<p>S seemed kind of down yesterday. He picked me up at the station and immediately asked if he had a Naviance account (guess he didn’t remember creating it) and he said people said you can see who got in. And I’m thinking…already??? Then he said what he meant was you could see how many people applied and 3 people applied to Furman (which I didn’t think was that well known in our town). I showed him how to log in but I couldn’t find that info yet (there’s stats on accepted and enrolled students, but it’s all from last year and before).</p>
<p>I think the constant chatter about “where’d you apply” and “I heard so and so got in” is just intensifying.</p>
<p>And whoever said upthread they wish they’d done a rolling admission or two, ditto. We won’t hear until Dec 20 at the earliest.</p>
<p>Yes tensions are high regarding applications. Kids now are beginning to not tell where they are applying for fear of not being accepted and the letdown in front of peers. My daughter has been accepted to u of arkansas and u of missouri and is waiting on two others. I think this waiting is hard for them all. This is the topic at their lunch table. It certainly wasn’t like this in the dark ages when I was going to go to college!</p>
<p>Big congrats to all of the Class of 2014ers with college acceptances in hand. So exciting!</p>
<p>Things are moving slowly around our house…anyone else in the same boat? This boat includes essays not written, not even started. I am seeing applications being submitted right up against January deadlines. </p>
<p>This has me wondering…</p>
<p>What are your thoughts on submitting standardized test scores and transcripts before the application is sent? Some on-line sources indicate it is fine yet our high school guidance counselor mentioned he does not recommend doing it. He favors getting the applications in first, well ahead of the deadline and then request transcripts and scores. Is there a right or wrong way to handle this? Can transcripts and scores get lost if received before the application? If it is likely the applications will be sent in the days leading up the deadline, isn’t it rather necessary for the supporting documents to have been sent weeks earlier?</p>
<p>It’s a snail’s pace here, too! No EA or ED apps this time around, thank goodness!! DS did start his essay, but it needs a rewrite. He will be taking another shot at ACT to see if he can bring his scores up a little more. I did tell him he really needs to get it all done before December break. Hope he does!! I don’t see a reason for the app process to get dragged out into the new year!</p>
<p>As far as test scores and transcripts getting sent, usually colleges open up a file when they start receiving materials (whether it be LORs, transcripts, scores, etc.). Anything can get lost! And, I agree, if the application is being submitted near the deadline, it makes sense to send the supporting docs prior, although some schools allow some leeway with certain documents (but you would need to confirm with the school).</p>
<p>In the end, they will all get done what is necessary and end up going to college or work, EVENTUALLY!! :)</p>
<p>We sent standardized test scores well before apps were submitted. They are sent electronically so I figured they would get tagged somehow with an identifier and then matched up with the rest of the application materials somehow. </p>
<p>Seems to have worked since of the four applications submitted thus far DS has one acceptance and emails from three schools indicating that they are complete.</p>
<p>Creek - speaking of tuition, what do you make of the rumored MAJOR tuition increase at the boys school next year? eeeek… I do have another tuition to pay. What is annoying is they are way over-enrolling and stuffing kids in triples - what really warrants a massive increase? </p>
<p>I have a feeling d has picked her school, now she’s just curious where else she’ll get in. One month from today starts the ea acceptances.</p>
<p>I feel like time is at a standstill. DS has not been doing much an his applications. With 14 to do , it’s starting to take a toll. He has 6 done (3 acceptances), 4 finishing up supplemental essays, 4 more not started. And he has to have everything in before Thanksgiving break since he will be going away with his dad and wont be working on anything during that time. After that, it’s 5 or 6 scholarship applications (with essays) and then it’s over. </p>
<p>This week, he is performing in his the Fall play at school and spending a lot of time socializing. It seems like Senioritis is setting in already and I keep telling him he needs to keep the grades up at least until the end of the semester. Considering they are starting to slip, I don’t think he is taking all of this as seriously as he should.</p>
<p>I can’t help but wonder if his lack of time management skills is really going to hurt him in college.</p>
<p>jrmama496 - our DS’14 is finishing up a 2 week run of the fall play as well. I have not mentioned college apps at all to him because I really want him to enjoy this time with his friends in the last fall play ;( . He had to grow his hair for the part, I did remind him that he will visit the barber Sunday. He does have a few essays due Dec 1, but I haven’t even mentioned them.</p>
<p>Congrats to DS of momreads! Best of luck in the race. Is it a 5K?</p>
<p>Welcome ovrseasmom!</p>
<p>Congrats on the All-Conference honor DS of Novamom. (Remember to mention that in the apps!)</p>
<p>1 ED, 2EAs and 1 RD done !!
Hopefully finish 2 RDs by tomorrow. S is on a roll!</p>
<p>Can anyone suggest a good (second tier) college strong in the engineering/science majors along the Eastern corridor? Would like S to be close to his sister but he cannot find any school he likes in that region that might be a fit.</p>
<p>Eyemamom - I’m not sure if the major tuition increase is going to happen or not. I suspect it might be how they plan to pay for College Town, but that’s purely me guessing. Since we’re not normally full pay, it wouldn’t matter with them being a 100% meets need school, but for this coming year, it could easily make a push for both of mine doing some sort of gap year together (or separately). Attendance-wise the inside rumor (according to my guy) is that they will really be restricting acceptances this year in order to balance out their dorm situation. They were caught off guard last year with their yield. This year they’re going to cut back and then use the waitlist if necessary. (All hearsay, so time will tell what actually happens.)</p>
<p>Everyone talks about how schools aren’t getting the students/numbers they want. Every single school my boys have picked are all getting more popular. (Both oldest’s and middle’s schools had their highest application and enrollment year ever - same with youngest’s desired school.) I guess my guys are going with the trending schools… for better or worse.</p>
<p>Creek - Since I am full pay, once again I’m getting the screws put to me. I know people don’t have the money for these massively expensive schools, but I will tell you sometimes it definitely feels like I’m being punished because we started saving for the kids college when they were babies and chose to do that over many other things. It gives my kids freedom to choose, but it just seems a little obnoxious that you get penalized for saving. I could have just gone on vacation, and decorated my bigger home instead. I’m not a millionaire, just a saver.</p>
<p>Can I admit to being a little jealous of those of you who have awesome-sounding GC? Both of my daughters have known from the beginning that they would be responsible for directing their high school path and beyond. The theory is that the counselors’ only concern is getting the seniors graduated. If a student needs to meet with their counselor, they just put their name on the counselor’s whiteboard and wait to be notified. My younger daughter has only asked to meet with her counselor a few times, but each time she has found that her name was erased and replaced with someone else’s name! Come on, really?</p>
<p>Maybe some of you can help answer a question that her counselor cannot seem to understand. Senior daughter took general science as a freshman, biology as a sophomore and chemistry as a junior. She ended up deciding to drop environmental science as the reading load was overwheming her. She tried to meet with counselor, but was never called. She turned in her drop/add slip (adding another choir class in its place) and still nothing. Now I am noticing that many of the 4-year public universities we are looking at state in their freshman requirements that students should have 3 (some say 4) units of science. Some have specifically said that general science will not count. DD thinks she is now totally hosed.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if the admissions departments really enforce these requirements?</p>
<p>Very stressful day at our household. My D’s EA school sent email yesterday saying that her application is not complete. They are missing one of the two teacher recommendations and the Secondary school report. They want it all faxed in by Monday by her GC. In the Common app, it shows that they were downloaded by the college - SSR on 10/13 and the teacher letter on 11/1. I guess they didn’t make it to her file. My D told her GC and her response is that the college has it and that they don’t know it yet. Ha? What does that mean? </p>
<p>To add to this, my D is applying for a scholarship to another school (full ride) which is due today. This scholarship needs two additional LORs. All parts of the application are completed and submitted except for one teacher’s letter. My daughter gets reminder from the scholarship saying her application still needs one more letter and absolute deadline is today.</p>
<p>My D has asked this teacher in early September and has reminded her couple of times - This morning she sent her a mail and again gently reminding that the deadline is today. The teacher got defensive and wrote back - to trust her and that she hasn’t let a student down in all these years of teaching. She is not writing any other letters this year as she is teaching only freshman /sophomore classes. What is the reason for not submitting the letter when there is less than 6 hours to deadline? </p>
<p>My daughter feels like her reminder is taken as a pestering. But we don’t know what else to do. </p>
<p>With all the college apps, senior course load, extra curricular activities, volunteer and club stuff it feels not right that the students have to worry about other parts of the application to make it by deadline when it is not in their control.</p>
<p>I hope all gets taken care of by end of today.</p>
<p>jasminerose – I know exactly how frustrated you and your D must be about the teacher’s delay with the LOR. It’s as if they do exactly what they tell their students NOT to do – leave it to the last minute. I got the same response from a gentle email reminder: “trust me. It will be done on time.” I felt like saying, this isn’t about trust. I’m not questioning your integrity. With all the glitches this year and the lag time for the school to get all the bits and pieces together, sooner is better than later.</p>
<p>How about this? Head GC sends out email earlier this week “if you want us to send out 1st quarter grades you must fill out a form and turn it in no later than Nov 15” (today).</p>
<p>I still don’t have the grades.</p>
<p>I’d like to see them before I tell GC to send them out.</p>
<p>jasmineRose, the same thing happened to my S with his EA school last week. I called the school personally and even though they sent an email and made a phone call saying they didn’t have it, they actually did. I was told that it would just take some time for them to update his file. An hour later, everything was updated and his file showed complete. I would call them and speak to someone personally.</p>
<p>@jasminerose: D14 had similar problem with her EA school. CA said School Report and teacher recs were all downloaded on the same day, but when D14 finally was able to create an account and check the status at the college, there was a big red X by School Report. The college said that they attempted to download it from CA, but it was “encrypted” (?) D’s counselor had to send a hard copy of the School Report (in CA format, which D said showed “Preview” all over it…)</p>
<p>D14 chose a restricted EA school, so there’s just that app and one state school that have been submitted so far, and no acceptances (or that other option) yet. She could have applied to a rolling school, but none of them suited her. The waiting is the hardest part.</p>
<p>@Classof2015, thank you. The thing is, I am trying to keep my frustration and anxiety under control in front of my D so as to not transfer my fears on to her. But full ride is not a joke and she has worked really hard all these years to be a competitive candidate for this merit money. I don’t want all of it to be gone by one teacher;s letter. As you said, it is not about trust. </p>
<p>My sincere thanks to all the parents on this forum who have helped me handle the college app stress - either by sharing with you or by reading your posts. </p>
<p>I am surprised how resilient my D is and have a new found respect for her. She has really learnt to compartmentalize her stress. She has major tests today. Hope all goes well for her.</p>
<p>eyemamom - vent away. I fully understand where you are coming from. If it helps at all… we’re in a low COL area, so even though I have an engineering hubby, he doesn’t make anything near what he would make if we lived elsewhere - hence - the change in EFC. It also doesn’t help that we did save, but lost a ton in the economic downturn -both losing actual equity and his salary being about 1/3rd to 1/2 of “good times” yet our bills staying the same. We cut extras, of course, but some of the savings went toward little things like the electric bill and mortgage. Now the economy is getting better so our EFC is increasing and we’re meeting it. We can continue to meet what goes up due to salary level returning. However, we won’t get the savings back for quite a while - hence why I’m resistant to using what we cashed in just for one year of college.</p>
<p>With the savings we had… our boys could pretty much have chosen to go where they like. With oldest heading out soon after the economic downturn, I found myself VERY glad there are colleges willing to provide need-based aid. Otherwise, at that time, he wouldn’t have been able to go anywhere.</p>
<p>Note I never post on the investment advice threads… the amount we lost sickens me when I actually think about it, so I don’t often. When I do I wish we’d taken that family trip to Bora Bora for about 6 months instead - maybe more. At least then we’d have had decent memories.</p>
<p>In the end, I plan to continue to contribute to all three of my boy’s choices long after they graduate so they can continue to help other students down the road.</p>
<p>But in the meantime, vent away. I think their increase (if true) is insane - esp if going to build College Town as I expect it might be.</p>
<p>Buckeyeatheart - dropping that senior science class isn’t going to help if she only has the 3 others and some don’t want Physical Science… but if the GC writes a note saying that is standard for her school, it could be helpful. Our school also has PS as standard for 9th grade - even though many colleges don’t want to see it there. We have block scheduling, so it’s easier for kids to add another science when they need to.</p>
<p>Hopefully she’s not headed into the sciences. That could help too. Middle son took a year off from Social Sciences to add an additional science class and the adcoms I contacted (before making that decision) said it would be fine as long as he could explain why he chose what he chose to do.</p>