<p>What is the best way to update schools that the applicant has won a couple of awards not on the original application? We're leery of asking GC to do this - his office is overwhelmed right now and we think it would be low priority since D is already accepted at her EA school. It feels as if it might get lost in the chaos out there if she just mails a note describing the awards to the admissions office. Silly issue but I think she (and I) are so exhausted with application issues that we just can't seem to think this one through.</p>
<p>Assuming it is a financial award, since your daughter is already accepted, wait for the final financial aid forms. You'll have to list all outside financial awards. </p>
<p>There are no good reasons to bother the admissions' office with non-monetary awards during the busiest time of the year. There will be plenty of time to update a file before starting school --if that matters.</p>
<p>First of all, congrats to your D. Second, have your D email a note to the admissions office. Schools are pretty familiar with this and usually will email back a note saying that they will put the info in the file. If you don't get the responding email right away, I would put it in the snail mail. This is what my D did a couple years ago. Any other suggestions?</p>
<p>Thank you momofgrowingkids. It's a great problem to have but we're having trouble noodling through it. I did take a look at the school websites and they have warnings posted that they have such an avalanche of emails that they aren't reading them very quickly. I guess your suggestion to email plus snail mail makes most sense.</p>
<p>DS sent a one-page note in the mail to the regional rep at each school, if he had one. Otherwise, it was addressed to the admissions office. His concern that an email to a generic admissions email address would get lost in the avalanche of papers. (Of course, one could say the same thing about sending a letter by mail.) If there is an online link to the award, including that can serve as confirmation. </p>
<p>Some schools will vary -- UChicago asks for updates on their online mid-year update; Caltech sent a separate form for deferred apps to complete and return indicating one wants to continue to the RD round. A couple of DS's schools didn't want a mid-year update, but we sent the letter w/awards anyway, as these schools also offer merit $$.</p>
<p>We figured we wouldn't bother our GC. She has too much other stuff to do. If she mentions the awards in her mid-year report, fine.</p>
<p>If you received a certificate or letter noting the award, fax a copy of it to the Admissions Department with a cover letter -</p>
<p>Thanks, guys. I knew I could count on CC for this. Counting Down, I agree with your take on GC offices right now - they're swamped.</p>
<p>My son got his NM notification and a Presidential Scholar nomination last year. At the same time, he participated in an amazing choral performance for a NYC dance company. We did put together a snail mail notification of these awards/events for admissions offices.</p>
<p>Couldn't have hurt.</p>
<p>Thanks, bethievt. It's hard in the eleventh hour to still summon the energy to pursue these things but my D, like your S, wants to give it her very best shot. Didn't realize your son was such a power scorer - congratulations on that and his obvious artistic accomplishments, as well.</p>
<p>We want to send the information re:Presidential and D has also won a regional gold key and American Voices award in Scholastic Writing. It was her college app essay that a teacher insisted she submit. Lots of mileage on 500 words.</p>
<p>Our GC, who was otherwise faultless, thought NM was the same as presidential scholar. I would never had expected their office to send out extra material. This is one where I helped my son. I addressed and stamped the envelopes and gathered up 10 newspaper clippings about the choral performance. He wrote up a brief announcement about the other 2 honors.</p>
<p>Regarding post #5, it is a good idea to check school websites before addressing info to the regional admission officer. Duke's website,for example, says not to send application materials to regional officers. In this case, it's probably better just to address it to admissions in general.</p>
<p>Who would have thought the simple task of transmitting information could be so complicated? D's GC says he could send the information but he thinks it would be best coming from her - would show sustained interest. Unfortunately, I have the feeling she's going to have to take a customized approach for each school - some seem to prefer emails, some faxes, some snail mail, some online updates to the application. Yikes. Oh well. Just all part of this crazy year. </p>
<p>Please tell me it's easier once they get to college. I find it hard to callibrate my involvement. Like every hs senior, D is spread very thin across too many APs, EC obligations, senioritis and a very valid desire for a social life, plus these endless application issues. I really don't see how she can manage it all so I find myself jumping in from time to time -- like now -- just to help figure out logistics. Feels awkward though. There's so much press about the dread helicopter parent.</p>
<p>Yes, Mammall. It is almost too easy now that my dear son is in college. He has not had one single problem he couldn't handle on his own, even though I was constantly helping him out and waiting on him at home. My husband thought I was doing too much for him and not giving him room to learn how to do things for himself, but I was pretty sure he would be smart enough and capable enough to pull it off. Right again, bethievt!</p>
<p>Go ahead and help her out with admissions stuff if you have the time and inclination. The admissions office won't know who is sending the stuff in. I did all kinds of logistical support for my son. I figured he was doing the heavy lifting--school work, EC's, testing, applications, essays, interviews, being an all-around super kid so he'd get good rec's (I hope that's not <em>why</em> he was super, but you know what I mean). There are so many things we can't help them with, that I felt great about being his adminstrative assistant.</p>
<p>Again, the only thing we've done for him since we left him on campus in August is make plane and airport shuttle reservations. I would like to have more involvement, but I'm pleased that he's so competent.</p>
<p>^ Just what I needed to hear right now. Enjoy the peace, Beithievt. Internships, careers, first jobs, first apartments, first love - they're all just around the corner and he will no doubt again find your involvement a huge help.</p>
<p>Both of my children sent update letters in Jan. or Feb. (I forget exactly when as this was a few years ago) about significant awards and activities that occurred after their apps had already been filed. I recall D1 sending these by snail mail to her admissions regional rep. I can't recall if D2 used snail mail or email. This is entirely appropriate for a student to do if they have some significant update (s), and they can reiterate their interest at the same time. Mammall, your child's accomplishments are very worthy of sending into the colleges. I do not think this should come from the GC even if the GC had the time. </p>
<p>As a mom of two college kids, I can say that the level of "assistance" definitely wanes in college but I am still involved in certain capacities. For instance, for my D who is an applicant to grad schools, she definitely sought out professors and career counselors to review her resume and essays, but she also was having me go over them and give feedback and same with letters to her rec writers and all that. She wants the input and I am happy to give it. I don't do anything for her. She definitely shares about it and wants the feedback and guidance. She also seeks it from those at school as well. Also, I can tell you that the angst that comes with college admissions never really goes away because there are other junctures such as their summer job hunts, internships, casting (for one of my kids), grad school admissions, etc. and so this sort of thing comes up all over again!</p>
<p>It probably does keep happening to some extent, but I know I am MUCH more mellow about his college grades than HS grades. I never pressured him about grades in HS but I was much more concerned about them because I wanted him to have all the best chances for college admissions. I feel as if grad schools will view less-than-perfect grades from his college as still good enough and I don't think college grades really mean much in the world of work. So I feel that he's jumped through the biggest hoop already.</p>
<p>It's not the grades or anything like that. What I meant is the PROCESS of applying/waiting for all these other "acceptance" sorts of things and going through the unknown aspect and it is in someone else's hands, etc. I wasn't really involved in grades in HS or now with them in college. It so happens that my kids want to do well and our only expectation is to do your best. It happens to be a nonissue for us with them. </p>
<p>But I was talking more the angst of who will grant them acceptance for the internship, the job, the grad school, or for one of my kids, constant auditions in her field. All these experiences we have shared with our kids since HS all involve the "unknown" and some stress or angst. It didn't end with college admissions, I meant. One of my kids is a grad school applicant and most of her schools accept about 10% of those who apply. Here we go again! Grades actually are the least important in her particular process (though she has good ones). It is very subjective and the biggest chunk of getting in is based on a portfolio. Anyway, I have gone through the "big wait" with them several times over since graduation from HS....for summer jobs, internships, auditions, grad school, etc. Right now, one has the summer job offer lined up. Another has to go through the entire competitive internship application process all over again for this summer like last summer, and in fact simultaneously with grad school admissions. So, it never really ends on that front, it seems. I'm less involved in their lives but I am still involved in that they share about this stuff, want some guidance, etc. And like with college admissions, the outcome is in someone else's hands and so there is a lot of wondering and waiting and hoping involved.</p>
<p>Thanks for raising this question, mammall. My son had planned to ask the GC to include a short update with midyear grades (which haven't yet gone out at my son's HS) but this thread caused me to rethink that plan. I phoned Admissions at his schools. They want snail mail sent directly to Admissions, not to the Regional Rep. At this late point, they said, both e-mail and fax are overloaded and so are not reliable methods of transmitting information.</p>
<p>My son sent snail mail about his Presidential Scholar nomination, with the GC's encouragement. However, the GC says colleges really don't care whether you advance to NM finalist from semifinalist. So I wonder if S ought to send in a second letter about National Merit, or just assume adcoms don't care. Any advice?</p>
<p>rainmama - Maybe adcoms are ho-hum about advancing to NMF from NMSF - but typical high school seniors and their families are pretty excited by it. I'd like to include it in my D's update if it comes in time and if she gets it.
Does anyone know when those come out?</p>