Parent Help with Applications

Parents Forum
1

Curious…how much time are you spending helping out with the application process? I don’t mean the visiting and initial brochure conversations, but the actual “here’s the list”, now its time to get busy.

I freely admit that D applied to a lot of schools…18 to be exact. Six of them were EA and were done in October. Ten were due on January 1st and submitted, 2 more are due Jan 15th and she is finishing up those essays now.

I know D is overwhelmed with the process and if she could have she would have picked two or three schools and been done with it. That option wasn’t available to her, mostly because the NPC cannot calculate within reason the estimates and she was/is chasing merit aid. Sure, she could have enrolled at the lowest price state school but neither of us wanted that.

I did the original spreadsheet, listing the schools and the NPC figures (not that they really matter). I also separated the schools in to R/M/S, listed app prices, SAT means and deadlines, other necessary admission paperwork and miscellanous information such as honors programs, scholarships available and how much credit was given for IB classes. She and I went over each of the websites to determine they had at least two majors and minors she was interested in. We also did some research into whether financial aid would pay for study abroad. From that point, she did the essay and many, many supplements. She took the ACT, the SAT twice and the subject tests. She’ll take the subject tests one more time, so a total of five test dates.

I just put together another spreadsheet to check off when the acceptances come in (5 out of the 6 EA have come back) and how much merit $ was awarded. This spreadsheet also includes financial aid requirements and deadlines, as well as websites to check application status. I did the FAFSA on January 1st (the Profile was done in October) and I know both will need to be updated once my taxes are done.

For all this (and the ever-arriving papework it seems) I bought a large indexed folder to keep each school separate and then the financial aid copies, etc. as well.

She is working hard on the last two essays and will start on several scholarship essays as well (LEEP at Clark, Porter Presidential at Skidmore, Kotzen Scholars at Simmons, Leadership at Ithaca). I just feel so bad for her. This is of course on top of her regular schoolwork with very big biology and math exams this week and mid-term exams starting on the 13th. When I mentioned that she’d be able to relax again come February 1st, she reminded me that she has to complete her 4000 word Extended Essay, her Gold Award for GS and all her IB exams are in May. Woozers!

I’m glad I can take some of the pressure off but I’m getting a bit nervous that she is going to have a huge melt down. I am Type A and I’m having a hard time keeping up with the college process. On the other hand, I keep thinking that this is good practice in case she gets into one of her first choice, top tier schools. None of my other friends appear to be overwhelmed with the process and some of their kids are applying to a dozen schools as well.

So curious, how much are you helping your student keep organized and on top of things?

2

Are we twins? LOL. Actually, you are much more organized than I am.

If your D is melting down maybe it’s time to stop. She’s applied to some good schools. Something will work out.

3

Melt down has not happened yet (and has never happened) but I’m a bit worried about all the stress and anxiety this whole process is bringing on her.

4

PS. The interviews are what is starting to push my D over the edge. We just decided to stop. There comes a point where it isn’t worth the extra stress.

5

I did about what you are doing. But 18 is a lot… Not to change focus, but finishing that Gold Award & letting colleges know could help. There are GS scholarships, too from local councils.

6

I agree, the Gold Award will set her apart. How much does she care about these last two schools? I mean, we have two schools left too, due Jan. 15. But one she hasn’t even toured (Colgate). I’m thinking to chuck it just so we don’t have to keep up with it.

7

@redpoodles, D picked a handful of schools that were the top of her list and interviewed only with them if they can close enough. She did travel twice more than 2 hours each way to interview but the others were either locally (they came to the area) or as part of the visit.

@intparent: She listed projected Gold Award date on her commonapp and her resume (which went into a bit more detail) One of the scholarships she is applying for is from girl scouts. There are two schools on her list that seem GS-friendly :slight_smile: She had hoped to have it under her belt before January but the timelines just weren’t there for her. There was much more to it than she had anticipated, including two separate occasions where she had to drive two hours each way (yeah, we live in the boondocks lol).

8

@redpoodles: The last two colleges are Skidmore and Clark U. Skidmore is in the top 5, Clark in the bottom 5, both most likely academic safeties. Personally I don’t think Skidmore will come through with the $$, Clark only if she gets the Leep scholarship, but another few hours could be worth thousands and no sense in giving up now.

9

We already have those two schools behind us as far as apps. Good luck on the LEEP! My D didn’t get it. If she’s in the running for that she will probably most definitely get the Traina. The Clark people make the whole thing very personal. I mean in the best way. They will send her a personal video after they review her app. What does she want to study?

My D’s last two are Wellesley and Colgate. Both are done, but her essays are too meh to hit send. Hoping for better inspiration in a few days…

OMG I keep having to edit because I keep typing things like “our last two”. I am nuts. HER last two. Does this tell you anything about my involvement here?

I’m sure it’s b.c she’s my oldest and I have too much time on my hands at the moment…

10

Wow. That seems like way too many applications. I took my son on school visits last spring and this summer. Narrowed it down to a couple that he really liked. Applied to his favorite ED and was accepted. He visited that school twice and had an interview on campus.

11

If you are asking if this is too much parent involvement I will tell you that I did none of this…because I paid a private college counselor to do all of that (LOL!).

When some people object to parent help because “well what will your kid do in the real world” and its stuff like this I say “hire a top notch administrative assistant” because that is actually what happens.

12

Not everyone can apply ED. Most of those schools require NCP and so it is unlikely non-intact families can estimate well enough for the financial aid. Like I said, D would have been happy to pick two or three schools, that’s not the position my family was in. Count yourselves lucky.

13

@redpoodles: Originally she was interested in neuroscience but is now thinking biochemistry. The only school on her list (and that we could find that was a match for her in most ways) is University of Scranton ~ they offer a Forensic Chemistry/Criminology package that is exactly what she is looking for. Her long-term goal is to work with the FBI in some type of profiling/lab position. Biochemistry is more likely to get her prepared for a graduate degree that will make that possible. Time will tell. And your D? FWIW, D also applied to Wellesley.

14

Also forensics and biochem! Ha, I’m just kidding. ;p My D is looking at envi-sci and environmental engineering programs. I don’t think she knows exactly where she wants to end up just yet. It seems like we have a lot in common in this application cycle.

I know someone who worked on a body farm while in college a few years ago. There are only a few of them in the country–I think UTennKnoxville has one and gives excellent scholarships based on GPA/SAT. I think there’s a big one in Texas as well.

15

18…no wonder she was meh when the first acceptance came in. That seems over the top. I too made my son’s list (otherwise there would be no applications) for 2 safeties, 2 matches, and 2 reaches.

16

Again, 18 is a lot, but I’m not sure we could have lightened the list to much less than a dozen. She threw an extra safety or two in there, and a very high reach ED2 at the last minute.

@redpoodles: Yes, UTennKnoxville does have a body form and she looked there but its huge and only houses about 1/3 of the students. She (and I) really want the on-campus for at least two, probably four years, experience for her.

17

You guys, my D applied to more than 18. I don’t mind wearing the crazy crown. If you are chasing merit money, you have to apply to a lot of places, and a variety of places. Because you have no idea what will come back until it does. So far she has gotten 9 scholarships, and they vary by as much as 50K (disqualifying the tiny merit she got from our state flagship). If I had only let her apply to the 6 of her choice (2 of which have already deferred her even though her stats were matchy), she’d probably have to stay home.

18

Six apps. S came up with list. One solid, satisfying safety, two matches, three reaches. I suggested a few other places, he wasn’t interested.

No spreadsheets. This is his project. He shares essays with me and a teacher for proofreading, Took each of the key tests once and quit. He made good scores, probably could have squeezed out a few more points here and there, but not enough to give up the morning again.

Call me old fashioned, but I still think this is my kid’s process, not mine; if he can’t get organized enough to get into school x, then he isn’t ready to go there. I know that sounds harsh, but that is how I view it. He is a smart kid, but still immature in a lot of ways. Taking charge of this process will help him grow up. He will wind up at the appropriate school.

He still feels stressed. He is taking a fierce course load this semester, plus sports and the usual ECs. There is no way he could have handled any more apps.

19

I wonder how much of this is regional. My niece in a small OK town hasn’t applied ANYWHERE yet. She hasn’t even taken the SAT and she’s a senior with a decent GPA. But their deadlines are later than ours–like, March, or something. And when it comes to it, she will probably apply to two, and if she doesn’t get in to either, she’ll just keep working at her teenager job. And that will be the right thing for her. But here, where I am, most people are mega stressed out and overbooked. You can see it on the faces.

20

Good point. Six is in the upper end for kids here. We have strong public colleges, and live in an economically mixed area. The wealthier families send out more apps. Many kids apply to one and are done.