Admissions

[appbio91]

I believe if makes a difference if you have the numbers. I will say also that there is a back door for people not accepted as first semester freshmen. Go to community college one semester and transfer in. Gpa, sat etc. is out the window. As long as you made decent grades it is much easier to transfer in. I know lots of friend's kid who have gone this route.

[JCline0429]

Can't answer your question on how much it would help. But if I remember correctly from when I applied, the application asks if you have a relative(s) that attended Appalachian State, and if so, who.

I was not sure if those sorts of questions were still on the application. I know at one time many colleges would do things to help the children of alumni be admitted, or at least the perception was there that legacies had a bit/lot of advantage. I know some things just are not asked anymore, or at least I did not think they were still asked. Maybe they are. I guess there is one way to find out.

The question is still there and there is an alumni scholarship. Call alumni affairs and find out the criteria, GPA/SAT. Follow up and be sure alumni receives your childs name as a legacy. As was pointed out above it does make a difference.

Does an aunt and uncle count as a legacy relative? Could you have too many legacies and then become less attractive to avoid "academic inbreeding"?

I seem to recall it being said that ASU does not have a legacy policy pertaining to admissions. Those are mostly private schools, I believe.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

A good SAT review course can help boost the SAT score by as much as 200 points and really bolster the students application. My daughter took the SAT twice, and scored low to mid 1100's both times,then took a SAT review course, and boosted her score 150 points. Good grades and higher score in hand, she was able to land a nice scholarship. The course is not cheap (about $800 as I recall), but can be very effective. Several of her friends took the course, with similar results. It's kind of silly, when you think about it. She was no smarter, or probably no more prepared for college after taking the course, but her numbers looked better on paper.

We bought her some software. The classes were just out of our budget. I am pushing her to take the course at school but in of course needs to be fall semester.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

I believe if makes a difference if you have the numbers. I will say also that there is a back door for people not accepted as first semester freshmen. Go to community college one semester and transfer in. Gpa, sat etc. is out the window. As long as you made decent grades it is much easier to transfer in. I know lots of friend's kid who have gone this route.

I almost did this myself. Not due to not being admitted, I never applied. I ended up taking a year off. It is amazing what stocking groceries and getting up at 3:00 am to work 4:00 am to 12:30 pm will do for motivation in hitting the books.

[TheMoody1]

A good SAT review course can help boost the SAT score by as much as 200 points and really bolster the students application. My daughter took the SAT twice, and scored low to mid 1100's both times,then took a SAT review course, and boosted her score 150 points. Good grades and higher score in hand, she was able to land a nice scholarship. The course is not cheap (about $800 as I recall), but can be very effective. Several of her friends took the course, with similar results. It's kind of silly, when you think about it. She was no smarter, or probably no more prepared for college after taking the course, but her numbers looked better on paper.

We are looking for a good review course for my son. Can you tell me what course your daughter took?

[DoubleA]

We are looking for a good review course for my son. Can you tell me what course your daughter took?

She took her course through Davidson Learning, in Mooresville, back during the summer of 2007, before her senior year. I could be off slightly, but as I recall, the class lasted 6-8 weeks, met on Saturdays, and included a lot of homework during the week between classes. They took several practice exams, and learned various test taking strategies. The class is a bit expensive, but can well worth the investment.

[Black Saturday]

A good SAT review course can help boost the SAT score by as much as 200 points and really bolster the students application. My daughter took the SAT twice, and scored low to mid 1100's both times,then took a SAT review course, and boosted her score 150 points. Good grades and higher score in hand, she was able to land a nice scholarship. The course is not cheap (about $800 as I recall), but can be very effective. Several of her friends took the course, with similar results. It's kind of silly, when you think about it. She was no smarter, or probably no more prepared for college after taking the course, but her numbers looked better on paper.

We are looking for a good review course for my son. Can you tell me what course your daughter took?

http://www.prepnow.com/

Research this one. Cost a nice penny though, but you may recoup in the scholarship offers. They can tailor a program for you, as they did in my experience.

[TheMoody1]

Thanks for all the info guys.

[MountainMan]

Students that really want to go to ASU and don't get admitted, should absolutely consider the "transfer in" approach. With a year of decent community college (or other 4-yr college -- even WCU) work behind them, most students will find the transfer-in route very possible.

[appbio91]

Students that really want to go to ASU and don't get admitted, should absolutely consider the "transfer in" approach. With a year of decent community college (or other 4-yr college -- even WCU) work behind them, most students will find the transfer-in route very possible.

One of the youth at my church was not accepted at App but did get in Western. He went to wee for a semester and told me he just could not stomach it. He came home to a local community college. He hopes to transfer tp App in the Spring.

[appsfan]

I am friends of parents who have had one son graduate from App and have two sons that are currently undergrads. Their youngest, a daughter, applied for this fall and was flat out denied. Her GPA and class rank were good enough to get in, but her ACT/SAT scores were not (she doesn't do well with standardized tests.) She had a plethora of high school activities too. She took the initiative to take the PART to Boone and meet with admissions. As a result of her efforts, she will be entering as a freshman in January. I can give you other examples from the past, where a prospective student made the effort to meet with admissions and were able to get in for the fall semester. Fortunately, my daughter applied when early decision when that was an option and was accepted fall of 2005 for admittance for fall 2006. She graduated summa cum laude in 2010.

[Maddog1956]

How much does having a two-parent legacy help with Admissions at Appalachian? How would admissions even know unless the applicant wrote an essay (encouraged but not required) and brought it up in the essay. Would that be helpful.

Quick answer, None!

My two twins girls applied with their only difference being SAT scores about 80 points apart. Classes, internships, sports, major, etc in high school almost the same. Both had two-parent legacy. The one with the lower SAT even wrote an essay, while the one with the higher score didn't. We also met with the admission staff at boone.

The one with the higher score got in the one with the lower score didn't (but later transferred in).

Which leads me to think that legacy doesn't matter (other of their school mates with the barely higher SAT and non-legacy got in while one of mine didn't) and that essay's, etc don't matter either. Visualize a report with people being fed into mail merge in order of SAT and I think you pretty much have it. Spend the time practicing the SAT which is mainly what matters.

I'm not complaining, it all worked out well, but if the other stuff doesn't matter it should just be taken off the application.

[gibsonvilleapp]

I believe if makes a difference if you have the numbers. I will say also that there is a back door for people not accepted as first semester freshmen. Go to community college one semester and transfer in. Gpa, sat etc. is out the window. As long as you made decent grades it is much easier to transfer in. I know lots of friend's kid who have gone this route.

I almost did this myself. Not due to not being admitted, I never applied. I ended up taking a year off. It is amazing what stocking groceries and getting up at 3:00 am to work 4:00 am to 12:30 pm will do for motivation in hitting the books.

Coach?

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

I believe if makes a difference if you have the numbers. I will say also that there is a back door for people not accepted as first semester freshmen. Go to community college one semester and transfer in. Gpa, sat etc. is out the window. As long as you made decent grades it is much easier to transfer in. I know lots of friend's kid who have gone this route.

I almost did this myself. Not due to not being admitted, I never applied. I ended up taking a year off. It is amazing what stocking groceries and getting up at 3:00 am to work 4:00 am to 12:30 pm will do for motivation in hitting the books.

Coach?

I saw you post in a different thread very recently and then found this thread, 5 months later. Sorry for the delay in responding to your query, but I don't coach anything.

[App74]

I'm 62, planning on leaving the business world in four years. Instead of me pointing fingers and complaining, perhaps I'll send the following to admissions:

"Retired Appalachian alumnus seeks volunteer position with admissions. Willing to work with prospective students having marginal SAT scores on a face to face basis to subjectively assess their character, focus, determination, desire and worthiness to become Mountaineers with the primary goal of making informed recommendations to admission counselors thereby providing them a decision making tool outside of pure numbers. Qualifications include low SAT, graduate degree, business experience and school pride. If interested, you may contact me in the Music Lot on fall Saturday afternoons."

[Black Saturday]

Is that over a PBR?

[Gonzo]

I'm 62, planning on leaving the business world in four years. Instead of me pointing fingers and complaining, perhaps I'll send the following to admissions:

"Retired Appalachian alumnus seeks volunteer position with admissions. Willing to work with prospective students having marginal SAT scores on a face to face basis to subjectively assess their character, focus, determination, desire and worthiness to become Mountaineers with the primary goal of making informed recommendations to admission counselors thereby providing them a decision making tool outside of pure numbers. Qualifications include low SAT, graduate degree, business experience and school pride. If interested, you may contact me in the Music Lot on fall Saturday afternoons."

I'm going to call you St. Peter

[WVAPPeer]

I'm 62, planning on leaving the business world in four years. Instead of me pointing fingers and complaining, perhaps I'll send the following to admissions:

"Retired Appalachian alumnus seeks volunteer position with admissions. Willing to work with prospective students having marginal SAT scores on a face to face basis to subjectively assess their character, focus, determination, desire and worthiness to become Mountaineers with the primary goal of making informed recommendations to admission counselors thereby providing them a decision making tool outside of pure numbers. Qualifications include low SAT, graduate degree, business experience and school pride. If interested, you may contact me in the Music Lot on fall Saturday afternoons."

That's great 74 !!! - hey I heard Black Saturday was interested in reapplying - hear he is really a very good musician and performer - What? - oh sorry - that's Black Sabbath

[ASUPATCH]

If they even remotely have a shot at playing college athletics, even as a walk on, talk to the coaches while you are there. I had applied in 04 and didn't hear a word. After sitting down and talking to coach Moore about my walk on status I got my acceptance letter in the mail within a week. Granted yes it was Coach Moore but I would bet some other coaches have some pull as well. For the record I had a high SAT but bad GPA. So I was a borderline candidate to get accepted without coaches help.

[Black Saturday]

I'm 62, planning on leaving the business world in four years. Instead of me pointing fingers and complaining, perhaps I'll send the following to admissions:

"Retired Appalachian alumnus seeks volunteer position with admissions. Willing to work with prospective students having marginal SAT scores on a face to face basis to subjectively assess their character, focus, determination, desire and worthiness to become Mountaineers with the primary goal of making informed recommendations to admission counselors thereby providing them a decision making tool outside of pure numbers. Qualifications include low SAT, graduate degree, business experience and school pride. If interested, you may contact me in the Music Lot on fall Saturday afternoons."

That's great 74 !!! - hey I heard Black Saturday was interested in reapplying - hear he is really a very good musician and performer - What? - oh sorry - that's Black Sabbath

Funny WV, I wish I could go back knowing what I know now. Hindsight is a beautiful thing... However, my son may be a legacy Mountaineer this fall, but won't know for certain until about the end of March or so because of potential academic scholarships from various schools.

You think Steve can help him make up his mind???