<p>lol vu_preuss. My brother said that to me - he was kidding - about my PSAT. </p>
<p>anyway, my parents are completely clueless. Which is good, but now they want to get all involved (understandably, I suppose) in which college I go to, and I'm really not used to all their "intrusion."</p>
<p>I experience two types of parenting when it comes to my academics. My mom, who reacted to my original 34 on the ACT by saying "oh, I was hoping you were going to get a 35" and my grades from 5th semester that made my class rank jump 3% to the top 6% by saying "I was really hoping you'd get into the top 5%" seems to be constantly disappointed in me. However my dad is ecstatic whenever I do something that is above average. Any time I raised my grades he would want to celebrate (even at times when I wasn't even happy with my accomplishments). Unlike my mom, when my dad heard that I got a 34 on the ACT on the first time he was quick to take me out to dinner to celebrate and call all his relatives and brag (he then did the same in a more extravegant matter when I later got a 35). </p>
<p>I think part of what causes my parents to act this way is that my mom thinks that going to a top-notch college is vital for success in life, while my dad knows from first-hand experience that the college isnt as important as the person.</p>
<p>
how would I know there were "754805398608356 threads like these already" oh right, i forgot i keep "wasting [my] time on things that have no consequence to [my] life."</p>
<p>That is why I responded to this thread for no reason other then to complain, yet I have every right to lecture those who "waste their times on things that have no consequence to my life." And thats why I made 608 posts in a forum which has "no consequence to my life" Still, it is alright for me to chastise you for getting involved in things that are not your business, yet it is perfectly acceptable to get involved in things which are not my business. </p>
<p>Woah, thisyearsgirl, im starting to sound a lot like you...
Last time I checked, this was a public forum. What is posted here becomes the business of anyone who chooses to read. I also fail to see the similarities between your making a thread for the sole purpose of bashing a group of people, and my making any number of (civil, respectful) posts regarding things that do concern me (college admissions). You should probably work on that attitude...start by learning to distinguish between honesty and rudeness.</p>
<p>true, it's interesting to discuss opposing points of view on this matter, but perhaps we should refrain from preaching one way or the other....</p>
<p>I know IHATESAT was partially referring to me (he gave an admittedly "snippy" response to one of my SAT questions), so let me explain myself:</p>
<p>My daughter concentrates on her schoolwork, her active social life and her many ECs. I have not helped her with a homework assignment or project since elementary school.
I have been researching the college process since the GC at her school is clueless. I apply absolutely NO pressure to her, but I do help guide her with the info I get here and elsewhere. So I am acting as a researcher and GC for her. Choosing a school, going to interviews, filling out applications will be her job. I will only help if asked and never second guess. She does value my opinion and I appreciate that.</p>
<p>"We've had 754805398608356 threads like these already; give it a rest. What other people's parents choose to do is none of your business. They're not making threads criticizing you for wasting your time on things that have no consequence to your lives; why don't you all just go ahead and return the favor?"</p>
<p>It is our damn business when kids come here making posts about how stressed they are just because their parents aren't satisfied with a 2250 SAT score. And I've seen posts here where the kids are BEATEN (yes, BEATEN) because they got a B+. That's way too obsessive. My parents support my education endeavors, but they don't really know anything about the SAT or anything. They just get me on my feet when I have to do schoolwork and such. When I read threads in the Parent Forum about "is it ok if your S/D doesn't get into a reach school" I think to myself are these parents insane? So what if their child doesn't make it to a reach school - there's a plan for everyone and it will all work out. When parents wake up in the morning to check their son or daughter's scores before them, that is definitely obsessive.</p>
<p>audiophile - you are exactly like my mom. She'll nudge me to do my work, but will never do it for me and if I don't do it then I suffer the consequences of a bad report card. That's the best way - it's parental support, which is needed, but it's also having the son or daughter take their own responsibilty. You're a good parent!!</p>
<p>
[quote]
I think we can conclude from this that no one is entirely happy with their parents
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Um, yeah. And sometimes it doesn't change in 20 or 30 or 40 years either ;)</p>
<p>Anyway, back to the OP's comment. I'd say I'm a bit more obsessive over this whole thing than my husband (S's dad). This is good because if I'm going a little overboard, H is there to tell me to lay off for a while. S wants to go to some very selective schools; I just tell him what scores he will likely need to get there. Believe me, I am not the one who picked the schools he is talking about. In fact, I am the one trying to find realistic safeties and matches for the kid!</p>
<p>Matt630- no need to be such a jerk. S also concentrates on his sport and his academics. He has picked out some very selective colleges, and I am the one charged with bringing some reality to the picture. If I happen to know when the scores are released, what is so obsessive about me collecting them from the internet and telling him what they are? He thinks most of the kids here on CC are absolute nerds and have no life. There is a lot of important information here, and sometimes the parents are in a better position to collect it. That isn't being obsessive- it is being practical.</p>
<p>many of the parents have yet to post a response though...</p>
<p>When you first get to this website the parents may seem obsessive and at times annoying, but then you read their posts and learn a little about them and realize that they're just your average helpful, (sometimes a little more informed about college than others), concerned parents. Lay off 'em!</p>
<p>I admit that I get very very very very annoyed when parents hold the hands of their children up to their 18th birthday. I guess that I stereotype parents very quickly when I see them posting on here as being a housewife/husband having nothing better to do in the day than post on a highschoolers website. I apologize and I guess that some of this could simply be a root of jealousy, wishing that my parents cared a little about my post secondary education. But one thing I've learned is how to take care of myself and my paperwork much better. I'm applying to service academies and it just makes me angry when PARENTS complain about the paperwork involved, because the kids should be complaining, kids like me. Now I would appreciate if my parents maybe did some research on forums like this, but doing the paperwork and applying to colleges is definately NOT the job of the parents.</p>
<p>I appreciate my parents take on the whole SAT thing. They are involved enough to care, but as long as I don't screw up, they basically let me control my own destiny.</p>
<p>yeah my parents try to be involved, but they are so misinformed that it just annoys me more than it helps.</p>
<p>i remember when i was taking the PSATs my mom was pestering me about how important it was to get a good grade on it to go to a good college, even though PSAT scores are not used for admissions purposes.</p>
<p>then there's my dad who thinks that EC's are useless and always wants me to stay at home and study. I keep telling him that EC's are very important for college, but he keeps yelling "if you get a 1600 (old SAT) then you wouldn't need any EC's to begin with" which is not true at all, because applicants with 1600 were regularly rejected because their other areas were weak, while many 1450-1500 applicants who are overall solid (many EC's, sports, good character, etc) are accepted to top schools.</p>
<p>And yeah, believe me when I told him I got a 2110 on my SAT, he used a proportion like vu<em>press</em>06 described and noted that I hadn't even earned 90% of the points. Trust me, I tried to explain, but his stubborness wouldn't give. Geez, some ppl (my parents) need to get a clue. I just hate the fact that a lot of parents would get together in the neighborhood sometimes and talk about kid's school, college, life in general, and they have no idea what they are talking about. If my parents are actually right about something, I respect that, but when they are wrong and they keep insisting, that makes me mad.</p>