<p>What is the general rule of thumb regarding how the bits and pieces of an application get submitted?</p>
<p>For example, does the common app get submitted online, but the teacher recs and transcript get sent snail-mail?</p>
<p>Or does the student print out the completed common app, walk it over to the GC, and then the GC takes the common app, along with the recs and transcript, and snail-mail the whole package?</p>
<p>There seems to be some confusion about this, with pieces of the app being sent in dribs and drabs.</p>
<p>I think the schools get everything in dribs and drabs....I do think that some schools are better than others at organizing the dribs and drabs. We know a girl last year who was admitted at the very last minute *to a state school honors college because the school repeatedly misplaced things that had been sent already. (The father got involved after the first round of submitting things; even if his daughter had spaced out, he knew that *he had sent the stuff.)</p>
<p>Some high school counseling offices insist on putting the whole application package together. Most do not--they have enough to do with just getting their own piece to the colleges! Do whatever is the norm for your school.</p>
<p>Just make sure that EVERYTHING you have sent to a school has your child's name (spelled correctly as it appears on the application), address, birthdate prominently on each thing sent. If you apply to a school that gives you an #ID number after applying, put that on anything you send as well. The school will start a file for each student...putting identifying information on each forms is very important!!!</p>
<p>For most private schools, there is a way to check online if all the pieces have arrived. I remember for son #1, we would check occasionally just to make sure.</p>
<p>D applies online. Test scores are sent online. Application fees are paid online.</p>
<p>D then fills out a "transcript transmittal form" advising the GC that she has applied to "xyz school" online and to please send the official transcript, letter(s) of rec, and D's resume to "xyz school" at "xyz address...", etc.</p>
<p>Both parent and student sign the transmittal form and once the GC submits the necessary documentation, the form is placed in D's GC file. We filled out 10 forms, for each college.</p>
<p>Most (though not all) schools will take either paper or electronic application. A few schools wave app fee if the application is submitted on line.</p>
<p>Teachers recs, Counselor rec+transcript and SAT/ACT scores are usually sent in separately.</p>
<p>As a general rule, it is better to have the common app + fee submitted first - it reduces the chance of other parts being lost, but schools will accept and hold the documents that arrive before the app, and file them later.</p>
<p>My advice would be to call and check to make sure that everything is there. Especially if you've sent supplemental materials for music or the arts, make sure that it got there and is noted in the file. Also, if the college has students apply both to a major or special program and to the college admissions office, call both places to make sure that both files are complete. Same goes for supplemental letters of recommendation that aren't on the official forms; the college may say your application is complete with only the required letters, and if you don't ask about the additional ones specifically, you'll have no way of knowing they're there. (I wouldn't be suggesting this compulsive stuff if we hadn't had a disaster with one kid, and a narrowly averted disaster that we wouldn't even have known about without the phone call with another.)</p>