Janice in NJ Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I've always looked at our school year as a fall semester that ends before Christmas and a spring semester. For the Common App Mid-Year Report what's the norm? Should I wait until middle to the end of January to upload the Mid-Year Report or can I call our 1st semester OVER and upload those grades? Thanks! Janice P.S. Ds just finalized his actual Com App and submitted everything last week (12/28); his first actual deadline was January 15th. So if I upload the Mid-Year report it really is going to be exactly the same as his common app except it will include some mid-year grades. Thoughts? I really would like to have all of this "stuff" done soon. :001_smile: I think I just have the Mid-Year and the FAFSA to complete. We have our pins; it doesn't look too tough. THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Janice, All of my son's mid-semester grades were available at the end of December last year except for an online course which did not have a first semester grade posted until later in January. I called several colleges to ask if they would like a preliminary mid-year report since he had grades from the CC which I could share. The three LAC admissions officers with whom I spoke all said the same thing: the more information they have on homeschooled students, the better. I snail mailed the pending mid-year transcript (with semester grades for all courses but the one), then posted the actual transcript on the Common App site later in January. In your case, I would go ahead and upload that mid-year report. By the way, do any of the colleges on your son's list require the CSS Profile? This form catches many parents off guard. It is invasive beyond belief! Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janice in NJ Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 Jane, I took a look at that Profile Report Yesterday. Only 1 school wants it. And I'm not sure if ds really even wants that school for certain. It's one of the most expensive on his list. BUT we already paid the application fee. :glare: So I took a look at the form. Believe it or not I DIDN'T know about it until yesterday when I searched for "FAFSA" and found your posts. :001_smile: So now I have to decide if I'm going to say "no" to the Profile Report and just walk away from the college or if I'm willing to give the College Board folks ALL of that info. REALLY a bummer. I have no control over how they will even store my data. A not-so-funny story. I used to own a business with my mom. We were asked to handle a subscription product for one of our customers - a WELL known, reputable business. As a result we ended up with a boatload of computers that were FULL of people's names, addy, phone, and credit card numbers. After the business came to a close, the computers were shoved aside. JUST this past summer we took them to the dump. I made my 13 year-old smash all the hard drives with a hammer; I personally tore up all the back-up tapes. I just can't imagine that EVERYONE is that conscientious about other people's data. I had NO legal responsibility to care. We just cared. So no, I'm REALLY not psyched to fill out that profile form - especially when I'm not really sure it's necessary on our end. :glare: GREAT to hear from you, Jane! I hope you and yours had a peaceful holiday. THANKS! Janice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 So I took a look at the form. Believe it or not I DIDN'T know about it until yesterday when I searched for "FAFSA" and found your posts. :001_smile: That's me--the bearer of bad news! A not-so-funny story. I used to own a business with my mom. We were asked to handle a subscription product for one of our customers - a WELL known, reputable business. As a result we ended up with a boatload of computers that were FULL of people's names, addy, phone, and credit card numbers. After the business came to a close, the computers were shoved aside. JUST this past summer we took them to the dump. I made my 13 year-old smash all the hard drives with a hammer; I personally tore up all the back-up tapes. I just can't imagine that EVERYONE is that conscientious about other people's data. I had NO legal responsibility to care. We just cared. So no, I'm REALLY not psyched to fill out that profile form - especially when I'm not really sure it's necessary on our end. :glare: Frankly I felt uncomfortable mailing tax returns to colleges that required them even before the student agreed to attend the school! I telephoned to ask what the policy was on document retention and destruction. Apparently I am not the only parent who made this call--but I wish everyone did! Ugh. I felt backed into a corner with the Profile. My son had a short college list with two of the schools requiring it. Fortunately that is not an experience we have to repeat. GREAT to hear from you, Jane! I hope you and yours had a peaceful holiday. THANKS! Janice Thinking of you and all parents who have students applying to college. Peace and relief are coming. Hold on! Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in MA Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Frankly I felt uncomfortable mailing tax returns to colleges that required them even before the student agreed to attend the school! I telephoned to ask what the policy was on document retention and destruction. Apparently I am not the only parent who made this call--but I wish everyone did!Jane Jane, I felt the same way about sending in copies of our tax forms. I called all the schools that said they required copies, and all of them said that they only needed those copies if my son decided to attend their school and that I could send the copies in after the May 1 deadline. So, in the end, the copies only went to the one school he is attending. I think it's definitely worth a phone call before sending in all those forms full of personal data. My son's school requires the profile for freshman but not for returning students, so thankfully, I've only had to deal with it once so far. Janice -- I don't see any harm sending in your mid-year report now if you have all the required information. I sent my son's in early January. To the transcript I sent with the original counselor paperwork, I added mid-year grades, CC grades, and course descriptions for courses he was taking in the spring at the CC. I also mentioned a couple of small awards he had won since the original application went in. And one more bit of bad news -- the Mid-Year Report & the FA stuff isn't the end of it. Come late May/early June, you will need to send in the end of year report with a final transcript. By that time, you will also be making lists of stuff to get for his dorm, appointment for a physical, etc. That senior year is grueling for both kiddo & mom/GC. Best wishes, Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Jane, I felt the same way about sending in copies of our tax forms. I called all the schools that said they required copies, and all of them said that they only needed those copies if my son decided to attend their school and that I could send the copies in after the May 1 deadline. So, in the end, the copies only went to the one school he is attending. I can think of at least one college to which my son applied that required tax returns of applicants and their parents--as part of the application process! My head reels thinking about this again... Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in MA Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I can think of at least one college to which my son applied that required tax returns of applicants and their parents--as part of the application process! My head reels thinking about this again... Jane Wow, that seems pretty intrusive. I hope that's not the norm. Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janice in NJ Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 Thanks for the info, Brenda! It's nice to know that the profile experience is a one-off. :001_smile: Although the school that wants it looks pretty expensive; I'm not sure how we would swing it. ;) And thanks for the heads-up about May/June. I had noticed that they are asking for an end-of-year transcript. I've informed the boy that he's going to have to keep his foot down all the way to the finish line. As far as getting him off to college after the form-frenzy: I can't believe it's coming this fast. I'm a bit sad, but I'm REALLY psyched for him. He's going to love it. So that mostly fills my windshield. Thanks for the hand-holding, Brenda. You have NO idea how helpful AND COMFORTING it is! Oh my! Peace, Janice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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