<p>My son received a college survey by email that said it should be forwarded to a parent to complete. I find it a bit unsettling. The due date is prior to the date is very soon, and interestingly prior financial aid packages arriving, rather than after May 1. It asks questions that relate to what the parent feels that they can afford to pay, among other questions about school type/quality etc.. It asks to specifically list in order the child's first choice, second choice, etc. Thought? Complete, or delete?</p>
<p>Who sent this survey?</p>
<p>I would be inclined to not participate if I didn’t feel comfortable answering.</p>
<p>I do not feel comfortable naming the company. They do offer an opportunity to contact the research company to ask further questions. I don’t feel comfortable doing that. I suspect that one school my son applied to is on a fishing expedition before sending out a financial aid package. Frankly,IMO, otherwise this survey due date could just as easily be after May 1.</p>
<p>I say just delete it. </p>
<p>Before you let yourself feel guilty, please remember that
a) not every kid forwards things on to their parents
and
b) not every parent has email
and
c) not every parent bothers to answer all their email.
No one will ever know what category you/your kid fall into.</p>
<p>I see no upside to completing it and some potential downside.</p>
<p>I would ignore it.</p>
<p>I would ignore it as well. Doesn’t the common app ask for parents email and address and stuff? it’s not like they don’t have it if they wanted it. The whole thing sounds a little unethical if you ask me.</p>
<p>Thanks all. </p>
<p>Modadunn, I do feel it is unethical.</p>
<p>happymomof1, I won’t feel guilty by not completing this. I’ll bet the response rate is rather small.</p>
<p>My concern was whether by not responding, the FA package might be smaller than if I responded with, “the right” answers (since responses to the study are due now, rather than after May 1). Just my thinking this through in such a way, IMO, demonstrates how flawed the results might be. I have no expertise in this area, so perhaps I am wrong, but it is my opinion.</p>
<p>In the meantime, I did some research and found out that this study is in fact being conducted by a company that is hired by quite a few colleges, and my son did apply to at least one of their clients (meaning at least one school that this company lists online as a client).</p>
<p>Yuck. I really hate that all this information about our kids and the parents is being turned into a search for yet more information. I just think all this third party involvement is an invasion of personal privacy if when these companies state a whole much of legal disclaimer.</p>
<p>momofthreeboys, I would have no problem answering questions about what went into the college decision process. I would offer honest answers and I would not expect to be paid, although a lot of market research companies do pay respondants for this information. I just have a problem with the due date coming just before FA packages are released!</p>
<p>NEMom … is it your son that had an admissions offer, but the financial package was contingent on a deposit before May1? Is that school the same as the one related to the survey?</p>
<p>I am seeing red flags … but maybe I am not remembering all the details correctly.</p>
<p>cnp, yes, it is my son that was asked to put in a deposit to register prior to May 1 and prior to a FA package (deposit is refundable until May 1, FA would be made regardless of deposit, but no eary registration), but NO it is NOT that school that is a client of this company! Believe me, cnp, I tripled checked to see if that school is listed as a client because I saw more red flags too! BTW, cnp, you have a good memory and thanks for pointing this out. I had very similar thoughts to yours.</p>
<p>I have to say I’m glad that there’s apparently not a direct connection between that school and the survey. But I sure wondered when I read the original post!</p>