<p>Why do I see all of these parents posting their kids' stats, asking about schools for them, and so on? These are posts the kids should be posting, questions which the kids should be asking, and work which the kids should be doing.</p>
<p>My parents never said a word to me about college; I was drooling at the University of Chicago's site in my sophomore year of college. I completed my applicaton essays during the summer withut my parents even knowing. And whenever I did have a question, I sought the answer on my own, whether from a university, my counselour, or this spectacular forum. And I'm by no means bragging; these were things which I assumed every kid my age who was even remotely-responsible was doing.</p>
<p>A word of advice to the parents: if your kids can't do their own college research, or have no desire to, then I'm not sure that Harvard is the best school for them. ;)</p>
<p>Glad to see some support gathering. :P I don't mean to offend parents: your intentions are good, moms and dads, but you're only serving as a crutch to your kid.</p>
<p>And in my first post, I meant to say sophomore year of "high school," not "college."</p>
<p>Every familiy's situation is different. You can't make blanket statements about what role parents should and should not have in the college search and selection process. Some children are very independent, needing/desiring very little imput from their parents. Obviously, you're one of them. Others very much need/desire the aid of their parents in making this life altering decision. I think it's very easy, from your current perspective, to believe that parents should have no meaningful role in this process (other than writing the checks, of course), but if you someday become the parent of a high school senior, you might find yourself with a very different perspective.</p>
<p>I would never post my kids stats. I sometimes mention what my kids got on SAT's , etc. when I see people agonizing over things.I share info., like 'my kid got in with a 1300, don't sweat it.' I think parents have the right to enjoy the process if they want to.After all, many of us will be paying for it. And I'm so happy to be a college grad and CARE and be able to offer advice if I can. I remember my parents left EVERYTHING up to me from an early age.I remeber being 17 and thinking, 'who will come with me to this college interview, mom and dad don't care.'Having kids is great and it's fun to enjoy them, even the college process.</p>
<p>My daughter's stats belong to her; it is her choice whether to post them (and my advice to her would be to NOT post them, if she asks). But she does expect me to be informed about colleges and assist her in research. However, she is doing more of her research now, especially since she is serving as an office aide for the college counselor. So I jump-started the process which she now controls.</p>
<p>I will say that reading these boards and researching the admissions process has made me much more realistic about her chances than I would have been.</p>
<p>I have parents who don't know the first thing about college. they never went, and they don't know ANYTHING, seriously, about college.. and they are unavailable to me, let alone help me with this. so I do it myself too. </p>
<p>sometimes I wish I had a parent like one of these CC mom/dads. I think what they're doing is okay.. they're researching, helping. as long as they're not APPLYING for their kids or forcing them (which i believe no one is doing, well mostly they're not) its OK.</p>