<p>Heron - The best time to make up ones mind is when the fat lady sings out which colleges said yes. Before that, everyone is in a holding pattern holding their Yellow Tail.</p>
<p>Cheers, mates!</p>
<p>I'm going Profile... Wish me luck... I do my own taxes, but the Profile is @#$%^# worse than self-employment forms!!!</p>
<p>I wish had such devoted parent's. My mom is too occupied with finances and crazy siblings to worry about college pursuits. It sickens me to see all my idiot friends having their parent's hover above them like it's the first day of kindergarten. Maybe I'm just jealous, but I cannot resist hating these people who stalk the high school faculty and squeeze every resource and college-appealing activity to tac on their beloved's transcript. These kids would be nothing without their pushy, hand-holding parents. I wait for the future when mommy and daddy can no longer write the papers, essays, and letters for their "star" child. </p>
<p>When I was younger, I imagined college as the ultimate state of intelligence, but now I see the truth; it's just another race for ruthlessness and score-wh0ring. No wonder college graduation is at an all-time rate yet the population is more incompetent than ever. </p>
<p>To the Hollywood-parents: Enjoy your children's success, it won't last long. At least, not in the real world. </p>
<p>/Unstable HS sophomore seeking a new foster home</p>
<p>Yellow Tail, atavan, a brain transplant. Something.</p>
<p>Hey HSisOverrated -- I know what you mean that some parents are way over the top and some parents start grooming their kids' resumes for Harvard starting in grammar school. I think there's a happy medium, though. Most of us aren't on either end of the parental spectrum. I know some kids with hovering parents who've gone on to do amazing things. Others not so much. Success is a wild card, and I don't think parents are the deciding factor. I understand your anger, but don't let it get in your way.</p>
<p>My d has completed 1 app out of 7 - that was the ED. But all of the transcript requests have been submitted, so at least that's something !! My d is an art student, so she's working on her portfolio.....</p>
<p>Hooray for YellowTail.....</p>
<p>Mine has got the portfolio thing going on, too. Talk about an added layer of stress!</p>
<p>Heron, son is still far out at sea, but has been inching his way towards shore. Or maybe he's still on shore and hasn't cast off yet!</p>
<p>So what's DONE? List of 10 schools is done (he added one this week--our big State U! S did that himself; must be worried, but it has the major he wants), SATs done and sent, teacher recs and supplemental rec done/requested, forms/envelopes for transcripts in to GC this week (no early apps), screening CD sent to the one school that requires it (may record again for supplemental CD for BA schools when his awful cold is finally gone!), essay done for the one non-common app school.</p>
<p>NOT DONE: essays, ALL of them from the main essay to the supplements (except as noted above, which is not usable for other schools). He may have some rough drafts tucked away, perhaps in his head. This drives me nuts, as I am a firm believer in multiple drafts and lots of research. Also not done: 3, maybe 5 auditions (although he's set up the 3 for-sure auditions), travel arrangements (uh oh, I think that's in my corner). The repertoire list that goes with/before auditions. Voice teacher recs where req'd. And he's got huge EC commitments that get him home at 6:30, back out at 7:30, back home at 9:30 or later. And on weekends--why is there a winter play in December? Why are there all these Christmas services/concerts in December, right when he's got college apps to work on? ;) And a never-ending social life, especially when college friends come home for holidays. Oh, I almost forgot about academics--5 APs, for which he seems to be doing the minimum.</p>
<p>I happen to be also driven nuts by my own impossible deadlines from November to February, so I'm doing lots of ignoring right now (and shouldn't be on CC, but I've got to take a break now and then, right?). I'm sure that's good for him, actually.</p>
<p>Thanks for starting this topic. It feels good to have put it out there--looks daunting, but not impossible. Considering auditions may go until March 1, he'll/we'll have only part of March to wait in peace. Good luck and calm nerves to all.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Maybe I'm just jealous, but I cannot resist hating these people who stalk the high school faculty and squeeze every resource and college-appealing activity to tac on their beloved's transcript. These kids would be nothing without their pushy, hand-holding parents. I wait for the future when mommy and daddy can no longer write the papers, essays, and letters for their "star" child.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Acknowleged your frustration but not all parents are stalking the faculty. I don't write their papers and essays either. They would receive an F if I did. In fact, I'm still struggling/wondering if DD's Common Application main essay is too pedestrian(according to Harry Bauld's essay book).
I don't think AP English teacher is very helpful either.
We're all struggling here, especially for those DIY parents.</p>
<p>My D wouldn't even let me look at her essays. I played NO part in the application process - except to give her a hug when she was done. </p>
<p>Not all parents are hoverers or stalkers. And not all kids need that kind of involvement.</p>
<p>fyi, a discussion on last year's crunch time
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/275142-so-you-looking-forward-holiday-application-crunch-too.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/275142-so-you-looking-forward-holiday-application-crunch-too.html</a></p>
<p>don't worry, it gets worse :)</p>
<p>S assures us that he doesn't need our help, and he resists inquiries about where he is in the process. His effort has produced average grades and scores and so his best options are at rolling admissions schools. We've yet to persuade him that applying earlier versus later is better for him. Secretly, we believe a gap year would be best (I say secretly because he so far has strongly resisted suggestions to that effect), and so when I fret over his delay, I try to check myself by the knowledge that missing the boat this time around wouldn't be such a bad thing for his maturation process. But, it still feels like crunch time.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Maybe I'm just jealous, but I cannot resist hating these people who stalk the high school faculty and squeeze every resource and college-appealing activity to tac on their beloved's transcript. These kids would be nothing without their pushy, hand-holding parents. I wait for the future when mommy and daddy can no longer write the papers, essays, and letters for their "star" child.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>HSisOverrated, parents who hang out on CC are a different breed ;) Until a couple of weeks ago, I did not even know the name of my D's GC! And essays - ahem, look at my writing, it is not Shakespearean quality. </p>
<p>You are more than welcome to ask us for help - we share what we've learned in the process.</p>
<p>Everyone suffering from pre-EA/ED nerves is welcome in the Alley. We will have to make sure we have plenty of Yellowtail.</p>
<p>I'm referring to the thread, Sinner's Alley, over in the Cafe. Some great old-timers started it up and it offers absolutely zero information of value except what marmots look like. But it can be useful for dispelling angst...</p>
<p>OMG--I'm so glad to be done with this--I was a total basket case this time last year. Lots of wasted anxiety, but I experienced it anyway. The waiting was definitely the hardest part. It will be over--I can promise you that--but 2 months felt like 2 years. Unbelievable! Stay here and we'll talk you down.</p>
<p>A year ago I was stressed because dd had not finished her common app essay over Thanksgiving break, as she said she would. But this was good because that draft was not very good and she picked it up one day and realized she needed to start over and then wrote a phenomenal essay.</p>
<p>Everything got sent in the last possible day, pretty much.</p>
<p>When I saw that (some) other kids got things done ahead of time, yes, I felt like hitting my head against the wall! But all's well that ends well.</p>
<p>What's Yellowtail? We're two down + UC's, so 4 more to go by Jan. 1. She claims she has it under control...</p>
<p>To parents of seniors--my sympathies. I remember the angst well, too well. I can't tell you how many times this fall I thought how nice it was to be so much more relaxed than a year ago. Be forewarned though, if your child is applying for scholarships--Jan-Mar isn't much fun either. F/A, especially if the student is applying to multiple schools, will also require an unbelievable amount of your time. Dealing with F/A offices, especially in self-employment or other more complex tax situations, can be very frustrating. </p>
<p>The entire spring is spent waiting for the mailman (or the site to post decisions). In the case of S, his #1 choice was the very last decision, and the school used snail mail only. It was a very l o n g spring break. Happy to say, he's there now and loving it. S2 is a HS junior, so now we can repeat the process....</p>
<p>Hey Heron: there's nothing wrong with mechanics!! Sometimes you just need to go through the motions until you get to the point where you can take a deep breath and lay down your load!</p>
<p>And, actually I think your down side is actually an up side. When decision days come, your daughter will be in gravy if she hasn't completely set her heart on just one school. If she gets into a couple that she likes and has to choose between them...what a lovely situation to be in!</p>
<p>Good point, smile dog. That would be a good "problem" to have!</p>
<p>Kathyc -- Yellowtail=Australian wine, readily available in your local supermarket.</p>