Reply to How far along is your HS rising senior on college apps?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Thought it would be interesting to get an update on this thread now that the summer is over. [/quote]

OP here.  I missed when you bumped this thread but searched for it now to update.  My kid is so stressed out by the apps.  As I suspected she would be if she didn’t do anything much over the summer.  I was trying to encourage her to start essays in August to avoid this stress but, while she agreed in principle, she didn’t do much.

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PP above. I feel your pain.  And I’m puzzled.  It takes some time. But my kid can crank out a decent 650 word essay with a round of peer review edits and a response to teacher comments in 2-3 weeks of English homework.  He’s doing a decent job with supplemental essays.   I’m trying  to figure out why he is so stuck on the common app essay when he can write about literally anything.

Then again, his guidance office sent out a tips for applications by seniors who just graduated at the end of last year.  And 90% said as the very first sentence— do not put off the CA essay. I knew my kid should do it early. He agreed it should be done early and seems to be making an honest effort. And yet... here we are. 
Have a virtual glass of wine with me?[/quote]

Yes!  Thanks for the commiseration.  I think the CA essay just kind of paralyzes some of them because they feel the stakes are so high.  [/quote]

I’m beginning to think the 6 topics, including “write about anything” is just too broad.   Your kid gets a blank sheet and 650 works to express their true selves. At 17.  Meanwhile, my kid is pounding out an answer to Pitt’s “what did you read, watch or listen to this year that made an impact on you” in an hour.  One or two more focused questions would be so much better. [/quote]

I don't think its a problem with the prompt, it's that students are being asked to write personal statements and share how they think and what they believe. I doubt that there are very few parents on this board that can find any school writing assignments that get at this. Kids who have journalism/writing as an extracurricular definitely have an advantage.  [/quote]

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