<p>This isn't to bash those helpful parents out there, but I'm just curious, why are they here?</p>
<p>because they like to be involved in their kid's lives and research all the things that will get their kid into college so they can program it in to them since the kid doesn't have initiative to do it his/herself?</p>
<p>personally, my parents had no idea what colleges i applied to, which is not necessarily a bad thing</p>
<p>^ Ditto. My parents don't know much either and don't care.</p>
<p>I think it's nice that parents are helping out their kids (if their kids want the help, that is).</p>
<p>Because I came across it when my oldest son was waiting to hear about scholarships.. and now I stay on because I'm bored at work and it is fun to exchange posts on many different topics. ;) Also, there is alot of pretty good information on this site. (There is also misinformation, but it is up to you to figure out which is which)</p>
<p>The presence of parents on CC makes it all the more interesting because we get different perspectives on different issues. :D It would get out of hand if my mom used CC and got into a serious row with me.</p>
<p>when you're 17 and your whole life is in front of you it may be almost impossible to imagine how it might feel to be middle-aged and reflecting back on choices you made way back when. </p>
<p>For some parents the motivation might be to encourage others to do what they did or have seen their kids do; eg. "I did this and it wasn't so hard after all; you can do it too!" For some others it can be the realization that they wish they had known more at the time or evaluated things differently. The arrow of time runs in one direction and we never get a chance to go back and re-live things, but a board like this gives you a chance to tell someone else what you wish had been whispered in your ear.</p>
<p>"The arrow of time runs in one direction and we never get a chance to go back and re-live things, but a board like this gives you a chance to tell someone else what you wish had been whispered in your ear."</p>
<p>I like that sentiment.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>...but I'm just curious, why are they here?<<</p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Two main reasons:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>They love their kids and are interested in their welfare and success.</p></li>
<li><p>In most cases, they are spending huge chunks of their money on the undertaking and get to have a say in how and how much money gets spent.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>As a parent:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>My 14 year old doesn't have a good grasp of the way the world really works and it wouldn't occur to them to look for this info now (which is completely natural; we aren't born knowing everything). </p></li>
<li><p>This site helps to answer a lot of questions regarding the college admission process and also gives info on scholarships available. It's just one more tool.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Many of us got involved because we have kids who did well in HS, were academically motivated and wanted something more than the local State U. Financial considerations usually arise quickly and most of us parents had to deal with some pretty serious considerations. The problems of selecting, visiting and applying to colleges are also considerable. Most often the HS GC's are all but useless. The college guidebooks are extremely limited and even a few college visits will bring up all sorts of issues not covered and will also indicate that much of the "information" in these guides is misleading. Talking with other parents who have kids in college is often not helpful but often does demonstrate that wrong choices are easy to make. In short most parents joined CC for the same reasons as the kids - to get information and try to make some sense out of the college selection, application and financial issues. There seems to be some general opinion that involved parents are overly involved and controlling. I am sure that happens but probably not as frequently as imagined. My D made all the final decisions on visits and applications. As parents we just tried to find the information which would help her make decisions. </p>
<p>From a parent's perspective, I am often amazed to see very involved discussions of colleges by kids who have never gone to college, often have not visited and rely heavily on reputation and ratings.</p>
<p>You know those bumper stickers that say "My kid and my money go to [name of university]"?</p>
<p>Well, the college admissions process involves two things that we parents care a great deal about -- our kids and our money. Thus, we want to be well informed about the college selection and admissions process -- and CC is a very educational place.</p>
<p>I'll chime in. I am on because I spent a lot of time researching stuff for my son and I know there are lots of kids who need assistance with the general information and process. Why not take a minute when I have it at work and help someone else out?</p>
<p>I'm here to" pay it forward". CC, especially the parents forum, was of IMMEASURABLE help over the last 3 years during my son's quest for the right college. I've learned so much, and as I'm now done with the college application process, I want to be able to pass on what I know.</p>
<p>I hopped on when my D was just beginning to look at colleges. I did a google search for something and was led to CC. I have found I can disseminate the "important" information in a condensed form for my D when she is busy doing other things. Adults also tend to be able to decipher BS from "real" (it is a learned skill, and over time you too will be able to do this).</p>
<p>I have learned much through the reading and sharing on this site.</p>
<p>interesteddad is the best.</p>
<p>hey they are helpful</p>
<p>some girl's mom was nice enough to sned me her daughters statements and even proof read mine! so i have no problem with them being on here at all</p>
<p>its good that they are tring to scoop up the best advice for their kids on here and even help others while at it </p>
<p>its not like they are bothering anyone</p>
<p>gosh, it would drive me crazy if my parents were on here.</p>
<p>It would drive me crazy too, but sometimes I get ****ed off when I see prep work that kids should be doing but instead their parents do for them. </p>
<p>Also, some parents ("edad") believe that since they've gone to college, then they get to say whatever they want and that automatically puts them above us. They forget that it's the kids that have to actually go in a year or so, which is why we're so interested. </p>
<p>Most of this site are the parents, which give a lot of help to a lot of the students, but sometimes the parents are too eager for their kids and just basically cause us to slap our heads and think "oh please...if that kid goes to the same place I do please please don't room me with him. I don't want his mom coming every week to clean."</p>
<p>Also, with a lot of the rich colleges nowadays, the best colleges are usually very affordable for kids, so the old excuse "it's my money I'll tell you where to go" won't work that well anymore. Ex, Olin's totally free, and for other colleges there's a lot of frequent full scholarships available. Students can and should decide for themselves about college, not have their parents hovering about them telling them what to write in their essays and what to say in their interviews with a little transmitter like in Old School.</p>
<p>Kamikazewave:</p>
<p>Let me just say I am glad I am not your mother. I hope you find that full scholarship or aid that you seem to think is so easy to get -- if you frequented the boards more you would find that the majority of kids find that they (which usually means their parents) have to shell out big bucks to get them to go to school. </p>
<p>On the other hand -- if you have a full scholarship (including enough for room and board and transportation, books, spending money, etc) so that you do not need a dime from you parents -- go whereever you want to school. </p>
<p>In my case, my kids will need significant aid, are appreciative of the assistance I (and other parents here) give them and do not personally have the time to spend tons of time researching. I narrow down information for them, give them the best sites to visit and let them decide. This is not being a helicopter parent -- more of a research assistant.</p>
<p>"Also, some parents ("edad") believe that since they've gone to college, then they get to say whatever they want and that automatically puts them above us."</p>
<p>As I expected, many kids seem to think that interested parents somehow want to be controlling. I was able to use my experience to point out some possibilities. Mainly I learned that colleges are often different than they appear to be. I found that the usual quick tours and the "feel" of a college are often misleading. Those kids who have some experience with college will be able to decide for themselves what is important. I encouraged and supported my D in visiting friends at various colleges. She also found some courses and summer programs. Before she even started her college search, she was very familiar with a half dozen local colleges and had lived on four campuses for periods of a week to a month. When the time came to select and tour campuses, she knew what was important to her and what to look for.</p>
<p>Everyone's financial situation is different. Colleges have gotten very expensive and financial considerations can indeed dictate choices. Even with some scholarship money, my D's college is costing well into the 6 figures. It is not unusual for families to spend 25-30% of their after tax income on college. Many of the "rich" elite colleges do not provide merit awards or offer only a very limited number. The EFC from FAFSA is often beyond what family finances can handle.</p>