I know the Common App is a thing, but at my school I proofread everybody's EVERYTHING, so the Common App essay prompts+ supplements takes the student and me hours. 20 supplements would send me over the edge. lol
Wow, is this how things are now? A counselor reviews everything? Do you just proofread or give advice on what to write and essay content?
I applied to like 8 schools and I didn't even have my mom and dad review my essays and applications at the time. I was under the impression that it was all on the student. I got into all of them - not full rides at all of them or anything super amazing, but I thought that was normal that the student did it all, including coordinating the references, and the parents wrote the application checks? Not the norm anymore, huh?
I don't think it's the norm for most public schools, but I'm lucky to lead a team of five college counselors at our school, so we're able to split the senior class up and do this with them. Private schools that have the funds seem to do this too, at least some of them. Public schools, especially in my very large city, just don't have the resources for every student to have every application proofread.
It was a year or two ago. The kid was from an immigrant family I believe (maybe Nigerian) and a couple of folks most noticeably the now run off @kcpokergal were like oh when I saw the thread title I thought his academics would have been more impressive. Then she got dragged about how she was always an asshole on threads about black folk including the one where the woman left her kids in the car to do a job interview.
Hi my name is baje, I’m a Scorpio and I hold grudges.
Your grudge holding is impressive. It was from 2014.
The $260k in OUTSIDE scholarships is also mind-boggling. I was apparently super lazy in high school, lol.
Random but related, MH got a full ride to college. I recently asked him how he found out about the scholarship and what was the application process like, etc. He never applied for it. They just gave it to him based on his application. I was like WTF, you were lazy and you still got a free ride to college? I was mad.
This happened to me. I was a poor kid and first generation college applicant and I didn't understand that you had to apply to scholarships or how to do it. My high school was no help (they advised that I only pursue Community College since I couldn't afford tuition.) I applied to only one college early decision and somehow scored a huge scholarship. I wasn't lazy but I had no clue what I was doing and all the adults in my life failed to step up and help. I am very lucky that shit worked out for me. I look back on it and go "yikes..." on almost a daily basis.
Post by seeyalater52 on Apr 3, 2018 14:56:57 GMT -5
This young man is incredible. I am in awe that he managed to apply to so many schools. I hope we get a follow-up about where he chooses to go, I imagine it must be a difficult decision with so many choices!
Wow, is this how things are now? A counselor reviews everything? Do you just proofread or give advice on what to write and essay content?
I applied to like 8 schools and I didn't even have my mom and dad review my essays and applications at the time. I was under the impression that it was all on the student. I got into all of them - not full rides at all of them or anything super amazing, but I thought that was normal that the student did it all, including coordinating the references, and the parents wrote the application checks? Not the norm anymore, huh?
I don't think it's the norm for most public schools, but I'm lucky to lead a team of five college counselors at our school, so we're able to split the senior class up and do this with them. Private schools that have the funds seem to do this too, at least some of them. Public schools, especially in my very large city, just don't have the resources for every student to have every application proofread.
My Catholic school did this 20+ years ago. We had 2 counselors who worked with upperclassmen and about 100 seniors in each class. Of course, it made the school look good to publish the list of schools their grads were accepted into and talk about their 100% 4 year college acceptance rate.
Oh man that other thread is something else. The “not exceptional” BS, the random musings from everyone who is an expert on Ivy admissions, etc. geez. We never change.
A kid from a local private school got into all 8 Ivies I saw today. I did not read the article to determine his exceptionality. I figured the admissions offices did that already lol.
Wow, is this how things are now? A counselor reviews everything? Do you just proofread or give advice on what to write and essay content?
I applied to like 8 schools and I didn't even have my mom and dad review my essays and applications at the time. I was under the impression that it was all on the student. I got into all of them - not full rides at all of them or anything super amazing, but I thought that was normal that the student did it all, including coordinating the references, and the parents wrote the application checks? Not the norm anymore, huh?
I don't think it's the norm for most public schools, but I'm lucky to lead a team of five college counselors at our school, so we're able to split the senior class up and do this with them. Private schools that have the funds seem to do this too, at least some of them. Public schools, especially in my very large city, just don't have the resources for every student to have every application proofread.
Yeah, we try, but it's tough. We've got 8 counselors on staff and we each have between 60-80 seniors on our caseload on top of the other students.
I will say that not all of our students seek out help on their applications. I had a handful who asked me to look over their essays, but definitely not all. And I only had I think 2 give me permission to read their supplements and essays in Common App. I'm forever grateful that I only have to upload everything once to Common App though.
I feel for our magnet coordinator though. She had so many scholarship rec letters to write this year.
The $260k in OUTSIDE scholarships is also mind-boggling. I was apparently super lazy in high school, lol.
Random but related, MH got a full ride to college. I recently asked him how he found out about the scholarship and what was the application process like, etc. He never applied for it. They just gave it to him based on his application. I was like WTF, you were lazy and you still got a free ride to college? I was mad.
It's been a looooong time since I applied for university, but for scholarships directly from the schools, I definitely didn't explicitly apply for them (though the financial need paperwork may have been a supplement to the admissions application). For each of the schools, it was something they decided internally based on the application and was included as part of the acceptance offer. From what I recall, each school's offer also broke down their scholarship offer by merit-based vs need-based aid. (I did directly apply for a few outside scholarships.)
A question - I've seen a lot of these viral videos lately where HS students react to their college acceptance news. Are they receiving emails from the individual institutions, or do they log onto the college's website to find out if they've been accepted or not? (I started college in 2001 and my acceptance letters still came through regular mail.)
Yes to both, depending on the school. Some send emails and some update portals.
The video/group watching the kids thing makes me SO sweaty. I can't imagine the added pressure.
This seems like a nightmare to me. I still remember sobbing over the response from my top choice school. I felt like the world was going to end, and I'm pretty sure I spent the rest of the day curled up in bed with the door locked. (Ah, high school melodramatics.)
Oh man that other thread is something else. The “not exceptional” BS, the random musings from everyone who is an expert on Ivy admissions, etc. geez. We never change.
A kid from a local private school got into all 8 Ivies I saw today. I did not read the article to determine his exceptionality. I figured the admissions offices did that already lol.
Haha, I always get pulled into the admissions threads. I can't help it!
This student is wicked impressive and any school would be lucky to have him join their community. 20/20 is amazing!
8 college counselors?? We have one, and she’s part time, and we’ll be lucky if we have funding to bring her back next year.
However, they do write all of their stuff during 12th grade English (which is a whole other issue).
Also, when I read these threads, I realize how uneducated/privileged my parents were about the college process, and how unprepared/unwilling/uneducated my high school was for dealing with college applications for any of us.
Post by cookiemdough on Apr 4, 2018 9:02:11 GMT -5
Listening to the involvement of high counselors in this process is eye-opening to me. Yet one more addition to the scale that tips it in the favor of those with means.
Listening to the involvement of high counselors in this process is eye-opening to me. Yet one more addition to the scale that tips it in the favor of those with means.
Yes. Not a surprise that we need admissions programs at the college/university level that take this into account still - it's really hard to get into a school without some help or someone taking note of you. And even harder if you're super smart, but haven't had opportunity to take AP classes or honors tracks.
This reminded me of how I lost a friend over college admissions. I had the higher GPA, SAT, and AP scores, but her family hired a private college admissions guidance counselor and flew her out to some legacy events at Ivy leagues and she got in to the three she applied. This was in 1995. I ended up getting accepted to two of the same ivy leagues that she applied, but I couldn't afford to go even with the scholarships offered. I remember talking to her about how she was affording it as I was trying to decide and contemplate so much in living expenses in loans and her saying, "You got accepted?! To both? But we had to pay the college admissions guidance counselor, and you never even visited the schools! Anyway, I'm pretty sure my parents are paying, we haven't talked about how to afford it - they said they'd pay to anywhere I got accepted and wanted to go." I pretty much stopped talking to her after that comment.
At a high school reunion a couple years ago she said something like, "I wish we hadn't grown apart when you decided not to go to college with me."
I almost lit into her, but realized she probably hadn't thought twice about her comment from 20 years before, so I just said, "Well, life happens and I couldn't afford that school. So what is your new job like?"
Listening to the involvement of high counselors in this process is eye-opening to me. Yet one more addition to the scale that tips it in the favor of those with means.
Also legacy admits continue to tip the scales.
I work at an ivy and we also have a special free program for alumni. We provide college counseling services for children of alumni. The college counselors act as traditional college counselors and help them with applications for any school. This is a great benefit for alumni and also helps take the pressure off for legacy admits. But our legacy admit rate is approx 20-25% compared to admit rate of 8% for class of 2022.
Some students are pushing now to get rid of legacy preferences in admissions.
8 college counselors?? We have one, and she’s part time, and we’ll be lucky if we have funding to bring her back next year.
However, they do write all of their stuff during 12th grade English (which is a whole other issue).
Also, when I read these threads, I realize how uneducated/privileged my parents were about the college process, and how unprepared/unwilling/uneducated my high school was for dealing with college applications for any of us.
We’re not specifically college counselors. It’s just something we help with. But we’re also a school of 3200 kids, so “help” is very subjective. We try our best though.
Listening to the involvement of high counselors in this process is eye-opening to me. Yet one more addition to the scale that tips it in the favor of those with means.
Also legacy admits continue to tip the scales.
I work at an ivy and we also have a special free program for alumni. We provide college counseling services for children of alumni. The college counselors act as traditional college counselors and help them with applications for any school. This is a great benefit for alumni and also helps take the pressure off for legacy admits. But our legacy admit rate is approx 20-25% compared to admit rate of 8% for class of 2022.
Some students are pushing now to get rid of legacy preferences in admissions.
I wish they would. I don't understand why legacies ever give you an edge in admissions (I mean, I understand $$ but I think it's a stupid system.)
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
This is my local morning news show. Alison the black anchor went to Hampton. She and Maureen, another black anchor, usually shutdown foolishness. This is disappointing. I may write them. The one in the middle talking about his taking others spots is REally pissing me off. The brunette is actually a local radio personality and only appears periodically for entertainment segments.
I just saw this clip on Facebook and my blood pressure skyrocketed. They call him "obnoxious" for doing this and taking 20 spots...and even when the one points out that people will get to take the spots he declines, they continue to find fault. The blatant racism could not be more obvious.
I don't think it's the norm for most public schools, but I'm lucky to lead a team of five college counselors at our school, so we're able to split the senior class up and do this with them. Private schools that have the funds seem to do this too, at least some of them. Public schools, especially in my very large city, just don't have the resources for every student to have every application proofread.
My Catholic school did this 20+ years ago. We had 2 counselors who worked with upperclassmen and about 100 seniors in each class. Of course, it made the school look good to publish the list of schools their grads were accepted into and talk about their 100% 4 year college acceptance rate.
Ditto. My school published which college every senior was going to. There were a handful of students that they listed as "undecided". I suspect that some of those students weren't going to a four year college for whatever reason, but the school didn't want to say that.
I just saw this clip on Facebook and my blood pressure skyrocketed. They call him "obnoxious" for doing this and taking 20 spots...and even when the one points out that people will get to take the spots he declines, they continue to find fault. The blatant racism could not be more obvious.
I can't watch the video clip at work, but I don't understand this at all. He isn't taking 20 spots. He's taking one, at whichever school he ends up choosing. He can't go to 20 schools at once. Once he decides, the other schools will pull someone from their list instead. It's not like the spaces are going to sit open. LOLZFOREVER that schools won't fill the seats, by the way.
These dumbasses clearly are ignoring the fact that EVERY SCHOOL accepts more students than attend AND rejects some kids who are qualified. Every school. Even Harvard. A kid like this didn't take a spot. The schools MADE a spot for him.