<p>I didn't want to hi-jack the student thread on this same topic, so I'm putting it up here.</p>
<p>In the swirl of your work/commute/kids/home lives, how are my fellow prospective parents doing with the parent part of the applications?</p>
<p>So far, our "apply to" list is very short, and I think I'm done with the first drafts of the parents responses. We also filled out the "personal" info section on the gateway site but have not submitted it to any yet...waiting to visit a few more schools in early Dec. My goal is to be done-done by Christmas...and then we'll send out by the end of 2010. I'd rather go into the New Year's holiday without any of these obligations looming.</p>
<p>As for my daughter, she's done with the drafts of all responses for one application (for her favorite school so far, no surprise)...and has outlined her responses for all schools still in contention.</p>
<p>I’ve kind of been chasing my mom around the house and forcing her to sit down for a half hour and work on some of the responses. As of now only 1 out of 6 is finished.</p>
<p>What schools made the final cut on your list? (if you don’t mind me asking)</p>
<p>Don’t sweat the parental portion too much. They just want to get a feel for a) how committed you are to the boarding school idea and b) how balanced a view you have of your child…in case they get a psycho parent, they can be prepared. It’s just like those ‘what’s your greatest strength…weakness’ question on any job application. My kid is going for a PG year so I got to do this part twice – once 4 years ago and now! </p>
<p>Since she is applying to a couple of colleges too, I notice that colleges don’t give a hoot about a or b. They don’t ask parents anything except ‘how much money you got?’</p>
<p>Novelisto–may I ask…why a PG year? My d is young, just makes the cut off for school, thus she has always been the (almost) youngest in her class. I am considering a PG year or SYA or just gap year to help "find’ herself? </p>
<p>Is pg primarily for athletes? Is FA available?</p>
<p>I had fun with one of the more specific parent essays from a certain school. They had switched it up from the old app that I had downloaded over the summer, so it was a nice opportunity to think about my daughter in a new way. Actually, I found that all the parent statement questions made me think about my daughter in a more focused and active way than I normally do amidst the hustle and bustle of our lives…it made me consider her strengths and weaknesses in a way that I wouldn’t ordinarily…</p>
<p>Alexz825Mom – Our daughter will graduate at 17 and turn 18 just a week or so before the fall semester starts. I seriously do not want her going to college so soon…not because she’s not mature or smart but because I think another year under her belt will help her feel more confident about the big adjustment into adulthood. She wants to go because she’d like another year swimming/water polo and would like to increase her math skills in a more intimate setting than she’d find at a college. </p>
<p>Though most PG’s do seem to be athletes, by no means all are. Some feel (or are told) they could use more class-time. My d would like to take an extra AP or two. The other thing is that most PG’s are boys. Out of about 40 at her present school, 2 are female. </p>
<p>I have been told by several college counselors that a PG year is looked upon very favorably by colleges and will not hurt her chances at any school. It shows a dedication to self-improvement that college admission teams really like. </p>
<p>I don’t know about FA. </p>
<p>SevenDad – We don’t get a whole lot of chances to just stop and consider our progeny as fully-rounded humans. It’s a chance to assess what we have done and should have done and could yet do. Despite all the challenges of raising a child, these essays make me think ‘hey, we didn’t do such a bad job!’</p>
<p>Novel–thanks for the insight. I am on the same page with you due to my d’s age. She also started bs as a new sophomore and I am sure another year would surely not hurt her. She already sees that there are so many things to take part in that there is so little time.</p>
<p>As far as parent essays, I found them very self-reflective. I will admit I had to do a lot of “soul-searching” for me and my d when I decided to home-school her in 6th-8th grade. I will admit that I too “didnt do such a bad job.” As a teacher than constantly writes letters of rec, I honestly look at areas of strength and areas of improvement/development for my students. </p>
<p>I sometimes wish for some time back to do more or do it differently, but realize any change I would have made would have changed who she is today. I like my d just like she is.</p>
<p>(OK–except for the problem with cleaning her room—lol)</p>
<p>@novelisto&alexz825mom: Alas, for me, the essays made me think about all the things I could have done/could be doing better for/with my D over the years. Instead of catering to her strengths as we have done, I feel like I could have supported/worked with her on her weaknesses…Not just for BS candidacy, but for life in general. But yes, on the whole, I think her mother and I have done as well as we knew how…:-)</p>
<p>Alexz825mom – You mean ‘closet/floor…what’s the difference?’ Oh, yeah. She gets an award for keeping her room the cleanest at school, walks in her own door, and bam! Everything in the suitcase is on the floor, the clean is mingled with the dirty, and the water bottle tower is reaching Pyramid proportions…</p>
<p>Love her anyway…but sheesh! </p>
<p>SevenDad – Strengths are wonderful but weaknesses teach us a lot. BS will bring them out and the kids will still need us. It’s hard over the phone to get the full facts of whatever the situation is and to be as supportive as a hand on the shoulder or a hug at home. If you don’t have unlimited texting, now is certainly the time to start thinking about it. Without texting, I’d miss half of what goes on.</p>
<p>You guys are making me feel guilty! I haven’t even looked at what I need to do yet, and ds has yet to begin his essays. We’re trying to get a summer camp application done first, and then we’ll be focusing on the school stuff. Our schedules have been crazy this Fall, and we should have more down time in December, even with the holiday celebrations coming up. I suppose ds should get started asking for recs now…</p>