Child Submitting Application Without You Seeing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My personal nightmare. It happened to my friend’s daughter. She ended up calling admissions to confirm a few things were on the application correctly, but her daughter wanted to do it all alone. FWIW, her daughter got in and is attending.

So embarrassing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For all the “land the helicopter” types — have you never in your life asked someone else to proofread a resume or a cover letter?

Having a second set of eyes on something important before it’s submitted is very useful, and building in time for that is a good life skill for students. No one is perfect, and every good editor knows proofing your own work is the most difficult.

Is it the end of the world if a kid doesn’t want anyone else to check their application? No, and congrats to them for their confidence and independence. A typo probably won’t ruin their chances, honestly. But having a parent or counselor or tutor or whoever look it over does not mean their are any helicopters involved, either, just smart people who recognize the importance of double-checking things.

You're arguing with a straw man. We're not saying it's wrong to ask someone else to look over your work. We're saying that if another person, an adult or soon to be adult, decides that they don't want another person to look at something that's a choice they're allowed to make. "Land the helicopter" is about mom and her feelings, not proofreading.

As long as they are willing to assume the financial aspect, I have no problem with that. Your kid paying for themselves?

So if they did it all by themselves and got in, you wouldn't pay because you couldn't look at the app?

That's your position, for real?

[Anonymous]

One of my kids did. Ended up working out fine and so.much.less.stress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t they supposed to do that? I have not seen any of their applications.

Did you see their essay?

[Anonymous]

I insisted on proof reading both my kids. Neither of my kids got the info about DH and me correct. I found a couple of typos but that was it. In the end, I'm not sure it mattered, but I want to be a little involved.

[Anonymous]

It’s interesting. There are so many parents on this board that are very heavily invested in where their kids attend college, but also a huge contingent that consider editing an application/essay “helicoptering.” As a PP said, editing (especially a different pair of eyes) is very useful. I remember my mom editing my essay va k in 1989 and I we were a pretty “free range” household. It’s not a huge deal, one way or the other.

[Anonymous]

^sorry for typos - clearly didn’t edit before posting!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ours would not allow anyone to view the applications. Spent about 10 minutes per essay. Great results.

Di you mean you spent 10 minutes proofreading?

[Anonymous]

Also - we definitely proofread our kid’s essay and application for undergrad. When he wanted to transfer, he did that one by himself; we saw nothing. But he had a year of growth and maturity in between.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s certainly what I did applying in 2007. What’s the problem?

You applied to college in 2007?

Um, what’s your issue with that? People did go to college in 2007 you know.

[Anonymous]

I always have at least 1, but usually 2-3 people, read my resume and cover letter before applying for jobs.

When I do anything big and important, my partner/family usually reviews in some way.

I review and help my family and friends.

Why do people think that kids have to be wholly independent and self sufficient at age 17? That is a foolhardy approach to life when there are supports.

[Anonymous]

If all kids applied to college independently, without parental guidance, I suspect there would be very different admissions outcomes. It's really unfortunate that independent applications aren't the norm anymore.

[Anonymous]

Even if i saw the application and essay and offered critique and edits, my kid wouldn't change anything.

[Anonymous]

I would have stressed and nagged even more so it was for the best that I didn’t see my kid’s essays or applications.

[Anonymous]

We didn't review our daughter's app. One of the schools she applied to asked about alumni in the family and so we had to help here out with that part. Her grandparents, aunts, uncles and a couple of cousins went to the school. After listing 7 people to the alumni section she stopped.