| I don't know about "sad." I think it's more just about realism. For the majority of students, good school counselors, moderate parental advice, and the student's own due diligence will suffice. But it is surprising how absent the first 2 elements can be. Combine that with the fact that college admissions has vastly changed in style & emphasis since Boomers went to college, and a whole different level of time-involvement is necessary. By time-involvement I do not mean helping with the applications. I mean (as others mean) research, investigation, sharing ideas with student about college lists & the consequences thereof. That just comes with parenting. I don't think that's "sad." Even very independent students often want that "second voice." But add to that, financial aid considerations, which can be sophisticated & complex to tackle, and it's an unfortunate fact of life that parental contribution to the information end of it can make a difference in the ultimate results. |