<p>I'm curious as to how colleges handle info sent them for the application process. Say for instance we submit the names of four colleges we want my D's ACT/SAT scores sent to coincident with her taking those tests. Once those colleges get those scores do they open a file on your child? Can you call and get a file number to reference when you finally forward an application? Also, if a college takes the "common application" why do they need and send you thier own application? This is all new to me....</p>
<p>Generally speaking, if you send an ACT or SAT score to a college they will open a file. You don't need a file number. Most colleges will ask for your social security number, although that is optional. If you have a common name it might be extra insurance to include the social security number, but the colleges are generally pretty good about matching the pieces of the file together. As to why common app schools send their own applications it might be one of several reasons: 1) another touch point to get you thinking about applying to their school, 2) to ensure that kids who don't have access to the internet have an equal chance to apply, 3) because they require supplements to the common app, or 4) who knows?</p>
<p>I'm having the ACT scores sent and then the SAT's but not necessarily simultaneously. I hope they don't open two files. I know the Act registration asks for your SSN.</p>
<p>Our experiences were only with SAT's, never ACT's, but each time the SAT results go to the student's listed colleges LONG before those colleges see the first bit of written application from the student. Somehow they all catch up with each other, b/c the college opens a file upon receiving SAT's as their first indication an app may follow. </p>
<p>When the app comes to them, each college confirms receipt of the app, and many then give you a file name, code word, or some way to check in from your home as each next piece arrives (transcripts grades 9-12, teacher recs, Midyear sr. grad reports IF they also need those, etc.). There are lots of pieces and parts. But you don't need to ask for a file number YET; it'll come with confirmation of the received app, not the received SAT scores.</p>
<p>Some schools have different questions on their app than the Common App, so really look with a fine-toothed comb if anything's worded differently. If so, prefer the school's version to the Common Ap version. Watch for some schools that have "Supplements to the Common Ap." There, you'd file the Common Ap but also file more, just for them. On these "Supplements to the Common Ap" they might ask for one more essay or a few short answers to cause your child to reflect upon why, in particular, s/he is applying THERE. It makes it harder than just "clicking 10 buttons" and suddenly the child has applied all-too-easily, without thought, to l0 more colleges just because they only asked for Common Ap (and because parents found another $4,500 to put into app fees!!)<br>
A frequent question they ask on Supplements is: "Why do you want to study HERE?" so as you do your web research and visits (if you visit), all that can be expressed so they know you love them and would marry them, if they asked.
Sometimes, however, the Supplement questions are real brain-breakers, so be sure to allow time next year to cope with them and write well.
And, if all "the college's own app" means is an identical copy to the COmmon Ap, then yes that's because we can never assume that every child has a computer or ample access to one!
Welcome to CC; you'll get lots of great tips on these sites and won't feel you're trying to do this all alone.</p>
<p>Just make sure you write your child's name the exact same way each time. My son used a shortened version of his name on an interview form at one school we visited. They opened a second file for him since the name didn't match up with one that was already in the system. It took several phone calls to straighten things out.</p>
<p>One school actually did open 2 files on my son, one with a different next-door town listed as his address. We share a zip code with that other town, so that must be how that happened. Not every school opened an official file on my son before he sent in the application, but they all had his SAT and ACT scores filed so they could add them in when they did get the app and open the official file. I wish they wouldn't send the extra apps. Waste of paper.</p>
<p>The colleges will create the files, notify you with codes to follow the process, and receive the kids' bits and pieces of info all through the first part of senior year...BUT, they also get overwhelmed with stuff to file around December/Jan deadlines. So during mid-Jan to early Feb, you sometimes may have to phone or email in to make double-sure they receive everything you, your school, the recommending teachers SEND. That's called a "filing period" and it precedes their actual "reading period" when the deans sit down and read, discuss, prioritize their decisions. I had to chase down a few missing pieces, which is not unusual, by phone and email, but not until mid-Senior year. You're way before all that. Just count in some of your time (evenings, weekends) during child's sr. year to monitor the process, be sure your kid makes those phone calls to track missing info (or do it yourself--CC families differ on this; some prefer to teach their kids to do it, and of course that's better for teaching them responsiblity. Others say the kid is doing enough with just writing the apps and keeping up grades/Extra-curriculars in senior year, so the parents make those phone calls during school hours. Either way, it's important that SOMEONE in your household monitors all the apps from start-to-finish, b/c the colleges do get overwhelmed with papers.</p>
<p>Often, but not always, they'll send a note that a particular piece of info is still missing during the filing period, and that'll take you by surprise, but it can usually all be worked out by phone, even if stuff has to be re-sent.</p>
<p>on my post #4 above, I should have said $450., not $4,500. </p>
<p>Sorrr-eee!!!</p>
<p>We never received any "codes" from any of the schools to which our kids applied. But we did receive postcards periodically telling us what was missing. However, we only got these once an application had been sent. Both kids sent their SAT scores to schools to which they never applied. We never heard a peep from those schools. I agree...put your student's name (the same way) at the top of EVERY piece of paper you send in to the colleges. Also be very sure that your social security number is accurately recorded on finaid and other forms. DS reversed two numbers at one school...on one form. It was easily straightened out, but there was some confusion in the process.</p>
<p>The ACT and SAT may ask for a social security number, but I'm pretty sure it is optional. I don't think they report the social security number on the score report they send to colleges. As other posters have said, the colleges GENERALLY do a good job on keeping all the paperwork straight, but it does pay to follow up in January - February of the senior year just to make sure.</p>
<p>When you get much further down the road, there was one place we almost torpedoed 4 completed college apps. Just in case you don't return for more advice, please remember this (and you'll hear it repeated later this calendar year from others, I'm sure):</p>
<ol>
<li><p>After your child writes and proofreads the applications on the Common Application online site, and you're all totally satisfied, PUSH SEND.</p>
<ol>
<li>Then, look for links on that same website chart for your "Supplement to the Common Application" for each college, AND PUSH SEND.</li>
</ol></li>
</ol>
<p>From collegeconfidential, we knew about #1 above but almost missed #2 above. I recall asking my son, "Did you push 'Send'" and he said "Yes." Only by double-checking his work did we both discover the that #2, above, was a different step.</p>
<p>My sister-in-law has a smart son (her oldest) applying this same year as my smart son (my youngest) but we ended up this year with the same conclusion: no matter how many times you ask your child about process-related details, and even if they are wonderful about doing a lot of this work themselves, PLEASE double-check everything for them.
It's a big process with lots of pieces and parts for a kid. You'll see discussions about whether some parents are "too involved" etc. but in my family, we conclude that there's too much at stake for these kids to let them "learn from their mistakes" in the back-up of organizing and sending their college materials. Learn from mistakes, yes, but maybe not these mistakes.
Back them UP...you're already on the right track, I feel.</p>
<p>OP. Do NOT send ACT scores anywhere until your kid has decided that they are done taking the ACT. You have score choice. Only send the highest. ( I know they say we only look at the highest. But why take the chance ?)</p>
<p>Okay.. do not send ACT scores. Could an ACT score which is (relatively speaking) lower than a SAT score, be deal breaker? In other words two candidates, similiar stats.. One submits ACT score, one does not. Could the applicant submitting the ACT score have that referenced, (again if it were relatively lower than his/her SATS) and have it hurt him/her by comparison.
Am I over thinking this? Also to you parents in the Northeast .. How many times did your s or D take the ACT vs. SAT?</p>
<p>OP, conventional cc wisdom says that we should trust the schools when they say that they only look at the higest scores, the one's that show the student in the best light. But I have to think "everything equal everything available to the adcom", the kid with the extra but lower ACT score has to be at a disadvantage when it's head to head. But, again cc wisdom says otherwise. </p>
<p>For my D it was the reverse . Her ACT was higher by 100 points on the concordance than her SAT, although the SAT was very good. </p>
<p>Once we wised up, D only sent the ACT.</p>
<p>D took the ACT twice and the SAT twice.</p>
<p>Both kids took the SAT twice and the ACT once. For one kid the ACT was essentially the same as the SAT, for the other the ACT score was 130 points higher on the old ACT/SAP 1600 point concordance (University of Texas).</p>