@momzilla2D Yes I will ask the GC. I will see her next week to discuss it.
@Cheeringsection Yes I wish the term “brag sheet” never existed. The school doesn’t actually call it that but I have heard students from a number of high schools use the term - and that just makes students feel like they are doing something wrong!
Our HS has both parent and student brag sheets. We have already completed them, although I guess we could have waited a little while in case we wanted to add something about summer plans. I don’t know what D20 put, but I went all out in some detail. As was pointed out…no time to be humble.
I agree that the nickname creates problems for some kids. It does take some re-framing to get them to understand the point of it. One thing that someone else suggested to me was to help your kid see it as something akin to a resume; another friend had better success telling her daughter that it was similar to the rundown of clubs/teams/shows etc. many schools include in yearbooks - you know the kind of thing I mean: Butterfly Catching Club 9, 10, 11, 12; Darts Team 11, 12; Peer Origami Tutor 10, 11, 12; National Pig Latin Prize 11, 12 and so on.
Also this reminds me of the never-ending discussions around which adjectives should and shouldn’t be used in describing kids (whether by GCs or other writers of recommendations, or not-a-brag sheets). I need to close down CC and do some actual work but later I’ll see if I can chase down some of the ancient threads about the problems with, for example, “quirky” and “diligent.”
I’ll make sure not to say “diligently quirky.” But any guidelines are appreciated.
We haven’t seen the student one come home yet. I can’t remember if there was a parent one. Since D17 was focused on UK and they don’t care about ECs I may not have paid much attention.
Our school does both the student and parent “brag sheet” and, to me, this is the opportunity to let the GC/LoR writers know activities DS does outside of the classroom. We are fortunate that our GC has only about 60 students to work with for each class, and he knows DS pretty well, we still don’t expect him to know a lot about DS’ ECs.
The only interaction D20’s GC has had with her is at biannual 504 meetings. So I am curious what she thinks is going on in D20 world…
DS’ counselor ask students to provide a junior packet that is like a print out of common app 
Parents are supposed to fill out the brag sheet. I did one for D17 and I’d say I need essay help doing this. 
Our first session ( don’t know if there is going to be more, as DS is at a different HS than DD) is this Friday. I have a lot of questions to cover!
Edit: I will also find out how much the counselor knows about DS on Friday .
Our guidance counselor has never seen or interacted with D20. She’s definitely going to need some info. They call it the “biographical profile” here, I think.
It’s nice to know that there are schools and GC’s where they make the effort to know the students for LOR’s.
In DS20’s public high school with over 2k students - there is no such thing (brag sheet or biographic profile etc). With such a large student body - and also the fact that our school has lot of students with socio economic problems - GC’s have lot of other problems to take care and LOR’s are not high on their priority. I heard that they give a generic letter to most students. DS20 applied to summer programs and couple of them required a letter from GC - we requested GC and offered to give a brief resume so she know the kid - she said flat out that she is just sending the transcripts and a list of his clubs/leadership roles. No time to write a letter for summer programs is the reason. Obviously our school does not send too many students to any top universities.
We have almost 4K students, and the GC have almost 400 kids…200 from each of two graduating classes (alternating grad years). The counselors are super busy, and only spend a lot of time with kids who ask for time. My D17 spent a lot of time with her GC senior year, and they have since gone out to lunch when D17 is home. D20 has met with hers twice in 4 years. I think they do a good job, though, for the number of kids. Parents definitely have to supplement…it’s not to the level of a boarding school, that’s for sure!
We do have good success with top universities, although maybe not on a percentage basis.
We have 2800 students and 5 GCs and 60% low income.
There is no spring college meeting with parents/student. There is no fall one. The brag sheet for students was distributed at some kind of mass meeting I believe D17 said. I don’t know when, but it has not come home yet.
@HarrietMWelsch : I do like those EC & club names.
Think I’ll add on just for fun:
Runny Babbit Leam Teader, 9
Floss Dance Relay Anchor, 8
Paper Boat Tray Head Stacker Champ, 10
My dd20 finally got her permit yesterday. Anyone else have teens that just drag their heels about getting their DL? My oldest was chomping at the bit to get his permit and his DL by 16. The rest of them have just really not been overly eager. .She is my 2nd one to be 17 when getting their permit.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek I know, right? D20 got hers shortly after her 16th, but many of her friends are also dragging their feet. I can’t believe some went through the private driving class ($500), but let their permit ‘lapse’ without getting their license. They are counting on driver-less cars I guess.
Neither of my Ds want their licenses, but that works for us since we couldn’t afford to provide them with wheels or insurance.
Mine both got DL as soon as possible!
My D got her drivers license as soon as she could, but has several friends who have let their permits lapse, and are back at square one.
DS still has one online section to be finished before he could do the behind the wheel! I am enjoying every minute of driving with him though!