<p>I am amazed at how complex the application process has become…is anyone else overwhelmed? I am fortunate that I have a motivated HS senior but with her currently schedule it is tough to get everything done…and I am amazed at how difficult it is just to find the addresses to send transcripts and recs. It is like the schools are hiding that information deep in their web site…what gives?</p>
<p>I’m with you. I have a problem with everything being “so easy” since it’s all online. ??? Problem is each school has their own app - even those on common app have a supplement requiring a couple more essays. So for 7 schools, we have 7 processes. Daunting for a senior who is motivated…awful for the mother of a procrastinator extraordinare! He isn’t touching the pile because “tommorow is another day” in his world!</p>
<p>I’d opine that another reason why the process is more complex and maybe more difficult is that kids apply to many more schools than was the custom in the 1970s and 1980s. The old ‘three choices’ standard has been thrown out.</p>
<p>I’m not sure that the application process has become more complicated per se for any individual school. Back in the day people applied to perhaps 4 or 5 schools max. As I remember the essay for Stanford had to be in your own handwriting (we all thought they were going to do handwriting analysis on our essays LOL). You still had to take the SAT and subject tests (though I remember having to take 3 instead of the 2 required most places today). You had to get letters of recommendation and a counselor report and have the High School send in your transcript.</p>
<p>So 40 years ago I remember taking the PSAT, the SAT twice and 3 subject tests. I had to write separate essays for each of the 4 or 5 colleges to which I applied (I forget whether I really applied to MIT or not). I had one alumni interview. I’m sure I had to get 2 letters of recommendation, and assume that my guidance counselor or class dean filled in a form and sent in my transcript.</p>
<p>The complexity of today’s situation is primarily because students are applying to 8 or 10 or 12 schools, and may be doing Early Decision which means everything has to be in by mid November. The common application and ability to submit and manage the applications is truly a technological improvement. (When our oldest did her applications in 2003 it was still largely paper based, so we’ve seen how things have progressed in just the last 6 or 7 years).</p>
<p>This may be an example of how work expands to fill the time available. In the time that we had to apply to 4 or 5 schools, our kids are applying to 2 to 3 times as many.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s more complicated. I applied to 3 schools 30 some years ago and each essay had to be typed, each appplication had to be filled out, each test score had to be arranged to be sent if you didn’t fill in the circles when you took the test, each recommendation had to be done four times! Envelopes had to me made for the school office and you had to worry that they put the correct stuff in the correct envelope. On-line is much easier. The biggest difference is there are actually kids applying to more the 3 colleges and take the tests more than once. My parents thought 3 was excessive but I had one “dream” place (read uber expensive for that day) that I just wanted to have an acceptance to as a negotiation tool with my parents. Some things never change eh? But no, I don’t think it’s more complicated it’s just that people make it more complicated… And, all of this is quite controllable…no one is holding a to anyone’s head demanding that they take the ACTs and the SATs and the SAT tests more than once, no one is holding a gun to anyone’s head to force them to apply to more than three or four colleges. No college is telling kids to do this either. They don’t care if you apply to one or you apply to seven. It’s self made angst.</p>
<p>I guess some of us have short memory. When I did it, first you had to write letters to the schools for your admission material and applications. Then I can recall inserting the applications onto the typewriter and carefully line things up to type all the info slowly because you cannot make a mistake with the one copy of application you have. Every form from each school was different with different essays requirements. And most likely, your SAT scores need to be requested by a separate letter with a special form. Then you were pretty much in the dark and crossed fingers that all the materials get there ok.</p>
<p>I agree that the process for applying to highly selective colleges is no more complicated than it was 35 years ago, and is a lot easier thanks to the Common Application. And if you drop down a tier or two, things can get uncomplicated very quickly. My daughter decided to apply online to an in-state safety where she knew lots of people and where she would have been eligible for significant merit aid. The entire application took her about 20 minutes to complete, the application fee was waived, and she received her acceptance six days later. If she had stopped there, the whole college-application thing would have been easy as pie.</p>
<p>Amandakayak:</p>
<p>Resist the urge to help your procrastinator. Push a bit but don’t jump in. There will be no one to help next as a Freshman. They need to learn to do things totally on their own. If they can’t then perhaps a gap year is in order. </p>
<p>I know that a gap year working at a crappy job made me appreciate college and stop procrastinating. Ive seen many kids pushed through the application process by well meaning parents only to land back home after first semester grades are out.</p>
<p>One reason that I think this process feels more complicated is that now there is far less of a correlation between a student’s profile (grades, test scores, EC’s, etc.) and final admission verdicts. When I was in high school (late 60’s), it was much easier to predict decisions. Granted, not everyone got into their top-choice colleges, but there seemed to be a lot more rhyme and reason to the results. For instance, the “average outstanding kid” (someone with strong grades and SAT’s and who did something outside of class, even if it wasn’t publishing novels or winning Intel) would get into at least one Ivy. More predictability usually meant far fewer applications and less stress. </p>
<p>When I go to my husband’s Amherst College reunions and sports events, the talk among his classmates and friends inevitably turns to how few of them would be admitted to Amherst if applying now.</p>
<p>There was less merit aid in those days, too. Obviously, more money is a good thing, but the whole merit aid process is a big thorn in my side. It makes for complications (figuring out where the scholarship are, when/if to apply, estimating odds of getting them due to vague Website wording, etc.) and this usually means longer college lists due to the uncertainly of merit aid outcomes.</p>
<p>I actually think I’d still have a darn good chance of getting into my Ivy, but I wouldn’t only apply to three schools all of them Ivies. That to me is the biggest difference at least for the top students, is you can’t just apply to three schools. </p>
<p>There are likely to be more essays required since the Common App has 2 essays and most supplements have one or two essays as well. I had ONE essay that I used at all three schools. I didn’t apply to one school because I couldn’t reuse my essay. (One of the dumber decisions I made that year!)</p>
<p>HS college advisor should be sending “transcripts and recs”, he is getting paid for it. Kids should focus on essays / interviews (if there are any), still finishing strong HS, not procedural stuff.</p>
<p>It is not that hard to determine where kid would have some/all tution covered by Merit $$. If you want full proof in this area, apply only to schools that will give your child (based on FA info and your child stats). This is available on-line. Contact info also is available on-line. I did research in this area, since I was the one paying. D. ended up on full Merit tution coverage, because she did her part in getting high GPA, nice score, some EC’s, whatever was under her control. Of course, her college advisor did his part.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s more complicated when parent’s are so involved with the application process?</p>
<p>Oh, I think it’s more complicated. I distinctly remember filling out my 4 college applications – either by hand or typewriter – on one night. In those days, you only took your SAT once (unless you had fallen deathly ill mid-SAT, taking the SAT more times was sneered at as being for the losers who needed to improve their scores, not for the smart kids!). You had SAT II’s (then called Achievement Tests) and AP classes were only for seniors so those were taken after-the-fact. You just didn’t need to sweat it … it never would have occurred to me that I wouldn’t have had at least some pick among really good colleges, much less need a safety school.</p>
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<p>16 schools here, baby … But I have the excuse that I have twins (9 for S, 7 for D – S is being more reachy in general than D is).</p>
<p>Depends on what you are talking about. I agree that you have to do a lot more and have more meat in your application to get into top schools today. But once you have done all that, the application process is so much easier today than yesteryears. While some top colleges have very elaborated supplements, surprisingly many other top ones have very simple supplements also.</p>
<p>My opinion - it is as simple or as complicated as you make it to be. </p>
<p>For student: Pick the school you like, take a couple of tests, let GC/teachers know where to send transcripts/LOR, write an assey or two, send all in on line. Done. </p>
<p>For parents: let your kid know how much you can afford and give him/her a credit to pay for test and application fees. Done. Can it be any more simple than that?</p>
<p>amandakayak:</p>
<p>Although I tend to agree with Iron Maiden’s post, I pushed my S pretty hard to get started on his applications, and he did fine his first year at Williams. I think he was procrastinating because he was intimidated by the whole process (we had arrived from a different country about 18 months before and it was all so new and monumental to him,) and if I hadn’t pushed hard he would have lost out on a wonderful opportunity. I don’t think he would have spent a year working, but he wouldn’t have researched schools as well as he did, and he would have probably ended up at our state’s flagship or another school where he wouldn’t be as happy as he is now.
I know parents are supposed to let their kids learn from their mistakes, but sometimes the stakes are just too high, and I felt that demanding action in strong terms was my duty as a father.</p>
<p>I’ve drawn the line in the sand of how much I will do (have done). He’s in top 10%, about 8 APs, 4.25 gpa…he’s no slacker but he is very happy being a senior, very busy with marching band right now…BUT given 3 of his schools are rolling - he’sreally got to get going. Seriously I wish there were more hours in the day so beyond getting the day to day done, he could sleep a decent 8 hrs. Or how about 6?</p>
<p>The essays are what is holding this process up - I won’t go there beyond helping him see how one essay could apply to these 6 prompts, etc. But seriously, the essays are more than a bit annoying…back in my day (b.c. before computers) I eliminated college apps based on who wanted an essay and who didn’t. I purposefully found schools allowing non-essay supplementary info instead of the essay (eg I submitted poetry for a few, maybe I am the original slacker 
). If you really want to know my ds, how about a link to his recital on youtube, maybe a copy of an english paper if you want to know he is a good writer. Or how about, if his stats put him on the fence, then ask for the essay? In our school, the non-AP classes are assigned the common app essay as part of their homework but the AP? Well, they are waxing poetic about the Odyssey instead.</p>
<p>I think it is more complicated than 30 years ago for a number of reasons - kids are appying to more schools, specific programs like architecture are very selective AND require a portfolio, and kids are just busier with APs, sports, and ECs. In our day, one or 2 ECs was more than enough…today any kid playing a sport at a D1 high school usually has to play year round to remain competitive…and if you have a two/three sport athlete, the schedule alone is insane…even if they aren’t playing in college. I just think it is crazier now than ever before.</p>
<p>My D who is already a master at time mgmt, is applying to architecture programs and business programs as a back-up. For some schools, she needs a fairly extensive portfolio (which she has been working on for the past year), app, supplements and more supplements. For a couple of schools, she has to apply both for general admission and arch admisssion - two separate apps, two separate transcripts. She is doing all the work, I am just helping tracking down deadlines, addresses, and stamping envelopes.</p>
<p>I haven’t noticed the “why xyz” college all that often. That would trip up many of today’s students who don’t take the time to look much deeper than the rankings. I remember that was the most “stressy” part of colleges apps back in the day and if you applied to 3 you had to come up with 3. All in all it will be tough to convince me that it’s “harder” today.</p>