<p>I just read the re-write. I’d suggested perhaps a few sentences be added to sum everything up. He did… beautifully. Now I’m crying so I guess it sounds like him! :)</p>
<p>^^
^^
These are good thoughts…</p>
<p>Our kiddo opened the common app–</p>
<p>Question is–Is it a good idea to do one and add all the colleges- OR is it better to open one for each school–since the app is supposed to be customized and NOT vanilla?</p>
<p>Our kiddo started looking at all of the supplements and …omg…look at all of these essays!!!</p>
<p>Ah ha–yes this is why dear parent has been worried because dear student has not realized the magnitude of the task!</p>
<p>Frankly I do not see what makes the common app great at all…
If every school wants supplements–
–then what is the point beyond cutting/pasting any kid would do with any other online app?
kwim?</p>
<p>And the common app
— while some of the text transfers (personal data)
— corrections to personal data DID NOT transfer to the supplements
— which all had to be corrected individually.</p>
<p>Why do people like this common app???</p>
<p>++
Finally
Whay do some schools ask which other schools you are applying to? Is 't that incorrect and aren’t they NOT supposed to ask that???</p>
<p>sigh</p>
<p>Summer is over already isn’t it!
Just had a “discussion” with kiddo about whether or not colleges got a transcript beyond mid year grades–and how “yes, dear one, they do see what classes you take in the spring of sr yr”</p>
<p>How did it escape kiddo that colleges get a final yr transcript??
and NO dear one…Taking 2 free periods because of Sr privledges
(and because kiddo has exhausted the math, science and language depts) the spring semester is NOT a good idea!!!???</p>
<p>Someone pass me a martini…I need one! Ha ha</p>
<p>Martinis mixed and passed to all in the room. ;)</p>
<p>Of the schools DS is applying to, only one uses the Common App so it makes it easier to break it down, school by school.</p>
<p>We are having last minute cold feet about schedule changes as well. Is he getting the biggest academic bang for the buck during each block? What did fogjr decide to do with the two free blocks?</p>
<p>Cheers!</p>
<p>“Why do some schools ask which other schools you are applying to? Is 't that incorrect and aren’t they NOT supposed to ask that???”</p>
<p>I’m reading "What Colleges Don’t Tell You…"by Elizabeth Wissner-Gross. She says to only list those colleges comparable that you intend to apply. Don’t list your safeties and don’t list more competitive colleges that would imply this application is for a safety. Also she says if you’re applying to an engineering school, don’t show that you’re also applying to a music conservatory. </p>
<p>It seems a bit dishonest, but you ARE listing other schools you are applying to, you’re just not listing ALL of them.</p>
<p>Whew! Feeling better now that I’ve read a bit after not being on here since June. Was positive EVERY other kid except mine would have finished all college apps/visits/supplements and summer homework …</p>
<p>Well, as of tomorrow am, I’m the mom of a senior. How did that happen so fast???</p>
<p>We got the proofs of her senior photos last week, and they are fabulous. She wanted only head-and-shoulders shots, but used 2 different backgrounds, had some done in B&W, and a couple with a very beautiful “washout” technique that I didn’t think I would like. I was wrong. They are stunning. Emmybet, these will make terrific headshots for auditions/resumes for at least a couple years. I bet you’re thinking along the same lines.</p>
<p>The essay isn’t done, but she says she has a decent first draft. She told me she’s going to get it to the point where she’s very happy with it, and then run it by me (and a couple others) for feedback by 9/12, and will then finalize it no later than Sun 9/19. I’m happy with that, and especially happy that she worked out a game plan we both feel comfortable with. </p>
<p>We’re still tip-toeing cautiously around the Common App. Nudging it with a toe now and then to see if it moves…</p>
<p>I just plain don’t like online forms- always afraid I (or, in this case, she) will accidentally hit Submit and launch the darn thing by mistake.</p>
<p>D1 (and the spouse) reported that there were a lot of students returning to school on their flight going to Boston. They both described with great glee the dialogue between an utterly repellent Yale freshman and his parents. D1 (who would love Yale but doesn’t have the grades to be a contender) said it was enough to make her never want to go there. On the other hand, there was a very nice MIT senior who apparently looked nothing like an MIT student. Meaning she was stylishly dressed. :)</p>
<p>blueiguana, thanks for the martini. For those of us in California, perhaps we should get prescriptions for medical marijuana? ;)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Can you do that? A parent of someone from the class of '10 told me they planned on doing that and found out they couldn’t, too late. I really do have to investigate the common app. S has started filling in the basics, yeah! But, I think we need to understand how the common app works before he starts on the essays.</p>
<p>My DS2 in this cohort has gotten started with applications, and submitted two (without recs/grades) to two safety schools, and has one more ready to submit once the main common app essay is complete. He’s also worked on essays for several competitive places, all of which are in various stages of ‘not yet complete’.</p>
<p>However, the AP work is not done for three of the four classes, although one of those three is 80% finished, and another is 50% finished. </p>
<p>I am debating scheduling a family trip for the December holidays, and holding off to see the progress…Hopefully, he’ll be all done by December, but who knows.</p>
<p>D is waiting to get senior pictures taken until the end of September. It was 107 degrees here yesterday - it’s been in the high 80s at 6 am - so D doesn’t want to be a sweaty mess for the outdoor shots.</p>
<p>Morning all…</p>
<p>Well as for the 2 free periods–
Kiddo had to go with a third choice elective because the school only has one period per day for many APs the Srs take–so- Kiddo cant take MEHAP.
With those two free periods Kiddo choice an elective and then a one semester AP for spring.
(Kiddo wants to drop that AP in spring if the EA apps work out–and this was the heart of the “discussion” and as yours truly/wise parent illuminated kiddo that no AdCom wants to see free periods in lieu of APs. Too bad , so sad.</p>
<p>Interesting about what to answer for the “which other schools are you applying to question”
The colleges know who their competition is–
Doesn’t this encourage Tufts Syndrom?</p>
<p>Ordinaryd1 has sent off 2 apps, and both asked her to list the other schools to which she was applying. One asked her to rank them in order of preference. So, if you list a school as your last choice, will it try harder to “woo” you? All d1’s schools would be academic safeties, so there’s really no worry about getting accepted.</p>
<p>mamom, you can create different versions of teh common app (up to 10), it explains how in the directions, but you can’t create a second version until you actually submitted a first. I am not sure what customization is needed, we are using one common app form, almost all colleges my son is applying to have supplements anyway, and most require supplemental essays as well, so they effectively force you to customize. Good news is that of the 17 or so schools on our list, all but one use common app. Bad news is that all but 2 or 3 require supplements with supplemental essay, hopefully can do alot of reusing…</p>
<p>For those of you just starting the Common App, you might want to read my comments on Post 3657. The Knowledge Base and instructions are very helpful to read before you start.</p>
<p>I don’t believe that an Alternate version is created because of a Supplement. I think it is created when you change something in the main part of the Common App such as adding an activity or test score or changing an essay.</p>
<p>Thank you for the heads up about disclosing other schools your student is applying to. I passed it on to DS and asked if either of the apps he had looked at so far had asked for this information. He didn’t think so. If it is a question on the Common App (which he looked at a soft copy about a month ago, but has not opened an acct. yet), then it is something to consider. Only his reach school uses the Common App and swears they don’t use yield control. We decided if necessary he would disclose his match school but not his safety (where he will clearly get money). He doesn’t want to get passed over at his reach if they think he’ll go with a better deal financially, knowing full well he’ll be paying sticker price there. We know that too and wouldn’t consider the school an option if we weren’t willing to pay. It’s not worth putting the question in their minds. </p>
<p>I HATE all the games… as straight forward as some schools try to make it, they are human and there are things that make their school more attractive to the highest achieving students, and push up their rankings. It’s hard to think that it doesn’t come into play in admissions. Many understand that rankings are only as accurate as the methodology used. The plain truth is there are people that live by them and staying in the top 10, or top 25 is vitally important to a schools reputation and/or overall desirability.</p>
<p>It is frustrating for the seniors applying to all of theses colleges. D1 has a list of 10 and I think it is way tooooo long. She has the grades and the scores to get in but it truly seems like a crapshoot. I’m excited for her but know we have a long year with AP’s, EC’s and filling out all the college applications. Whew, I am tired just thinking about it. School starts day after labor day for D1. She just got her schedule and seems happy.</p>
<p>The question about other colleges is not on the common app and I haven’t seen it on any supplements of schools my son is applying to. Not all have been released yet… We are back to school September 15.</p>
<p>It is on some supplements we are dealing with.</p>
<p>I am not sure if it is listed on the colleges D is applying too? I guess I need to ask her. She has not been that motivated to start the application process. My older D did the same thing. It drives a mom crazy!</p>
<p>What’s the group opinion of this? Say your child is a about mid-pack for a pretty competative college (accepts less than 50%). You think your child would do well in a personal interview and it’s more likely to help than hurt their chances at being admitted.</p>
<p>You have the choice of a really neat sounding Senior Day (without admit interview) or an individual campus tour with an interview. You don’t really have the time (excused absences) to do both.</p>
<p>Which would you choose?</p>
<p>We’ve got two or three of these to choose from.</p>