Kid didn’t apply - colleges still accepting apps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friend says her daughter really does want to attend a four-year, but struggled to narrow down a list and kept procrastinating. She didn’t ask for help, pushed things off, and then felt too lazy to get through essays. Friend also says the bigger issue is that the kid is generally very, very lazy, which they’re trying to figure out.

She’s a solid student — around a 3.8UW / ~4.2 W, SAT 1500, with all honors/7 APs, decent but not standout ECs. SLACS seem appealing to her, so Reed is a great option. She’s also a quite introverted kid. Major is Econ.

She very likely has a diagnosis and her parents have been horrifically negligent in supporting her needs. My heart breaks for that kid, OP. There is no such thing as a "very, very lazy" child.

I have a son with severe ADHD (and other issues). I fought so hard to get him the right treatment and accommodations in school. My husband didn't believe me at first and refused to get him evaluated. My family pooh-poohed the very concept of mental health disorders. My best friend's husband, and others in my circle, told me I'd fallen for the overdiagnosis lies. Until my kid was diagnosed and treated, he felt stupid and ashamed, because he knew he was different and thought it was all his fault.

I am livid at all the parents out there who put their children through hell just because they're too proud to accept there might be mental health issues in their family.

[Anonymous]

Counseling to figure out what the mental block is (no one just “feels too lazy” — she doesn’t have the language or the self-awareness or something to say what is really happening, but she’s not just “feeling too lazy”) and a local community college while that’s being figured out, with plan to transfer to a four year after completing CC.

They have to get a handle on what’s going on, and being in CC will give her some continued academic momentum in a more lenient environment — she could even just take one class at a time if needed. Otherwise she’s just going to fail out of college anyway.

[Anonymous]

No very, very lazy teen gets a high GPA with multiple APs and a 1500 SAT score. That is a smart, hardworking kid!

So something else caused her to shut down and not apply to college. There are colleges you literally press a button to apply to. There are others that will admit you automatically by scores. And there are schools with rolling admissions that may still be rolling, so if she wants to go to school next year there should be some options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friend says her daughter really does want to attend a four-year, but struggled to narrow down a list and kept procrastinating. She didn’t ask for help, pushed things off, and then felt too lazy to get through essays. Friend also says the bigger issue is that the kid is generally very, very lazy, which they’re trying to figure out.

She’s a solid student — around a 3.8UW / ~4.2 W, SAT 1500, with all honors/7 APs, decent but not standout ECs. SLACS seem appealing to her, so Reed is a great option. She’s also a quite introverted kid. Major is Econ.

Your friend really let her daughter down.

There is independence (e.g., I did not read my kid's essays, nor pay anyone to consult with or assist him with the essays and applications) and then there is complete dereliction of parental responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Bullshit it’s a “friend’s kid.” In any event, try Google. It’s not that hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Friend says her daughter really does want to attend a four-year, but struggled to narrow down a list and kept procrastinating. She didn’t ask for help, pushed things off, and then felt too lazy to get through essays. Friend also says the bigger issue is that the kid is generally very, very lazy, which they’re trying to figure out.

She’s a solid student — around a 3.8UW / ~4.2 W, SAT 1500, with all honors/7 APs, decent but not standout ECs. SLACS seem appealing to her, so Reed is a great option. She’s also a quite introverted kid. Major is Econ.

She very likely has a diagnosis and her parents have been horrifically negligent in supporting her needs. My heart breaks for that kid, OP. There is no such thing as a "very, very lazy" child.

I have a son with severe ADHD (and other issues). I fought so hard to get him the right treatment and accommodations in school. My husband didn't believe me at first and refused to get him evaluated. My family pooh-poohed the very concept of mental health disorders. My best friend's husband, and others in my circle, told me I'd fallen for the overdiagnosis lies. Until my kid was diagnosed and treated, he felt stupid and ashamed, because he knew he was different and thought it was all his fault.

I am livid at all the parents out there who put their children through hell just because they're too proud to accept there might be mental health issues in their family.

+1

Your kid is so lucky to have your great support, PP. I’m glad there are parents like you out there.

“Very lazy” is probably untreated anxiety or depression + burnout + lack of sufficient extrinsic motivators (which can certainly include things like: coming to accept, through therapy and/or life experience, that sometimes one simply has to jump through certain boring hoops - like college applications - to keep up forward momentum in life and meet other social and independence and $ goals, even though it can be scary).

Regardless, though, the issues probably need a deeper and more strategic approach than just applying anywhere that will still accept applications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bullshit it’s a “friend’s kid.” In any event, try Google. It’s not that hard.

It's a "friend's" kid to sidestep the judgment that would likely ensue because the parent dropped the ball.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Friend says her daughter really does want to attend a four-year, but struggled to narrow down a list and kept procrastinating. She didn’t ask for help, pushed things off, and then felt too lazy to get through essays. Friend also says the bigger issue is that the kid is generally very, very lazy, which they’re trying to figure out.

She’s a solid student — around a 3.8UW / ~4.2 W, SAT 1500, with all honors/7 APs, decent but not standout ECs. SLACS seem appealing to her, so Reed is a great option. She’s also a quite introverted kid. Major is Econ.

Clearly, this child is depressed!

[Anonymous]

Ithaca
St. Louis University
Hofstra
Iowa
Marquette
Scranton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Community college to flagship.

How good of a student?

What likely major?

This is the correct answer.

Taking a gap year would also be acceptable - but the year needs a plan that includes a schedule for applying the following year.

Friend’s daughter, yes friend’s , doesn’t want to take a gap year, and the friend is worried she might not return to school after missing the traditional freshman experience. The daughter also doesn’t to start at community college and then transfer later.

[Anonymous]

Lazy as a term used by emotionally immature parents. A child with that high GPA and SAT is anything but lazy. They likely are either experiencing ADHD/AUD burnout, anxiety, depression, or a combination of all.

[Anonymous]

Allegheny College is a liberal arts school that usually appears on the nacacnet list another poster linked above. Also try St. Joe’s in Philly. They have a big business program and also offer an Econ major, are in a city for internships, and are not far from the DMV.

[Anonymous]

URI is accepting til 4/15

[Anonymous]

Yes, you can generally still apply for Fall 2026 at the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State as they both operate on rolling admissions, though earlier is better

[Anonymous]

Yes, you can still apply to George Mason University for Fall 2026. The Regular Decision deadline for undergraduate admission is February 1, 2026, with a final deadline of June 1, 2026. Many graduate programs offer later deadlines, sometimes as late as August 1, 2026, depending on the program.