<p>Yes, mathmomvt, since he is so averse to my input, I took my time finding a book that seemed to offer great dos and don’ts, advice by admissions counselors and 50 winning essays. He promised to read it tomorrow, and he takes advice from others readily, so I’m hopeful. Oh, and after doing all the Net Price Calculators for the schools he is interested in, I think we are definitely going to have to drop UT Austin out of contention, since it would cost us a bucket of money to send him there. Claremont is the most generous, followed by Duke (a reach), then Occidental and Tulane. I wish he was interested in Vandy, since my daughter goes there and they are very generous with zero loans in the Financial Aid package. But he isn’t. Darn.</p>
<p>Just realized I didn’t do Rice’s NPC yet - will have to give it a whirl! And glido, thanks. Yes, he is a great kid. I just wish he’d make it a little easier on me with the application process, since I have a stressful job. But if he’s like his brother, he will come around in about 3 years, lol.</p>
<p>Today was one of those days where I was doubting myself, but reading this thread made my day. I will continue to “nag”, hopefully one day she will thank me. Thank you.</p>
<p>My oldest (24) thanks me frequently and often comments on how he was “an insufferable d-bag” as he puts it, in his junior and senior years of HS. He was just a bit of a know it all who had severe senioritis. We are good friends now that he is a young adult. He is in his 3Y of law school at Tulane (his undergrad school as well, he loved it and didn’t want to leave!). He has been through a lot the past few years, including a serious health problem last year, but persevered, and his family has always been there for him. He is the one I go to when I know I can’t push my youngest - he always says, “I’ll talk to him Mom, he’s just 17,” and always manages to get his younger brother (and sister who is 20) to see reason. My secret weapon, lol.</p>
<p>I feel free to nag - lol </p>
<p>I’m reading so many threads about how parents are dropping this in kids laps and then frustrated when they are procrastinating. To me, it’s too big and important to let it fall apart because of organizational issues or understanding to the level that adults do how important it is. Doesn’t mean they’ll fail in college. My kids are perfectly capable of doing their homework, this is a whole different ball of wax.</p>
<p>And, my son total gets and thanks me for what I did in helping him along getting him into his current college.</p>
<p>My d will get there eventually, hopefully.</p>
<p>Son '14 took the SAT yesterday, and he thought it went well. Needs a little bump to land a full tuition scholarship at one school. We’ll see what happens in a few weeks. Meanwhile, he won a cross country meet the other day. Not a great time, but he said he did not have to go all out. He’ll save that for a big invitational. Our school has built a 45-minute period into one day a week so students who need extra help in core subjects receive it. Kids who do not need that help can do other things – as long as they are academic. Son '14 is heading to the school library to work on his honors college apps for several schools.</p>
<p>I agree, I set it up so he can get it done himself - having it all laid out on the dining room table helps - but if he is lagging too much, then I also nag. I agree, they can’t screw up their future because organizational skills and a clear understanding of cause-and-effect are somewhat lacking at 17. I try not to take the inevitable pushback personally.</p>
<p>The other night, he snapped at me, “You think I’m one of your students who says they are going to write essays and never does.” (I work in an inner-city HS and my students’ ability to procrastinate never ceases to amaze me). My reponse: “Actually, most of my students have already completed their essays, or are close to finishing.” He appeared flustered and then said, “Well good for them!”</p>
<p>After being out of town on business for a few days I returned home this morning and D asked me for a review of her APush assignment. Following that I asked her if she had heard from friends about the SAT. She has become an ACT kid and wants nothing to do with the SAT or Subject tests. She even dropped a school from her list as they want Subject Test scores. Her response was that her friends thought it was a bit harder than last spring but were glad it was over. The biggest surprise was that she told me than one of her friends slept through her alarm and missed the test and another friend left her admission ticket at home and couldn’t get back in time to take the test! :eek: </p>
<p>And her friend that left the ticket at home was going to apply ED! OMG!! There must be some totally helpless or clueless parents out there to let simple things like this happen! (They are definately not on CC!)</p>
<p>My son is also an “ACT kid” because his ACT results were so much stronger in comparison to his SATs, and he would have had to suffer through subject tests for a couple schools that wanted either SAT with subject or ACT. He did retake ACT and is anxiously awaiting results tomorrow. His first result last spring was a 32, but he feels he really improved on the English section this time (his low scoring sub-score - others were all 34s). We had paid for the SAT but I agreed with him it was a mistake and that he should just submit his ACTs.</p>
<p>And I have been pondering that “fine line” between guiding and nagging - I know as a HS educator that being a helicopter parent frequently backfires, but I do try to make my son aware of the realities and remind him if he is in risk of forgetting a deadline. I also try to introduce him to different possibilities that he may not have considered, and encourage him to find out important information from the source, not just go on hearsay from other classmates, which is frequently incorrect. I view it just as all part of the training - their brains don’t yet have the skills to think like adults, no matter how intelligent they are. They don’t drive like adults, right? So yes, whenever he has taken a standardized test, I have made sure that the ticket is right under his car keys, along with a water bottle and two energy bars.</p>
<p>I sat down with S14 this morning and went over a list of To Do’s for LOR’s, community service,etc. He reminded me that he had other “important stuff to do.” But he sat still, listened, and accepted my written list with a due date of Wednesday. He muttered, “I got this” at least 5 times but never yelled or sighed, so I am very satisfied.</p>
<p>I agree that I can not leave the Common app to my son…I filled out most of it! I feel his job is to do his very best in school, take the SAT and ACT, and write the essay and suppliment essays. He also is in charge of getting his recommendations.</p>
<p>For SAT and ACT …
I print out the ticket, have water,calculator, energy bars, keys, his license all waiting for him on the counter. I am up before him - make breakfast - All he needs to do is take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast and put everything in this pockets, get his pencils and he is off!
Yes he may be a little spoiled but he is my only and next year…well you know…</p>
<p>^I’m the same, onlyonemom. Plus make sure there’s gas in the car. I really view it as supporting his own efforts. </p>
<p>I remember being in senior year crunch mode and my own mom, who very much did not help with homework or college apps at all, knocked on my bedroom door and brought me coffee in the morning. It meant so much to me – it was like her way of saying “I know you’re working hard. Let me help.”</p>
<p>Has anyone’s child taken a course through MIT’s Opencourseware? I’m wondering how it works because it might give S15 formerly known as S14 a way to continue or at least maintain the Chinese he learned in China during his midhighschool gap year last year.</p>
<p>Haven’t been by here for quite awhile…I guess since the ‘class of’ threads were moved so hi everyone! My D took the SAT yesterday and felt good about it…she had set a goal for herself and was 20 points shy so decided to take it one last time. She will visit one last school next week-end to make a decision about whether or not she will apply ED. Just finished her common app essay so I’m feeling better about where she stands…</p>
<p>This is all after so many fights over the last few weeks–it’s been ugly! And, we don’t normally argue. I think things will be better from here on out but it really has made me sad/frustrated/disappointed that the college app process has become contentious between us rather than her seeing it as me supporting her.</p>
<p>I do think that, as my youngest of 3, I assumed she’d be more like my older two who more actively solicited my input. Need to remember that she’s her own individual!</p>
<p>Good luck to everyone’s seniors through this process.</p>
<p>AvonHSdad - I put the DS’s admission ticket, in a ziplock plastic bag with 4 sharpened number 2 pencils and a snack the night before the SAT. He puts in the calculator, ID. We don’t want him looking around for stuff at 7:00 am.</p>
<p>Well the college essay book I got seemed to do the trick - DS took it upstairs with a highlighter early this evening and came running down about an hour later to use my laptop (his recently died) with a “great idea” for one of his supplemental essays. He typed away while I made dinner, then asked me to take a look at it. I made some suggestions and we tossed out some editing ideas back and forth, and … voila! The first completed essay. He still has to complete the Common App main essay, but this is one of two supplementals for Claremont, where he plans to apply ED1 on Nov 1. He then discussed who he is giving his recommendation forms to, and what else he has to do. He even looked at the Net Price Calculators I had printed out for each school. Finally a good start! :-D</p>
<p>Hello, All!</p>
<p>I do the Ziplock baggie too…and make the breakfast (@onlyonemom–and I have four kiddos!). I even drive them so they can feel comfy and calm for their tests. I can’t help it…I just love 'em!</p>
<p>D14 filled out and submitted last supplemental essay, woot! woot! I have to be honest, though…I don’t think it was her best work. It did not sound as passionate as I know she can write. But this is where I have to let her decide. It’s a school probably out of the price range as they do not give much aid, so I am okay with it. </p>
<p>I tried to get her to apply to one more school because it’s free and good for her major, but she is “applicationed out.” I think she has a total of 9 applications submitted. All she would have to do is turn in a transcript request to school (easy). I’m paying the score fees. But I think she has had enough. I don’t blame her. I think I’ve been “educating” her about the college app process for two years now, so I can’t blame her. :)</p>
<p>Moonmaid, what is the title/ author of the college essay book you bought? Thanks.</p>
<p>I just haven’t had the heart to put any pressure on my S the last two weeks. I can tell he is very stressed out. This is his last week of tennis and it is Homecoming week. As President of the Student Council Exec Board and being on Homecoming Court, he’s been super busy. Homecoming Court does a lipsynch dance at the pep rally so he’s been practicing before school every day for that. After school, he has tennis every day until 5 or 6:30ish, depending on whether it’s practice or a match. Then he’s had float parties and he feels he should be at those as Pres of SC Exec. He’s working on his Eagle Scout paperwork and his Common Ap and managing to keep up with his homework. After Homecoming though, the nagging will start. He’s applying EA to three schools- one with a Nov. 1 deadline, two with Nov. 15 deadlines. He has requested his recommendations (for the CA and the Eagle). </p>
<p>He’s being honored at the school board meeting Tuesday night for his Eagle Project because it was a landscaping project at the high school. He has to pick up his tux for Homecoming Wednesday night. The kid is busy. Super busy. I don’t know how he’s doing it all and I’m kind of worried that he’s going to get sick.</p>