"Brag Sheet" strategies

TheGFG
Tue, 12 Jul 2016 15:02:56 +0000

D’s high school Guidance Office has given the rising seniors college prep. homework for the summer, which includes completing parent and student brag sheets, as well as a teacher recommendation request forms asking similar questions about accomplishments the student is proud of which will be given to the teachers doing her rec letters. Despite being a seasoned parent with older children, my previous experience doesn’t help much since the forms are different from what her siblings filled out and there are more of them. Also, D2 is more complicated, and thus I am feeling unsure about how to approach answering some strangely worded questions as well as helping D respond differently to similar questions on 3 separate forms so as to maximize their utility in revealing her attributes.

I have the following concerns, but please comment in general so other parents with a variety of situations can benefit from our discussion.

1. For the questions asking for 5 adjectives describing the student, what words should be avoided? For example, do you think "hard-working" and "diligent" and their synonyms are still seen as code for "grind' or "plodder" as opposed to implying natural intelligence and brilliant ease? Any advice as to the proportion of adjectives related to personality versus attitudes or ethos, and what aspects the parent is better suited to focus on than the kid herself? All 3 forms ask this, so what sorts of qualities should the teachers be reminded of concerning the student when filling out this question on their form?

2. Here's an annoying new question: "What personality trait of yours makes you or other's happy?" (yes, the error is theirs). She's not particularly social or popular, so I suppose she should focus on what makes her happy about herself. However, the traits we think of (self-discipline and the like) seem better suited to the questions that address accomplishments, yet this appears to be getting at how well the students plays with "other's" (lol). She is not a difficult person, but I wouldn't say she relates very well to her peers. Thoughts about how to manage this question?

3. What should and shouldn't be revealed in response to a question about any unusual personal circumstances that may have affected the student's academic performance or experience? If the child has disabilities but does not have an IEP or 504 and thus does not receive accommodations, should anything be revealed?

4. Another question whose wording gives me pause: "What is the quality of the student's leadership and performance in extra-curricular activities?" High quality? Ugh.

5. Lastly, how specific is it advisable to be for questions about the student's "goals for the future," and what time frame does the word "future" imply? The next 4 years, or more of a what-I-want-to-be-when-I-grow-up future? D has clear career plans, but in a couple of information sessions adcoms have stated they really don't like hearing about how the student wants to be a doctor or lawyer or whatever, because they want to know what the person will contribute to campus as an undergrad. I understand that, but it sounds strange to me to answer that question with comments like D plans on participating in X college sport and joining Y club, and majoring in Z at college. But should we take a short-term approach to that question?

D attends a large high school, so I am pretty confident the staff will be content to rely heavily on what is written by us on the forms, so we want to do this well.

Thanks!