<p>Don't fret about getting honors/awards when it no longer matters for college admissions. My older son is a sophomore at Rice and he (finally) received long undue recognition from his high school at graduation (such as The Malcom Cravens Award for Four Years of Math Excellence), etc. At the time I thought, I'm so happy he finally has received recognition, but it's a shame he can't use it for his college apps. Well, last night I was helping him put a resume together because he was asked to submit an application for a Goldwater Scholarship, and he got to list all of these late awards/honors. (Crossing fingers he gets nominated.) I guess it never ends...</p>
<p>And younger son got his Tulane acceptance in the mail yesterday. He received a $24,000/yr scholarship and admission to the Honor's program. It was a happy day in our house! </p>
<p>Wishing everyone a productive application weekend. My younger son has promised me he'll finish up his art supplement this weekend.</p>
<p>Okay, am I the only parent doing a lot of the application work? Obviously I can't do the writing of the statements, but I've done the UC and CSU inputting and the basic information on the Common App. I feel like S should be doing the work, but it's easier for my own psyche do know it's done early....helicopter parenting. I suppose it would be a better life lesson for him to have to crunch it all out at the last minute or risk not getting them done in time, but it feels like I'm doing it for my own self-preservation of sanity rather than teaching my S.</p>
<p>It IS tempting to do it for them, especially when we fear they won't do it well or in time. But I think we run the risk of depriving them of an important sense of accomplishment/mastery--or instilling a sense of entitlement--if we get too much into the "doing" of the process. I find it really hard not to micro-manage too. Our GC said (and she is wise and experienced): "Kids need to do the work of getting in. Parents need to keep them on track and on time." So I am struggling to do reminders and point out incremental steps and force my way into some proofreading. We are WAY behind schedule from where I would like to be but I am keeping the duct tape on as much as possible. I know (from first kid's run through this) that they do get it done when the chips are down. But isn't it agonizing!</p>
<p>I agree w/mmaah but I've done what cpeltz is doing. :-) In theory son would fill out everything (including the app that required almost every course/grade from 7th to 12th!) and feel accomplished. In reality--I don't know if that would happen. He'd have a much more limited range of schools to consider. I call myself son's admin assistant. Maybe I'll get flowers on secretary's day (lol). I'm not saying this is the best route---just worked for us in a consideration of expediency/reality. Son did all his essays, of course, uploaded them and hit 'submit.' </p>
<p>Congrats, blackeyedsusan! That's great about Tulane!!!!</p>
<p>Yes, I'm with you cpeltz and jolynne, doing the basic framework of the app's. That's funny jolynne, I've been calling myself the executive assitant, especially adding in the teacher rec/transcript requests to school, too ("sign here, here, and here"). Well, I know it's not ideal, but I just can't help myself. Glad to know I'm not alone.</p>
<p>D hit send on ED for super-reach Barbie dream school and EA safety today!!!! I can die a happy woman. She was sooo close last weekend, so today when she asked if she could buy some bras online, I said "not until you finish those two apps." I have never bribed (or threatened) her before, but I had to get her over the finish line. Who would have thought 3 Aerie bras would do it.</p>
<p>She did all the Common App stuff herself--so tedious and time consuming. I proof read it, but then made sure she was the one who hit "Submit". The remaining apps should be much easier now that Common App is complete.</p>
<p>This is my second time "thru the whole process." In some ways it is a lot easier, but in some ways I still have to keep reminding myself not to overlook deadlines. The first time I was so excited (when my first child went thru the process) that I was on top of everything. My second son has already been accepted to his "first choice" so I have to "force myself" to have him apply to a couple of more schools = just in case.</p>
<p>We are finding the second time no easier -- perhaps more difficult. I don't know why. It may be because D1 had a pretty light senior year, and D2 has a killer year. Every minute of the day is booked. She is doing remarkably well, all things considered, and I give her credit for that -- but I wish I could generate some enthusiasm for or interest in college apps. Perhaps the problem is that "college" and "college apps" don't seem connected for her.</p>
<p>I have set next weekend as the weekend to press that submit button for 3 EA schools -- but so far this weekend nothing has been done on the last app: homework, dance rehearsals, etc., instead. It's not that DD isn't busy every minute: it's just that college apps are the last thing that get attention. She knows that if the last app isn't done by tomorrow evening, then next weekend her activities are curtailed until it is (that was the agreement we worked out together). She's apparently going to drag it out till the last moment. But I still don't see how it's going to happen. Is anybody else doing a lot of deep breathing?</p>
<p>Deep breathing is an understatement here. DS still has supplemental statements/essays to work on, and last spent last evening on video games, texts, IM's...breathe, mom, breathe, or as he says, "chill, mom, chill." </p>
<p>To top it off, we've added a couple schools to the list that he will hopefully get merit offers from. Neither, however, has a supplement or a fee attached. I'm not sure about the common app process with GC statement and transcripts - do they only have to send one? If so, searching for financial safeties w/o supplements or fees could be my new obsession for the day!</p>
<p>Blackeyedusan, congrats!!! So terrific for your son.</p>
<p>I, too, am the executive assistant this time. Because S2 is looking at a music major--and consequently music schools and/or music depts. w/in big schools, we have the lovely pre-audition tape, music resume, music supplement applications, music teacher recommendations and (drum roll, please--no, really he's a drummer) auditions. This all comes with a dizzying array of options which are never the same at any school. I wake up inevitably at 4:20 am with the certain knowledge that one piece of each separate puzzle is missing....</p>
<p>I still am making S2 do the applications, though it would be SO easy for me to just fill out the forms with the basic info.....so, so easy..... ;)</p>
<p>With my Aspie son, I probably was a bit more than executive assistant. After the ADD drugs wear off, Son is the most distractable person on Earth, so evenings were hard. We had our share of computer/online app related problems...some glitches in the app program, some issues with our computer (e.g. Norton auto login feature filling in his log-in info in every phone number and email blank.) I took over when there were technical glitches, figuring that there were better ways for him to use his time.</p>
<p>Son is SO busy right now....al reagion auditions, choir concert, musical auditions, homecoming, work, etc. etc. I am so glad I was a nag (and assistant) because time is so short right now.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Parents need to keep them on track and on time <<</p>
</blockquote>
<br>
<p>Ah, but there's the rub. Just HOW does one accomplish this and stay sane at the same time?? After weeks (months?) of hand-wringing, heavy sighing and all out blow-outs, DS and I finally found a system that has been working. We meet every Sunday afternoon (thank you CC!!) with the family calendar in front of us and plan out what's to be done in the next week. I try to keep it to no more than three things; e.g., interview, common app short answer, GC follow-up, and then see where we stand. Sometimes, things have fallen behind, but DS having agreed to do whatever it was and seeing that it's late has been motivation enough - fortunately.</p>
<p>The end result? Son finally finished the dreaded Common App yesterday and sent it to all his schools; thereby finishing his applications to four of them! Yay!! The sense of HIS OWN relief was palpable, which confirmed for me just how stressful this has been for him as well. We're not done, but the end is in sight.</p>
<p>Congratulations to all who've already applied and a special congrats to those already accepted. That must be a wonderful feeling. I hope to join you before the snow flies (which may not happen - we had our first frost last night, but I'm hoping anyway).</p>
<p>To those who are still struggling with reluctant off-spring, I wish you strength and serenity. It will get done. The kids are performers. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here, would we?</p>
<p>Following in SueD's footsteps here. (BTW congrats SueD and son on apps sent.)</p>
<p>D completed the common app last night. The send button was not pushed at the time, as I felt a pause might be in order. The short essay kept saying that it was over 150 words - which it was not - so she was chopping a word here and there until it decided to fit; she probably needs to reread it in the light of day. "Send" will happen later today. She can apply to six schools with the common app and then has supplements for two of them (essays :(). </p>
<p>She is adding a couple more schools to the list that have easy apps (no essays) and want those NMSF kids. The offers are just too intriguing and the apps made easy - so she's looking.</p>
<p>Ignacius, I know what you mean about the easy apps, it's tempting to add three or four possible schools to the list that are free to apply to and have no supplements to "fish" for merit aid. Do the GC and teacher recs just need to be done once for the common app, or are they different for each school? I can't find a clear answer, but don't want to overburden his school!</p>
<p>The two schools my d is adding both accept the common app, and it's my understanding that the gc and teacher recs are done once and then submitted as needed. The extra work on the part of the school comes with gathering the needed recs and transcripts and sending them off. Since we are talking a substantial amount of merit aid, the school will just have to bear with us. Anyway, d attends a private school and the school keeps track of the merit aid offered to the class (bragging rights - "offered x amount of dollars in merit scholarships"), so I would think that sending a couple of extra transcripts would be no big deal.</p>
<p>As I mentioned above.... this is my "second go round" with the process. I really believe that one parent has to be the "project manager" with all the application process (unless your child is extremely organized and/or has a light senior year schedule). </p>
<p>There are just too many things to keep track of to risk having something or a deadline overlooked by a 17 year old kid.</p>
<p>Many parents leave too much to their kids to handle in this area because either they didn't go to college themselves and don't "know" the process, OR they think the application process is as simple as it was when we went to college (when people applied to fewer schools) and there weren't all these supplemental forms and stuff to submit.</p>
<p>DS attends a public school in a huge, underfunded district, so we're in a different situation. I need to make sure S is interested before adding schools, but there will be a couple of new schools on the list where he is a very strong applicant!</p>
<p>Another goof--and I so agree JL50ish--it is all much more complicated than when we or even D applied to colleges. I find the CA makes it more complicated than if there was a hard copy for each school. All of my/S's errors, so far, have been minor but still...Last night at 1 am (I am a night owl) I realized that S sent 2 rec's to 2 of his schools that only want one. One of the school's head of admin spoke at his HS and said "if we ask for one we only want one". There is a chance that one of his teachers has not done his rec yet, but it would be the most important teacher imo, so I am inclined to tell S to let it go and that this type of error is no biggie. Thoughts? Is anyone else making these silly mistakes?</p>
<p>Hi same mistake - 2 recs when only 1 is requested - sent to all six common app schools and we realized it last night. It's early enough for d to backtrack and have the hs only send one, but she has decided not to do that. </p>
<p>Reasons: </p>
<p>she doesn't know what the recs say and therefore doesn't want to choose one over the other (both recs should be good, but one is science and one is math and as such will have a different focus)</p>
<p>some of the schools are open to additional info</p>
<p>and the number one reason in my d's humble opinion - if a school is going to hold an additional rec against her, then it is NOT a university that she probably cares to go to. (Guess what - she is going to make mistakes at whatever university she attends. Better to learn now which ones truly understand that 18 year olds do their best and their best is not always perfect.) </p>
<p>I really think the schools are trying to circumvent receiving 80 (mentioned as having happened at one session my d attended) and one extra is not going to ring any warning bells. As my h said, if they don't want to read both, then they can throw one out.</p>
<p>My family is a lot more laid-back about everything than I am and perhaps provides some needed perspective.</p>
<p>It was too complicated for my D to only send one rec to some of the schools; then one of the teachers would have known that theirs was the "spare". It's just way too stupid to imagine that she'll get rejected as soon as that second rec hits her file.</p>