<p>Who is it that’s stewing while the kids stalls on scholarship essays and homework? I’m right there with you. My D2’s final exams are this week, which we hate, but teachers love, apparently, so there’s nothing doing with college stuff until Wednesday when exams are over. Aggh! I did not sign the kid up for any accepted student days but must do that soon. I am also not having her do overnights, eyemamom. My older D had a terrible experience at an overnight – nothing horrible, just a bad match with a host who did not want to bother with her. I insisted she participate because of raves I read of CC about them. I guess they can be helpful, it they click with the student hosts, but it seems a crapshoot, at best.</p>
<p>D’s school has rolling admissions, so she’s been decided on where to go for quite some time. I thought I was ahead of the curve by having her register for freshman orientation over the weekend. Wrong! Half the sessions (the earliest ones) were already full! So if your student has decided on a school, check on that orentation date if you haven’t already.</p>
<p>Also, the roommate selection website has been open since November, which we also discovered last night.</p>
<p>@partyoffour: That was me stewing, got it down to a simmer today. D14 did a little bit of college-related work yesterday and some homework. Her school is on trimesters, so she’s not close to finals at this point (had some in November, and more in March). </p>
<p>She asked me yesterday “What’s the deadline on the honors thing you wanted me to apply for?” Wait, what? I’m not the one going to college…</p>
<p>DS is signed up for an admitted student day in late March! including an overnight. Guess we’ll be taking our chances with a host! On another note, here is an excerpt from an email I got today from our counseling department. Thought there might be some useful advice re deferrals, etc.</p>
<p>Greetings Class of 2014 students and parents!</p>
<p>We here in Student Services wanted to touch base and clarify a few things as the second quarter begins to wind down. (And hopefully we can avoid another polar vortex!)</p>
<p>First of all, many of you recently received news from one or more of your colleges. Typically, one of three responses is sent: acceptance, denial, or deferral. So what does a deferral mean and what you can do about it? Being deferred does not mean that you were either accepted or denied. What it does mean is that the college was not quite ready to make a decision about your application and therefore will be reviewing it again within the spring (regular) applicant pool. At that time your entire file will be re-read. Rest assured that your chances are as good as anyone else who applies to that college RD. All admissions decisions will be communicated no later than April 1. You then have until May 1 to make YOUR final decision. </p>
<p>But back to what to do NOW if you were deferred in the first place. What should/can you do about it? We’ve been asking college reps this very question for years and the response is always the same. IF and ONLY IF you have NEW information to share (a new honor you have won, a new leadership position, etc.), then you are welcome to submit this information in writing to the college with the request that it be added to your file. We advise, however, that you only do this for NEW information – and you only do it ONCE. Keep in mind the college will be getting a Midyear Report (seventh semester grade report) from TJ, so they will be receiving your newly re-calculated GPA and semester grades (no quarter grades!). Therefore, there is no need for you to send those, and no need for you to request us to send a Midyear Report we have it taken care of! Sometimes, a one-on-one conversation with your counselor can be helpful in crafting the letter to the college, so please feel free to set up a strategy session with us!</p>
<p>The days surrounding any admissions decision release can be fraught with stress, anxiety, and then either elation or disappointment. Please, remember that senior year can be a roller coaster ride and that your classmates may be in a different state than you are. Be respectful of their privacy, congratulate friends who hear good news, and help console those who did not. Parents, extra-sensitivity at home might be required, and as always, come see your counselors to share your news whether it is considered to be good or bad. We are always here to cheer you on or provide a shoulder to lean on.</p>
<p>Additionally, a few reminders about grades and your current schedule since the mid-year is quickly approaching! While colleges will have access to your mid-year grades (this enables those that admitted you Early to rest assured that they made the right decision, as well as provide feedback to any RD colleges that you are continuing to excel!), you are not expected to view this as your final hurrah at TJ and take a grade-vacation. Whatever college you choose to attend will receive a copy of your FINAL transcript in June and will expect that your grades continue to reflect the same level of dedication and effort as they did when you applied. Colleges do have the right to rescind an offer of admission and have been exercising this right more and more. Do not let this happen to you!</p>
<p>If you have changed your schedule (or plan on changing your schedule for 2nd quarter), it is YOUR responsibility to notify the college(s) not only of the change, but also the reason for the change. As always, your counselor is here to assist if you have any questions about this.</p>
<p>There’s nothing like a deferral (or conditional acceptance) to keep senioritis at bay.</p>
<p>My S2 is driving me crazy! STILL did not finish his last essays (1 more to go, and the others need to be edited for word count, after i pointed out to him that yes, there are limits on each). He scheduled work yesterday without telling me, and of course fell asleep last night. This child is working me until the end. Then of course there are emails to send to his top 2 schools (EA and his lottery school) and a scholarship app/essay due 1/31. And all he can talk about is the tattoo his cousin is going to give him on his 18th bday (yes his cousin is licensed, 30 years old, and very talented, and it’s in an unobtrusive place). He’s regressing it seems. Senioritis at a very bad time!</p>
<p>My kid did that, Moonmaid (turned 18 and went and got a tattoo–with her 20 year old sister, who got her second). Regression, indeed!</p>
<p>Both our sons know that the day they get a tattoo is the day they lose half the inheritance. We do realize that we are out of step, but they do realize that we are serious.</p>
<p>We too are seriously “out of step” - and committed to remaining so.</p>
<p>I know lots of kids (remember, I work with college freshmen) who just get them and don’t tell mom and dad.</p>
<p>D got another fat envelope today,(Ithaca College) with a 15k scholarship, renewable every year as long as she maintains a 3.0 It was her priciest school so this brings it down to the price range of everything else. We’re full pay, so while I’m so thankful I don’t have to do the fafsa, this 15k was a nice boost.</p>
<p>She’s now in 5, deferred at 2 - still waiting on 3 more answers.</p>
<p>Question about the Mid-Year report - is this just an updated transcript? D14 asked her counselor to update the Common App with the MidYear Report, and counselor said we should just send updated transcripts. To every school… D14 applied to 10…</p>
<p>Why the <em>bleep</em> are we receiving “FAFSA Priority Deadline” emails from schools my DS hasn’t even applied to? bah!</p>
<p>@MImama, I’m not sure – I thought the mid-year report was a specific Common App form. Our school takes care of this for us. It doesn’t sound right to me that your counselor is telling your D to send transcripts herself – usually they should come directly from the school to be considered official.</p>
<p>According to the email from our counseling department that I included in an earlier post, the mid year report is a transcript that includes 7th semester grades. Our school sends them automatically to every school a student applied to, excepting of course, schools that rejected a student.</p>
<p>Our school first semester ends late January, so a few schools D applied just wanted her to mail this semester grades. Her school counselor will update the transcript that includes seventh semester when that is available. I think it is a good idea to call the admissions directly.</p>
<p>Regarding midterm grades…like novamom, school for DS sends updated transcripts to all accepted and pending application schools</p>
<p>Regarding midterm grades…like novamom, school for DS sends updated transcripts to all accepted and pending application schools</p>
<p>We are anxiously awaiting the final envelope in the mail, they were mailed on Saturday according to the admissions FB page. Then DS will have some major decisions to make. Not sure how to guide him between his top 2 picks and he doesn’t have a clear reason to choose either one. Any advice? He’s done an overnight at one of the schools, the other doesn’t seem to offer them.</p>
<p>welcome smakl70 - I think there are quite a few kids in the same predicament. I always believe they know deep down, and if they really are that torn, I don’t think they can make a mistake. A little trick people use is to flip a coin, and while it’s up in the air they’ll know which way they’re hoping it lands.</p>
<p>I made a HUGE mistake - I let my family in on this process. D was really excited about getting a big scholarship yesterday. Now everyone is throwing in their .02 using really obnoxious criteria. I want HER making this decision, we didn’t apply anywhere we wouldn’t want her to attend. Truly the choice must be hers - but she has my family now bombarding her with their stupid opinions. I even got a really obnoxious text last night about the student body of a particular school.</p>
<p>Hey smakl70! Welcome to the club. To jump right in on your question, my advice for selecting (all things being equal) is to look at the financial aid offers. Which one is the best deal.</p>
<p>eyemamom, so sorry about the buttinskis in the family. We don’t have anybody too vociferous in our own clan. We have one friend who’s a huge fan of the land grant universities, so much that he told his own kids he’s pay for any school they wanted as long as it was one of those! (and they’re great schools). H’s family is all about not going too far away. d’14 is safe from their criticism because even those she’s not staying local, she is headed toward an area where h has a lot of family. Had she picked one of the other schools, we might be hearing about it!</p>