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Great posts on small Christian schools below...but feeling so overwhelmed!


dkholland
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I have a ds who is a senior this fall and he also took the PSAT. We think he will be a NM finalist, but are not sure. When do we hear about that? I see that some of you already know what kind of aid you college choices will offer you?? How did you find out that information? Had your dc already applied? We are so behind schedule, and hoping my son rises to the challenge of visiting and applying to five colleges in the fall!!! Are we nuts?

 

My ds short list includes Patrick Henry, Covenant, Grove City and Washington and Lee. Unfortunately, we have never taken SAT II tests and I see that W&L require five. Is it possible to take all five before the application deadline date? We do have to do them before we apply, right?? I really wanted him to look at a small private secular college, but now it looks so daunting to get all these tests in while taking some hard senior courses....I have a feeling, he will refuse to take the tests when he can apply to schools that don't require it. He always takes the easier road...

 

Someone please tell me we can get this all done!!:tongue_smilie:Sorry for the rambling, but have so many anxious thoughts concerning applications and getting it all done....

 

Blessings!

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I have a ds who is a senior this fall and he also took the PSAT. We think he will be a NM finalist, but are not sure. When do we hear about that? I see that some of you already know what kind of aid you college choices will offer you?? How did you find out that information? Had your dc already applied? We are so behind schedule, and hoping my son rises to the challenge of visiting and applying to five colleges in the fall!!! Are we nuts?

 

My ds short list includes Patrick Henry, Covenant, Grove City and Washington and Lee. Unfortunately, we have never taken SAT II tests and I see that W&L require five. Is it possible to take all five before the application deadline date? We do have to do them before we apply, right?? I really wanted him to look at a small private secular college, but now it looks so daunting to get all these tests in while taking some hard senior courses....I have a feeling, he will refuse to take the tests when he can apply to schools that don't require it. He always takes the easier road...

 

Someone please tell me we can get this all done!!:tongue_smilie:Sorry for the rambling, but have so many anxious thoughts concerning applications and getting it all done....

 

Blessings!

 

Take a deep breath. :grouphug:

 

The SAT dates are listed here. You've got 3 more test dates in 2009, so yes, he could take 5 subject tests before he needs to apply. It's my understanding most colleges will accept tests done in the month the application is due, so if the application is due in January, he could possibly even use the January date. But be sure to check with the colleges where he is applying for their specific requirements.

 

National Merit Semifinalists are notified in September. Then the Finalists are notified in April. (those dates are for last year, but you can get the timeline) :)

 

ETA you can see the cutoffs for Semi-Finalist by state for last year here. Again, these are cutoffs for LAST YEAR but you can get the ballpark for this year. Last year VA's cutoff was 219, so if he is in that range or higher, he will have a very good chance of being a Semi-Finalist. Congratulations to you and your ds! :)

Edited by readwithem
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Has your son taken any community college classes or AP exams? I know one student at W&L who was homeschooled and had many AP exam grades and CC classes and managed to get around the 5 SAT2's requirement. (He is currently at W&L on a full-ride scholarship). Call the admissions office at W&L if you think you have a strong argument for why your son should take fewer -- the folks there might listen!

 

Take a deep breath and relax. You can do this! Make a list of all that needs to be done and focus on doing just one thing at a time......

 

And congrats to your son on his PSAT score!

 

Minor comment on the PSAT timetable -- both my older kids were Natl Merit Finalists, and they heard from the NMSQT people in February (not April) of their senior year about being a finalist. My dd heard in April about her actually being awarded a $2500 scholarship.

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Thanks for the heads up about W&L. My ds did take two AP's this past year and he will be taking 3 cc courses this year. It might be worth discussing with them when we go for our visit.

 

Thank you both so much for your encouragement! I am making lists and deciding what needs to be done first. I know others get through this, but it just seems like there is not enough of me to go around. I have three others I am h'schooling and I just want to go back to the days of us all sitting on the couch reading a good book :sad:

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I have a ds who is a senior this fall and he also took the PSAT. We think he will be a NM finalist, but are not sure. When do we hear about that? I see that some of you already know what kind of aid you college choices will offer you?? How did you find out that information? Had your dc already applied? We are so behind schedule, and hoping my son rises to the challenge of visiting and applying to five colleges in the fall!!! Are we nuts?

 

My ds short list includes Patrick Henry, Covenant, Grove City and Washington and Lee. Unfortunately, we have never taken SAT II tests and I see that W&L require five. Is it possible to take all five before the application deadline date? We do have to do them before we apply, right?? I really wanted him to look at a small private secular college, but now it looks so daunting to get all these tests in while taking some hard senior courses....I have a feeling, he will refuse to take the tests when he can apply to schools that don't require it. He always takes the easier road...

 

Someone please tell me we can get this all done!!:tongue_smilie:Sorry for the rambling, but have so many anxious thoughts concerning applications and getting it all done....

 

Blessings!

 

My son is a coming senior and his short list only includes Covenant, Grove City, and Wheaton. We haven't applied to any of them yet - will probably do so in Sept. Of those three, we've only visited Covenant and have a very 'basic' idea of what he might get for financial merit aid - pending scholarship testing and/or interviews. You can also get a guess on need-based aid by checking out the FAFSI (did I spell that right?) based on last year's income. You won't know on that for sure until after Jan '10 when you have this year's taxes done. All this 'basic' info came from our talking with people at Covenant.

 

We will be visiting Grove City and Wheaton in Sept as I want to see the colleges in session - not just in the summer. They were late additions to our short list as they don't really have my son's desired major, but do have 'ways' of getting there. Others that had been on it got eliminated from visits this past spring... or other 'issues.'

 

Fortunately, we don't need any SAT II tests. A school that had required 2 was on the short list, but is among those that got eliminated... so instead of having my son take them in June as planned, I opted to save the money.

 

I actually am feeling less stressed now than I was before as most of my research is done and it will just be the next two school visits, applications, and then finding out who's offering what and where coupled with order of choice from my son.

 

In two years we'll be gearing up again - and that one could easily be more stressful since that son wants bio/med research - FAR more options to check into... I'm kind of starting already. He most likely will be doing SAT II tests along the way - and perhaps AP.

 

My oldest didn't do (or need) any AP and is only taking one cc course. He will be doing Calc and Physics, etc, this year, but not for college credit. It's my personal feeling (based on the experience of several that have graduated from our ps) that kids do better in college if they've seen those courses, but not tested out of them requiring them to start in second semester... but that's a whole 'nother issue. He hasn't had any problems with the schools on his list (both those still on and those eliminated) with just his SAT scores, but then again, with the exception of writing, he tends to be in the top 25% of their freshman profile. It sounds like your son will be the same. You were far ahead of us by having your son take the PSAT. I wish I had been on top of things to have done that. My next two will... live and learn.

 

Incidently, some of these schools wanted my son to start college this year... without doing a senior year. Neither hubby nor I wanted that. Our son might have... we didn't ask. I want my kids to be kids for as long as they can. He's just 17... We're looking forward to a fun and memorable last year together as a family.

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We will be visiting Grove City and Wheaton in Sept as I want to see the colleges in session - not just in the summer. They were late additions to our short list as they don't really have my son's desired major, but do have 'ways' of getting there. Others that had been on it got eliminated from visits this past spring... or other 'issues.'

 

We will be at Grove City in the middle of August. I opted to go then, just because we will be visiting family not too far from there. Ds is not too keen on north. PA, but i am hoping he'll like the school.

 

In two years we'll be gearing up again - and that one could easily be more stressful since that son wants bio/med research - FAR more options to check into... I'm kind of starting already. He most likely will be doing SAT II tests along the way - and perhaps AP.

 

Yes, I will definately be doing the SAT II's along the way with the next ds. He is a math junkie and I can see him wanting to go the a public university, so I am going to be prepared so he has all the options!

 

Incidently, some of these schools wanted my son to start college this year... without doing a senior year. Neither hubby nor I wanted that. Our son might have... we didn't ask. I want my kids to be kids for as long as they can. He's just 17... We're looking forward to a fun and memorable last year together as a family.

 

My ds will be graduating at 17. We too will be trying to make great memories together this last year of schooling together at home. Although with taking some classes at a local co-op and a few at the cc, I may not be seeing him much:sad:.

 

Thanks for sharing...

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Ds is not too keen on north. PA, but i am hoping he'll like the school.

 

So it's not just mine! I thought we were alone that my son continually tells me he wants south of where we live, not north... He was born in Florida - I've been blaming it on his 'Florida-blood.' :)

 

 

Yes, I will definately be doing the SAT II's along the way with the next ds. He is a math junkie and I can see him wanting to go the a public university, so I am going to be prepared so he has all the options!

 

 

My thoughts exactly. I don't know that my middle son will go public, but I know if he continues to want microbio/med research I'd like to get him into one of the top undergrad places that does research along the lines of what interests him. My thinking is he is going to need to be super competitive - unlike his brother who merely needed the basics and good SAT scores. I'm having him look at colleges as we visit them with his older brother. At this point, middle son wants smaller rather than larger (mine appear to like a close-knit community - 100% different than hubby or I as we are both Va Tech grads and loved it). I told him I'd be looking to see what is out there, but small and research just might not be together.

 

 

My ds will be graduating at 17. We too will be trying to make great memories together this last year of schooling together at home. Although with taking some classes at a local co-op and a few at the cc, I may not be seeing him much:sad:.

 

Thanks for sharing...

 

Well, technically, mine turns 18 the month before he graduates so I don't think there's a whole lot of difference. :) It just seemed to hit me in the spring when places were suggesting he start THIS fall instead of next fall. I'm wondering if the economy has anything to do with it and they just wanted the income from another student... He's not going to those colleges though (not because of wanting him early). Have a great last year!

 

ps Post about your Grove City visit/thoughts on here when you get a chance... I absolutely love reading about other colleges from many different perspectives.

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Has your son taken any community college classes or AP exams? I know one student at W&L who was homeschooled and had many AP exam grades and CC classes and managed to get around the 5 SAT2's requirement. (He is currently at W&L on a full-ride scholarship). Call the admissions office at W&L if you think you have a strong argument for why your son should take fewer -- the folks there might listen!

 

Take a deep breath and relax. You can do this! Make a list of all that needs to be done and focus on doing just one thing at a time......

 

And congrats to your son on his PSAT score!

 

Minor comment on the PSAT timetable -- both my older kids were Natl Merit Finalists, and they heard from the NMSQT people in February (not April) of their senior year about being a finalist. My dd heard in April about her actually being awarded a $2500 scholarship.

Sorry about that - I was just going on the website's timeline.

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Thanks for the heads up about W&L. My ds did take two AP's this past year and he will be taking 3 cc courses this year. It might be worth discussing with them when we go for our visit.

 

Thank you both so much for your encouragement! I am making lists and deciding what needs to be done first. I know others get through this, but it just seems like there is not enough of me to go around. I have three others I am h'schooling and I just want to go back to the days of us all sitting on the couch reading a good book :sad:

 

I'm with you on wanting to sit on the couch and read a good book!! I'm in the market for a 5 yo for next year :lol:

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