<p>With D, I am not talking safeties. It doesn’t mean that she isn’t applying to such- her first application is to such a school. BUt she hasn’t really thought about schools in terms of safety or match or reach. She knows that she needs a certain score to get into some programs at some schools. She knows it is better to have better scores than not. But she hasn’t been looking at stats and right now it isn’t an issue. Her first application is to a financial safety as well as an academic one. She will only apply to schools that are full ride ofr her or very close to it so she really doesn’t have to worry about the financial safety part. SHe hands me the brochure, I check the VA website, and I say yes or no.</p>
<p>Just back last night from a week and half vacation tooling through Vermont, NH and ME. Took lots of college app info and books w/ us but didn’t get a lot done. Did visit Dartmouth and my son loved it despite its 60% frat enrollment. He researched Bowdoin well before doing an interview (we first visited it last year). It was his first interview and he thinks it went very well. Claims he wasn’t nervous at all. My husband and I did some mock interview questions w/ him during some dinners and he thought that helped a lot.</p>
<p>His common app and ED/rolling supplements are due to his high school college counselor on sept 1. the common app is basically done (just some minor adjustments) and his ED supplement is more or less done too. But, his rolling (U of michigan) hasn’t been started.</p>
<p>Regarding above discussion concerning safety schools: i’m a little worried b/c my son doesn’t really have a true safety, although his college counselor doesn’t think he needs one. but he really likes his match schools as much as his reaches (and his ED is a reach as it is for everyone). his list is 15 schools long and i’m thinking he should add Pitt as a safety. it’s rolling, they have sent him a code so that we won’t have to pay a submission fee, it has a great dept in his intended major and other than filling out the app (it’s not on common app), he doesn’t have to write another essay since the common app essay will do. but it does seem like 16 schools is one too many. in my naivet</p>
<p>Have I mentioned my S has done nothing. Major accomplishment was buying 1 of the 3 books he has to read prior to school. He does have one match acceptance in. And he accomplished a lot of other stuff over the summer. But, he is supposed to have the essay done for Sept 2 for GC, never mind the common ap. I don’t anticipate a fun labor day weekend.</p>
<p>Morning All</p>
<p>Kiddo has the first interview this past week. Not any real prep going in–so hoping kiddo’s affable nature and all came through. I had suggested we do some mock questions–and tried to coax that-- and kiddo found that “weird”…However I did make a few suggesttions on how to tackle the "tell me about yourself " kinds of questions in hopes it avoids too many “um…” while thinking<br>
KWIM :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Kiddo is working on hw and then essays today–I expect Labor Day weekend will be really busy as kiddo needs to get those Common App essays, the supplement for the big reach and the independent MIT app all done asap. </p>
<p>Frankly since all of these schools have supplements–what is the deal with the Common App? It seems to me its really just a funnel and money making venture …a conduit/web site for the colleges to get the apps…Much more about being useful tothe colleges than the students…
I think the colleges try and “sell” it as a helpful tool for the kids–however if the students really want to customize their apps, the ComApp is not a great tool. And with all of the supplements- there is not less work–I think there is more.</p>
<p>Certainly the app process is far more work that we did in the early 80s! NOW I am showing may age!</p>
<p>Has anyone read their kids essays/drafts? I haven’t seen any drafts and want our student to own this process-so I am trying to not ask to see these essasy–I haven’t read/checked this kid’s hw since about 5th/6th grade…</p>
<p>Who is reading your student’s drafts?</p>
<p>Seems like several of us are in the same boat. Although summer reading and homework is done, but I haven’t seen the essay in over a month. When I last saw it, I wasn’t impressed. Supposedly S has been working on it, but I will believe it when I see it. I expect he will ask his last years AP Eng teacher and GC to read the essay before he hits submit, but other than that I want the common app done by the time he returns to school. </p>
<p>We will work on the final list of schools tonight and work out the timing on when to apply to each. </p>
<p>Last he must finish his Eagle Scout Project before school starts. He is working on adding to and improving the play area of his old elementary school and I know they will not be happy if the play yard is litterd with construction materials. It has been slow going, a little work here, a little work there but now is crunch time.</p>
<p>The whip is out and ready. ;-)</p>
<p>My daughter has shown me her essays; she wants my input and I am happy to oblige, although I am only making small suggestions which she can choose to take or not. She’s doing a great job on them so far! What annoys me (and her) is that not all of the supplements are available yet. She is still waiting on two of her colleges to make their supplements available. For one of them, she wrote an excellent essay already, based on last year’s prompt. If they change the essay prompt for this year, then she will use <em>that</em> essay as her common app essay. So she’s patiently waiting to find out. Then, of course, she needs to write another essay either way.</p>
<p>Plus, she is still adding and subtracting schools from her list. Her latest addition is Carleton, and we will do a quick visit there next month when we visit Macalester.</p>
<p>What is scaring me is all the financial aid forms! And they’re all due so early. We never receive all of our tax documents until the first of Feb, and a lot of these schools want the finished tax returns sent to them in mid-Feb. I don’t know if our tax preparer can turn them around that quickly.</p>
<p>^^^Since FA dates are earlier for fr admissions, many people send in estimates and make corrections after taxes have been finalized. It’s not bad with FAFSA since corrections can be made electronically, but schools often require hard copy corrections for Profile.</p>
<p>^
^
In the same boat–our kiddos #1 choice supplement is not online yet–</p>
<p>^
As far as FinAid–
I guess I had better look online for the deadlines. Do each of the schools have different ones?</p>
<p>We file both business and personal returns and our return is always complex…and more often than not take and extension. The FAFSA and PROFILE get done in Jan/Feb right? Is there something we should do now when our kids apply? You would think I knew the answer to this…</p>
<p>what is it with the supplements not being online yet? I checked and most of the ones we are interested in aren’t ready yet? I was hoping D’s apps would all be done by the time school started (with the exception of the teacher recommendation/report from the school), but it isn’t looking like that will happen!
Leaving this afternoon for our 5 day college tour! (one more school to look at next week). Can’t wait for the list to be finalized!</p>
<p>IIRC, at least one of S’s schools, W&L require profile info by DEC 1 if applying ED. Obviously it is estimated numbers.
[Dates</a> & Downloads :: Washington and Lee University](<a href=“http://www.wlu.edu/x21359.xml]Dates”>Registration Page : Washington and Lee University)</p>
<p>^
Yes just checked the website of our kiddos #1 choice–applying early --and they suggest the PROFILE (open Oct 1) and their supplement be done by Nov 1…</p>
<p>Went to look at something on FAFSA and the links aren’t all working------(I know it comes live in Jan–however some of the info and worksheets aren’t there right now)
Perhaps they are fixing the calculation errors they had last yr?</p>
<p>Unbelievable</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/education/edlife/finaid-pappano-t.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/education/edlife/finaid-pappano-t.html</a></p>
<p>What surprised me was the gap issue–when some families so clearly have need.
Also that kids with higher stats at average schools can get better packages–while we hear its about need–clearly marketing to higher stat kids comes into play.</p>
<p>I am trying to keep up with the thread, though didnt post here in awhile. Looking at some of the last posts, and it could be me who wrote them. Same situation, 2 supplements are not available, including Ss EA choice. Frustrating! </p>
<p>I wanted to look at the School Forms on the common app site, to do that S needed to waive/not waive his rights to see the LOR and sign. I asked him to do that, he chose I dont waive the rights. And the stupid thing doesnt let to change it or start the application over. Even more frustrating! </p>
<p>On the bright side, all the summer reading is done, and he is settling into his senior schedule. He is taking 3 classes in his school and 2 in our local University. Even though there is a 50 mins drive between the school and the U, he likes the arrangement so far. Well see what he thinks in the winter. He has 2 essays ready and will meet with an essay consultant that our school hires for the application season this week. He did not decide which of the 2 essays to use for the common app. The one that he (and myself) likes better fits several supplemental topics, so it makes sense to save it for supplemental essays. Unfortunately, the other essay seams to me a little dry. I am hoping that the essay consultant will have some suggestions for him.</p>
<p>His school list has 10 colleges; we visited 7 of them, and wont visit the last 3 unless he gets accepted there. Our school requires all application material to be turned in by the Thanksgivings break for the January 1st deadline, by that time we wont know his EA decision, so he will have to apply to all schools on his list. Also frustrating. </p>
<p>Well, the senior year began for most of us. Buckle Up!</p>
<p>I completely understand the frustration some have with college supplements not being online yet. It would be great for students to be able to complete them before school starts (and that is now impossible for some–my daughter is starting her third week of school today).</p>
<p>However, I’d like to mention something that might help reduce worry a little bit. </p>
<p>First, there is no advantage to submitting applications far in advance of the deadline. For example, U.Va.'s admissions blog by Dean J recently stated that applications already filed through Common App haven’t even been downloaded or received (I forget the exact term) by the university yet. </p>
<p>Second, I can think of several disadvantages to submitting applications far in advance of deadlines–students don’t get the benefit of any guidance counseling given first semester senior year or advice from college information sessions, and they aren’t able to include any awards or accomplishments received in the next several months, but would have to send updates later.</p>
<p>I do agree that it is odd that some colleges don’t have supplements yet.</p>
<p>In my daughter’s case, it’s not that she wants to submit them early, but she was hoping to get all of her essays written (at least first draft) before school starts. She was able to get most of them done, anyway.</p>
<p>yippee! S just sent me his essay. Still needs work, but I like it. It is him, and tells the schools something about him not elsewhere in the app. A few more revisions and it will be ready to be reviewed by his english teacher and GC. He first try at the essay earlier in the summer did nothing for me. This makes me want to do a jig.</p>
<p>Again I pop into the thread and am blessed by all the posts by so many informed parents :). And I love the camaraderie in here, we’re all in the same boat… and I always feel better about the ride after reading all your posts…</p>
<p>Well school starts on Wednesday and I hope senioritis is held at bay for a few months…perhaps I ask too much… My son got his senior pictures back yesterday. The school has a studio picked out to do pics, but they were sooooo expensive, we decided to go to JCPenney’s. The lady there was used to working at very high end studios and produced portraits that were on par, if not better, than what we would have gotten at the other studio. The other studio did take the obligatory pic(s) for the yearbook. They were nice, but the lady at JCPenney’s really summed up my son quickly and captured his personality. The pics look sooo nice, I had dragged my daughter into the studio too and she got some beautiful shots of them together - it’s been so long since we had those. I feel like I have a portfolio that could be used for modeling purposes. Anyway, I am glad all our kids are getting those pics done. (And to the parent that has a kid that has to redo them - I did too, I was unhappy with the first ones - they didn’t reflect me at all, but the second ones worked.)</p>
<p>So on to the college stuff…</p>
<p>My family was given a piano a few weeks ago. We were thrilled to have one in the house that allows my son to practice for auditions for college entrance. It looks bad (it was painted over) but has great tone. Now to get it tuned…</p>
<p>My son was supposed to have an essay done by now but things change…As he looked further into the schools he was able to pare down his list of a dozen schools to 9, I know he’ll drop others and maybe add one or two. I was hoping that the Common App would be a big help, but as it turns out, only 2 of the schools he is considering accept the CApp. The rest have their own App he needs to fill out. We are looking at visiting one of the schools high on his list - Greenville College - in November on one of their Preview days. After seeing some of the comments here, I’m wondering if going on an individual tour might be better, especially since we have time constraints to fly back so as not to miss another day of school. </p>
<p>I like Greenville for him, I think it’s a good fit for him. He likes that it has rolling admissions, and said after our visit if he still likes it as much, he might just apply there and if he gets admitted, not bother with the rest, or possibly only apply to a local college. That part is nice - the thought of being done…</p>
<p>I am trying not to nag, but I want him to get stuff handled before the thick of school makes it impossible to really put forth his best. Oh well…</p>
<p>I’m not sure how this process will work for him, but at least he has some realistic goals and schools in mind. I was impressed with his criteria for schools, he does know himself better than I give him credit for at times.</p>
<p>I think I haven’t shared cookies yet - so here are some thick, chewy chocolate chip cookies, fresh from the oven… <em>leaves out a BIG plate of cookies for all</em></p>
<p>^thanks for the cookies. mmmmm I will add some cold milk and Earl Grey tea.</p>
<p>My S is getting his yearbook pictures retaken next week on the second day of school. They do 10 shots. Pictures from the first sitting were horrible. So I told S to have all 10 shots done for the yearbook: is-headshot, blue background. I figure out of the ten there should be at least one good enough for the yearbook. I will make an appt to have another photographer take both kids pictures this fall. We don’t have a local JC Penneys so they are not an option. </p>
<p>It looks like S has at least 2 schools (out of his 10+) that do not take the common app. We are prioritizing the schools and once the common app is complete will start on the suppliments and other apps one at a time. </p>
<p>Not playing football this year has really opened up a lot of free time. He may actually be able to get all his driving hours in and get his license, I will be able to schedule a session with a photographer, he will be able to ref some flag football games for money, and of course he will have time to work on college apps.</p>
<p>My D told me yesterday that she understands she’ll have a lot of work on apps along with schoolwork, but it has meant a lot to her to have “summer be summer.” OK, that’s her business. She knows what she has to do. While there certainly has been more time lately for her to work on things (and she does have the easy part of the Common App done, which will be used for most of her schools, some without supplements), I do agree that when it’s school time she’s much more likely to be in the right headspace. Peer influence will also be helpful.</p>
<p>Today my son takes his driving test! I am quite excited because it’s been a bit irksome driving him around or getting his older brother to drive him places. Our district has three gym teachers that are also trained on-the-road driving instructors and they will take out any of our students who have finished the classroom drivers ed and give them 6 on-the-road lessons and then administer the state driving test. He likes them too -they apparently don’t squeal when he takes a corner a little sharp like certain Mothers.</p>
<p>I think son is in great shape with his list but he keeps getting e-mails from Colleges that look appealing to me. Not that he cares, he’s fine with the ones he has already visited. I will be glad when he get’s a few apps in so I know that he understands the effort involved. He’s signed up for the October SAT. Anyone else have a kid doing that one?</p>