question about timing apps w/ SAT scores & references

[mooooom]

I have 3 applying this year, I am having a hard time keeping my head on straight. Some of the schools have early action (Nov 15) and my kids want to do this where they can. And if the Common App is completed to send to some, I'm thinking we just want to hit send for all. Especially because I don't want to ask people sending references to have send them in on different dates. Will this be a problem anywhere?

 

2 - If there part of the application is submitted on time, is the transcript and references also supposed to be there by the same deadline? I'm worried about paperwork mailed in and received before the online app - worried about things getting lost.

 

3 - Are you supposed to use the common app academic reference form if it is not an academic reference?

 

4 - dd is retaking the SAT in Nov - scores will not be back by the 15th (I don't think). How do I handle this?

 

Thanks

[Muttichen]

If you are using the common app, the references are completed online. You give the names and email addresses of the people writing recommendations, and they get an email telling them what to do. If you have extra letters (e.g., from a soccer coach), give the person a stamped envelope and let them mail it to the school. I'd do that after I started the common app process so the school has a file on your child. Don't worry about SAT scores -- they are sent directly to the college electronically. You also upload the transcript. Everything is online so it's easy to see if the colleges have gotten and downloaded what they need.

[mooooom]

and I really doubt our references are going to be sending them online either - I don't even think they all have email accounts.

 

Do I need to call every school and ask if I need to hand them the academic reference forms?

[Muttichen]

How big are the schools your children are applying to?

 

My kids applied to very selective schools that get tens of thousands of applications every year. We thought the best way to keep something from getting lost in the shuffle was to submit everything the way they expected it to be submitted. If all of the schools were uploading their transcripts, we uploaded ours. If they expected recommendations to be submitted online, we had ours submitted online. With a smaller school it might not be an issue -- you could call and ask.