Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:12     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:It was hell.

HELL.

I haven't heard of one person who ever enjoyed it.



Read up thread. Either a troll or some insane person.

Btw admissions folks will probably say similar things when they sift through 1-50k + applications.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:11     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:Did your kid enjoy the process? What aspects? Where did they end up? (Try to keep it positive)


I think one of my kids enjoyed it more than the other. Things like seeing new areas, excursions we took to see the area (hiking, eating out, walking around cute towns and shopping, etc). Eating in some dining halls was also enjoyable at times. The kid wanted good food so we checked out the dining halls (also a good way to assess vibe of the school). Some food was surprisingly good so that was enjoyable. Soft serve machines were always a hit.

Try to build in time for fun things too, which made the whole process more enjoyable.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:07     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
This is like asking out of work people if they enjoy applying to jobs.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:07     Subject: Re:Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Parent of a junior here. For those who've gone through this, is there anything that you think helped ease the process, or would have in retrospect? I'm trying to pay attention to which schools notify early (like Pitt, or those with EA that give an answer by Christmas)--seems like getting a couple acceptances from places a kid likes can be so psychologically helpful. I'm wondering if it even makes sense to check out the ultra-reach schools with single-digit acceptances, or just forget about them. Worth trying to apply to as few schools as possible? Are there benefits to forgoing ED? With a junior I feel like we are "supposed to" hunt for a first choice for ED purposes.

Any advice is most welcome.


Search for that lessons learned thread. So helpful. Read, read, read.


One of the Lessons Learned thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1251044.page

-DP


And the Lessons Learned thread re: ED & REA
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1307514.page#31382801
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:07     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
It was hell.

HELL.

I haven't heard of one person who ever enjoyed it.

Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:05     Subject: Re:Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Parent of a junior here. For those who've gone through this, is there anything that you think helped ease the process, or would have in retrospect? I'm trying to pay attention to which schools notify early (like Pitt, or those with EA that give an answer by Christmas)--seems like getting a couple acceptances from places a kid likes can be so psychologically helpful. I'm wondering if it even makes sense to check out the ultra-reach schools with single-digit acceptances, or just forget about them. Worth trying to apply to as few schools as possible? Are there benefits to forgoing ED? With a junior I feel like we are "supposed to" hunt for a first choice for ED purposes.

Any advice is most welcome.


Search for that lessons learned thread. So helpful. Read, read, read.


One of the Lessons Learned thread:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1251044.page

-DP
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:03     Subject: Re:Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:Parent of a junior here. For those who've gone through this, is there anything that you think helped ease the process, or would have in retrospect? I'm trying to pay attention to which schools notify early (like Pitt, or those with EA that give an answer by Christmas)--seems like getting a couple acceptances from places a kid likes can be so psychologically helpful. I'm wondering if it even makes sense to check out the ultra-reach schools with single-digit acceptances, or just forget about them. Worth trying to apply to as few schools as possible? Are there benefits to forgoing ED? With a junior I feel like we are "supposed to" hunt for a first choice for ED purposes.

Any advice is most welcome.


Search for that lessons learned thread. So helpful. Read, read, read.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:03     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
How did your kid decide on an essay topic?

Whom to ask for recommendation letter?

To add anything to the additional info section on the application.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:02     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I loved it ALL. Every minute. Helping kid research, searching CDS, finding "majors" that kid might want to research. Listening to podcast, making notes.

Every single minute.


Did you have binders? Notebooks? Or files with notes? A friend said she did that for her twins. Double fun she said. Not so sure if call that fun.


Google docs with folders. Seriously I love it.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 14:00     Subject: Re:Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:Parent of a junior here. For those who've gone through this, is there anything that you think helped ease the process, or would have in retrospect? I'm trying to pay attention to which schools notify early (like Pitt, or those with EA that give an answer by Christmas)--seems like getting a couple acceptances from places a kid likes can be so psychologically helpful. I'm wondering if it even makes sense to check out the ultra-reach schools with single-digit acceptances, or just forget about them. Worth trying to apply to as few schools as possible? Are there benefits to forgoing ED? With a junior I feel like we are "supposed to" hunt for a first choice for ED purposes.

Any advice is most welcome.


Oh "hon" you've got to do the homework with or without your kid like all parents have (how much varies by family) before you. Sources: this board, other sources, your kid's school. Etc. GL.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 13:58     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:After doing 10-15 applications he would say ... NO! Colleges admissions in the US is unnecessarily opaque and you end up over-applying to colleges because you have no predictable expectations with "holistic" admissions.

But I do think some good occurred for the forced self-reflective nature of applying.


Or how about under applying?


There are colleges that have rolling admissions if kid ended up "under" applying.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 13:57     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Anonymous wrote:After doing 10-15 applications he would say ... NO! Colleges admissions in the US is unnecessarily opaque and you end up over-applying to colleges because you have no predictable expectations with "holistic" admissions.

But I do think some good occurred for the forced self-reflective nature of applying.


Or how about under applying?
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 13:53     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
After doing 10-15 applications he would say ... NO! Colleges admissions in the US is unnecessarily opaque and you end up over-applying to colleges because you have no predictable expectations with "holistic" admissions.

But I do think some good occurred for the forced self-reflective nature of applying.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 13:50     Subject: Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
If without the REA/ED part, it could be more tolerable. But I really don't like to have to strategize which schools to REA/ED, and to answer "what if". Should be just like the UC system, everyone submit and treated equally with no priority. The REA/ED really stress up kids/parents unnecessarily.
Anonymous
Post 01/13/2026 13:41     Subject: Re:Did your kid enjoy process of applying to colleges?
Parent of a junior here. For those who've gone through this, is there anything that you think helped ease the process, or would have in retrospect? I'm trying to pay attention to which schools notify early (like Pitt, or those with EA that give an answer by Christmas)--seems like getting a couple acceptances from places a kid likes can be so psychologically helpful. I'm wondering if it even makes sense to check out the ultra-reach schools with single-digit acceptances, or just forget about them. Worth trying to apply to as few schools as possible? Are there benefits to forgoing ED? With a junior I feel like we are "supposed to" hunt for a first choice for ED purposes.

Any advice is most welcome.