I was really surprised at how hard it was for my S25 to come up with a personal statement essay. He is the most non-introspective kid I know. He does not like to be vulnerable. His answer to all my questions about why he likes or does things is “I don’t know”. It’s frustrating. But we got it done, it might not be a wow kind of essay but I think it’s good enough.
Yeah I have been so disappointment in the writing education my kids have gotten but I also truly blame the rise of YouTube and social media and texting as communication…my kid’s vocabulary often consists of words with all the vowels removed or words shortened beyond recognition. Now instead of saying “thank you” he writes “prec” which is short for “I appreciate it”
He just has two short essays and one expanded resume to polish off for his reach/first choice school, UT Austin. That will be his last application. He’s already in at Texas A&M which he just informed me may become first choice in part because it’s closer to home and his gf I just signed him up for yet another visit to UT because he wants to do marching band in college and won’t be able to do that at TAMU.
This sounds familiar! We finally hired a consultant 2 weeks ago…I just couldn’t get '25 to do it - they were worried about topics being “stupid” and “who cares about this” - needed a 3rd party to reiterate that AOs want to hear this stuff! Also easier when external people give deadlines:)
Sounds like you have things well under control! we don’t have a final list (or close to it!) We have 5 “definitely” applies which are a bit all over the place but at least are a good mix of likely/reaches for their stats! I think 3 have short extra writing - but are “why major” or “why this school” which seem more manageable!
My kids use text-speak to text, but luckily seem to know when to use what sort of language..they switch between “languages”. I think they may write in school more than most HS students, as well. (I don’t think one of them gets enough feedback on their writing to truly improve greatly, but they do write).
The lack of feedback on writing has been an issue at our school…one I fought with a teacher about way back in the Covid online era and brought up again with a dual credit college professor. How can they learn with no feedback? And I mean…none. Lucky for them (I guess?) I’m a good writer willing to painstakingly work with them on occasion. Neither of us loves that process but they recognize the benefit when the grade comes in.
I’m unfortunately a bit too frugal to pay an essay coach for something I’m skilled at. But I KNOW it would be helpful. If they were desperately wanting to go to highly rejective SLACs or something I would probably pay someone just to reduce the stress. But both kids wanted big state schools with big time sports above anything else. And the DS25 only wants Chemical Engineering (which my husband and I both are) so that really narrows down the list to a few solid programs within a day’s drive. This process has been SO easy the second time around now that I know the drill.
My S25 just finished his 20th and LAST supplemental essay last night. We did pay for a college counselor and it was worth every penny. There is no way he would have gotten these done without deadlines from someone other than me.
As a linguist, I have to step in and defend textspeak and such.
Complaints about kids’ writing ability and the ways they write that differ from the ways older individuals write have been a constant since we started seeing widespread literacy (so for several hundred years, arguably several thousand years in parts of Southeast Asia). What is happening right now is no different than it has always been—language is changing, teens are a large part of that process, and those who aren’t part of the changes are made uncomfortable by them.
But the kids are alright (and literacy rates in the anglosphere are higher than they’ve ever been).
The class schedule came out and it’s very different from what the gc said just 2 weeks ago. I do know they messed up by offering AP government at the same time as AP macro but that wouldn’t have affected my D who isn’t interested in the gov class. She is in the macro class and my guess is they moved it to a different block shifting what’s available. Macro is a grad requirement since it’s combined with a financial literacy portion. My kid who’s a music major was pulled from AP music theory. Her school lists that 19 AP/DE courses are available but it’s really misleading since the vast majority of them get canceled due to low enrollment. So the few left are rarely offered. D emailed her counselor so now she waits.
Join us for the second session of the CC Bootcamp line-up on Wed, Aug 21 at 7pm ET and learn more about the importance of standardized tests in the college admissions process. This session is hosted by our partner @Tony_PrincetonReview.
Session Outline:
Overview of Different Standardized Testing Policies
Some Case Studies on Test-Optional Admissions
Why Have Schools Gone Test-Optional?
Should I Send My Scores or Not?
Taking/Retaking Soon? Some Advice for Juniors & Seniors
I think I need to write this on my bathroom mirror….and maybe put it on a sticky note on my laptop…and update it to be my Home Screen on my phone….
I have been spending too much time today worrying about how the applications are going and what the chances of acceptance are and looking over common data sets. I need to chill, and I think you have provided the perfect mantra to help me keep it all in perspective here.
Hmm I get that language is changing, which happens all the time. I still feel that their vocabulary is incredibly limited now as compared to when I went to school. Ok that feels VERY get off my lawn. But it certainly showed up when we started SAT prep and it happens in conversation with them a lot that I use words they don’t know. Which then stunts their efforts to write a really good essay. I genuinely believe it is due to the type and sheer volume of media they consume…they don’t read books anywhere near as much as I had to. I didn’t read as much as my grandparents did. My children can barely hold a normal conversation sometimes (they are pretty typical boys).
Enough ranting, I just lament their lack of writing ability a lot. Fortunately they are both math whizzes. My youngest daughter not so much. But she can cook better than most adults.
It’s a good mantra that I should work on adopting too. My two oldest are the overachievers who I’m always hoping will live up to their potential. It’s whiplash navigating my younger one’s education with major ADHD and dyslexia who really can’t tolerate much homework but still wants to make everyone happy and perform. She has other strengths. All the kids are alright.
Things I shouldn’t care about but…C25’s ex-BFF has somewhat similar stats and I found out she isn’t EDing to any of C’s top 3 choices. I’m relieved both because of not competing directly against each other and it makes it more likely that they won’t wind up at the same school.
D25 is still switching around her senior year schedule. She no longer wants to take AP Env Science and GC is really making her stressed about options. I think D25 will be able to do what our school considers work study for credit where she will leave early from school to go to her job and get hs credits for it.
Parents of HS Class of 2025, I want to get your feedback about the ongoing CC Bootcamp for HS Seniors. The goal is to help Seniors get into the best college for them and we have lined up experts to help with various aspects of the application.
We already hosted two sessions with another one planned for tonight. Although close to 100 people registered, we have had little to no engagement so far, with very few to no questions asked.
Question:
Do you (as the main target audience) not find this Bootcamp helpful? What can we do differently to generate more interest?
Also, any general feedback is appreciated as we want to make sure we provide something of value for your kids as they start their Senior year.
I’m in a weird timezone, so there’s that. But still, in the interest of helping out:
I think the topics you have listed are useful, though in many cases (e.g., standardized tests) more so for juniors than seniors, given the apparent demographics of CC users
It is, very often, the singer not the song that makes the music move along—that is, topics are good, but personalities are what is more likely to draw people in to an AMA format
As an educator who teaches a bit more than half my load in distance-accessible formats, I can say that getting interaction/engagement with students (including adult students, so in this case parents) is simply tough, and there often needs to be some sort of incentive to get it to happen
And finally, there’s a level of shyness in fora like these—lots of people lurk (which is good, IMO—hi, lurkers!!), but even for those willing to participate there’s a desire not to go first or even second, and so “seeding” the discussion with some participation at the beginning may prove helpful
Last, first day today. I didn’t cry. I did cry Tuesday night, though, before my S28’s first day of 9th. It was his first day of school ever, since he was homeschooled until this year (D25 was homeschooled until 9th also). It’s weird having no kid home during the day.
I agree with what @chicagoshannon noted - a decent amount of senior parents are already past these hurdles. Maybe this type of thing is better in like Feb/March of junior year - before the end of junior year stress, before spring break so people can think about if they want to do spring break college visits etc.
I just signed him up for yet another visit to UT because he wants to do marching band in college and won’t be able to do that at TAMU.
), but even for those willing to participate there’s a desire not to go first or even second, and so “seeding” the discussion with some participation at the beginning may prove helpful