Parent calling admissions office?

[Anonymous]

There was a snafu with application fee. DS keeps getting emails that he needs to pay the application fee (was paid.) He has emailed admissions counselor at school x2 with no response. It is time for a phone call, but DS is in school from 8a-3:30p and then sports practice immediately after until 6. So he isn't available until after the admissions office is closed. I would like to call to clarify the issue and am not a helicopter parent, but emails have gone ignored and ES deadline is approaching. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

He doesn't have any breaks in school between 8 and 3:30pm?

I know my high schoolers have study halls, flex periods, lunch, etc.

[Anonymous]

Come on, op, the kid has a free minute during the day. What, does he never check social media, never text friends, never do anything but schoolwork and sports during the entire day? You’re being a helicopter

[Anonymous]

I've got two in college and right now I'm helping my niece, who is a senior in high school now.

I have called the admissions offices in the past. I just start by saying, "Hi I'm Larla, and I'm a mom of an applicant, and she would be calling herself but is in school then in sports, so we apologize but I'm calling for her."

They don't care. At least, based on my kids' college acceptances, my conclusion is that they don't care.

Calling bc of a fee snafu is not being tigerish or showing the admissions that kid cannot handle it.

(On another note, if a deadline is coming due, and the snafu persists and your phone call doesn't work, pay it again and deal with it later.)

[Anonymous]

You call or he calls during lunch. Either way it doesn't deserve this much worry. If you call they're not going to reject him on that basis, which I think is your root concern.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s ok, just be polite and quick

[Anonymous]

I think in this case the parent should call. I am thinking he paid with your credit card, and only you can verify that it was charged - looking at your online banking account/bill.

Call when they open.... this is too important to only commit to 5 minutes, a quiet location, and ability to focus and take notes during his busy day.

"I am calling on behalf of my son. This is important and he is in school right now. He used my credit card to pay. What documentation do you need from me... I can provide it right now..."

[Anonymous]

I would tell my kid to call during lunch. If no luck resolving (admin offices might be closed/lightly staffed during lunch), I'd call. Try to get your kid to do the work first, but don't live in fear of helicoptering. I always handled the 'money' part of school so application fee sort of falls within that realm. FWIW my kid succeeded in a tough college, got a good job and is living in a HCOLA as a recent graduate just fine. The anti-helicoptering folks are too much in my opinion--in real life family members help each other out on all sorts of things throughout their lives. My kid helps his grandparents set up their tech--this disempowers them from growing their own technology knowledge/independence but no one thinks he's "helicoptering" them--most just think that's a nice thing for him to do. You probably know when you're overstepping your bounds from innocuous help to thwarting his development. If your kid isn't calling because like most of Gen Z he hates cold calling by phone, make him do the call. If it's genuinely a schedule issue and he's got enough on his plate to manage, make the call. It's not a big deal--he's already emailed them so he's done his part.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s fine - it’s about the fee not the application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He doesn't have any breaks in school between 8 and 3:30pm?

I know my high schoolers have study halls, flex periods, lunch, etc.

I'm not OP, but my kid doesn't have study halls or flex periods where he can make a phone call. Timing wise, lunch could work but there is no where quiet to go Students are not allowed to leave the building or just roam the halls, and it's not at all quiet in the lunch room. I would definitely call as the parent, if this was my kid's situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've got two in college and right now I'm helping my niece, who is a senior in high school now.

I have called the admissions offices in the past. I just start by saying, "Hi I'm Larla, and I'm a mom of an applicant, and she would be calling herself but is in school then in sports, so we apologize but I'm calling for her."

They don't care. At least, based on my kids' college acceptances, my conclusion is that they don't care.

Calling bc of a fee snafu is not being tigerish or showing the admissions that kid cannot handle it.

(On another note, if a deadline is coming due, and the snafu persists and your phone call doesn't work, pay it again and deal with it later.)

Agree, especially if it is about just paying the fee.

[Anonymous]

It's about a credit card charge - of course the card holder and parent can call.

[Anonymous]

They talk to parents all day long. It's fine to call.

If it's Common App, they might not be able to fix the problem. It might be on the Common App's side.

[Anonymous]

They won't care or keep track. If it were a different issue, I'd say kid should call. But if it's a payment issue, it makes sense for parent to call anyway.

[Anonymous]

It’s fine people don’t understand how hard athletes schedule can be.

I’ve had to call in the summer when my son had a job in a skif during office hours.