<p>As a first time mother in this college application world, I am learning a lot of things and CC has been very helpful, especially many of you with great insights and experiences. </p>
<p>My son is waiting for his SCEA decision which will come out this Friday, and I'd like to get some advice. He spent quite some time on the SCEA application, and is working on eight other applications, all of whom use the common application. I understand that he can not concentrate much while he is waiting for the decision, but I am somewhat concerned that he still needs quite a bit of work on the other applications.</p>
<p>Last night, my son told me that he missed the interview request deadline for Pomona, which was December 1, and I am now thinking of other applications, especially Harvard. Harvard website encourages applicants to apply by December 15, if possible, and I wonder what would be advantages of applying by December 15, rather than sending it by their regular decision deadline (Jan 1 or Dec 31). My S still needs to work on his common app essay, and I think it would be better to send a polished one rather than rushing in. What do you think can be advantages of applying by December 15?</p>
<p>Observing how my son is working on the applications, I see a negative side of the early application process. As I said, he spent quite a bit of energy on his early application, and then is not focusing on the other applications as much as he did on the early one. If he hasn't done the early one, perhaps he would have focused more on the rest, I guess. So, I am concerned whether his applying to SCEA is working negatively on the other applications! Do you have similar experience? I am thinking of this issue for my daughter, who will be going through the process in a couple of years. Although, many schools may eliminate their application processes by then.</p>
<p>MozartMom, this commonly happens with students who apply SCEA and certainly happened with my D's applications last year. Fortunately, she was accepted to her SCEA school...she proceeded with only the other applications that were common app schools and did not apply to the remainder on her list. </p>
<p>As you've sorted out, it's quite risky though. Over 80% of students who apply SCEA will NOT be accepted outright and will need to work HARD on the remaining apps. With regards to the Harvard app, the only true advantage is in, perhaps, scheduling an alumni interview over the Christmas break rather than after the first of the year when his school is back in session. And there is, of course, the advantage to the admissions reader who is going to have a HUGE stack of applications to read in February and March. All in all, it is far more important to put together a polished application and meet the stated regular decision deadline. In addition, if your son is deferred by his SCEA school, he will DEFINITELY want to submit additional materials and, perhaps, even revise or rewrite essays to his SCEA school. He may have missed the interview request deadline for Pomona, but if he's not successful with his SCEA app, I'm sure he'll buckle down over the holiday break to get everything in on time. Come back tomorrow or this weekend to let us know how it went!</p>
<p>We went through this with S1. After sending in his SCEA application he all but quit working on his other applications. Then he was deferred and had to spend his holiday break getting the other apps together. I think the deferral may have motivated him to work even harder on the remaining applications; in the end he was accepted at all his schools. Fortunately, there were only four; had there been more it would have been a much greater challenge.</p>
<p>1moremom, your reply is encouraging in that the deferral may motivate my son to work harder on the remaining applications. My son had the wisdom tooth extraction appointment scheduled next week (we were thinking that he will be done by the middle of December when we were scheduling past summer), and I rescheduled it for the early spring! Both my son and I agreed that he can't waist at least 3-4 days with the surgery and recovery.</p>
<p>Too late for MM's S, but everyone applying EA/ED should proceed to their other applications with the assumption that they will be rejected on their EA/ED app.</p>
<p>TheDad, I agree with you, but psychology doesn't always work that way, I think. My son knew the reality better than I do, but he, who is very relaxed in nature, is anxious and difficult to concentrate this week.
If my daughter does the early application, then we will try to prepare better, I hope.</p>
<p>Also, although these schools use the common application, many of them have supplements which are often very school-specific. Various word limits seem to add a difficulty in recycling the essays. Perhaps just for my son, who feels easier to write a new one rather than to shorten or expand the already written one to meet the length requirement.</p>
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<p>Harvard website encourages applicants to apply by December 15, if possible, and I wonder what would be advantages of applying by December 15, rather than sending it by their regular decision deadline (Jan 1 or Dec 31).<<</p>
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<p>No reason to apply to H by 12/15 if the app isn't as polished as it would be if sent on 12/31. I think H wants to get a head start in compiling the packets--I suppose that early packets might get read first. </p>
<p>Missing the interview request deadline to Pomona is more problematic. Pomona is a smaller LAC and my D's experience with them is that they like to see your interest in the school as shown by coming in for an interview. If you live within driving distance of Pomona (like in So Cal), they look at you askance if you can't be bothered to come in for an interview. Don't know how they would feel if you were from out of state.</p>
<p>Despite not being known for working in an overly congenial admission office, a good-humored officer at Pomona might consider granting a delayed interview. After all, the interview is NOT a requirement; it is strongly recommended and ... expected from SoCal applicants. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Interviews
Interviews are very strongly recommended for all applicants. Southern California applicants are expected to interview and must do so on campus. If you plan to be in the area, please contact the Office of Admissions at (909) 621-8134 to schedule your appointment prior to the appropriate interview deadline. We suggest you call two to three weeks prior to your preferred date, and earlier for appointments on Saturdays or in December or January.
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<p>Regarding the essay, it is better to send the best essay possible, even if it means a short delay. However, why would your son not be able to use his SCEA essay for the Common Application? For instance, I see absolutely no downside to use a polished essay submitted to Stanford to RD schools.</p>
<p>Harvard also says they'd like Early Action applications by Oct. 15 if possible - it means nothing more than that. They're only trying to spread the mail out over a couple weeks. My daughter was told by Admissions there last year that there was absolutely no preference to those who applied by the 15th nor detriment to those who applied in the last half of the month.</p>
<p>My S got deferred from Stanford. He was quite concerned last night, but the acceptance from U of Michigan this morning made him relieved quite a bit and he is pretty calm on the deferral. </p>
<p>xiggi, Stanford main essay is pretty long (I heard something like around 900 words), and it seems hard for my son to shorten the same topic to 500 words for the common app essay. Perhaps, he can use it as a supplement. </p>
<p>As 1moremom said, I hope my son can focus more on the rest of the applications now. He just told me that he would focus on 4, two reach and two match schools. I've read the article on the opening page of CC on this issue, and will think what I can suggest my son to do. Any advice on some practical things he can do?</p>
<p>quiltguru, do some students revise/rewrite the submitted essay after the deferral? It seems somewhat risky to me, unless we know that the weakness of his application is definitely his essay part.</p>
<p>Yes, indeed, MozartMom, it is acceptable to revise the essay or even write an entirely different essay. The student sends the essay along with a brief letter to the admissions officer stating that they have revised, rewritten, or whatever and would like to have the new essay considered in his/her application. If your son wishes to be admitted to Stanford, he should take a good look at that application, revise/rewrite what he wishes, gather supplemental materials that support his application (perhaps examples of his work or something documenting what makes him a standout or even a supplemental recommendation if Stanford allows this), send them in..the FORGET the Stanford app. Time to move on to polish all the other apps and make each specific to the school. Best of luck to him! He's going to have a busy winter break!</p>