Has your HS senior Not applied to college yet?

[luvmarypoppins]

Our ds has not applied to any college yet. He is driving us crazy. I think I am going to have dh have a talk with him and tell him this is serious, think of your future etc. Right now he is doing his school work, obsessed with varsity basketball and works part time on sats. I just dont think he sees the seriousness of it. He has gone to 2 college open houses, taken a college and careers class etc. Anyone else in the same boat as us. I did have his sat scores sent to 3 colleges and 1 scholarship program from dh work.

 

[Tess]

Ours has visited, applied, taken ACT x3, been accepted to all schools he applied to, and--the best moment of our college search experience--received a full tuition scholarship for all 4 (or 5) years! He (we) began the college search last spring (Junior year) and are now awaiting FAFSA (probably a major waste of time) filing and the local, county, and state scholarship process! It has been a very trying fall with loads of stress and tough decisions. The reward, however, was fantastic--I'm now a believer in early applications! Now, we just have to get through the rest of this semester (two weeks) and wait to see if he manages to hold onto his "valedictorian" status! Only then will we breathe a sigh of relief!

I agree with you--don't wait too much longer to make a decision. I know we have been advised (and now know) it is certainly nothing like the process in my (or husband's) college application days!

Good luck!

 

[belleandthebeast]

My DSis has so far only applied to 2 universities or colleges. She's only been accepted to 1 and it's not the one she absolutely wants (it's the one I attended).

She IS taking her time w/ this which is driving me insane because I know she should be doing more now. Can't talk to my parents, neither attended college (my dad attended trade school) so they don't understand too much of it themselves. I attended 13 years ago so this is a refreshed course for 2 people that can't remember all their childrens names. In all fairness, they have 6 and 4 grandchildren. That's alot for them!

I would have a talk w/ him as you mentioned. I don't think many teens these days understand the seriousness of getting things done now rather than later. As in if you wait another 3 months, you might not get accepted to the school of your choice.

Don't stress too much, eventually he'll get it all figured out!

 

[Sandy V.]

Mine is right in the middle of applications. SHE is the one doing all the pushing, as DH and I have been taking a step back and made her responsible for doing all of this. Fortunately, she's very driven and very serious about all of this, so she's on top of things.

3 applications are done, with 4 or 5 to go. One acceptance back from Georgetown University, which makes us very proud of her, but the thought of trying to PAY for it is more than a little mind boggling!!

It is so different than the 28 years ago when I did all of this - there's a lot more for the students to prepare now. And they make the kids wait so long for admissions results in many cases - April 1?!?!?!

 

[sharbear]

Ours has visited, applied, taken ACT x3, been accepted to all schools he applied to, and--the best moment of our college search experience--received a full tuition scholarship for all 4 (or 5) years! He (we) began the college search last spring (Junior year) and are now awaiting FAFSA (probably a major waste of time) filing and the local, county, and state scholarship process! It has been a very trying fall with loads of stress and tough decisions. The reward, however, was fantastic--I'm now a believer in early applications! Now, we just have to get through the rest of this semester (two weeks) and wait to see if he manages to hold onto his "valedictorian" status! Only then will we breathe a sigh of relief!

I agree with you--don't wait too much longer to make a decision. I know we have been advised (and now know) it is certainly nothing like the process in my (or husband's) college application days!

Good luck!

I'm sorry, I'm sure that you are proud of your DS, but this was unneccessary. The OP was asking for guidance and did not need someone bragging about how their kid was so organized. I am sure that you are proud of your DS and you should be, it's a great accomplishment, but put it on another thread.

My DS's Guidance Counselor says that nine times out of ten, it will be boys who will be dragging their feet about applying to colleges.

I'm sure that he's driving you crazy. Maybe you can ground him over the holidays until he completes an application. If he wants to go somewhere he'll get that app done. Also he may be nervous about the essays, if you could find a school where he could be happy that doesn't require an essay, maybe that would be a good place to start. I had my DS start with a school that did not require an essay, the app took only a 1/2 hour to complete. Once he got that app under his belt, the others were easier.

 

[Snowysmom]

Maybe his guidance counselor at school could help you let him know that it is very serious to apply now to college. Alot of colleges have application deadlines that are in January. During Christmas vacation, sit him down, get him started on the applications while you "help" him go through it. Alot of colleges allow you to apply on line and then send the transcripts from the high school. Good luck!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I thought applications were due through 30 November & not January?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Junior College or Community College might be the answer to those kids who really don't want to go away to college, don't want to leave home just yet, etc.

 

[minkydog]

And just so you know, it's not the end of the world if he doesn't apply until the last minute. My DS was pretty much a slacker in HS. He was not motivated to go to college until about April of his senior year and then all of a sudden he "got it". Of course, his GPA was pretty beat-up by then so there was not much point in applying to our big state universities, but I was really surprised at how many smaller state schools and private schools were interested in him. He was accepted at 2 colleges and ultimately enrolled in a third--2 days before classes started. I was about to have a heart attack, but DS was undisturbed. The college he is in now is not his favorite choice, but his plan is to stay there(much cheaper, he can commute) until spring and transfer to his first choice next fall.

Hopefully, you can get your son motivated a little sooner, but I wanted you to know you're not alone.

 

[Tess]

I'm sorry, I'm sure that you are proud of your DS, but this was unneccessary. The OP was asking for guidance and did not need someone bragging about how their kid was so organized. I am sure that you are proud of your DS and you should be, it's a great accomplishment, but put it on another thread.

My DS's Guidance Counselor says that nine times out of ten, it will be boys who will be dragging their feet about applying to colleges.

I'm sure that he's driving you crazy. Maybe you can ground him over the holidays until he completes an application. If he wants to go somewhere he'll get that app done. Also he may be nervous about the essays, if you could find a school where he could be happy that doesn't require an essay, maybe that would be a good place to start. I had my DS start with a school that did not require an essay, the app took only a 1/2 hour to complete. Once he got that app under his belt, the others were easier.

Pardon me, after re-reading my post, it was a Mommie brag and I would not want to annoy anyone else posting an individual thread for it NOR did I intend to rub it in the face of luvmarypoppins. I felt the post was seeking information as to where others were in the process and not seeking "advice" or "guidance". In quickly reading the post, I must have misunderstood. luvmarypoppins indicated she had sent in applications on her son's behalf--I in no way meant to imply our son did it all on his own--boys are procrastinators (in general) and he, like her son, needed nudging to get it done early.

Since you are clearly not the OP, I will not apologize to you and, in fact, I think you're out of line posting such a critical comment about my post. I merely intended it (the response) to be an innocent statement of our position in the process. I see you didn't take offense at the other parent whose child was accepted at Georgetown. If, however, luvmarypoppins was offended--I would apologize to her profusely since it was not my intent to demean or belittle her child in any fashion--she's doing what any responsible parent would do--take the bull by the horns and get it done. No matter where you are in the process, there always seems to be another hurdle and I empathize.

I honestly don't believe there are too many kids out there who will take the initiative to file all the requisite paperwork. It is so much more difficult these days than it was back in the 70s when I went to college--much more competitive and much more stressful. Heck, I didn't apply to college until April of my senior year and had no issues whatsoever being accepted. It isn't the same any longer.

If you took offense luvmarypoppins, I'm sorry if I offended you with my shameless pride.

 

[teacherforhi]

I honestly don't think it's ever too late. When I was in college, I remember people applying, being accepted, and moving into the dorm on the freshman move-in day!