<p>Oh my gosh - it is here already! The semester is over and Ds is working, taking CC class, learning to drive, and is OFF THE COUCH! Senior year is only 2 1/2 months away, rolling admission applications already online, a few college visits are planned, and, all of a sudden, there is no "stopping the clock". Eeek.
I made the ceremonial trip to Office Depot and purchased a sturdy black-metal rolling hanging file folder cart, complete with colorful hanging file folders. I then purged my personal files, and entertained myself making new files for DS. I did this with DD (soon-to-be junior in college), and the little cart goes to school with her - very portable and useful. Made hanging files for OOS public, OOS private, Instate public, Instate Private schools, medical info, Bank biz, employment, HS papers, common app, taxes (now that he is employed. :) ), etc, then made files to go in there, too. Next on my list is to make a spreadsheet of application deadlines, timelines for his favorite schools. My job as administrative assistant begins again. (We could debate whether he should be doing this himself - but I like my role in this affair.) :)
So, what are you all doing as this college application season launches itself?</p>
<p>Noooooooooooo--let us graduate the class of 2006 first!</p>
<p>anxiousmom--
Why do you separate your files into out-of-state public, out-of-state private, in-state public, and in-state private? What columns are on your spreadsheet? Thanks.</p>
<p>Sorry, ellemenope! I forgot that the whole US of A is not on the Texas schedule! Our seniors graduated on May 25th, and have already moved on to summer vacation. (School here starts the year mid-August). I forgot that, for many of you, high school graduation doesn't take place until mid-June. And here I was, rushing on blindly towards the future....<br>
I can wait. Really I can. <em>tapping her fingers impatiently on the desk</em>.</p>
<p>Actually, anxiousmom, I consider the adventure "starting in earnest" when the kids take the SAT/ACT in May/June of junior year.</p>
<p>MissouriGal:
I was just writing the boring details - but I can add even MORE boring details if you would like! :) I make a hanging file-folder for 4 categories of colleges (OOS, instate, private, public)- then make individual manila folders for each college DS is interested in. All the junkmail/information from that college gets thrown in there. It's just one way to organize the files - and I do it because I don't have enough hanging file folders to use one per school.<br>
As to the spreadsheet - I set it up with headings for schools he is applying to, and rows with requirements for application; number of recs, date due, number of essays, date due, etc.
Later on, I will make a spreadsheet comparing college characteristics (number students, location, strength of department, possible price,) then another one when financial aid offers come in, with "bottom line cost" and anticipated future costs for each school.
I hope this is not more info than you wanted. :)</p>
<p>anxiousmom--
You couldn't possibly add too much detail for me. I like to organize files ad nauseum, and I greatly appreciate learning from the work of other fanatics LOL. All tips welcome.</p>
<p>Definitely. My parents, as they immigrated here ~20 years ago, know nothing about the college admissions process so I'm going it alone. I'm sort of a neat freak and talking about different ways of organizing thing is a favorite pasttime. No, not really, but still. :)</p>
<p>Argh. July 1 needs to come quicker so I can see the new common app as most of my faves use only the CA.</p>
<p>Well, we have already visited all the schools in which he is interested, eliminated several and are left with those to which he will apply. Now we will look at those in earnest. He is already going to spend 4 days at one of those at the end of June to explore one of his areas of interest. He will stay in the dorm and eat in the dining hall - a great way to get a feel for the campus. I, too, have a filing system, but not quite as elaborate as anxiousmom. I use plastic storage boxes and put all the paperwork and catalogs in there. I had set up a grid similar to anxiousmom's when we were originally comparing all the schools - it worked well! I used headings of location (how far from home they were), majors in which he was interested, cost (tuition, room and board), number of students, whether it had Greek life and to what extent, freshmen retention rate, and average gpa, SAT and ACT.</p>
<p>For his part, he just took the June SAT and will take the ACT next week. So we are off and running. Good luck to everyone and enjoy the trip!!!</p>
<p>Good luck to all of you on this journey. During the next year, time will pass sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but it will pass. Y'all are in for quite a thrill ride!</p>
<p>I got manila folders, with a bunch of stuff crammed into each one. Sort of the way I handle my taxes. I wouldn't exactly call it "organized" yet, unless it's "organized chaos". But it works for me. I know where the stuff is, and I can find it when necessary. I do have 2 "cheat sheets" with notes as to which schools require essays, interviews and/or recommendations other than the GC report. That's about it.</p>
<p>We're trying to be organized as well. We set up a file box system - one for schools she will be applying to and one for schools that are sending information that she might be interested in. Each school has its own file folder - nicely labeled. Once we get a final list of schools, she is going to set up a binder containing copies of important information and a to do/due date list at the front. Unless she shortens her list significantly, we may need several binders! I have also set up a spreadsheet with general information about the schools she is interested in. We are in the process of planning an August visit to schools in the NE. Had a good visit to University of Chicago last week.</p>
<p>Doesn't anyone else use the dining room table system? OK, I have the file boxes, the folders, love my label-maker. But I am too busy actually to do the filing, except every few weeks. So, I have various piles on my long table--SAT stuff, college viewbooks, current grades, etc. I know where the piles are, and no one else touches them. When S or H need something, I retrieve it. For most of the year we do not eat in the dining room (kitchen table or outside on the porch). This system worked pretty well for S1 several years ago. We have since moved to another house but I made sure it had a large enough (and separate enough) dining room for our big table. We will probably host family for Thanksgiving dinner, so all the apps will have to be done by then! I really like being able to spread out. And with laptop computers and wireless internet, we can do the searching, applications, essays, etc. in that room as well.</p>
<p>You're all way ahead of me. I have file folders, but I'll have to clean out a spot for all of the college application stuff, time to start a spreadsheet too. My D actually went through all the school mailings that she's been keeping and threw away the ones she's sure she's not interested in applying to.</p>
<p>School is not over for us yet, but she took her last SATII on Saturday, so standardized testing is finally finished. Her GC of three years is leaving, but he's agreed to write her an evaluation to give the the incoming GC something to work off of next year. Right after school ends she's heading to Grinnell for a month long summer program. She'll start essays in August and try to get the rolling and common applications completed before school starts in September. Somewhere in between we'll take a vacation to see some plays and climb a mountain in southern Oregon.</p>
<p>I think what I did was have two garbage sacks one for stuff to donate to the local high school and one to go through at some point in time-
I soon upgraded to file folders where she put info from the 8 schools (soon narrowed to 4) that she was interested in- and a box of recycling for everything else ( although I think I still have the catalogs from the womens colleges someplace- because I thought they sounded great even though she couldn't have been less interested)
SHe graduated in 06 but I still have a rising junior so I am keeping my hand in ;)</p>
<p>Oh my goodness. You've made such a good point. My baby is about to be a college-bound senior. Nooooo!!! I'm not ready. I'm going to miss her so much. My daughter's school graduated its senior class on Saturday, so we're at 363 days left now. </p>
<p>We have visited many colleges on her list and have appointments to visit a couple of more. She has chosen the teachers she would like to ask for recommendations and has prepared/updated her resume. I have obtained a PIN for FAFSA (I'm going to handle the financial stuff). I have a large notebook with pages for notes on each college, we have file folders for each, as well, and have pulled together all the general information she will need for her applications. I have put into those folders all of the fee waivers we've received and we are both ready to begin filling out applications as soon as they are available. Daughter has also done some draft essays that she will flesh out when the time comes.</p>
<p>Mostly what I'm doing is praying. I'm praying that this year goes slowly and that in the busy-ness of college applications I don't wish it away. I'm praying that I say or have said all the important things that I've always meant to. I pray that my darling has a wonderful and memorable year. I pray that she has learned to be safe in whatever environment she finds herself, I pray that I'll always have a place in her life, and I pray that I can walk back to the car with dignity on dropoff day and wait till the car is out of sight before the waterworks come.</p>
<p>"I have obtained a PIN for FAFSA (I'm going to handle the financial stuff)."</p>
<p>With the online tools. it has become trivial to obtain the FAFSA Pins. However, please be aware that you'll need one for the parents AND one for the student.</p>
<p>Zoosermom you brought tears to my eyes and I've got a freshman from college home for the summer and a rising junior so am relatively application-madness free at the moment. </p>
<p>And I don't even pray:).</p>