Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

Dear God, talk about helicoptering on steroids. Parents who do these things are the ones who launch kids into the world who are incapable of doing anything for themselves. Don't do this to your children. You're doing them no favors.

You're not seeing this the right way. What we're doing -- and I agree with all of OP's bullet points -- is taking action to so our kids start post-graduate life on 3rd base. DH and I personally did several of these items (add a couple, subtract a couple).

DS is now 23 and really autonomous. Found an ultra competitive job on his own with a (gasp) humanities degree. We had no clue where he was applying post-grad and he didn't confer with us. WHY did ultra competitive employer pick DS? Because his resume rocks. It rocks because we DID give him unsolicited input along the way ages 16-21. Yes, sometimes snowplowing.

DS will take it from here, of this I'm certain. You guys can all execute that folksy 1972 hands-off/ no apron-strings thing when your Grayson turns 16 because "he'll figure it out."

Anonymous wrote:Parents need to step away.

Parents need to step up. Especially if the parents are not being able to provide for their kids the connections, wealth, legacy and network.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

None of this will help because you got a long line of kids with no internships competing against your rising sophomores. 2026 grads are still searching for jobs. Those with offers are praying their offers dont get revoked the Friday before they are scheduled to start. The odds are against you no matter how many coffee dates you set up or how you mine your LinkedIn profile ...

You're assuming these internships are given out on merit.

Actually, many internships are based on connections and you are right about that.

However, there are also many unconnected kids who have merit (excellent students) and have strategy and hustle - who are getting these internships now. Every friend in my son's CS circle was unconnected, 2nd gen non-White immigrant, high achievers and they all worked extremely hard for internships and research assistantships - entire four years. All of them are getting out with jobs paying 160 - 220K.

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

OP, very good tips.

But, if these bored parents had any brains...their kids would have had their first internship lined up for next month, as rising college freshman. Because, future CS and engineering kids are applying for college and internships together as HS students. Ditto for pre-med students. And utilizing their HS recommenders to also recommend them for internships.

Also, make sure resume, bragsheet, LinkedIn, interview skills is up to date.

There is a group of students who are getting internships every year, and they are still getting plum jobs out of school. They were also strategic and making sure that they were ahead of the curve.

But, your kid needs to do what they need to do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

Dear God, talk about helicoptering on steroids. Parents who do these things are the ones who launch kids into the world who are incapable of doing anything for themselves. Don't do this to your children. You're doing them no favors.

Chris Sacca's parents did basically exactly this and he did quite well for himself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

None of this will help because you got a long line of kids with no internships competing against your rising sophomores. 2026 grads are still searching for jobs. Those with offers are praying their offers dont get revoked the Friday before they are scheduled to start. The odds are against you no matter how many coffee dates you set up or how you mine your LinkedIn profile ...

You're assuming these internships are given out on merit.

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

Dear God, talk about helicoptering on steroids. Parents who do these things are the ones who launch kids into the world who are incapable of doing anything for themselves. Don't do this to your children. You're doing them no favors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

None of this will help because you got a long line of kids with no internships competing against your rising sophomores. 2026 grads are still searching for jobs. Those with offers are praying their offers dont get revoked the Friday before they are scheduled to start. The odds are against you no matter how many coffee dates you set up or how you mine your LinkedIn profile ...

I wish my kid had thought to sign up for the case interview prep long before freshman year. It would have helped with all of those interviews for competitive business clubs.

Looks like YOU're the bored parent, OP.

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

Thank you!

Anonymous wrote:For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.

None of this will help because you got a long line of kids with no internships competing against your rising sophomores. 2026 grads are still searching for jobs. Those with offers are praying their offers dont get revoked the Friday before they are scheduled to start. The odds are against you no matter how many coffee dates you set up or how you mine your LinkedIn profile ...

Parents need to step away.

If you have that much time to wrongly accuse, check your meds and adjust them. Go along now.

Cut the freaking cord.

For those of you bored senior parents creating constant new posts about revamping the American college process, here's some free advice:

Focus on doing the research now for your kid's summer job/internships next summer.
Mine your network now and create coffee chat/networking lists for them with template outreach emails.
Hire a career coach now, don't wait.
Interview prep now (including casing).
Research school clubs and teams now and create a game plan to tackle in August.

I am assuming you have the time, given all the random posts on how you'd improve the college admissions process. If so, focus on the things that might materially change your kid's life.

You are welcome.