“I knew my schedule much better that he and we lived hundreds of miles away.”
That’s so true.
@CaliMex I was only focusing in on the math section for the second sitting because I was set on getting at least a 90%, but my overall score did increase by roughly 5%
DS and I both researched and discussed different schools. He decided which ones to apply to. We discussed SSAT scheduling because it was over 5 hours to the nearest testing location and we’d have to make it an overnight stay.
In general, when it came to scheduling visits, interviews, etc, we compared both of our schedules and made those decisions together. I’d call to schedule interviews during the workday while he was at school. I also booked flights, hotels, etc.
For the application itself, he did everything except pay the fee and the parent statements. He asked his old English teacher to help edit or make suggestions on some of his essays (he had trouble with ideas on some because of the random topics).
I traveled with him to interviews. (It always makes me wonder if my husband had gone, would DS have gotten different M10 results? Lol-- he is definitely a very different communicator than I)
DS made all email outreaches to coaches on his own.
I feel, compared to some, I was pretty hands-off. But that was an arduous process. One I am not looking forward to going through again in 3 years should DD decide BS is the oath for her. :-SS
I drove the car… which involved picking them up at JBS and leaving from there for the interview. There was a long weekend for JBS VII form kids… but you could only knock off so many schools .
After a SS tour/interview, I always held my tongue and let my kids speak first… even if it took hours which almost killed me on several occasions but I wanted to hear what their thoughts were first before I weighed in ( and ruined everything ) with mine. 
My husband who is famous for blurting out What was THAT ?? was on lockdown. Total liability all the way around.
Always an adventure…
Outside of that… not much. The beauty of JBS is they take almost all of it off your plate. Christmas Break was used to submit apps and my husband would always do a dramatic reading of our Parent Statement … instead of The Night Before Christmas. The kids took the SSAT at JBS… met with some SS AOs there when they came to visit ( think college night at a SS - more of an info gathering meet and greet )… consulted with the SS Placement Team/ their Advisor on a weekly basis , worked on their essays - which I saw but did not touch or give any input . Probably a good thing if you’ve read enough of my posts… step away from the red pen - I know…
We would usually get a letter from the placement team or an email blast saying: Everything is great!
Okay… if you say so!
I figured out logistics for interviews from home with their schedule in hand … Like a glorified overworked- underpaid Air Traffic Controller. My favorite thing was arriving at their JBS campus ( usually running a little late due to traffic ) only to find them disheveled with wicked bedhead… and then I’d have to find the nearest bathroom ( dorms were always locked ) and stick their head in the sink and roll them with a lint brush. I always had a spare tie in the glove compartment. With K2 , I had a complete outfit in a dry cleaner bag stashed in the back of the car… just in case.
There was definitely a part of me that wished we were heading home instead of back to school. It was very rushed… always had to be back in time for study hall and if we did have time for dinner or a late lunch on the road it was never relaxed .
All in all - we just held our breath like everyone else and hoped they’d find a great spot to live and finish out HS.
Same thing for college… rinse and repeat. Except by that time they were able to stick their own head under the faucet.
A fond JBS memory was during one JBS Parents Weekend when my husband asked a group of on edge VII Parents: How many of you couldn’t find Deerfield? LOL .
It’s a wonder any boys get through life intact, or at all.
Ha! Depends on which “boys” we’re talking about! My kids were totally fine… but my husband was a different story…
One more reason Photodad was eventually exiled from tours : We were in the Pomfret Admission building seated across from a really nice couple and their beautifully turned out son from Cardigan Mountain. Not one hair was out of place. My kid looked like he just exited a wind tunnel. The AO came out and I witnessed one of the most enthusiastic greetings I have ever seen … just gush, gush , gush. I found myself gushing along with her inside my head. He was charming, polite and absolutely adorable. When the young man was finally brought in for his interview, his parents got up to get a cup of coffee… they had just flown in from Idaho.
Just as they exited the room, I saw my husband lean over and whisper something in K1’s ear. Later, when I asked K1 what his dad had said, he told me: Don’t let that handsome kid and his snappy green blazer get inside your head- you’ve got this.
OMG. Please tell me I’m not alone! K1 said that by the time his interview rolled around all he could think of was the green blazer. Total mind block even though he knew his dad was just being… dad.
Just brutal. Or, the time Photodad asked an AO receptionist to copy a recipe from a magazine he found in the reception area . We can laugh now but that was a looong ride home for my husband.
After that he was voted off the island.
Minimize stress whenever or wherever you can. They can meet your husband on Revisit Day. By that time it will be too late.
Hi I think this is completely child dependent. We didn’t have any part for either DS or DD just agonzing in the background and the cheque part. All our discussions were before they put in but we were never shown anything until after it had gone. I suggested schools but when I did that was met with STRONG resistance…We mostly discussed everything though in the summer holiday while on vacation before senior year at our cabin - just random thoughts here and there on schools we liked and trying to get why don’t you like X etc…
We would have been very happy to have more input, editing etc. It wasn’t going to happen.
@PhotographerMom please let’s never get our husbands in the same room together. Or better yet—let’s do, but make sure everyone does not realize they belong to us and just sit & watch the spectacle! Wow! I thought I was the only one carrying that burden! :))
Oh the waiting room memories!
I made each kid make at least one scheduling phone call to prove they really wanted it (phone calls being at that time a terrifying obstacle). I gave them time/date options and coached them on what to say (Hello, I would like to schedule an interview, please…).
I know, @buuzn03 ! LOL That would be so funny!! 