<p>Thank you, legendofmax, for post #120 in which you model taking personal responsibility. The ED ap is for many a learning curve and isn''t as good as the RD's that come later, after you've had a chance to think straight, put the whole experience together in your mind, revise and refocus some of the approaches in the personal essays. </p>
<p>Thanks for deciding that your app had the weaknesses, and not the school; then improving in real-time to achieve better results in April. </p>
<p>You also analyze it correctly that with so many qualified applicants (the catch-phrase on the rejection letters) any of those selective schools could admit 2 or 3 more entire classes that they had to reject. That's why some kids get in one place and not another, with the same presentation. </p>
<p>I have been thinking about the title of this thread for awhile, especially now that I have navigated my only child through it. I wonder if there are any programs out there that will (in a very simple way) allow an adult to mentor a high school senior through the process? Without overstepping any parental boundaries, of course.</p>
<p>not sure about programs (perhaps others know) but I bet if you called the head of Guidance at your child's h.s., where they know and trust you, they might think of some kids in need of mentorship. Then, if you're unsure, you have guidance to ... get guidance from. Well, hopefully, they'll see you as reducing their workload! </p>
<p>Great offer, since mentorship is essential, as students are telling us on this thread and in so many other arenas.</p>
<p>legendofmax - it is always wonderful to hear from you, for those of us who followed your path during your very difficult times. you have contributed a lot to this thread.</p>
<p>sunshadow - Such a program was started by another parent at my state's juvenile detention facility. This is admittedly a very specialized group of kids, whose parents are often not much in the picture, and whose college goals are very different from those of many of our kids. I participate in that program. On a thread I started about this program, some other parents wondered as you do and a couple mentioned doing this type of mentoring at their local high schools.</p>
<p>I come from a poor background - let's just say under the poverty line, and say that things like being evicted were quite frequent in my past. I can say that Income affects a lot with what you can do in terms of college - from having to save my money to pay for my college apps, to the fact that I had to quit an EC because I couldn't afford it, to the fact that I still worry about the ~$1500 dollar contribution my parents have to make to my college tutition.</p>
<p>But, I was lucky enough to attend a parochial school on scholarship, where I had a lot of friends looking to go to top schools to help me on my way, but not having anyone to look up to, I had no clue on the "right way" to do it. This forum helped a lot in that aspect. Today, I have no idea what its like for someone to be a 20-something just out of college, because I'll be the first one.</p>
<p>But anyway, I'm now a member of the UPenn 2009 class, and am trying to put my past behind me, but it's tough.</p>
<p>I can say that legendofmax's story of sometimes envy of students who had an easier road is so very true. Even now, I know some kids who can mess up at college and still get a good job because of familial connections. Me - I can't mess up, I've come too far now. These students include my friends, and I'm not going to be jealous about the life they had. </p>
<p>The only thing I see left is that I still need to think about money when it comes to future job prospects, because I know I will need to support both my parents, included one who is disabled, and possibly also a sibling to a certain extent. </p>
<p>I like to tell myself that I just need to play the hand I was dealt.</p>
<p>My parents didn't help me with the app process at all. I feel that my school has even hindered the app process for me. It is not rare. It just depends on how much you want to get out and succeed.</p>
<p>I am a low income student and my parents have not helped me out AT ALL, I pretty much did everything by myself and when I needed information, I'd ask them for like tax forms and stuff and just figure it out myself.</p>