common app recommendation

Hi Parents,

I have a question regarding sending common app without counselor recommendation.

If the counselor has not yet added their recommendation to common app
If it is rolling admissions
If the student submits the application (the counselor recommendation is automatically added to each college automatically, but in this case even if it is added, it is blank and counselor not yet submitted status)

  1. How does this impact college admission?
  2. if the counselor adds the recommendation to the common app later on (after the college application is already submitted), will recommendation go to already submitted college or will it go only to future application submissions there on?
  3. If the counselor recommendation is not added, then how will the college know the high school profile and course rigor?

There are two different components to an application-- the kid’s application and the packet that goes from the high school. That packet contains the transcript, the letters of recommendation from teachers and guidance counselor, course descriptions, and I’m not sure what else.

My guess is that the counselors are right now swamped with the Early Admission/ Early Decision applications. Many of those deadlines are November 1, so the packets will have to go out in the next 15 or so school days.

After that, the guidance counselors can turn their attention to the slowly growing stack of Rolling Admissions apps on their desks.

The colleges know all this. That’s why even Rolling Admissions apps don’t have a 2 or 3 day turnaround; they simply sit and wait for the guidance counselors to have the chance to do their end.

In my school, and in my kids’, each college applicant fills out a form of some sort listing each school to which he has applied. Once the counselors get those forms… and can come up for a breath… they send their packet to each school on the form. If a kid adds in more schools in a week or two, he fills out more forms requesting more packets.

In my school, the transcript requests are color coded-- one form for EA/ED, another for Nov deadlines, one for Dec deadlines, and one or two other colors for deadlines after the new year. That way the deadlines can all be met.

And, while my kids’ school does all one color, they both applied early for rolling admissions, and had answers by or shortly after Christmas.

So… short answer to your question: the guidance counselors are in the business of getting kids into college. They know the deadlines and the procedure. As long as your child follows the school’s protocol and gets those transcript requests in, they’ll send the whole packet including the counselor letter of recommendation.

I have to say that my daughter’s one rolling safety admitted her and awarded her merit long before they got the official transcript and LORs. Have your daughter do her portion and then just periodically check to be sure the LORs get done at some point. My daughter had an issue with one of her recommenders who had trouble uploading to the coalition app. The GC helped him work through it.

Thank you Parents for your replies.
I am not sure of our high school policy in this case.

This is for Early admission application.
From my understanding for Early decision, the counselor and student have to sign some form.
is there a form for Early Admission as well?