them a one size fits all. She may really like to write essays. I have heard of that phenomenon, just not in my house.

The schools don't expect a breathtaking work of staggerring genius. Well, I don't know that for a fact, but I kinda doubt they could recognize it if it landed in their lap or ever admit anyone if they demanded or required it. In short, high schoolers write juvenile stuff. Admissions counselors read it. I can't imagine that many believe in the outlandish dreams of changing the world through an English major. All I'm saying is to keep perspective and don't sweat the essays that much. There are a ton of "consultants" who write essays for kids and the process has become tainted. The admission counselors can probably spot a parent/consultant essay from a mile off. That's a bad "tell"

The real point I wanted to make thougt was about the "RESUME". I know a ton of people who cattle prodded their kids into padding their "RESUME" (dramatic enough?) for years. It literally disappears into a single line on many apps. Just being a member of a school organization is garbage. You have to be ELECTED to something. They will let anybody join the spanish club, etc.

For Namewwithheld, I will say that the boy didn't apply to Tenn, but I would bet that they will tell you pretty clearly what standardized test scores you will need to get in. The schools have their own ways of prioritizing, but the general theme seems to be heavy emphasis on ACT/SAT, less emphasis on GPA, but it IS a stopgap, and even less on class rank (unlike UT which is VERY outside the norm).

The Resume (imo) needs to include MEAT. Actual stuff. Not "danced in christmas show" and "member of dance team" when they are both the same thing. I am probably operating from a position of admiration of MY child, but I have also tried to put myself in the position of an admissions counselor (or anyone reading an application and having to decide) and I would know that there are a lot of gilded lillies out there. Even if you try to list basically the same thing twice, make sure you separate the things as far apart on the app as possible. Separate the grades when the child did the work (you will understand when you look at an app).

For example, my child was a heavily decorated Eagle Scout. He got involved in other things after freshman year, but still had his name in the hat for a trip to Philmont which is kinda like Scout Mecca. He led an expedition of scouts and adults on a 72 mile hiking and camping trek. I never could have done that. It would have been easy for that to be lost in "Eagle Scout". We decided to put Eagle Scout at the top of the resume followed by team captaincies? and other honors and then a separate listing for the Philmont deal. They ARE different and noteworthy on their own.

Fwiw, the SEC schools are VERY generous with schollies to kids to get them to enroll. UGA got crossed off because they are the most expensive SEC school (Athens is worth more money), they don't really have an outstanding rep (just good), and they don't give tuition breaks (read that as none). The boy can go to Bama, Auburn, Ole Miss (rolleyes), LSU, Tulane, and Baylor without me writing any checks to those schools, but the housing costs and fees and books, etc can vary DRAMATICALLY. Housing at UT will cost us ten grand. ******* parking will cost a grand and the kid will have to vacate his spot every time UT tries to beat ISU. ANY sports event will require you to move your car even though you paid $1,000.00 to park for 9 months.

I hope I cleared it all up for you. snicker

 

[NickDanger]

A thought occurred to me about the PSAT. My boy didn't do all that well on the PSAT. I can't remember what he scored, but it wasn't eye-popping. He ended up with a "super-scored" SAT of 1390. If you don't know already, that is where they they the highest elements of multiple tests to achieve the highest score possible. NOBODY will combine pieces of ACT with pieces of SAT. UT doesn't "superscore" at all. UGA does. Most schools that my child applied to do.

But, just because Miss Namewithheld didn't blow your hair back with a PSAT score doesn't necessarily mean you have to lower your sights (Auburn isn't that hard to get into anyway). My child said he felt the SAT was just a weird test and that the questions were stupid and counterintuitive, He scored really well on the ACT and THAT is why he has as many options as he does. Miss Namewithheld might like the ACT better as well.

I'm not a huge believer in standardized test prep courses. If the courses actually work, then the tests ARE as ****** up as some people think they are. My wife believes in the courses, but she also believes that internet "psychics" can talk to her dead mother. I am much more of a cynic.

The college admission stress dovetails nicely into the fear-based industries that prey on parents who don't want to ever look back and think "if only I had paid for this or that".