bugs Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I still have the most difficult, though not most time consuming section of the CA to go - the LOR. But hey, I pressed the button for the School Report! I know many of you have already done so. Okay, enough procrastinating- off to work on the LOR (pray for me :tongue_smilie:). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I had mixed feelings of relief and no turning back when I hit submit. Too late to change anything now. NROTC scholarship has been submitted for a few weeks. USNA application is complete. 2 of the requests for nomination are submitted. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Are you finding your colleges want a letter of recommendation from you? So far those I've had talked to want me to fill out the counselor section but not with a recommendation and get someone else to write a letter of recommendation. In my daughter's case it will be her gymnastics coach since she's been a competitive gymnast for 11 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugs Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 Are you finding your colleges want a letter of recommendation from you? So far those I've had talked to want me to fill out the counselor section but not with a recommendation and get someone else to write a letter of recommendation. In my daughter's case it will be her gymnastics coach since she's been a competitive gymnast for 11 years. I never even thought of NOT writing one - or asking for that matter. He does have a teacher writing one. Last year, the four I sent the CA to for my daughter did not ask me to get someone else, I think I will just go with me for now. If I had one more kid to do this with I might have asked- but I am done. It would be interesting to see if anyone else has been told to hold back and get a replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I never even thought of NOT writing one - or asking for that matter. He does have a teacher writing one. Last year, the four I sent the CA to for my daughter did not ask me to get someone else, I think I will just go with me for now. If I had one more kid to do this with I might have asked- but I am done. It would be interesting to see if anyone else has been told to hold back and get a replacement. The one that we have sent in so far is pretty low key on documentation (they are perfectly happy with copies of ACT and AP scores and won't require "official" ones at any time). They also ask for one letter of recommendation. When we visited the person did say that since DS is homeschooled, that they wanted the letter from someone not related to him. Which was nice because their EA deadline is Nov 1 and I haven't written my counselor's letter yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I have all the school info written up--just haven't submitted since dd is still working on her part. Today's project is the counselor LOR. Then...it will either be relief or panic that I messed it up somehow or both. DD has LORs from teachers, employer, and volunteer supervisor. I'm taking advantage of the counselor LOR to explain a few things about her that might not be readily apparent in other parts of the app. I tried to keep the school portions broader and more applicable to all our kids and have viewed the LOR as my chance to address her specifically. Most of the schools we've talked to want a LOR from someone not the parent, unless they want multiple LORs. She will have one (or more) from someone outside the family for each school plus the one I'm writing to address her high school work. I can't imagine not using that space to address her individual work and educational journey in a way that no outside teacher could. When we toured colleges last summer she was typically asked for 3 things-an SAT/ACT, a transcript (preferably with course descriptions), and an LOR from someone other than a parent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I am writing the counselor rec. It may be flawed in coming from me, but there is no one else who can address the way my son responded to his academic setting. He has recs from two outside teachers. He also had two recs from scout leaders from courses he staffed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I am writing the counselor rec. It may be flawed in coming from me, but there is no one else who can address the way my son responded to his academic setting. He has recs from two outside teachers. He also had two recs from scout leaders from courses he staffed. Well you have other recommendations so that's good too. And I'm sure there are some schools who are fine with mom recommendations. It's just that the schools I've dealt with who want recommendations both with my oldest who is now in college and now with my 2nd daughter want one from someone other than the mother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I submitted the Common App School Report late this afternoon. Yay. that part is done. Now, I have to tackle the Counselor Rec. Will be glad to have that done! THANK YOU to all for helping me get the SR submitted. I would not have been able to do it without your help. For those who've completed the CR - how long was it? Trying to decide how verbose I need to be. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I submitted the Common App School Report late this afternoon. Yay. that part is done. Now, I have to tackle the Counselor Rec. Will be glad to have that done! THANK YOU to all for helping me get the SR submitted. I would not have been able to do it without your help. For those who've completed the CR - how long was it? Trying to decide how verbose I need to be. I am aiming for one page or less. I have an intro paragraph where I explain our relationship and my educational background and the academic basis for my evaluation. I have a couple paragraphs with examples of his personal strengths and experiences. Because we've moved a couple times, I was trying to explain why his record didn't contain some of the long term activities he'd have if we'd stayed in once place. I also put it in terms of how he has not hesitated to get involved with new things in new places. I found this site helpful http://mitadmissions.org/apply/prepare/writingrecs I was at a college presentation a few weeks back. One thing that the Adcon there said was they really want to be able to understand the context of a student's application. From a homeschooler, I think the counselor rec is an opportunity to give some specific examples and straight explanations that the student might not describe. Just as an example, my son is hugely popular with younger kids, because he will cheerfully include them in games of tag and other activities. I tried to convey, through a couple examples, the fact that he is looked up to and is able to encourage and motivate younger swimmers and scouts. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 For those who've completed the CR - how long was it? Trying to decide how verbose I need to be. The one I wrote for my daughter was about one and a half pages. Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugs Posted October 31, 2015 Author Share Posted October 31, 2015 Just finished the counselor report. It is out of my hands now, whether it is well written or not. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 :hurray: :hurray: Finished EA application #2 last night! It's due today, so we are pretty much taking the day off (ignoring the fact that ds has two tests next week and the SAT IIs on Saturday.) We finished the basic Common App on October 15th for an early EA deadline, but there wasn't a celebration thread yet then. There are five more on the list: 3 Common App with additional writing and 2 others with three essays each. We hope to be completely done by Thanksgiving. These are the EA ones; there are a couple that don't have EA that he liked. If he's not happy with EA offers, he may choose to do one or two of those RD. (It's lots, but with a potential move, safety-state-schools are a longer list.) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 For those who've completed the CR - how long was it? Trying to decide how verbose I need to be. Mine was about 1 paragraph over a page. I need to make a shorter version, because another non-Common App school asks for one that is limited to one page in length. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Are you finding your colleges want a letter of recommendation from you? So far those I've had talked to want me to fill out the counselor section but not with a recommendation and get someone else to write a letter of recommendation. In my daughter's case it will be her gymnastics coach since she's been a competitive gymnast for 11 years. The Common App requires it, as do other schools with an online application process. You also need multiple recommendations from other folks, though, for most schools. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I wrote an actual recommendation for older dd, but this time I wrote about how that seemed better left to her other recommenders, so I would just give some context to her academic career. Then I wrote about what opportunities and limitations she faced living in our area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 First two Common App colleges are applied to! Two more CA schools and one independent online application to go. Subject tests on Saturday. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Three CA and one non - all done! Yay! One wasn't EA, but it has to be in by Nov. 15th for scholarship consideration (state school back up.) The two EA both required several essays, and dd does NOT enjoy writing, but we were visiting dd and some schools near her, so the change of scenery - airports, college student unions, a dorm room - seemed to help. It was relatively painless. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justkeepswimming Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 We are DONE!!! DONEDONEDONE!!! DD is still considering two schools whose deadlines aren't until December or January, so she's going to wait until November to even look at those (there are two tiny, 250-word "essays" that will need to be completed). But - for the Early schools or those with November 1 scholarship deadlines - she is el finito. It feels so, so, so good. I re-read everything this morning (she submitted yesterday) and while, far from perfect, I don't think my counselor's information (school profile, letter, etc) is going to prohibit a school from accepting dd. lol Her essay is solid. Her stats are at, or above, the schools where she's applying. I think she's in good shape. Having this clunking around in our brains for so eternally long (feels like forever!) - today felt like a party! No more ACT/SAT testing, no more 650-word college essays, no more comparing colleges and scholarships and teams to decide where she's most interested.... just DONE! (until final decision time) We've put in the work, done what we can, and it's all in God's hands now. And I'm okay with that. :) We can now think of something - ANYTHING - else!!! Hallelujah!!!!! :hurray: :thumbup: :party: 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 Ds finished his portion of Common App on Wednesday, I finished the School report section on Thursday and then focused on the Counselor Rec. Hit the submit button for the Application on Sat afternoon. Our family then went out to dinner and a movie to celebrate. Feels like a huge load off my shoulders. THANK YOU again to the posters on this forum! Ds still has to finish up some scholarship essays for a couple more schools, I have to mail out a packet to a local uni and then we are DONE. :hurray: 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted November 2, 2015 Share Posted November 2, 2015 The one I wrote for my daughter was about one and a half pages. Regards, Kareni Mine ended up being one and a half pages, too. My word document was normal spacing, 12 pt font. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Third one down here...ds is working on essay for #4, due the 15th. There are 10 total on the list, but if there is a good offer early action, he may not bother with some of the regular decision apps. (He also took the SAT Math 2 this morning, so that is done!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Fourth college is submitted. He also has a nomination interview scheduled. I was sure I'd messed this up by not submitting the counselor rec in time. Fortunately that was separate from the transcript package. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 About half the planned applications will be complete as soon as I mail a hard copy of transcript, course descriptions, etc. to one school. I am currently relieved that most of what happens at my end is cut and past or completed via common app. A few short additional essays for dd and some honors college/scholarship apps that are separate remain. I am hoping that other than FAFSA and the mid-year report we can be done before the holidays and just relax and enjoy ourselves a bit. (I'd love a Thanksgiving deadline but that might be too much to hope for...) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugs Posted November 12, 2015 Author Share Posted November 12, 2015 Blah :ack2: I just finished the CSS profile. Amazingly, I thought that it was more confusing (and definitely more intrusive) than the FAFSA. If I were to do it all again - I wouldn't. Edited- grammar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted November 13, 2015 Share Posted November 13, 2015 I feel so behind reading all everyone else has done already! Dd in ps completed her first app, including all the supplementals. This school is her safety, but she's in the running for some really good merit aid, so fingers crossed! Homeschooled dd submitted her first app, but some of the supplementals are still outstanding - for her, essay, extracurricular resume and teacher recommendations, for me, her transcript, which is 98% done. I also have course descriptions about 90% done, but I'm not even sure they'll care to see them... I may wait to see if they ask... Transcripts from other schools (ps in 9th/10th, CC, and a State U) are in, as well as test scores. Neither of these were with the Common App - for homeschooled dd, the school doesn't even take it, and they had no interest in a counselor letter, and looks like I might not have to put together a school profile for them either, as I think what info they need is on the transcript. Woot! Of course, if she applies to more schools, I'll still have to do those... we'll see if she does; she's pretty happy with the prospect of this school, it's affordable, has a good program in her intended major, and she's likely to get in with no issues. She's been very reluctant to even look at 'fit' schools - she does have one reach which will likely be too much $$$ even if she somehow got in. But when she said I was stressing her out suggesting more fit schools since she didn't seem interested in looking herself, I told her as long as she applied to this school Early Action, I don't care if she applies anywhere else. So, we'll see what she wants to do... PS dd is going to apply to a bunch of other schools with the CA, but I don't have to really do anything... she just has to write some supplemental essays for a couple of them. One of them she still may apply to for their second EA date on Dec 1st, the rest don't have EA, just ED, so she'll do RD for them. Not looking forward to the CSS... neither of these schools require it, but some of the others on the list do... The FAFSA, of course, is inevitable... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 So ds1 got another application completed. There are still a couple outstanding that he needs to finish off. I think the new goal will be to finish by Christmas. One has rolling admissions. The other have regular decision deadlines in Jan. He has had two interviews for service academy nominations. He thinks they went well, but it's hard to know for sure. Ds2 is about to start his own cycle of service academy applications when the first batch of summer program apps open up this month. They won't completely overlap, but DS2 will have his preliminary apps in probably before we hear about DS1's applications. At least the heavy lifting on the transcripts and course descriptions will be done. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I'd be done if it weren't for the number of schools who change their minds about which email to send information to and mark applications incomplete or won't acknowledge receiving paper copies in the mail without a phone call. Other than that I think there is maybe one application dd needs to complete an essay for and then we wait. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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