@mtrosemom – I am a nag, but it is not getting me anywhere. What is the secret of your success?
How do you find out Rice universities supplamental essays are?
sigh I dread the CSS, but D2 wants to apply to both Princeton and Georgia Tech as her reaches, so I’m committed (in both ways!) to trying to figure it out. Is there a CSS for Dummies? Or at least a list of documents to gather before you begin the process? :)>-
Update: I found the list of documents on the CSS website. Neither DH or I are financially savvy, so this should be loads of fun.
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid-101/how-to-complete-the-css-financial-aid-profile The CSS cost $25.00 to send to each school…ughh
We finally had our GCs meeting with seniors and parents. DS is now have to meet with GC to get a packet and parents are supposed to have a brag sheet. We were told not to write anything that’s already in the resume. So what you all writing?
Does Princeton require the CSS or do they have their own form or both?
@Dolemite According to this: http://css-profile.com/schools-require-css-profile/ Princeton requires the CSS
@srk2017 Did they give you a list of prompt questions to help you write the brag sheet? They should.
Here are the prompts from my son’s high school…
- What do you consider to be the most important achievements of your child during high school, and why?
- Please describe your child in three or four adjectives or words.
- Describe a characteristic or accomplishment that we might not know about -- something that won't show up on his/her activity record.
- How has your child overcome obstacles or adversity, or demonstrated strength, courage and resiliency?
- What are your own hopes/ambitions/fears regarding your child's college selection and application process?
- My child's high school experience has been pleasurable/painful because... (Don't hesitate to write about both aspects.)
- We are proud of our child because...
- No one is perfect! In which areas is your child less gifted (academically and/or personally)?
- Describe your family. List other children and colleges they attend, if applicable.
- Is there anything else about your family (individuals, history, cultural influences, special circumstances) that would be helpful for us to know as we work with your child?
- What do you see as an ideal setting for your child? How would you describe it in terms of location, size, competitiveness, programs of study, cost, activities, etc.?
- Are there any questions we forgot to ask? Is there anything else we should know?
Hope this helps!
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@CT1417, I tried the carrot, now I have moved on to the stick. I threaten to take away his gaming computer if certain things are not completed by a certain deadline. But truely, his GC has set up a no-credit semi-required after school class that is for juniors and seniors to get them moving on their apps, school lists, PSAT, SAT, ACT studying, and whatever else they need to do. This is what is currently working for us. The seniors usually stop going after first semester and she focuses on the juniors. This is only possible because the school is really small.
And he said his CA essay is almost fully approved and finished!
They are on the Common App, but I believe that some of them don’t show up until you’ve entered information about school/programs you are interested in, since there are different essays, depending on the program.
I searched for supplements for Rice and found the 2015 version from the Universal App, which I believe remained the same are since last year and has the same questions as what is on the CA:
https://futureowls.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/Future_Owls/UCAFreshmanSupp.pdf
@STEM2017 - Thanks for the list. GCs told us that DS will get a packet at their one on one meeting and it will include a brag sheet, no other info. Our GCs policy is whoever attended the meeting yesterday gets first priority and those with ED/EA deadlines get their letters first. Each GC has over 100 kids.
@srk2017 We only had one Brag Sheet question; DS had 12 questions to answer (some similar to @STEM2017 's questions 2, 3, 4, and 9). Glad I didn’t have to write 12 essays!
Our parent question was “What would you want the admissions office to know about your child that they would not be able to learn from their transcript and the college application? Possible topics may include discussion regarding greatest strengths, most unique characteristics, significant family events, personal obstacles, etc.”
Our answer, which I don’t know whether it was helpful, had anecdotes about his 1) natural intuition for science and math, 2) artistic streak in out-of-school hobbies, 3) interest in world events and politics, and 4) kind and caring especially toward sibling with identity and academic struggles.
I started a thread here: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1919623-school-of-the-future-nova-episode-from-pbs.html
Secret only for my friends here – DS’s engineering program (but not DS) is shown about 1:39 into the program.
@NerdMom88 CSS is not that bad. Time-consuming, yes, but even I could do it, you can do it, too. I usually take a dayoff from work to do CSS. So it’s like a little bit of me-day, too. With a nice morning cup of coffee, I tackle CSS. I don’t necessarily gather all the documents around me. I get up and fetch as I go. That way I get to do some stretching and walking around. You don’t have to be perfect on the first try. Just jot down the code numbers I have to come back to later on. It takes about 2 hours plus. Good luck!
@stlarenas Just found this on the Princeton site:
If you choose to file the College Scholarship Service PROFILE form and release it for a fee to Princeton, you can use the data you submitted in filling out part of your Princeton application. Please note that the PROFILE isn’t required by Princeton and is not accepted on its own; this option is offered simply as a convenience.
So they require 3 things:
- Complete the Princeton Financial Aid Application (PFAA) on the Web, available October 1, 2016
- Upload a copy of your parents' 2015 tax return and W-2 statement
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if you are a US citizen or permanent resident
@NerdMom88, this page has an interactive presentation and instructions for CSS profile
@stlarenas, I thought it was $25 first school, $16 additional schools to send CSS profile?
Anyway there are fee waivers available for those who qualify
Thanks @mtrosemom. Not sure I have any sticks: you can’t go to debate or XC meet or quiz bowl tournament? I suppose that is what it will come down to, so here’s hoping that a debate or quiz bowl tournament lands on the calendar soon!
The school leaves them to their own devices, so no help there.
Thanks @Ynotgo. Can I write that he doesn’t mind me being a helicopter parent :)) May be I can write he has become a good handyman. No struggles and obstacles to come up with and no siblings to deal with!
I think we have one school that is CSS.
Carrot vs. stick: I say to the kid-carrot is school, stick is life. You choose.