can I get advice on some general timelines --college applications this fall

[bettyandbob]

I'd like to help dd stay on top of things. She's got a list of schools. She's taken SAT, SAT 2s, and ACT. She plans to retake SAT in September. So, that's under control.

 

She has some ideas for recommendations and has already has her math teacher line up. Her major would likely be undecided, with a current focus on completing pre PT requirements. 

 

When should she try to complete the common application? Are there essays for common app? Should she aim to have all applications done in November even if she isn't applying early decision/early action?

 

What was your game plan? Was it successful? What do you think you missed?

 

 

[creekland]

All of my guys apps were completed by Dec 1st, some much earlier, probably in Sept/Oct.  Only middle son used the Common App and yes there was an essay with it as well as some of his schools having their own essays - even with the Common App.

 

Earlier is generally better stress-wise.  For some schools (rolling admission) earlier is also better due to better chances of getting in and getting merit aid.  I would shoot for having those finished first - ready to go as soon as you get your updated SAT scores.

 

Our game plan was definitely successful.  I don't think we missed anything.  You do need to stay on top of the apps as occasionally schools lose things and they have to be re-sent.  We were annoyed at first when this happened, but soon found out it was par for the course, so not worth getting annoyed at.

[In The Great White North]

The earlier the better - for stress, scholarships, admissions odds, likelihood of recommenders completing it/doing a good job, etc .  The only downside is if you think she'll do significantly better retaking the SAT/ACT (and I would still recommend everything else be done early)

 

By earlier, I mean Sept/Oct.

 

[Starr]

I'm inclined to have students pick a field of study (even if they change their minds later) when applying and interviewing colleges. It gives them something positive and goal directed to talk about. Keep track of all deadlines, all parts of the application and -Edit- those essays! 

[regentrude]

The earlier the better.

The CA has an essay, but even schools that use the CA may have additional school specific essays. (Some of DD's schools had five short essays in addition to the CA!)

DD started thinking about the essays and playing around with ideas over the summer break.

She began filling out the CA the day it was released, which turned out to be futile, since it was the new software and glitched for two weeks. So, actual start was mid-August.

She submitted her first apps mid-October since one of them was EA.

 

Your DD needs to ask her potential recommenders as soon as possible if they are willing to write her a recommendation. Writing recommendations is time consuming, and people appreciate a long notice.

 

One school lost her application through the CA, even though they had already notified her that they received it. So you should have extra time built in.

[Hoggirl]

I wanted ds to "own" the process, but there can be so much at stake scholarship-wise, I wasn't comfortable turning everything over to him 100%. We started with the safeties - ds had three. All were Big State U's, all had rolling admissions, and all were going to give him scholarship $$ based solely on his stats. Those apps are easy-peasy. Some had separate Honors College/scholarship apps. None were Common App schools. We got those done first. Next, ds applied REA to his first-choice school. That had a super-early deadline (October 15th for him) because he submitted a music supplement. After that he continued to work on all his other apps. He applied to eleven schools. We initially had weekly meetings on Sunday afternoons for about 20-30 minutes. We scheduled out together what he was going to accomplish that week in terms of completing applications, essays, supplements, whatever. Other than during that weekly meeting, I DID NOT MENTION THE PROCESS AT ALL! I didn't want all our conversations to be about the college application process, and I didn't want to constantly be nagging him - "Have you done this?" "Have you done that." If *he* brought up something, then we talked about it, but I did not bring it up except during our weekly meetings. My purpose for these meetings was to make sure he didn't miss an hoops that were going to cause him to lose out on big merit $. I was basically a secretary. Once all of those were taken care of as well as his REA school, I loosened the reins a bit. I told him, we knew he was going to get in some places where he could go for free, and he had applied to his first choice school, and it really didn't matter to me if he finished the rest of them or not. My goal was for him to have all apps finished before we smelled turkey cooking (meaning, before Thanksgiving). He didn't accomplish that, but most everything was done by the time he received the deferral from the first-choice school (yes, he got in in the regular decision round, and that is where he matriculated). It was good that he had done that, since the deferral was most disheartening. But, knowing he was in at his three safeties with lots of merit money made it easier to take. He added one other school in December because they offered him a fee waiver.

 

It is such a stressful time. Longest winter ever once all the apps were in. I think it is best to be as supportive as you can without micromanaging. It is also important to remember that just because your child approaches things differently than YOU would, that doesn't make it wrong, kwim?

 

But get the safeties done first.

 

Also, ds lined up his recommenders during the summer and let them know.

[TechWife]

We didn't have to use the common app at all, so wait until you know what schools your chid is going to apply to before you have them start on those essays and before you panic about getting your course descriptions, etc. together. All I had to do was provide a transcript. DS only had to write an essay for scholarships, not for the application itself.  

[snowbeltmom]

In addition to the advice already given, make sure that the Browser you use is compatible with the school's application software.  I wasted hours trying to figure out why things weren't working correctly only to discover that the version of the Browser I was using was not supported by the software. 

 

Good luck with the college applications!

[Renaissance Mom]

Decide in the next month what schools student is really interested in, and make a spreadsheet of the deadlines so things can be scheduled to get done. Read a few books about the essays if student will need guidance. Also this summer, make the resume if you havent already. It will be referred to for scholarship applications too.

 

 

Any recommendations for books about the essays and for resources on how to write the student resume?

[momofkhm]

For oldest, we had everything finished by Oct 15-ish, the EA deadline.  She applied everywhere early action as none of her schools were binding.  It was so so nice to have college acceptances roll in before Christmas!

 

Middle applied to a rolling admission school.  They told her to wait until things settled after school starting, not to apply until September.  She did and heard back by phone in 2 days!  Boom, done.  It helped a LOT that her best friend's dad works for that school.

 

So I would say apply early.  One of middle's friends didn't get her last app in until Jan 1, the last day possible at that school.  I personally couldn't understand it hanging that long.

[Kareni]

Any recommendations for books about the essays and for resources on how to write the student resume?

 

 

For essays, my daughter liked this book (in an earlier version):

 

On Writing the College Application Essay, 25th Anniversary Edition: The Key to Acceptance at the College of Your Choice by Harry Bauld.

 

 

Some other resources and samples ~

 

Hamilton - Essays that Worked

 

And here's a link to some essays from Reed students.

 

Some tips from the QuestBridge site: Writing Essays

 

And, for fun, here's a link to a Wall Street Journal article that discusses (and shows examples of) college presidents responding to their own college's essay prompts.

 

 

In this post from 2010, BlueHen wrote this:

 

"Over at PA Homeschoolers blog I made a post on the process my son and I went through getting his essay together. Maybe it might be helpful, maybe not.

http://www.pahomesch.../post3037.shtml

 

And you can read his essay in the following post:

http://www.pahomesch.../post3038.shtml "

 

Regards,

Kareni

[EKS]

We finalized which colleges my son wanted to apply to over the summer.  Since most of them used the Common App, he also completely finalized his essay in August.  Forcing him to do that might have been my single best parenting move ever.

 

He applied to the school that had rolling admissions very early on (sometime in October), within a few weeks of them accepting applications.  Since he got accepted to that school three weeks later, he could relax a bit because at least he was accepted somewhere!  He submitted the other applications in November, one of which was for early action.

 

My son only applied to five schools, which probably made it easier for him to finish so quickly.  He also wasn't going to school at the time (finished high school the spring before), but he was doing a gap year thing which was pretty distracting.  He wasn't very happy with me pushing him to get everything done, but he was happy to *be* done.

[bettyandbob]

 He wasn't very happy with me pushing him to get everything done, but he was happy to *be* done.

 

I know this is going to be cause of some tension and it will be great when it's over.

[Familia]

 

 

What was your game plan? Was it successful? What do you think you missed?

 

 

Any recommendations for books about the essays and for resources on how to write the student resume?

 

Other than read Kareni's posts about college applications very carefully, the best thing we did was hire a tutor to help DS organize his thoughts for application and scholarship essays.

Beginning late summer before senior year through fall, DS met with a local writing tutor (philosophy grad student) who discussed each essay's topic with him.  At first she made notes of their discussion, went over the notes, and helped him organize an outline for the paper.  We used her for the first edit, then we edited it ourselves.

Later, when DS got the process under his belt, they met over Skype to discuss, DS took his own notes and gathered them into a sound outline, and we took care of all the editing ourselves.

This was such a successful plan for DS, who balked at first at any of the essays he was asked to write.  One of them was, "Discuss the place of beauty in a liberal arts education."  DS stopped at the word 'beauty' and figured he would never be able to write that essay!  Well, that tutor drew him out and I'd say that my favorite part of his senior year was overhearing their conversations where our normally non-introspective son shared ideas on many subjects, including beauty.  He received a lot of kudos on his essays, btw.

[lovemywhirlygirls]

So, my life has gotten crazy and I haven't even lurked in a long, long time, but now I have a rising senior girl and I am coming back to THE source of wisdom that has been consistent for me during our homeschooling experience. I do remember fantastic posts by Kareni. I have done a little bit of looking, but can't seen to find the right thread. Would someone be so kind to share the links to that for me?

This crazy busy Momma with a nasty rain pressure headache would be very grateful!

 

Thanks, All!

(I haven't updated my signature in FOREVER either, so ignore that if it shows up.)

 

 

[dhudson]

Earlier is definitely better. My ds had most of his done by November. We scheduled time every Wednesday to go over essays and applications. I had to schedule time for me to write letters, transcripts as well as fill out scholarship applications.

 

Many schools have rolling admissions and rolling scholarships so earlier was definitely better. The fall was definitely stressful but it was completely worth it.

[JanetC]

Any recommendations for books about the essays and for resources on how to write the student resume?

 

Lee Binz' little essay book is a really good overview. The examples reference homeschool-popular colleges like Hillsdale, but the info is generally useful for anywhere.

 

http://www.amazon.com/College-Application-Essays-Parents-HomeScholars-ebook/dp/B00CDQ7VU6

 

It is unfortunately written to the parent. She should really do a second version written directly to teens.

 

For kids who are willing to look at a longer book, and willing to risk putting some personality into their essay, this book is very, very good.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Art-College-Essay-Gabrielle-Glancy/dp/0991214935

 

DD's gonna have to really wow them if she wants a chance at her reach schools, so I'm hoping she'll be willing to put in the work suggested in this one.

 

Has anyone used Zoomita to manage their essays?

 

--Janet