Advice on Common App Essay Needed

<p>^^Sounds great! Gotta love those early apps.</p>

<p>great NEMom… it is actually fun for us 'rents to see these new facets of our kids… I definitely learned a few things about my kids from essay drafts… so I am glad to have your update… </p>

<p>we had a counselor for our oldest (primarily to take away the parent vs kid struggle) and I do remember when I asked the counselor in an early meeting if she wanted to know about any weaknesses in our child’s “resume”… and she looked at me and kind of laughed and said NO… we are focusing on his strengths… and that was when I knew the $$$ of the counselor had just paid for itself… </p>

<p>letting our kids be themselves is actually the straightest line to their life… directing them on “our paths” really only detours their journeys… and as I saw years ago with my youngest brother, the potential downside is it ends up landing them in over their head…which was an unfortunate result. So, reward yourself with a nice cup of Joe or tea as a way of celebrating your ability to cheer him on from the sideline…</p>

<p>Maineparent, great advice, and well said! I think that I’ll take your advice and cheer for him from the sidelines. His essay is his, I did not contribute one word to it. Thanks for your post! I needed to read it right now.</p>

<p>NEMom… glad that was useful… wanting the best, the most, the whatever for our kids is a great thing…but, letting them achieve it is also a great thing… </p>

<p>I have been helping my in-laws move into an independent living facility… and I have been dealing with the opposite end of the spectrum of this same issue… sometimes it is easier to make a decision or choice for them… because too many choices only confuses the issue… but, I am aware that acting for them only enables them to be more dependent, not less… so I am working harder myself on what is really my intent when I “do things for others” is it really for them or for me? </p>

<p>Life is full of this stuff… I guess the wonderful aspect is that there are folks in our lives we care enough about to help them… </p>

<p>Have faith and believe in your kid… this next year is such a special time… before they really shed the cocoon and fly!!</p>

<p>Oh, maineparent, we have dealt with that end of the spectrum too. It’s been a long hard road for us. Good luck with the move. </p>

<p>I do believe in my son. I did have Qs about the essay topic, but it is shaping up so I no longer need to worry about it.</p>

<p>maineparent, Thank you for sharing your hard won wisdom.</p>

<p>Concerning schools that accept the comm app. but have supplemental essays. Do they read the common app essays as well? I can’t help but notice how similiar the prompts are…</p>