The college hunt continues ...

[iloveflipflops]

Emily graduates in 5 short months. It sure is coming fast. She has applied to 5 colleges in-state and 3 have told her "no" because of her SAT scores. She is not the best test-taker (I wasn't either) and even though she has gotten A's and B's all her life (an occassional C) that doesn't seem to matter to these schools. She does not want to go to a community college. She has taken the SAT twice and will take it a 3rd time next Saturday. The poor thing wants to do better on it. She took her ACT too and that wasn't much better. She really wants in Western Carolina and they told her they wanted to see better SAT scores so they haven't told her no "yet" but i am wondering should I call and talk to someone higher up in admissions and see if we can go in and meet with them, have an interview or something? She wants to go there so bad. I just don't know if there is anything I can do at this point ...

Any suggestions?????

[ngreek]

at times schools are known for being more of a Liberal arts school do not take the SAT scores as the almighty admission criteria.

[My3Ds]

I'm not looking forward to this next year. Has Emily taking any SAT prep courses? They may help.

[iloveflipflops]

Yes she did that in her junior year. Didn't help much :(

[MidwestStamper]

Some kinds of tests just click better than others--my son Daniel got phenomenal scores on both his SAT and ACT test scores--so that's helping with being accepted at the Colleges he's applied at.

But a couple of the AP (Advanced Placement) tests he took, he bombed out on and didn't get the College credit for them. AP tests are rated 1-5 and you have to get 3 or better to get the College credit. He still got the High School credit for the class though.

Daniel's 'problem' right now is trying to decide between the three colleges he's been accepted at: The University of Minnesota, Augsburg College and Hamline University--the last two are private colleges. He's been working hard at writing Essays to apply for the various scholarships that you can win at the private colleges. He will have to audition with his clarinet for one of the Fine Arts scholarships.

[Patty]

My only advice is to save your money. You're gonna need it. I glad my children are past that. The grands will be next--oldest gs is 16. I'll let his parents deal with that! He wants to be a marine biologist. Has wanted that for years. I'll just stay in the background with my wallet.

[logcabincreations]

Maybe her guidance counselor can help? What part of the test is she the weakest on? If it's math, maybe a math tutor to help specifically with practice tests? I don't know. I will add her to my prayer list though.

[Paula Carden]

Yes Jan's comments about what are the weakest area- perhaps WCU would let her enroll in a course for the summer say if it is algebra or english etc and if she does well then she would be a full admit for the fall. WCU used to admit on conditional if scores were low but once the student had good grade averages then the conditional admit would be removed.
The problem for universities now is they have more prospects then years prior and in NC their budgets are slashed so not much room for expansion.
Sometimes letters of recommendations from teachers, counselors in high school will carry weight if she hasn't officially been turned down from a college-also we had a good friend that wanted in at UNC-CH- she reapplied and was accepted with condition that she would maintain 3.0 or better for the first 2 terms- she left 4 years later with a degree and a 4.0 for every term. Sometimes first pass students are turned down, then once they know how many are actually coming not just applying they have slots to fill.
Keeping Em in my thoughts as this is a very stressful time.

[shuggy]

that's the frustrating thing. i'm a terrible test taker. i scored very low on the atc. what does it mean? not much...i can't take tests well. but i have no good advice for you other than maybe a community college for a year then transfer.

[inkinupstamps]

Sherri, my heart goes out to Emily because I understand completely how she feels about test taking. Oh my gosh...I still to this day freeze up with tests. In fact, I have waited to have dual citizenship between the U.S. and Canada because I could not bear failing the Canadian citizenship test. Now in this case I've finally hit the age (55) where you don't have to take the written test.

My point is to Emily and one that my mom always said to me is that some people do not take tests well but they LEARN a lot and can be very educated people, even if they don't do well with the written exams. Does that make sense? My sister has an extremely high IQ and a photographic memory and she has always said that I work far harder to learn than she ever had to simply because God gave her a specific gift and my gifts are elsewhere.

All this to say is I'm cheering for Emily. She WILL succeed in anything she puts her mind to. Just look how well she did on the extremely complicated and detailed Senior project.

You go Emily!!

[Kreative Dryve]

I know that my daughter didn't score well in her math portion of her ACT's and her college just made her take an extra lower level math class to get to the level they think she should be at for college. It has always been my understanding that this is a perfectly normal type of behavior for some colleges. Charlee goes to Montana Tech, one of the leading engineering schools in the nation, that's why they wanted her math scores to be better.
I wish Emily the best on her up coming exam. I took a class on test taking skills and breathing focus, it helps with all my nursing school exams. Best Wishes

[scrappinnuts]

Private Universities are much easier to get into than State schools...but are more costly. Both of my Daughters went to private schools... but did ok on the SAT and ACT...Has she checked into Private Schools?

[Paula Carden]

It will work out for Em-she is lovely, talented and smart-
She will find the right spot and career in college- She sure came through on that senior project with all of the issues she had. She is persistant and that will help her find where she is suppose to go. Not everyone can be a great test taker-doesn't mean that we are less smart- I have you and her in my thoughts and hope that she will do great on scores this coming week. If she can just not stress it will help her.

[Darleneh710]

I, too, will keep you and Emily in my thoughts and hope she does well on the upcoming exam. I understand she doesn't want to go to a Community Coll, but that might be best and than transfer...that was my plan...way back when...

[suzi_f]

We still have 3 years before I have to deal with this!! luckily for me, becca WANTS to go to the comm college here in town (exactly 1 mile from our house) for 2 years & then transfer to an out of state school. Last week, someone called wanting to sell me a course to help her w/her SAT. I explained that she was only a freshman. He said it would help her w/her school work now. I exp she was getting straight As, what exactly did he think he could "help" her with. Plus, he promised it would help her get an average of 8 points higher in English. 8 points doesn't seem like much, or is it???

[Jadyeebugsaunt]

I know when I took my Act's never took me SAT because Ohio State doesn't require them, I did ok, but not great. They admitted me but I had to tale entry level claases. IMO I would contact someone in admissions and see if there is anything she could do. Also tell her to try to relax, I think they put too much pressure on kids and then they freak out. Also what worked for me is that I went through and did the ones I knew I knew then went back and gtried the ones I was unsure about. Its going to work out hang in there! hugs!

[shadoob]

College entrance is such a crap-shoot. REALLY!!!

My kids both applied to very prestigious schools and it was intersting (and sometimes painful) to watch the process. My ds aced the verbal SAT - was just a few points short on the Math, national merit, had more extra curricular actvities than should be humanly possible and a GPA that was NOT stellar - and 2 very well known schools turned him down...but the Ivy he wanted took him (along with others) and offered great packages.
DD almost the same thing. They are looking to fulfill certain needs THEY have- not what needs YOU have. Perhaps this year they need a brunette, sax playing theater major---who knows!?!?!

Keep trying for what Emily wants, but after a while, she needs to decide to be happy where ever she is....but those skinny envelopes are no fun to get in the mail....

good luck.

[Merry4003]

I am no help as my youngest son worked full time and finally graduated with his AA in Transferable Studies, accepted to Sacramento State, but just couldn't afford it and we are not in a position to help him. It took him a long time to get there because when he would transfer schools, you know they change their miinds, courses would not transfer, etc. But he did it. Anyways, if my child were going straight from high school, I would get the books and tests like at Barnes and Noble (the bookstores) and have them practice, practice, practice. I have been told this is a way to get used to taking the tests, like I said, not speaking from experience. Best of Luck to Emily. There are just so many kids out there now and in California the fees just keep going up and up. Pretty sad that my son, or any young adult can't get the education they want and have worked for because of money. IMO....
Again, Best of Luck Emily...never give up!

[shadoob]

We still have 3 years before I have to deal with this!! luckily for me, becca WANTS to go to the comm college here in town (exactly 1 mile from our house) for 2 years & then transfer to an out of state school. Last week, someone called wanting to sell me a course to help her w/her SAT. I explained that she was only a freshman. He said it would help her w/her school work now. I exp she was getting straight As, what exactly did he think he could "help" her with. Plus, he promised it would help her get an average of 8 points higher in English. 8 points doesn't seem like much, or is it???

Eight points actually CAN be a big deal on the SAT and a HUGE- HUMONGOUS deal on the ACT)- but personally, our kids never went to the classes. ( I bought them the books (which stayed unopened till about 1 week before the tests) and the biggest thing was:
take teh PSAT in 10th (!!) grade. It can't hurt you- it gives you an idea of what the test is all about and how to regulate yourself (food intake, bathroom breaks, etc), it puts you ont eh radar of some schools if you do well, and then you are ready in teh 11th grade to take it if you are up for teh National merit scholarships (or again, just to get on college radars).

I can't type, but I know that which I speak of...

[scrappinnuts]

We also bought the books and computer programs...neither of my girls seemed to think they helped...Emily will be good at anything she does....and it is a very long, sometimes heartbreaking process. May open another door for her in the process