<p>I thought I'd start a thread of what the parents of rising seniors can be doing this summer to help make next year less hectic. I'll let others share on visits, testing, etc. I am going to write on the subject of PICTURES!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Schedule your student's senior portrait (if that is done where you live.)</p></li>
<li><p>Think about the occasions for which you will need to come up with baby/childhood pictures: senior yearbook ad, ad in program for musical, slide shows for church or banquets, etc. At some point there will be a generation of parents whose photographs are all digital, but I've been doing a whole lot of scanning of shapshots lately.</p></li>
<li><p>As a grad gift, I had each sibling do a photo book of pictures of him/herself with the graduate. Mostly funny pix, but again, lots of scanning.</p></li>
<li><p>I came up with what I think is a nice idea. In my area, it is customary not to send grad gifts to kids in your own kids' class. But there are kids of which I am fond (or parents of which I am fond.) I scanned in some pix of the kids and made individualized photocards on Shutterfly. It will hopefully be a keepsake that at least the parents should appreciate. This project has consumed lots of hours; it would have been nice if I had thought of it earlier.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>missypie, this is faboulous! In oiur area, all the kids do Open Houses throughout the summer to celebrate graduation, and scrapbooks of all their accomplichments are vital. I am motivated to get this started now before the rush.</p>
<p>Her senior pics are scheduled. Will be meeting with choreographer in a few weeks for dance solo for college apps. Dance classes one day a week, girls state x 1 week in June. Meeting with math tutor twice a week. Studying for act for fall. Cheerleading practice starting in July. Try to fit in college visits. Ap Spanish homework, three ap English projects due June, July and august …extensive project on madame Bovary.</p>
<p>I think that is it. That is enough. No summer job, her studies are her job.</p>
<p>D will have her senior pictures done in August for the yearbook. We already have a photo shoot scheduled in early September with the photographer who took older D’s college headshots to come to the barn and do photos of D and her horse.</p>
<p>D is showing her horse all summer and H is videoing her jumping rounds to send to the colleges she is applying to for their Division I equestrian teams. D will also start working on some college essays. After she takes the ACT June 11th she will decide if she will prep this summer for the SAT or ACT in the fall.</p>
<p>and if you want to get anything done at the home before the grad open house, DO IT NOW!. I thought I had all this time to paint . . . never got done.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Daughter is working in a summer internship at a federal agency laboratory.</p></li>
<li><p>Essays and applications! I know she isn’t looking forward to this particular item.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Daughter is taking a college special effects makeup class and volunteering for mayor’s office. Visiting colleges with summer open houses and meeting with college counselor to write essays for applications. Anything to make the fall easier! I’ve been searching for pictures for slideshow for the last year and have picked favorites already - when you can do that at your leisure it’s much more fun!</p>
<p>Listen to Phil Collins singing “The Way You Look Tonight” for your daughter’s senior slide show, and I guarantee you will have tears in your eyes.</p>
<p>Do an activities resume BEFORE starting to write essays. Both my kids found that when they looked at the “big picture” when put into a resume, it pointed them in directions about essays and the connections between long-standing interests that were in retrospect, obvious, but not always clear in the rush of doing things and living life.</p>
<p>Unless someone has been collecting info on all those awards, job descriptions, etc., getting that data together can take some time, too. (Yes, I have folders dating back to kindergarten.) ;)</p>
<p>If you have a kiddo who is doing either research with the intent of submitting to Intel/Siemens or an IB full diploma student with an Extended Essay to research and write, substantial progress on the paper or the essays MUST happen this summer. Fall of senior year is way too action-packed, not counting EA or rolling admissions apps. </p>
<p>Siemens paper is due ~ 10/1, Intel ~ 11/15. Extended Essays will vary by school, but generally by mid-November.</p>
<p>We put up a big calendar in the computer room with deadlines and reminders.</p>
<p>No! Please chill. I did not start this thread to make people feel behind. We’re all just trying to prevent “OMG” moments in November or late Demember or mid-May or whatever.</p>
<p>One more thing: Make those “annual” checkup appointments (dr., dentist, eyes, whatever) sooner rather than later. Last year I ran into a friend and her son at the eye doctor. The kid was supposed to leave for college the next day. She had called for his annual appointment and it turns out their doc was leaving practice and she had to scramble to get an appointment with someone new.</p>
<p>One of my kids got to thoroughly enjoy his senior year, even with some incredibly-time consuming good stuff that developed during the year. The other one wound up with stress migraines.</p>
<p>The more battles you can avoid by prior planning, the better it will be for everyone in the family. I can’t tell you how scary second semester senior year was for me as S struggled to regain his footing. And this was a kiddo who had busted his tail and worked hard.</p>