Applying to Selective Colleges Solo?

[raristy]

Like any mama I'd like to put together a good application package for my child's match and dream schools. Her match are good schools, not extremely selective. Yet her dream schools are well, dream schools.

 

It is my first time doing this (oldest child). English is not my mother tongue (some grammar issues still escape me!). I'm also concerned how with my cultural background I'd approach counselor letters, etc. Maybe I will use up to many words to convey a simple idea (in my country we tend to narrate with lots of details!). Maybe my documents will drive the admission people crazy.

 

I'd like to hear from those of you who completed your counselor portions of the application by yourselves. How did it go? What did you learn? What did you like or dislike?

 

For those of you who hired an editor or college consultant, how did you like or dislike he experience? Is it worth the sacrifice?

 

I think it's a huge financial commitment and sacrifice to get help, but for someone like me, I think at least I need to explore having someone quickly ensure the grammar is appropriate. I think it'd be respectful and considerate to the admission staff who will take the time to read my homeschool counselor documents.

 

Any other options besides those I came up with (editor and college counselor)? A college student?

 

Please let me know. Thanks a lot.

[8filltheheart]

Can your daughter proofread your letter for grammatical errors? A friend? Anyone with strong grammar skills can proofread for you. It doesn't need to be a college admissions counselor.

 

I wouldn't worry about writIng a narrative. It is how I also approach the counselor letter. I didn't attempt to write a non-homeschooling mom letter that would sound like all other counselor letters. I figured they already knew we homeschooled and I was mom, so I may as well go with it. My counselor letter was also a page and a half. I didn't worry about that either. In my dd's case, though, I was addressing a serious illness between 10th and 11th that impacted her ECs, so its length was less important to me than making sure I conveyed what I thought was necessary.

 

I focused on writing an engaging narrative that would hopefully compel them to keep reading vs boring them and making them frustrated at its length. I didn't attempt to sound like a non-biased school professional. I wrote as mom and teacher who watched her blossom into adulthood and watched her take charge of her own education and academic goals.

[JanetC]

It's intimidating! I'm going through the college admissions process for the second time, but this is my first kid aiming for "dream schools" -- do you have any friends also going through it? I met up for coffee with friends who either had done it before or were going through it in order to compare notes.

 

I'm not sure who you are considering as a "huge financial sacrifice to get help" but this site is free. Hs2coll is free. Various books at the library are free. College admissions blogs are free. Limited paid help (checking over a letter for grammar mistakes) shouldn't be that expensive, either.

[regentrude]

I am not a native speaker, but I handled the school portion of the college application myself.

If you are really unsure about your correct use of the English language, could you ask a friend to proof read your conselor  letter and school profile etc?

Also, I do not think hiring an editor for this limited task is a significant financial commitment in the big picture; compared to all other college costs, this is a drop in the bucket.

 

What I learend, liked, disliked? 

I dislike the entire process and the hoop jumping. I wish there were more objective criteria and only the academic performance mattered. Alas, gotta play by the rules the game is played.

Everything I needed to know (as a person who was not herself educated in the US system) I learned on this board.

Edited July 3, 2017 by regentrude

[madteaparty]

I am also concerned about this. Not about grammar and such, but more about the cultural stuff. The requisite self-promotion is really hard to do, for example. I'm accused, even now, of putting my child down but obviously I don't see it that way because if I did, I wouldn't do it. Sigh. I wish it were all numbers-based.

[regentrude]

I am also concerned about this. Not about grammar and such, but more about the cultural stuff. The requisite self-promotion is really hard to do, for example. I'm accused, even now, of putting my child down but obviously I don't see it that way because if I did, I wouldn't do it. Sigh. I wish it were all numbers-based.

 

But you don't really need that much "self-promotion". You can let the child's accomplishments speak for themselves.

 

I initially found it difficult to write the counselor letter, until I distanced myself and thought about what I would write if this were one of my students, not my own child. I would give praise where praise is due and show the student's accomplishment in the best light, without bending the truth or exaggerating. So, I did the same for my kids. I was just able to give more insight into their personality because I know them better. But promoting? The hard data like test scores, DE  grades, and the outside recommendation letters, did that.

 

And without actual accomplishments, not amount of self-hyping is going to get a kid into a top college. The admissions people see through the smoke.

Edited July 3, 2017 by regentrude

[merylvdm]

I have been through this 3 times so I know how you are feeling. English is my native language BUT I am South African so the cultural part of your concerns does apply to me. We were under an umbrella school so I didn't have to write the counselor's letter, but most of the "hard to get into" colleges required additional info from me about their homeschooling.

 

I know that you will need to explain the level of the curriculum you used (ie we used lots of college level but I didn't want to call it "Honors" as I really have no idea what makes a class an Honors class). I also explained how I assessed their understanding if I wasn't using tests (eg in electives I sometimes got them to write research papers, create websites etc).

 

I did not pay anyone to help me and my 3 were accepted into all these colleges which are fairly to very selective: Stanford, University of Southern California, Wake Forest, Emory, UNC Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt, NYU. 

 

I would suggest you just find someone to read over what you write and you should be fine.

[StillStanding]

I am not an English native speaker either.  I wrote everything that went in my child's Homeschool Profile (+ all the e-mailing back and forth with the college counselors). I included in the "Reasons for Homeschooling" section of the Homeschool Profile (this section was required by many "selective" schools dd applied to) that I was not a native speaker . She was accepted to several selective schools (no ivy schools--she didn't apply to any) and chose to attend Vanderbilt University.

 

You can do this!

 

My husband, who is an English native speaker, did edit the Homeschool Profile ( I tend to forget to put -ed ending sometimes or I  use the wrong prepositions :) ). Find someone  you trust to edit yours.

 

Anyway by the message you posted I think you have a good control of the English language. If you are concerned,  let them know it is not your native tongue. In my experience schools want as much information about your child's homeschool journey as you can give them.

 

I had other mom's from this forum share their Homeschool Profiles  with me a couple of year ago when I was looking for samples. I have only done this once so I am not an expert, but if you need a sample I am willing to share mine. There should be others who are willing to share if you post a request :)