<p>I've seen mention of sending updates to AOs about children's activities/achievements. I'm wondering whether it is appropriate to send anything now or if it would just be an annoyance. What sayest the collective parental mind?</p>
<p>@twinsmama, Yes, do not hesitate to send any updates: January report cards, recent awards, updated scores for the sports competitions, etc. They might not respond, but at least it will be in your child’s file.</p>
<p>I think it’s fine too-- as long as you’re just sending whatever update by snail mail or email, rather than calling.</p>
<p>I think it depends. End of term transcripts, definitely (they ask for those anyway, don’t they?). Awards and achievements, IMO, only if your kid would have listed them somewhere on the original application AND they are significantly different/better than previously listed achievements. I might send updated sports scores to the coach at the school, but only as an add-on to a question about the school–again unless the achievement was truly significant (like top 5 ona national level or won a state competition). Otherwise, it’s really just more of the same (they expect your kid to keep gradually improving at his/her activities), and in a format they didn’t ask for. </p>
<p>Thanks for the input, all. I just sent email updates out. I haven’t been annoying so far, so I figured it probably wouldn’t hurt to bother them once. </p>
<p>Should the parent or the applicant send them?</p>
<p>It would probably be better coming from the applicant, but I didn’t think of that. :-)</p>
<p>I know everyone keeps saying that the applicant should do all the contacting, but I disagree. There is no good reason why a parent cant be the contact. First off, we are the ones footing the bill, and have the free time during the school day for emails and phone calls. In addition, some of these kids are 12 or 13 years old, and while it is nice for them to step up and be proactive, it is also not practical for them to handle all aspects of such a precise, and detailed process. </p>
<p>@london203 - I agree, particularly for phone calls.</p>
<p>We did a mix, and I think it’s fine to do that: I made most of the phone calls, arranging visits, setting up a meeting with a person relevant to my son’s particular EC interest, and I know calling about something for the application that didn’t get in on time (from his school). All that was fine. My son wrote thank you notes after his interviews himself, and he did send a note to his first choice school himself after applications were in, letting them know they were his first choice. He got in everywhere he applied, so clearly no one cared that I made the phone calls.</p>
<p>I’ve done as much as I can. My mom made one or two phone calls while I was in school and contacted NAIS, but that’s it. I’m the one who wants to get in. She’ll support me but the work is mine.</p>
<p>As I’ve noted before, my daughters do not schedule their doctors or orthodontist visits, and they didn’t scheduled their BS visits either. As for correspondence with AOs (including questions and updates), I mainly handle that sort of thing…as I handle correspondence with 7D2s coach. One reason I take the lead on this is because I’m sitting at a computer with email most of the day where they are/were not.</p>
<p>I asked my son call to schedule some of the interviews, because he had never done anything like that before and, with BS being entirely his idea, I wanted to see whether he would “man up” and do something mildly scary in order to get the process going. I gave him a list of possible dates and some instruction on what to say. I made all the calls for my daughter, because the scheduling was more complicated at that point, what with her brother already having appointments and few times remaining. </p>
<p>@twinsmama, this is pretty much exactly what happened with us. He brought the idea of BS to us, and said “I will do everything. Just let me apply!” So in the beginning some of it was about testing his desire to do exactly that. And he did take on the brunt of it himself. </p>
<p>In truth, my kid does do a lot of scheduling his own stuff. If a wire pops out at school, he is likely to call and make an appointment at his orthodontist (to which he can walk on his own after school). He’s just like that. Maybe years of theater have meet him more comfortable about these types of exchanges, or maybe he’s just OCD about time management. Or maybe a combo. </p>
<p>He sits down with the calendar and blocks out his summer commitments himself. It wasn’t at all strange for him to pick up the phone and call an admissions office to make his interview appointment (with a list of dates from me in his hand, of course). </p>
<p>But none of this is to say that we would not make calls for him if it were logistically easier to do so. In other words, we don’t refuse to assist with things just on the principle of making him do it himself. I have a feeling BS can probably tell a mile away the difference between the parents who are forcing the process onto the child, and the parents who are just managing logistics.</p>
<p>@booklady123, Your son sounds pretty amazing! I can tell you years of theater are not enough to make a kid comfortable calling adults, or my daughter would be that way too. :-)</p>
<p>My dd sent emails to her AOs, informing them of a recent accomplishment. The responses have ranged from nothing to an enthusiastic email full of exclamation marks. I have a feeling this may foreshadow her admission results. 
</p>
<p>@Rellielou Same here. I think it’s just the AOs’ personalities, though…</p>