After 17 months of researching, planning and visiting colleges (and a whole lot of drama) Katie has submitted her application to two schools!!! And I couldn't be more proud of her. While this may seem like a fairly normal event for a HS senior, this topic has been one full of stress and worry for Katie and for us. Without getting into too much detail, the past two months have been very difficult for our family. This process has been fraught with serious anxiety for Katie. But, for the most part, it's over! She finally found one school that she absolutely loves and she has applied Early Action. This means that she should hear something by December. Hallelujah! And she also applied to one other school as a back up and has one more in the works (that one does not accept the Common Application. ARRGH!) She is still considering some other options, but she really has her heart set on this one school and it's a good match for her academically. I would be very surprised if she didn't get in. (Of course, stranger things have happened). So, keep your fingers crossed for her. Life will be so much nicer once this whole decision is made.
OK, that's the "thankful" part. Can I just take a minute to vent? Thanks.
Part of what makes this whole process so stressful is all the extraneous paperwork that has to be done. It's not just an application and an essay. There are forms to fill out for the guidance counselor, transcript request forms, SATs to send and also teacher recommendations to get. Katie's school has a fairly complicated form that needs to be handed into guidance and most teachers accept this form to help them fill out teacher recommendations. One of the teachers that Katie requested a recommendation from does not accept the school form, but has her own form and a whole list of very specific instructions that she requires. Why??? Whatever. Katie jumped through her hoops and filled it all out. This teacher requires 3 weeks notice for submitting her recommendation. (All others require 2 weeks). OK, whatever.... Katie turned in all her paperwork 5 WEEKS ahead of the deadline (November 15). For the schools that use the Common Application, students can "invite" the teachers to send the recommendation online. Katie did that in early October and turned in all her paperwork to the teacher directly. A week or so ago, the teacher still had not submitted the recommendation. So Katie "re-invited" her. This annoyed the teacher. Do you think that this teacher managed to submit the recommendation before the November 15th deadline? Nope! Am I annoyed, angry and frustrated by this? Yes! Have I lost all respect for this teacher? You betcha! The real kicker? There is absolutely nothing Katie or I can do about it. Talk about stressful....
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10 comments:
I remember this stressful time all too well. I'm sorry about the teacher being so uncooperative. Can you complain to her boss after the whole thing is done? Seems like messing with our kids future should be taken pretty seriously. If she doesn't have the time then she should say so up front. Let us know as soon as you get that acceptance letter!
I'll be looking to your for advise and sympathy next year when I'll be helping the girls x2 yikes!!!
I hope Katie is accepted at her dream school.
I am so not looking forward to all of this! Fingers crossed for Katie and her first pick!
Ohhh poor you guys! That sucks! Sounds very stressful!!
I am with your first commenter! I would be talking to the pricipal and if that doesn't help the superintendent!
My fingers are crossed!
Oh, this post makes me very anxious, Pam! My oldest is a sophomore this year, so college applications are just around the corner! I'm even more anxious about how to pay for it...
Good luck to your daughter in getting into her dream school!!
Sue
Congratulations to Katie for getting it all done! And what an awful teacher for not....why would a teacher do that to a kid? My guess is the teacher has obviously never gone through the application process with her own kids (or did it so long ago she forgot how stressful it is for the kids). I hope you hear good news soon.
Congratulations for Katie and I hope she hears good news in time for the holidays!
As for the teacher...I absolutely HATE it when teachers think so highly of themselves as to be completely difficult. Where do they get off behaving that way. Especially when a kid's future is partly dependent on the teacher doing something that shouldn't be all that complicated.
Considering that teacher has to realize how important this is to one of her students, I can't imagine what would motivate her to be so uncoorperative.
I remember this all too well. The faculty does know how important this is and should feel honored when a student asks for their assistance...if the teacher is unable to fulfill the obligation in a timely manner then they should decline the invitation.
Colleen
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