I am so proud of my self control right now. I follow the early admission thread for Pitt, since that’s one of the schools that S25 applied to and they have rolling admissions. People had been all a flutter because kids who applied when it first opened hadn’t heard yet (historically it’s faster) then last week acceptances started coming in. But everyone was hearing “6-8 weeks from when you applied” when they reached out to admissions officers. Well, this is about 7 weeks from when S25 applied so I was thinking we might hear something soon.
I check his gmail for him, mostly to clean out the junk and tell him if there’s something important. Yes, he needs to get better at this and do it on his own, but baby steps with him. This morning when I opened it up I could see there was an email from Pitt. I didn’t open it, but on that one line of text you can see it says something like “update available”. (That’s not really it, but I can’t remember, and I don’t want to log in and tempt myself.)
I’m sure the email just says “update available, go check your portal.” I also have all the log ins to his portals, because they are in a google doc with a bunch of other things that he has shared with me.
The fortitude it’s taking to NOT OPEN ANYTHING surely deserves a treat. (I have, in fact, just gone to get some trail mix because at least it has chocolate chips which are like a treat.)
This is 100% for him to open and read and find out himself, but I just want to acknowledge that it is very very tempting to have this access and hard to not use it.
I have a meeting in three minutes and I’ve never been so excited for a meeting… because it will keep me busy for 90 minutes.
that’s amazing - both that he has an update and for your willpower not to open! If it makes you feel better, I have the same set up with my S25. Every kid is different in terms of the help they need at this stage. My D23 was completely self sufficient and I never had any log ins or portal access. They will all get there eventually. I hope.
Yeah, I know about Washington’s separate systems (WSU is on the list because C25 auto-qualifies for a pretty crazy scholarship there, making them a financial safety), but it honestly gives me a bit of a pause that they’re marketing in that way—like, I work at an open-access university that offers professional certifications (e.g., an occupational endorsement certificate in welding, an associate’s of applied science in automotive tech) alongside its baccalaureate degrees, so I understand outreach to a population that doesn’t see a 4-year degree as a necessity, but leading with that? And leading with that to someone who’s on your list because they’ve asked for information or taken the SAT or ACT (the only ways C25 would have been on their radar)? That was weird.
I have the exact same set-up with my S25. We were also waiting on Pitt, but I caught the email last night. I ran into his room with my laptop, ready for him to open it. Not sure what I am going to do when I see these emails and he’s in school or out!
I’ve opened emails from the schools that S25 has no intention of attending, but I am leaving the one or two he really wants to attend up to him. Our current conundrum is whether or not he should be applying for honors at the schools he doesn’t want to attend. I’m not sure that it’s worth the effort (since has has zero interest in them), but I would hate for him to change his mind and regret not applying. But I’m realizing this kid is pretty set on what he wants.
So far senior year is so much easier than junior year, to the point that S25 seems bored. Part of me wishes he was taking a more strenuous load, but I also recognize that this slower period might be good for his mental health. Last year was so brutal for him and I know starting college will be a big adjustment. He’s filling his free time playing video games, studying up on math he’s interested in beyond calculus, and self-studying Japanese. Hopefully this down time is good for him.
School ended nine minutes ago and Find My Phone has him walking towards the house… I can hopefully hold out at least long enough to let him go to the bathroom first…
Oh for the love of god. That’s not HIS phone that I saw on the app… I must’ve left the iPad in the car. He’s at the track, which means he’s doing an off-season practice, which means WHO KNOWS when he will get home.
I clearly need to go take a walk so I’m not a crazy person by the time he gets here.
And in true OMG I am SO the mother of a boy, here’s how he told his dad: “I got in to Pitt, can’t talk, gotta poop.”
Some days I really wish for more females in the house.
Anyhoo, despite his less than super excited news delivery to my husband, I do think he’s really happy. We knew it was a likely admit for him, and it’s probably fifth or sixth on his list. But still, knowing you’ve gotten in somewhere that you’d be happy to go really just makes everything feel better.
My daughter’s English teacher reviewed her Common App essay and wrote, “SO GOOD!! ” on it, giving her only a couple of small wording suggestions. I think that was good for my daughter to see, she was really down about her essay and she was assiduously tuning out my positive feedback, because I’m just her mom. Anyway, the essay is now finished and she submitted her first application today! This school is a directional in-state safety for her, but it offers a unique major that she’s interested in, and it’s also close to relatives that she’d love to be close to.
I’m not exactly sure what you mean about its effectiveness. But, I think they are offering admission if the applicant meets certain criteria. And that might be the rub of your question.
I think there at least a verification process of the info that they have on the student or supplied by the student. But, if the info is true and accurate, then admission is granted.
Meaning if they believe the student has a 3.5 gpa, has taken certain courses and has certain grades. And that belief is verified, then the student is admitted.
On niche, I believe those offers are generated based on info submitted by the student on the niche site. I think the school would need confirmation of that info.
Oh, I read “I wonder how effective it is?” as being how effective it is for the college, which may be trying to increase it’s enrollment, as a marketing tool. e.g. how many kids apply and then actually attend because of this. I interpreted the direct admissions offers in general as being a way to try to bolster admissions for schools where that might be a bit more challenging - either because the school isn’t as broadly known, or it’s kind of niche for some reason, or it’s in a location that just doesn’t have that many natural applicants or something like that.
To me, while direct admission is definitely a nice perk for the student - they know they have at least somewhere to go - I’m looking at it as more of a bonus for the college as a way to pad their attendance and up their income so it’s not a question as to whether it’s valid for admittance.
I think what this exercise shows is that I’m a cynical person and you’re less so.
As to the effectiveness for the colleges, we will see. Most (all) direct admit schools that I have seen are not holistic admissions institutions and largely admitted off of set criteria anyway.* This, to me, would be a play by them to get in front of people that they otherwise would not attract. Will any additional students actually enroll that wouldn’t have otherwise? We shall see, but I wouldn’t imagine that it would be many.
Last year, a frequent poster on here (then a HS senior) was accepted to about 70 schools, many of which were direct admit schools. You can only choose one to go to. He chose UFlorida I believe (a non-direct admit institution).
I was a little shocked that SMU and UTulsa appeared on the direct admit list for a poster upthread. But, it does make sense for schools like KU (Univ.Kansas), MU (Univ.Missouri), ISU (Iowa State) and other very good universities that otherwise have set criteria to engage in direct admissions. It certainly should create a bigger enrollment funnel for them if that is the goal.
Wow, so much going on. Congrats to everyone who’s making such great progress! Especially those of you with positive news about applications!
S25 has been shall we say “less engaged” with working on his apps of late? I mean, I think he’ll still be able to meet his EA deadlines easily, but I really was hoping he’d get on some of the ones where earlier is potentially better. He was doing great until about two weeks ago and then completely stalled while he waits to see where things stand with some recruiting outreach. But I think my constant talk about it is backfiring. So I drew up a “College Talk Contract” in which both of us parents agree not to talk about college or his app progress unless he initiates it or needs to schedule a visit or something. His end of the deal? He agrees to meet for up to 30 minutes once a week at a predetermined time to review his progress. Casual updates on his way to the shower or at dinner don’t count. Well, it took him a few days, but he signed on the dotted line today. If he’s not showing us any headway, well then it’s back to me badgering him in the few minutes we see him every day or nosing about in his common app and stressing out about it unnecessarily.
I can confirm that his little brother is so very grateful to not have to listen to constant talk/questions about college anymore. Hah, I can now look forward to the two of them arguing about soccer at the dinner table instead!
Congratulations!
” on it, giving her only a couple of small wording suggestions. I think that was good for my daughter to see, she was really down about her essay and she was assiduously tuning out my positive feedback, because I’m just her mom. Anyway, the essay is now finished and she submitted her first application today! This school is a directional in-state safety for her, but it offers a unique major that she’s interested in, and it’s also close to relatives that she’d love to be close to.