My D’s private HS did that too. They also had all the seniors come in to school in early August to start their common app together. Lots of merit chasers and the guidance office knows those applications need to be done early.
Our student’s school is also encouraging Oct. 15 as a target date for college applications. I assume that it will allow time for the counselors to provide transcripts, etc. by hard deadlines.
Before school began, we received an email encouraging students (with their parents) to schedule college planning meetings with school counselors by the end of September, with a link to sign up. We met during the second week of school to review the tentative college list, application requirements, deadlines, etc. It was a good pep talk. We learned that the colleges on my student’s list do not use the common application, so spending time on that platform would have been a waste of time. (If our student decides to add colleges to his list that require the common app, we’ll do it then.)
Also during the second week of school, the school held an all-senior meeting focused on college planning, applications, processes, etc. I understand that these types of meetings will continue during advisory time this school year. … The school is also hosting a Saturday college application workday that encourages students to come and complete applications together, with school counselors there as well as college admission representatives from a handful of schools that students seem to attend.
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We did pay our first college application fee this week! Georgetown requires payment after you complete part 1 of their “Non-Common Application”!
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Good luck! One of mine went to Georgetown and loved it! Assume you are doing EA? We did too.
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My D23 will be applying EA. Didn’t know had to pay after Part 1. I know she’s started on it. Thanks for head’s up and I’ll follow up with her.
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I think that is the most frustrating part. All schools should have self reporting for those who want to apply before their school is ready to send. Our GC will not answer emails all summer and is not due back until Sept. With S21 we were so nervous because his teachers waited until the last minute to do the recommendations although he asked them in the spring.
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Yeah, it’s been quite frustrating. I think he’s OK on the deadlines, though.
What is SRAR and why is it lucky Pitt uses it?
SRAR = Self Reported Academic Record
It allows the applicant to report their own high school courses and grades, so the university doesn’t have to wait for an official transcript.
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It also allows Rolling Admissions schools to accept applicants earlier than other schools. S21 had his first acceptance Sept 21st. Some have reported acceptances on here for this year from schools that allow self reporting.
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Right.
About 50 total, I think, use the SRAR: FSU, Penn State, NYU, Va Tech, LSU, Rutgers, UTexas, Binghamton and on and on. I thought it was really a waste of time when he filled it out in June, but now I’m very happy it exists.
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A few have their own as well, or allow them to upload an unofficial copy.
Takes so much stress off everyone!
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S23 was pleasantly surprised when he went to fill it out for Pitt, and it already had his courses and grades in the system from his UMN application.
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Nevermind- question answered
Why can’t students apply to other schools if accepted SCEA?
Typical private school policy (around here) is to treat SCEA as ED. If you get into Harvard or Stanford or Yale or Princeton because you decided it is your first choice it is bad form to acceptance hunt for more selective schools and take those chances away from your classmates.
Seems a little unfair to the individual student, but I guess it balances out with the added benefit of private school, including I assume superior college advising. Also, I guess the HS doesn’t believe the often repeated claim by colleges that applicants are not competing against their HS classmates.
My sons have helped several friends with their application lists. Very few kids here know about LACs, thanks to my boys some of the LACs may get 4 or 5 applications this year instead of the 1 or 2 every 7 years. This may backfire on the twins if their REA applications don’t workout.
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That is really interesting on the REA schools: if you have already sent in many of your applications, especially if awaiting scholarships etc, how can your school have you pull your apps? That does not really seem fair. Based on prior years’ results, ours does not discourage apps elsewhere if in restrictive EA somewhere. I understand pulling apps you are not as interested in after getting in places you like better (or declining a spot once you are in somewhere you like better), but it seems unnecessarily restrictive to not allow successful EA applicants to compare to RD results at schools you like similarly.
They don’t do it with EAs, just SCEAs to Stanford, Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Those are treated like any other ED school - if you get in you pull your other apps. I think it is only fair to the other kids in the class - if you are in one of those schools you will be going anyway so why do more grubbing? If you aren’t ready to commit, don’t apply ED/SCEA. And ha no I don’t think anyone believes that you aren’t competing with your classmates for admission! But though I agree with the policy, don’t blame me for it, it is common around here to give more chances at those schools to other kids and not have one or two “stars” hog them all. Ha.
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