<p>He can’t even send the common app. After he paid, the page with the boxes to check did not show up, so he was kind of stuck. I found some descriptions of this scenario on the common app facebook from mid Oct. we tried to re-send ( and pay again) but got a message that we already paid. But still no forwarding to the page where you can submit the app. They do t have phone support at CA, correct? I am not sure what to do at this point. I am guessing that admission offices are closed until after the deadlines, too. I feel like we’re trapped in a catch22 vortex.</p>
<p>Mrspepper—that 48 hour wait issue was one experienced in mid October, I think. By time my son applied ED & EA in late Oct/early Nov, that problem had disappeared. There were a couple of nights where the volume was so high that the PDF/print preview could not generate, but that problem resolved overnight.</p>
<p>Granted, the volume is probably much higher this week than it was for the ED/EA round. If you are on the West coast, wait a little while. If on East coast, wake up early and try again.</p>
<p>When your son returns to the Dashboard, does he see a green checkmark under both Application and Writing Supplement for the school where payment was accepted? Sorry I cannot be of more help as the process is frustrating.</p>
<p>I followed CA on Facebook this fall:<a href="https://www./commonapp%5B/url%5D">https://www./commonapp</a></p>
<p>Here is a recent post:</p>
<p>If you have questions (and we know you do), please don’t use the comments field to ask them. Submit your questions to the Help Center. </p>
<p>APPLICANTS - appsupport.commonapp.org</p>
<p>RECOMMENDERS - recsupport.commonapp.org </p>
<p>Just click on the ‘Ask a Question’ tab.</p>
<p>I assume he logged out and logged back in. No green check marks on Dashboard or he can’t even get the dashboard to load? If there are green checks, he can then click down to the college level and view the PDF that was submitted. If he cannot get the dashboard to appear….then I don’t know!</p>
<p>Finally, all apps have been submitted. 11 applications complete!</p>
<p>The end…
… of the beginning.</p>
<p>Mrs pepper definitely send a message through the help center. We had some issues mid October and received a prompt ( within the hour) reply and resolution to our issue
Good luck!</p>
<p>FAFSA and CSS are coming! :eek:</p>
<p>I actually started my pre-tax sorting of records and bills in preparation for completing the forms and the 2013 taxes. I already have my TurboTax CD for the preliminary tax review and it will be loaded tomorrow. I think I would rather go to the dentist or take dowm the Christmas lights! :eek:</p>
<p>I started doing the same thing tonight, AvonHSDad. I added up all my medical expenses for the year tonight. What a nightmare.</p>
<p>All done with apps. Like Dave_N, we had 11. One pure safety, with acceptance in hand, plus ten competitive schools, none of which will notify before March. All over but the waiting (and waiting, and waiting).</p>
<p>jibler - I have found that some very competitive schools offer extremely decent financial aid to middle class families. For example, my family is middle of the road middle-class, but my daughter gets about $50K a year in grant aid from Vanderbilt. And Vandy is one of those schools that requires the CSS Profile, where one is able to explain extenuating circumstances that go beyond income numbers. It is important to do the Net Price Calculator for each school, and for a school one is very interested in, talk to the admissions officer and financial aid counselors. There are several schools that meet full cost after EFC - expected family contribution - without loans or with limited loans. And the income levels for these programs can be higher than you think, or sometimes no limit. For example, I insisted my son apply to one very competitive reach school where his stats are in the middle 50% (it’s a small school with a low admit rate) with a total yearly cost of about $60K. But the Net Price Calculator shows that we would incur half the debt of the school that has already admitted him that is offering sizable merit aid, simply because the smaller school would give him a bigger grant, with no loans as part of the financial aid program. So if there is a school that you are truly interested in, look at the NPC that school, and also google a list of schools that offer no-loan financial aid or low loan financial aid. You might be surprised. And do it quickly, since the Jan 1 and Jan 15 deadlines for the more selective schools are looming!</p>
<p>One more app submitted. Three to go. This is becoming painful now. I’m so ready for this to be over, and so is he.</p>
<p>S2 is finally getting serious with his supplemental essay for his reach school. He is still all about Tulane, but an alumni interview earlier in the week for reach school opened his eyes a little - he really liked and respected his interviewer, a scientist at our state’s flagship U (a huge school he did not apply to). She told him to send along anything he might want the school to look at that would help his application stand out, since they are a very small school with a 13% admit rate. They are a school that looks at applications holistically, however, and I have seen posts by admitted students with stats very similar to his. After some thought, he sent her a thank you note today, along with a very well-written short story he did earlier this year for AP English (he wants to major in Bio, but the school places a high premium on writing across the curriculum), plus an article from his school’s newspaper where he and 2 of his teammates were interviewed about what they learned from this past season, during which the team experienced tough losses after several winning years in a row. My son spoke about friendships made, learning how to lose gracefully and being grateful for the love he experienced from his teammates after going through surgery. I thought his responses were thoughtful and gave an insight into his personality and what he is made of. It’s a lottery-type school, so we’ll see.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice about CA. He has submitted about 8 without problems and now he can’t submit the first of the last 4. I sent a question through the “help” center and am waiting to hear back. I am so frustrated. We are supposed to leave for our Christmas celebration at my side of the family and DS thinks he should stay home and work on this. It is going to be hard not to be distracted worrying about getting this to work. Even I feel ready to cry seeing how hard he has worked. If anyone hears any more info about the app pllease share. I am glad it is working for you.</p>
<p>Ah, yes, the FAFSA. There’s no way to have my taxes done before the end of Feb, and that’s pushing it. I won’t get all my forms before 2/15. Guess this year I’ll have to file with estimated numbers and update later. Hat’s off to all of you who have to mess with the profile.</p>
<p>Congrats to all with recent good news!</p>
<p>AsleepAtTheWheel - I love this thread and how supportive everyone is of each other and their kids.</p>
<p>Moonmaid -Your son’s short story and school newspaper article sound like they will offer wonderful insight on your son. With everything he’s been through, it sounds like he has so much to offer, and any school would be very fortunate to have him. You and your family are due some good fortune, and I wish you the very best for 2014.</p>
<p>We had a scare the morning after Christmas. My husband was planning on leaving early in the morning for the 12-hour trip to visit his 90-year old father. It was 4am, and my 17-yr old son was carrying his suitcase down the stairs when he started banging around. My husband called downstairs to him trying to quiet him. I was half-asleep in bed when I heard my husband downstairs repeating, “It’s okay. It’s okay.” Knowing something wasn’t right, I rushed downstairs to find my husband talking to my 6’7" son who was curled up having a seizure on the half-bath floor. We spent the next three hours in the emergency room. Brain scans and other testing came back normal. He’s never had a seizure before and seems fine now, but what a scare. He’s scheduled to see the neurologist in a few weeks.</p>
<p>Trying to focus now on starting the CSS Profile, which I am dreading with a passion, but which is due to one of my D’s schools 1 Jan. Have promised myself to work on it until it’s done. Will be so glad when this part’s over. So ready for that cruise!</p>
<p>Almost there…one more supplement in process, it has 4 parts -3 parts done…now the why do you want to go here…super reach…I figure why not have one supper reach. My son has 1 super reach, 1 reach, 7 50/50 and 2 safeties - one acceptance to UVM.
I hope he is done today…now on to CSS and FAFSA ( my husbands job :P) …back to work on Monday…</p>
<p>DS is in the middle of last minute supplemental essay writing. It’s stressful around here this holiday season.</p>
<p>1dilecon, sorry to hear about your son’s scary situation. Hope everything will get better for him.</p>
<p>1dilecon - sorry to read about your guy’s experience and I hope it turns out ok! </p>
<p>Fwiw, we had an eerily similar experience about 1 1/2 years ago when my '14 started having unusual seizures lasting half an hour to 45 minutes. His “first” was on a class trip to France… having the teacher call from halfway around the world was an interesting experience, but he never ended up going to the doctor (seizure ended, we thought it might be stress) until his second seizure back here in the states. The ER turned up nothing (and told us it wasn’t epilepsy). </p>
<p>Later the neurologist did tests and determined it was a type of epilepsy (JME) that generally sets in during the teen years. My guy was having cluster firings of small seizures that looked (to all of us) to be a major episode and was certainly life affecting. It’s all controlled with meds now and he’s doing great. He did have to take a 6 month break from driving - that hurt him the worst of all… poor guy.</p>
<p>No matter what your answers end up being, I hope they are as easily “fixable.” That time of “not knowing” can be stressful though.</p>
<p>1dilecon- I too am sorry to read about the issues your son is facing. May they figure it out and get it treated quickly.</p>
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<p>That’s where I started. Trying to see if I should load up expenses here in 2013 or hold them for next year. This year is a bit confusing as we will have two in college as of fall 2014 but the private HS tuition goes away (really just gets moved to the college ledger via a higher EFC). My accountant said load up in 2013 and worry about 2014 next year! :eek:</p>
<p>He said do the same for my business by loading all expenses and deferring all revenue where possible. If its not taxes, its FAFSA and CSS forms! :D</p>
<p>1dilecon - I hope everything works out OK with your S. That sounded very frightening!</p>
<p>Idilecon - I hope everything works out for your son…God Bless…</p>