Running the Admissions Race

Parents Forum
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<p>Running the Admissions Race hasmade me see that at differentpoints in our high school years the relationship between student and college ebbs anf=d flows. First one has the advantage, then the other. While the race in it’s entirety is sohewhat a collaboration betewwn student and college my musing follow:</p>

<p>Early in the High school years no thoughts about college. In my school they recommend you take the PSAt as a sophmore. </p>

<p>October, 2004 I take the PSAT’s as a Sophmore. Surprising myself I do quite well.</p>

<p>November 2004 - October 2005 deluged with College Apps, letters and email. Since I know it’s early I just begin filing stuff in boxes. Although secretly, I like to see stuff from exclusive colleges.</p>

<p>April 2005 Spring Break road trip, I visit two colleges I’m kind of interested in. One visit blows me away. I have a school I’m interested in nw.</p>

<p>Summer 2005 Visit two more schools. Found another school that really catches my interst. August 2005, attend two more colleges that bring their road show to my town. Intersted in one pretty much. September 2006 go to one last school visit.</p>

<p>October, 2005 Take the PSAT’s as junior. Kicking myself I score 3 pts lower than my Sophmore year and one person in my class does better than me.</p>

<p>November 2005 - October 2006 deluge of College Apps, letters and emails continue. With my parents help we winnow the 4 boxes of materials to about 15 colleges I am interested in. </p>

<p>May 2006 I win a major state-wide award. I’m feeling good. </p>

<p>September 2006 Find out I am NMF commended, kick myself for not studying for that junior PSAT exam. Darn Sophmore results lulled me into not studying. My friend goes on to the Finalist competition. </p>

<p>Early October, I win a coveted school award. I feel a little better. But I think if I had done a little better on those PSAT’s …</p>

<p>October-December 2006 Start writing college applications. Six of the seven schools I am applying to take the Common Application (woo hoo). Then I find out each of the six have their own separate supplements (bummer). Talk to teachers about recommendations. Meet my Guidance counselor. Found out to my dismay, she knows nothing about me. She tells me my school list is very competitive. I tell her my scores on the October SAT and she lools up my GPA and class rank. Her interest rises.</p>

<p>I find out that two of my seven colleges have separate applications, essays and recommendations needed to get possible merit money. I had to get 2 of the seven applications with merit pool stuff done by November. One an RD app with Merit pool date of and November 1st. The other an EA app due November 15th to be considered for merit.</p>

<p>Christmas 2006 EA school notfies me I’m in with their best merit scholarship. I’m feeling happy. Then Dad tells me that after merit their is a 32K bill left, or at least 130K over 4 years after merit. Oh by the way our Expected EFC (federal view) is over 32K each year. I guess I can kiss any need based money good bye. Dad tells me that between the small 529 plan and his and my savings we are looking at financing around 75K over 4 years, and if we go the loan route, we will share the pain.</p>

<p>January 2007, Other school that had Nov 1st due date for everything to be considered for merit, including separate merit app, eassys and recommendations notifies me that I am accepted and am in the running for some serious merit awards. I’m really happy this was an RD application.</p>

<p>Mid January 2007, I will now wait for my other five RD applications to get proceesed and notify me. Dad’s off in the corner muttering about FAFSA and the CSS Profile. He says he submitted both to all colleges that needed them. However one school has their own Fin aid form and requires W-2’s and signed copies of tax returns. I just found out another school requires this as well. Dad and I are waiting on W-2’s. Dad’s a Tax Accountant so he has really good estimates on the already filed forms. </p>

<p>I’m grateful to all colleges that quickly acknowledge my applications and give me a way to track my statuses. One of the nicer things that schools can do, in my mind, unfortunately, only four of my seven schools are up-to-date or let me see the status.</p>

<p>So over the last two plus years my attitude has had huge swings. First schools show interest, we respond to a few with our own interest, then we wait to see who will love us back. My final reward, I get to finally choose one school who likes me and I like them. Like to me and my family takes into consideration both acceptances and merit/need aid. </p>

<p>Dad hugs me and tells me how do other families go through this without a kid who has good possibities for merit aid. In the whole process, I’m awed by the cost of attending some of these private schools. Even with merit aid the family could be facing some serious loans. </p>

<p>I’m grateful to my school, teachers, guidance officer, college adcomms and my parents who have put up with me throughout this ordeal. But you know, I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am eagerly awaiting the final school decision letters and aid packages.</p>

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<p>HSSL: This should be required reading for all incoming H.S. freshmen! (They’ll be quiz in 10 minutes…)</p>

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<p>Sorry abut all the typos and grammer errors. I was writing this on the fly on tthe board instead of writing it in Word first.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your honest view of the process and your growth through it. It’s great to see young adults who realize the college application and financing process is a shared effort, and I’m glad to see your dad has been upfront about the load it will mean. I am sure your parents are quite proud!</p>

5

<p>good plan of attack and nice write up. Thanks for sharing it. Looking back, would you have done anything differently? (I am the parent of a junior whose initial footsteps mirror yours.)</p>

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<p>Well Dad thought I waited a little too long about getting my applications done. He was a bit of a nag. I told him that I’ve never missed a deadline and don’t plan to start missing them now. It seems like this dynamic is common between parents and high school students.</p>

<p>Although, I must say Dad helped get the Common Application stuff filled and made sure I knew what all the deadlines, and due dates were. He told me about the various merit competitions as I really didn’t look at the financial aid side of each school. He prodded me to enter some merit competitions. My initial reaction was to think I’d never get any of this competition based merit aid. To which he said “If you don’t enter you won’t get any".</p>

<p>In hindsight, I would suggest as you prepare a list of the schools you are interested in that you also check their financial aid pages as well. You’ll want to know about any requirements for merit aid as well admissions requirements. I wasn’t going for any athletic, performance or artistic aid or programs either. These types of things have their own issues, lists and deadlines. </p>

<p>You should actually create a school list in your junior year if possible. You’ll need to juggle scheduling SAT’s, SAT II, ACT’s and possibly AP exams, and any other academic requirements that each school has. </p>

<p>It probably would be nice to have an early sit down with your parents and discuss your possible college aspirations around the family’s income and parental feeling about paying for college.</p>

<p>Mom & Dad always supported my decision to try and apply to some competitive colleges. But Dad always had a cryptic comment about we’ll have to see what kind of aid you can get. This apparently meant applying to some safety schools (both academic and financial safeties).</p>

<p>It wasn’t until my EA school gave us the merit award that Dad spelled out the family economic picture. Although Dad did tell me ahead of time that ED was out of the question because aid would be a significant part of any admission decision. I told Dad I was willing to help and take out some loans too. So after talking with Dad I presume the family should also use an EFC calculator early on and discussing the financing aspect and how that could impact your school choices.</p>

<p>Since college has a major family impact it should be a joint discussion between student and parents. The lines of communication and support need to open both ways. We had our ups and downs, but we can see the finish line, and I’ll be glad when the race is over</p>