It's July and My Rising Senior Hasn't Done Anything Yet!!

It's July. It's actually halfway through July. And so far, it appears that nothing has been done.

Many parents know that the summer before senior year is an ideal time to get started on the college application process. However, as the days go by and they find themselves gazing upon their rising senior playing hours of video games, scrolling on their phone, or stumbling in exhausted after hours of work, a vague sense of panic begins to set in. Any attempts to start a conversation about schools or essays are met with irritation and phrases like "I'm working on it!" 

At this point, the sage parent begins to wonder, "Are they? Are they working on it? Has the common app essay been started? Do they know what schools they will be applying to? Can they even get into the schools they are considering?”

This is where a consultant can step in and smooth out the process.  

Now, some folks will say, if your teen REALLY cared, they'd be on top of it. And yes, in an ideal world, this would be true. But the reality is, many teens are overwhelmed with the prospect of applying to college and the truth is, it really does take quite a lot of self-discipline to plan essay writing over the summer break. Throw in a few diagnoses, maybe ADHD or ASD or LD and mix it with some anxiety, and things are almost certain to remain undone.

Hiring a consultant who will schedule regular meetings and keep aware of all the details can be a game changer.

Here is a brief overview of the process I use: 

Generally, I have a short initial meeting with the parent(s) and their student. I give a quick overview of what I do. I get to know the student a little bit and I learn a few facts about their academic and extracurricular background as well as what they might want to major in. Armed with my new-found knowledge, I begin by drawing up a list of colleges that may interest the student.

Next, I begin to meet with the student to work on the Common App essay (and possibly on the personal insight questions for the University of California system).  I generally have separate meetings with a parent to research and refine the student’s college list. 

[Now, you may say, "Why isn't the student doing all the researching and refining?" and the answer is, some are. Some students are researchers who are very confident about their plans and who dive right into the process. However, the typical student is rather overwhelmed. 

And it's no wonder. There are 4,000 degree-granting colleges in the US - about 2,600 of which are 4-year schools. The average high schooler is able to name about 10 of them - often the most elite schools in the nation. They generally have no idea how to begin narrowing the field and no realistic gauge on their chances of getting in.]

So, this is where I pull in the parents (if they so desire). I discuss with both parents and students the parameters of the search - size of school, location, school culture, majors offered, and more. We check the average gpa and SAT/ACT scores of accepted students to decide on target, reach and safety schools. We note if there are any unique features of a particular school that might indicate a good fit.  And we discuss budget as well as the average amount of need and merit the particular school tends to give.  Bit by bit, we narrow things down and create a curated list for the student to consider. We also begin to discuss the idea of visiting some schools, attending some online information sessions, or meeting with an admissions counselor.

At the beginning of August, the Common Application opens (as do the Coalition, University of California, and Apply Texas applications). Students begin filling them out. I start working on the activities section with them. We discuss things like asking teachers for recommendations (if the student hasn't done so yet) and we make sure we know what platform the high school is using to interface with the Common App and with colleges (Naviance is the most common) in order to get transcripts and recommendations sent when needed. 

In September and October, we focus on writing supplemental essays for the schools that require them and making sure everything else is in place for those Early Action deadlines (usually November 1 or November 15). 

December involves working on any regular decision applications. Regular decision due dates are usually January 1 or January 15, with a few schools having even later deadlines. 

And then, we wait . . . 

Sometimes, if students have a been deferred or placed on a wait list, we write LOCI’s - ie. letters of continued interest. Sometimes there are honors college essays to compose. But otherwise, we wait! 

Some students will receive decisions as early as December if they applied Early Decision or Early Action. Some will receive word in January or February. But, for the most part, decisions arrive in March or April. It is at this time, the acceptances (hopefully) will roll in - ideally accompanied by large merit offers - with only a few scattered rejections, deferrals and wait lists!!

If you would like help and support with college applications, get in touch. I offer full packages for the whole process as well as essay only packages. Let’s get started today!