Anonymous wrote:I have (just turned) 18 year old senior twins. Both are great students and have strong test scores.
They will not address much college related. We went on many tours, they have lists.
One is 80% there with the personal statement, one is 20% there.
Both have done nothing more.
They have all sorts of applications that are due on Oct 15 and more due Nov 1.
They refuse to do anything related to these. It's another Saturday and they're sitting on their phones. So far it's been solid phones from 10am to 1pm.
One has afternoon/evening plans today, one has evening plans.
Tomorrow they'll do homework.

I know they are planning on us (parents) on bailing them out.
My husband says he'll just go ahead and write their supplemental essays, etc. when the deadlines hit.
He REFUSES to take away privileges, etc. in the meantime. For instance, he would never take away the car tonight and insist they stay at home vs. go out all afternoon and evening. There's not much I can do with zero buy-in from him.
This infuriates me. I think it teaches horrible life lessons, etc.
I really feel that my one kid especially needs to just learn a giant lesson from this: he is 18 and at some point he needs to know that we won't bail him out. That his actions (or lack of actions) have consequences. He doesn't get stuff done? He takes a gap year. He works. I refuse to spend an all-nighter in mid October writing his essays.

Thoughts? It's causing INSANE friction in my marriage.
I am seriously contemplating just leaving for a month and moving in with a friend. They (the kids) know they can ask me anytime for help but I will not outright write these essays on the final day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are families who are paying for someone to do the applications for their kids, some families are doing the applications for their kids, some are just helping out by starting the application and filling in all the details, some are writing essays for their children, and some students are doing everything all by themselves.

College is such a huge investment and applications can be so overwhelming. I am not sure it means if you do the application all by yourself if you end up doing better in college and life.

My college roommate at Berkeley had parents who reviewed and if needed corrected/edited all of her homework in high school and continued to do so in college. Additionally, her father’s secretary or mother typed many of her papers. Her sorority had files of old tests in many classes. This helped her to have all A’s.

She’s now partner at a top firm. All of that extra time left her able to socialize and develop really good emotional intelligence/social skills.

I never had any help from my parents. When I had kids I realized that was a huge disadvantage.

Maybe OP your husband realizes this so wants to help.

Yeah neither did I, nor my spouse, yet we excelled at our ivies and are successful partners in our careers(MD, JD). We knew many like your college buddy whose parents did tons: most do not end up successful or if they do they have huge procrastination and life management issues, divorce, alcohol, etc. We would never do what your roommate had done for her. We proofread when asked. Guess what ours are both at T10/different ivy from us, and are excelling! The peers there that have struggled most had parents who hovered and micromanaged them in high school and beyond.
It builds character and pride in oneself to do your own work with parents as sidelines cheerleaders (and tuition payers) only.
For the OP: your DH is in the wrong, completely. I agree you should set deadline for Oct 1 for drafts of the apps due Oct15. Do not discuss it after that , do not remind at all, and check in on Oct 1. Take the car away if they aren’t done. Let them leave the later apps until xmas break.

Anonymous wrote:I would let the natural consequences play out, but I would also let your DH know how disappointed you are and why (i.e., enabling your kids); let them (your kids and your husband) know that your are available now to guide them, but you do not plan to do the work for them because they are now adults. If they wait too long, they AND YOUR HUSBAND will have 30+ essays to write. Let them (your kids and your husband) be that stressed and feel the regret.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ma’am. It is September. Why are you going nuclear in September?

Because there are 4 weekends left and about 30 supplements to write by mid October?

Common app has not been started, etc. We have this all x 2.

OP here. This was me again.

Am I way overreacting?

I just see there being 4 weekends left. They can't do anything during the week due to huge amounts of homework and sports until 6:30pm.
So we are facing 4 weekends for 30-40 supplements between them, Common App x 2, personal statements x 2, etc.
Neither has spent any time online researching a college or reading a single email.

I am just feeling like things are really chaotic.
Or is this all normal?

Anonymous wrote:There are families who are paying for someone to do the applications for their kids, some families are doing the applications for their kids, some are just helping out by starting the application and filling in all the details, some are writing essays for their children, and some students are doing everything all by themselves.

College is such a huge investment and applications can be so overwhelming. I am not sure it means if you do the application all by yourself if you end up doing better in college and life.

My college roommate at Berkeley had parents who reviewed and if needed corrected/edited all of her homework in high school and continued to do so in college. Additionally, her father’s secretary or mother typed many of her papers. Her sorority had files of old tests in many classes. This helped her to have all A’s.

She’s now partner at a top firm. All of that extra time left her able to socialize and develop really good emotional intelligence/social skills.

I never had any help from my parents. When I had kids I realized that was a huge disadvantage.

Maybe OP your husband realizes this so wants to help.

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with the other posters.

Your husband saying HE will write their essays at the deadline is a huge red flag to me. Help them, yes. But write them for the kids? That's awful and teaching the kids horrible life lessons.

I would try to compromise with your husband/the kids and figure out a reasonable schedule. If they want to apply by October 15 and November 1, you need to tell them they need to have a first draft done by X date and they will not get their devices/car privileges until the first draft is done. I would absolutely put my foot down and not let your husband write the essays for them. You can be flexible on not applying early decision, whatever, but allowing a parent to write the essay will lead your kids to think someone will always be there to do their work for them and bail them out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ma’am. It is September. Why are you going nuclear in September?

Because there are 4 weekends left and about 30 supplements to write by mid October?

Common app has not been started, etc. We have this all x 2.

OP here. This was me again.

Am I way overreacting?

I just see there being 4 weekends left. They can't do anything during the week due to huge amounts of homework and sports until 6:30pm.
So we are facing 4 weekends for 30-40 supplements between them, Common App x 2, personal statements x 2, etc.
Neither has spent any time online researching a college or reading a single email.

I am just feeling like things are really chaotic.
Or is this all normal?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ma’am. It is September. Why are you going nuclear in September?

Because there are 4 weekends left and about 30 supplements to write by mid October?

Common app has not been started, etc. We have this all x 2.

OP here. This was me again.

Am I way overreacting?

I just see there being 4 weekends left. They can't do anything during the week due to huge amounts of homework and sports until 6:30pm.
So we are facing 4 weekends for 30-40 supplements between them, Common App x 2, personal statements x 2, etc.
Neither has spent any time online researching a college or reading a single email.

I am just feeling like things are really chaotic.
Or is this all normal?

Anonymous wrote:I have (just turned) 18 year old senior twins. Both are great students and have strong test scores.
They will not address much college related. We went on many tours, they have lists.
One is 80% there with the personal statement, one is 20% there.
Both have done nothing more.
They have all sorts of applications that are due on Oct 15 and more due Nov 1.
They refuse to do anything related to these. It's another Saturday and they're sitting on their phones. So far it's been solid phones from 10am to 1pm.
One has afternoon/evening plans today, one has evening plans.
Tomorrow they'll do homework.

I know they are planning on us (parents) on bailing them out.
My husband says he'll just go ahead and write their supplemental essays, etc. when the deadlines hit.
He REFUSES to take away privileges, etc. in the meantime. For instance, he would never take away the car tonight and insist they stay at home vs. go out all afternoon and evening. There's not much I can do with zero buy-in from him.
This infuriates me. I think it teaches horrible life lessons, etc.
I really feel that my one kid especially needs to just learn a giant lesson from this: he is 18 and at some point he needs to know that we won't bail him out. That his actions (or lack of actions) have consequences. He doesn't get stuff done? He takes a gap year. He works. I refuse to spend an all-nighter in mid October writing his essays.

Thoughts? It's causing INSANE friction in my marriage.
I am seriously contemplating just leaving for a month and moving in with a friend. They (the kids) know they can ask me anytime for help but I will not outright write these essays on the final day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son with severe ADHD needed all the help he could get from me, and since he was grateful for the help and tried hard to not get too distracted, I felt he deserved it.

You need to be on board with helping, but you also need to take the car keys and nix the pocket money, and possibly the phone on weekends. Carrot AND stick, OP. It's not one or the other. Your husband is the carrot, you are the stick. The decisions your kids make for their college applications will have long-term consequences: don't let your anxiety and anger hamper their future now, but do exert just the right amount of pressure so they do some of the work.

It's a team effort!

Me again.

I wanted to clarify that DS filled everything out himself (two years ago), but due to his inattentive ADHD, I was right there to stop the daydreaming and Youtubing (his particular addiction). I hovered in his vicinity every damm weekend with my laptop and cup of tea, magically available to help at the drop of a hat, and with eyes in the back of my head. He asked me to double-check his apps for typos, and to fill out parental background which he was unaware of. I did the FAFSA and CSS and just asked him to sign. His essays took the longest, most agonizing and laborious time, because of his difficulties talking about himself and his abysmal processing speed. This is where I had to edit heavily, and for some essays, suggest complete reworks. He took some of my suggestions and made changes, but kept his own voice and ideas, which was the goal.

My husband did nothing except to sign the checks.

OP here. Did your son agree to do this (Sit at the table with his laptop, filling out forms)? Mine refuses. He has every excuse why he can't. He either goes out with friends, to school games or sits in his room with his phone for 10-12 hours a day, watching Youtube. He then does homework on Sundays so always has (and continues to be) good with that.
My husband won't police his cell phone or internet use (never has) so it's hard to override it.

Again, my son is independent with getting homework done. He's good about this. But he won't independently engage with anything college related and the weeks keep ticking by.

Anonymous wrote:We would sometimes “kidnap” our college senior and spend a morning in a library or coffee shop working on apps, with the phone put away of course.

Just get them to apply to your state school that you can afford that is a safety for them. Get that application done asap. If it’s a true safety there might not even be an essay. Then apply to the state school that is a target. After that, I’d back off and let the kid decide if they are doing any more apps.

Anonymous wrote:Get an essay consultant. They will manage the deadlines and do the nagging.