Comments on: Parent involvement: a fowl affair http://notjustadmissions.com/2009/11/12/parent-involvement-a-fowl-affair/ Insider information on college admissions, with a sarcastic flavor, with a smidge of Mason propaganda Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:48:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Prospective http://notjustadmissions.com/2009/11/12/parent-involvement-a-fowl-affair/#comment-2802 Prospective Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:28:17 +0000 http://notjustadmissions.com/?p=746#comment-2802 Ok Dean Flagel, this is completely off topic, but I think if I were to email one of the admissions counselors at George Mason, I fear I won't get an answer until the Dec. 1st deadline to apply is past. (Not criticizing of course! I'm surprised the emails get answered at all - and they do, with very helpful answers. Thank-you Mr. Steppe :] ) There are definitely a few things/grades on my transcript that need a little explaining. Is it all right to sumbit a small paper (a medium-sized paragraph, at most) with my transcript? I fear that if I don't offer an explanation, the admission counselors can only assume the worst. And a related question, I spent most of the first half of 9th grade in a different school. This school was on a 7 period schedule; I moved to a school with block scheduling. (Thus had to start fresh with all my classes) Is the incomplete transcript from my old school still required for me to send? My guidance counselor told me no, since I've taken all the classes I need at my current school, but I'm a bit paranoid.. (The grades are pretty terrible to be honest- and no credit was earned since it was mid-year) Anyway, thanks in advance. Ok Dean Flagel, this is completely off topic, but I think if I were to email one of the admissions counselors at George Mason, I fear I won’t get an answer until the Dec. 1st deadline to apply is past. (Not criticizing of course! I’m surprised the emails get answered at all – and they do, with very helpful answers. Thank-you Mr. Steppe :] )

There are definitely a few things/grades on my transcript that need a little explaining. Is it all right to sumbit a small paper (a medium-sized paragraph, at most) with my transcript? I fear that if I don’t offer an explanation, the admission counselors can only assume the worst.

And a related question, I spent most of the first half of 9th grade in a different school. This school was on a 7 period schedule; I moved to a school with block scheduling. (Thus had to start fresh with all my classes) Is the incomplete transcript from my old school still required for me to send? My guidance counselor told me no, since I’ve taken all the classes I need at my current school, but I’m a bit paranoid.. (The grades are pretty terrible to be honest- and no credit was earned since it was mid-year)

Anyway, thanks in advance.

]]> By: Bobby http://notjustadmissions.com/2009/11/12/parent-involvement-a-fowl-affair/#comment-2796 Bobby Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:36:07 +0000 http://notjustadmissions.com/?p=746#comment-2796 There is no way of leaving the parent out of the college application program. It is like a wedding. Usually they get in the way and cause all sorts of problems, but when it comes right down to it, the perspective bride, or in this case, student , would be lost without them. There is no way of leaving the parent out of the college application program. It is like a wedding. Usually they get in the way and cause all sorts of problems, but when it comes right down to it, the perspective bride, or in this case, student , would be lost without them.

]]> By: Lynn Krise Lyon http://notjustadmissions.com/2009/11/12/parent-involvement-a-fowl-affair/#comment-2795 Lynn Krise Lyon Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:57:43 +0000 http://notjustadmissions.com/?p=746#comment-2795 Dear Dean Flagel, Here is my Helpful Tip of the Day for all parents of current High School Seniors applying to college: expect to have THREE melt-downs during the process. Melt-down number one usually occurs just after the first application goes in. Parents second-guess the kids, want a do-over, and generally fret that they missed something. They seldom have, but they worry anyways. Fortunately, they can jump right in and do a better job putting together the remaining applications. Parent melt-down number two comes after the last application is filed, usually in late January. There is nothing else to do at this point but wait. Parents aren't usually good at waiting, so I suggest a distractor (hey, it works with 7-year olds). Kids, this is a good time to bring up your graduation party. Give your parents lots of ideas about how you want the party, the more the merrier. Then they can go plan something completely different. It will keep them busy. The third parent melt-down usually happens in Mid-March. Neighbor-boy gets his acceptance to your child's first-choice school, but you don't hear anything. Parents are mortified about this. Put on a cheery face for the kids and keep checking the mail. Sometimes just knowing what to expect helps people navigate better. Good luck to all. Lynn Lyon Dear Dean Flagel,
Here is my Helpful Tip of the Day for all parents of current High School Seniors applying to college: expect to have THREE melt-downs during the process.
Melt-down number one usually occurs just after the first application goes in. Parents second-guess the kids, want a do-over, and generally fret that they missed something. They seldom have, but they worry anyways. Fortunately, they can jump right in and do a better job putting together the remaining applications.
Parent melt-down number two comes after the last application is filed, usually in late January. There is nothing else to do at this point but wait. Parents aren’t usually good at waiting, so I suggest a distractor (hey, it works with 7-year olds). Kids, this is a good time to bring up your graduation party. Give your parents lots of ideas about how you want the party, the more the merrier. Then they can go plan something completely different. It will keep them busy.
The third parent melt-down usually happens in Mid-March. Neighbor-boy gets his acceptance to your child’s first-choice school, but you don’t hear anything. Parents are mortified about this. Put on a cheery face for the kids and keep checking the mail.
Sometimes just knowing what to expect helps people navigate better. Good luck to all.

Lynn Lyon

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