I think my eyes are going to pop out of my head! I've been on the computer for days looking over websites and setting up campus visits. We are now lined up to go to University Alabama Huntsville, Carson-Newman University and Virginia Intermont College, University of Tennessee Chattanooga (and a repeat visit to Vanderbilt in October). I've only got one other open Friday before school starts left in our schedule to squeeze in another campus if we want to try Auburn or something. I can't believe how little time is left to prepare! Taryn is coming with us on these trips, and the July visits are primarily for colleges with her major interests in mind. We'd love for our kids to stay in the state or within driving distance if they can find a college they like and get accepted into it. So we've pretty much targeted everything I can find within that radius and narrowed it down to a few to visit and then we'll work on a list to apply to.
Which means it's time to start combing through those websites and putting in the deadline for applications, FAFSA, scholarships, etc., on our college worksheet spreadsheet. Oh my eyes! My aching shoulder! The heartburn of my babies leaving the nest! I keep seeing them dancing in tutu's in the street in Utah while I am pouring over college residence hall photos and dining halls thinking about my girls living there instead of with me! Where's my kleenex?!
Anyways, while I am reminiscing and working on that, Indy will be enrolled in a 2 week ACT Prep class to see if we can get her scores in the 29-32 range in an attempt to get into Vanderbilt. Vandy superscores so the good news is that every time she takes the ACT the best score in each category is what they use. By the time she takes the test in September (and possibly in October) she'll have taken it so many times she'll probably gag hearing ACT mentioned. They say you max out at 3 times, so we hope that with one or two more tests, she will be done. She's taken it twice already and ranged from 24-31 without doing alot of prep, so we're confident she has it in her. I figure if the ACT is what gets your application to the top of the pile by the admissions and gets you some scholarship money, then it's worth the time and investment to earn the best score you can. And, by the way, Taryn is also enrolled in a less intensive, first-timer's ACT prep course for her first Junior year exam.
So, we're wondering, how did all you college grads/students go about the whole ACT, college search thing, and how happy were you with your college? What college did you attend? How was dorm life? How important was school spirit and campus involvement? What was the best/worst part about college? What do my girls need to know???
4 comments:
I'm not a lot of help, all my kids went to BYU or BYU-I. Because they wanted that environment along with an education. Plus it is MUCH cheaper!!! But hopefully, what ever college Indy chooses the Institute program will be a good one. And she will enjoy attending with LDS kids.
One tip HD might want to pass along, don't forget to bring your calculate to take the ACT. AND, yes there's an AND, you might want to take two pencils, in case one lead breaks. Just a few things he's learned.....;)
Acts- I really just took them. Didn't get a good score with them, but then again I never have tested very well at those kinds of tests.
College searching- I applied to 2 places. BYU and Southern Oregon University. Got into both and chose BYU. I wanted to be away from home, (not that I don't love home). I did choose BYU because I did want to go to a church school. I didn't know at the time, but I was not strong enough spiritually to attend another school.
At first I really wasn't happy about BYU, but I can to really enjoyed the standards that they set at BYU. It was nice knowing that a lot of the people there had the same standards and I didn't have to worry to much about other stuff.
Dorm life- Well that is what I was pretty happy about with the standards. I knew that I didn't have to worry to much.
School spirit/involvmet- Really it is about how much you want to put into things. I had a semester or 2 that I didn't wnat to do anything, and then Some semesters I loved to go out and do all the activities. There are ton of things you can do on campus all the time!
Best part- Because I have to pay for school, it is cheap. And I loved being so close to family. I hung out with the fam all the time.
Worst- It was tough to follow the rules, but I knew that it was set to help me out so that I could get a better education.
Girls need to know- No matter what school you go to make it a goal to go to church and stick to your standards.
Wow that was one long comment. I really liked BYU can you tell. I loved the enviroment!
Holy Shmiggetty (That's a Will-phrase), I can't believe Kristin wrote so much.
Do really want ACT advice from someone like me who is ancient? I think practice tests are the way to go just because you get used to the testing "style" and learn shortcuts.
Like life, I really think that what you get out is what you put in. I'm sure Indy will do wonderful. She seems to have a good attitude about life.
I am no help, but I hope you are able to find the 'right' school for Indy. ;)
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