Well, kids are getting into colleges, so someone is benefitting from the sh*tshow that admissions has been lately. I do think it has allowed admissions people to be a lot more subjective in their process, which they probably love.
1 Like
It is almost unbelievable what a difference a year makes! So much stress here last yearā¦butā¦in another yr I will be right back at it, and though it is definitely easier the second time around(no SAT cancellations and that is already done, more tours are done), I can already tell this one will be a much more complicated choice/journey! Some of you all-done-veterans need to stick around to help the '23 parents !
6 Likes
I remember what it was like last year, walking on eggshells, not to add to the stress of S21 but at the same time pulling my hair out, outside of his room.
With the kids Iāve helped this year I actually played the bad cop role. I mean, theyāre not my kids, right? I didnāt care that they got mad at me. Better me than their moms, my girl friends. I ran it like an app sweatshop. I gave them 30 min per essay prompt to bullet point ideas and then I would have them spend an hour just write based on their bullet points. Then later in the week I would tear the essays apart to have them put it back together the following weekend. I gave them time limits for each essay. Imagine doing that for your own kid. NO WAY that would happen but hereās Auntie cracking the whip. One I made submit before Thanksgiving for UCs. I told him we arenāt stressing out his mom. Let me tell you, theyāre all grateful today with UC and CSU platforms crapping out.
I had fun. They texted S21 and probably complained to him about me. 
I think COVID has really stunk it up just as bad for CO2022. Their life was turned upside down mid sophomore year, right? Still not mature enough back then to take more control of their life. S21 at least had his drivers license at the start of shut down and was settled into his EC high school ways. I can see how CO22 kids were still trying to figure high school out. Itās so easy to lose motivation. I think the kids who have been able to hustle and turn lemonade from lemons are going to be some pretty special kids.
5 Likes
Urgh. Iām actually not done with College Board after all. Just got a notice that I need to do the CSS profile again. I hate that thing!
@MommaLue high fives all around! I have several friends who have seniors ā¦ I do not miss the stress!!
Sounds like you are running a tight ship with your students this year. Your process of brainstorm/bullets/boom seems to be working! Whatever it takes!
Is this for an existing college kiddo? Does the school require it? I know some schools that require CSS at entry is ok with FAFSA for returning students.
Yep, lots of schools require the CSS every year. Our priority deadline was November 15th. Hereās hoping it gets you more money this year 
and me too!
1 Like
D19 at Emory only needed it once. D21 at Hamilton apparently is going to need it every year. Have to submit by March 1st.
@Creaky Argh. That stinks and costs more money while FAFSA is free!
so I thought!
ā¦and then, suddenly there are GREs, subject-matter GREās (who knew THAT was a thing), grad school applications, requesting letters from professors, requesting evaluations from internship directors, more FAFSAās, and cohort-sizes of 15 or so for graduate school, and only at a few Universities - rather than hundreds in every college around the country.
5 Likes
Gosh GREsā¦Yikes did not know there were subject ones. Good luck to your daughter @DigitalDad My D 2021 is an electrical engineering major and told me she is thinking about MSEE degree. Need to take a deep dive into world of MSEE degrees.
Having your daughter considering pursuing a Masters is outstanding. Who knows what life may bring, so any ākidā to āstick it outā a little longer while they are still unattached and without having their own family obligations sounds like a good plan!
āHey Dad, the first quarter Million is spent. Where did you say you kept the second?ā 
1 Like
Well, IF you got financial aid (not merit aid), it would not be unusual for the college to reassess that itās still warranted in each subsequent year - and the CSS profile would give them the breath of information to make that determination year-after-year.
Yes, we had to do it every year.
Thatās a tough call - but the problem is the very real risk of not being allowed to get back. Travel restrictions can pop up within a day and neither the U.K. nor the U.S. are very predictable in that respect.
Yes, my involvement has been to inform her that the sharing-fees of GSE results and application fees can NOT be reimbursed by her 529
If there should be any acceptances in April (regardless of grades, most programs want a year or two research-experience first), then maybe sheāll want my company during a site visit, but Iām not even certain about that. She might just be looking for prepaid travel arrangements.
and I laugh because D is at a NON flagship with stacked merit that is paying full cost of attendanceā¦masterās degree,we will see.
2 Likes
The trip has been canceled and my two very sad girls are counting down to summer now.
Yes, my eldest has applied to grad school but Iām not involved with that stuff anymore. Iāll give advice, but itās nothing like applying as a high school senior.
1 Like
Just because kid should be studying for finals (and I should be working on the xmas shopping), he is looking at summer REUs and sent me a link to one, not sure if it was recommended to him or what. Obviously I have some digging to do, but can anyone comment on the importance of the prestige of the REU school? Does it matter, will a random state U do? Kid is CE major.
2 Likes
I know just a little about REUs as S19 applied to a few after freshman year. Seems (1) they typically want kids a little older and (2) URMs and females seem to have an edge. Many REU info pages flat out say this or, if you look at photos of the class from summers prior, you can see it. (3) Many kids would do an REU at a ālesserā university before scoring one at a top one.
2 Likes