<p>Isn't College Confidential the greatest? I mean, where else can you wonder about something in the middle of the night, send it out into the cosmos hoping for wisdom from the collected masses, and a scant 9 hours later return to find all sorts of interesting opinions and valuable advice? Thanks to all for their opinions and advice. And while I'm at it, just a general thanks to the site owners and moderators for providing this forum. It was a great help in my S's college application process a few years ago and it's been a great help this time around too.</p>
<p>Predictably, opinions are quite varied on this topic. It doesn't suprise me. As a writer myself, I think "ownership" of your finished product is just such a personal issue. Whenever my D agonizes about the process too much, my not so sage counsel is to remind her that she'll have to live with her personal comfort level about the process forever ... do whatever works for her ... and invariably a college is going to be much more concerned about the substance than the process (unless the process is too weird! ... sorry momrath ... couldn't resist ... and p.s. ... as a fellow creature of an age long past, i know exactly what you meant).</p>
<p>C'mudge captured my D's feelings well ... it's that sense of fear that something you've worked hard to perfect (whatever perfect means to you) might through no fault of your own get totally destroyed through internet transmission. It's loss of control, uncertainty, fear of the unknown all rolled up into one bundle of angst.</p>
<p>What I wasn't aware of, is the ability to use these online forms as sort of a virtual typewriter and then print the thing and mail it off. I think this sort of approach might very well be a healthy middleground for my D. Thank you. Of course, there is then the issue about whether a school somehow prefers, even at the most infinitesimal level, their own application over the common application. My personal take is that an applicant needs to be comfortable with his or her approach. If an applicant can sleep better at night knowing that they have used the vehicle -- common app or the school's own app (understanding that many schools only use the common app and a school supplement) -- that best connotes and represents their interest and mindset, then that's the application vehicle the applicant should use. Do what makes you feel comfortable; no regrets. By agreement schools consistently say that there is absolutely no prejudicial effect in using the common app. That being the case, then there is likely no prejudice attached in using a school's own form. As for whether there is something to be gained by using the school's own form? How will we ever truly know? To me, it's the same as considering what you get if you breed an elephant with a rhinoceros ... "elephino."</p>
<p>Finally, while I'm not losing any sleep over it, I do take slight offense with CalMom's post -- not the substance, she's entitled to her opinions, but the tone. I've got close to 200 posts on this board. Everybody handles message boards differently, but I've taken great pains to be considered and exact in my language and opinions. If CalMom had taken any time whatsoever to research rather than to quickly and summarily judge, she might have noticed that I'm personally anything other than a "too involved" or hovering parent. Moreover, I was very careful to say "physically" typing (to remove any possible inference about involvement in composition) and it really couldn't be much more clear that the gist of the issue was the use of the venerable old fashioned typewriter -- an ancient machine where kids are NOT particularly adept (it's one of those rare low-tech areas where old-timers still rule the roost). Thanks to jmmom who responded much more succinctly than I'm capable of. She called this function a strictly "clerical job" and was delighted to help out a little bit with some administrative functions in what is already a far too stressful and time consuming undertaking. Personally, if by doing some pure PHYSICAL task I can help out a bit, and hopefully allow my daughter to have a bit more time to stress about where to apply, what to say, and how to choose from among the acceptances, then I feel that I've done her a service by allowing her more room to consider the big picture without being totally consumed by the details. We had a blizzard the day she took her SAT. Should I have let her do all the shoveling herself because she should live and die with each and every aspect of this whole college experience completely on her own? I think this is a closer comparison than your implication of ghost writing. Personally, I think appropriate collaboration and teamwork is a life lesson and skill. Sure there are lines, but I have zero doubt that I've crossed that line. Zero. You think this is far too involved? Then ... guilty ... and proud of it.</p>
<p>Thanks again to all.</p>