<p>We don’t have any state schools that guarantee admission for residents; we’re in VA and the state schools are quite competitive. DS is applying to competitive schools so early action is preferred to boost chances of admission. We can’t afford most of the schools he’s interested in so scholarship deadlines are critical. I understand not having <em>completed</em> applications at this point; I don’t understand not even having a list of schools or not having even started a single application at this point.</p>
<p>My D, now a college senior, didn’t do a thing with college applications until December vacation because she didn’t have the time until then (the only exception was requesting recommendations from teachers, which couldn’t be delayed). It didn’t take more than a few days to polish off her applications, including required essays, once she was able to give them her undivided attention. None of her schools required earlier submissions to qualify for merit scholarships–I think this is fairly uncommon. Absent specific scholarship deadlines, I can’t see making a kid crazy over applications throughout the fall or insisting that essays be reworked for months starting in the summer. I suspect it’s neither ignorance nor apathy that OP has encountered, just some calm perspective on the application process.</p>
<p>As for kids who haven’t even made a college list by November–I suspect most of them assume they will will be attending state schools, are content with that prospect, and don’t obsess over finding the perfect “fit”.</p>
<p>CC is not real life for most people. Most students, especially those who don’t live in the Ivy region, aren’t pushing to get in the “top” colleges. I know plenty of doctors and lawyers who went to lower-ranked colleges, excelled, went on to professional schools, and have happy, full lives. Some of them have quite large salaries. Even these people aren’t pushing their children to get applications done by November. CC is fascinating and informative, but it is also has its share of rather obsessed parents and high-strung students.</p>
<p>Where I live, students have grown up knowing about certain colleges all their lives – from sports loyalties, from going to campuses for cultural events, and because they have older friends and siblings who are graduates. Most college-bound students have a pretty good idea of where they might want to go. They may apply to their preferred school in the fall, then apply second deadline to one or two backup schools.</p>
<p>I agree with MommaJ that a calmer perspective can work out just fine. I’ve known families who did things that way, and everything turned out well.</p>
<p>However, we thought that making the following schedule for our children would result in a calmer process for us, plus it might help our family’s financial situation: College visits in the fall and spring of junior year. Decide where to apply by the summer. Apply by first deadline of senior year. We did this for the following reasons: 1) Most schools in our state require that students apply first deadline to be considered for merit awards. Those merit award applications are due in late November/early December. 2) Responses will come earlier, so there will be more time for decision-making, if necessary. 3) At some colleges, the earlier you accept an offer of admission, the more likely you are to get preferred housing. 4) Getting applications done by November gives more time to research independent scholarships and get those done by their usual January to April deadlines.</p>
<p>We have done this with the understanding that if one of our children isn’t ready to make decisions on our schedule, he/she can go to community college for a couple of years.</p>
<p>Marsian…your post should be required reading for all high school juniors and their parents!</p>
<p>In our house, timing of applications was driven by the personality of the kid. DS#1 is pretty much a procrastinator and did some visits fall of senior year but didn’t get a single application in until January. DS#2 had most of his apps in by late September; the rest by early November. DS#3 (current hs senior) just got his initial bunch of apps in although has not visited a single school yet. With him we’ll wait until he knows where he’s in.</p>
<p>It really does vary by kid and by family, but I also wonder why anyone would be concerned about what other people are doing?</p>
<p>I think the length and complexity of the elite school applications can be a surprise. With my first, I assumed he’d need a basic “tell me about yourself/your goals/why you want to attend x college” essay, and maybe a secondary essay about an EC he’s involved in. Wouldn’t have guessed he’d need a list of all the books he’d read recently, a list of the cultural events and exhibits he’d attended in the past year, an essay regarding how he’d contribute to the college’s diversity, an imaginary letter to a friend describing his imaginary first year at the school, a letter to an imaginary roommate he hasn’t met, a page from the middle of his yet unwritten autobiography, etc.</p>
<p>But most people aren’t applying to those schools, so all they’ll need is probably those two essays, if that. It’s not a big deal and lots of kids finish their applications over winter break.</p>
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<p>Visit the financial aid forum . . . where one kid after another states their expectation that if they get into desired College X, the money will simply “appear.” The kids’ blissful ignorance is compounded by college counselors who say not to worry: “Apply first and worry about the money later.”</p>
<p>So why shouldn’t a parent be concerned when he or she sees fellow parents heading into this process absolutely oblivious to the potential mine fields that lay ahead? Yes, it’s possible the families aren’t planning on anything more than the local state college . . . but it’s also possible they have no idea how competitive (and expensive!) that state school has become!</p>
<p>patesq-
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<p>whoooshhhhh—the sound of this going over your head–the point was, everyone has their own schedule and priorities and there are relatively few schools where kids need to have ANYTHING done by now. Not everyone has the funds or the time to visit 20 schools and some kids just don’t want to visit schools. I saw our schedule for this fall being too busy to do much once school started so we started with visits sophomore year. The kids didn’t look that far ahead. I also think people on CC over exaggerate the application process and the need for the “perfect” application. The process only takes as long as you want it to take and agonizing over an essay for 3 months really does not help your chances of getting into any school.</p>
<p>As for the ED issues, if he isn’t sure enough to apply ED, send in the RD app and be done with it.</p>
<p>I agree with dodgersmom that it’s hard to watch people walk into a minefield seemingly unaware. A friend of mine has only taken D to visit Ivy League schools. She keeps telling everyone how smart her D is. Recently, the D was chatting about the college search process and let drop that her SAT scores are 1900 something. Sooooo, unless she plays football (which she doesn’t, nor any other sport), it’s not looking good. I am fairly certain, however, that her GC (good suburban district) won’t let the student get by without applying to a safety or two.</p>
<p>I agree with Marsian that there are many reasons that even non-obsessed kids should have applications well under way at this point. </p>
<p>My DS can procrastinate with the best of them, but he was able to get apps to Purde, Georgia Tech and UKentucky since all have November deadlines for merit scholarships. All three are good schools, but none has highly selective admissions. All three also offer generous aid, but primarily only to kids who meet the November deadline.</p>
<p>I am also confident that teachers greatly prefer to write LOR when they are less stressed in September or October rather than a last minute request during exam season in December.</p>
<p>DS is still dragging his feet on other apps and will probably struggle right up to January 2. However, we know the impact of delaying these submissions.</p>
<p>Homeschoolers have to think ahead. We began reading about the college process before my d began high school! Many times homeschoolers have to submit additional documentation aside from letters of recommendation and transcripts. One university had the ridiculous requirement that we copy the front page of every book she ever READ in homeschool high school! That school was promptly scratched off our possibilities list! As part of my d’s application to several Architecture programs she submitted a portfolio of work in addition to the usual test scores, transcripts, etc. We pushed her to do all of the applications early in case there were issues related to her being homeschooled. There were none and she was accepted to a top rated Arch program at the school of her choice . </p>
<p>I agree with earlier posters who’ve expressed surprise at the lack of preparation/knowledge on the part of the parents. Many parents seem to take it for granted that their child will get into their state school. Here in Illinois, getting into the U of I Urbana is NOT a shoe-in for anyone, particularly for something like engineering. I’m not saying that parents should be obsessing but would it hurt to read a book or two so that they can be helpful facilitators for their kids?</p>
<p>“These parents had kids (seniors) that hadn’t even thought about college yet …”</p>
<p>This might cause problems … or it might not. I’ve heard parents say some stupid things. I offer advice when appropriate. But in most cases it’s clear that advice would not be welcomed. (There are entire CC threads on this!) People will go with the approach they’re comfortable with. Apathy? Ignorance? Disdain? As the old saying goes “When the answer is no (activity), any reason will do.”</p>
<p>Funny thing here. In early November of senior year, D1 visited, for the first time, the school that became #1 on her list. We had already spent several years looking at schools, talking about college and weighing, incl doing serious finaid research. But, this one had been low on her radar til then. She went because they offered her a weekend experience and, once there, instantly knew it was “the one.” </p>
<p>Gads, no, I don’t recommend that for all.<br>
But, that was her style. And, yes, she had LoRs lined up pretty early and an idea of her essay themes. And had already been accepted to the state U.</p>
<p>I just looked at her final essays, which are on my laptop (which we shared, at that point,) and- can it be?- the last revisions are all after 12/20.</p>
<p>Point is, some kids are ready but not rushed. In contrast, D2 went ED. Once she decided to do that, I think she had her whole package done in a few days.</p>