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Consolation
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| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
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Posted: Mon Mar 3rd, 2008 11:52 pm |
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The latest agony: having FINALLY been called late last week by a rep from a certain school, my S scheduled an alumni interview for this afternoon at 4, and then FORGOT it!  He was helping coach the middle school track kids and it just slipped his mind.
He has left messages on the person's office phone and cell. Not much he can do now but apologize profusely and hope the guy doesn't send a report condemning him.
Then he gets an email this afternoon from another school's rep, and the guy wants him to travel to his home, which is about an hour's drive. No choice but to comply. So I'll have to drive him up and back on Wednesday in order to squeeze it in between school and orchestra.
With his luck, the other person will call back and want to reschedule for the exact same time.
ARGH!! Will it never end!! I thought it was all over but the shouting, as they say.
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Consolation
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| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
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Posted: Tue Mar 4th, 2008 01:23 am |
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Well, good news. He made contact with the interviewer he stood up, and they did a phone interview. Phew.
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Chedva
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Posted: Tue Mar 4th, 2008 11:44 am |
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| Glad to hear that, Consolation! If it's the school I think it is, they're very nice and bend over backwards to help applicants. I'd say this would put him back on track for possible merit money!
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Consolation
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Posted: Tue Mar 4th, 2008 01:00 pm |
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Unfortunately, Chedva, it is not that school.  That one, he still has no interview with. Over a month ago I tried to get him to contact them. He reported back that there were no interview opportunities left. I just found out this weekend that all he did was check the website, not call. Mr. Rational figures that if they say it's too late on the web site, it's too late. The idea of being a bit more aggressive and making a phone call is foreign to him. He would think of that as being unpleasantly pushy, as opposed to enterprising and eager. I hope that at some point he learns to overcome this--in my view--excessive reticence.
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outwest
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| Location: | CA |
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 04:20 am |
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He's probably totally burned out just like my D. She can't even bring herself to email an admissions lady to show further interest after the admissions lady send a letter inviting any questions for them. I think it was meant to be answered. She does not.
She would not have any energy for any more interviews, that's for sure.
She did end up with interviews at 6 out of the 7 schools she applied to. The 7th (Smith) she emailed about an interview and they emailed back that they would contact her and never did. So, that was that.
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Consolation
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 12:17 pm |
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I think you're right, Outwest. I literally forced him to send a very brief email to his schools about the Presidential Scholar thing over the weekend. Unless I stood over him, it wasn't happening. That was sufficiently simple that I could [finally] get him to do it. Actually asking school-specific questions would never have happened.
This afternoon he has what I'm assuming will be his last interview. It is strange, is it not, when so many others seem to have all of their decisions in hand?
I have to drive him up there...it's about an hour away, and a torrential rainstorm should be hitting our area then, which will do interesting things when mixed with our several feet of snow cover! Can you say flooding! We already had quite a lot of rain last night, but it's snowing again right now. This has been quite the winter for precipitation. Too bad we can't ship some of it down to Georgia...
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Consolation
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| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
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Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 12:30 pm |
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outwest wrote:
She did end up with interviews at 6 out of the 7 schools she applied to. The 7th (Smith) she emailed about an interview and they emailed back that they would contact her and never did. So, that was that.
I'm rooting for Smith, not knowing what else is on the list. I know a great girl from my son's class who applied ED and is going there next year. She worked for me for a couple of weeks, and we had a great time together. We could have them look each other up. (I can hear the "Oh, MO-om!" from here.  )
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lfm
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| Joined: | Sat Jul 28th, 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
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Posted: Thu Mar 6th, 2008 03:21 pm |
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I am finding this thread strangely comforting. My son drives me nuts in his lack of proactivity. His inability to answer emails is esepcially annoying.
I always put this down to Asperger's Syndrome, but now I see his is just a normal high school senior! (who drives me nuts...)
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Thu Mar 6th, 2008 08:15 pm |
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If it helps any, not answering or even opening emails is a pandemic disease among the students I counsel. And, yes, I've had a few kids "forget" interviews or other important items. My mantra: If it isn't life threatening (which NOTHING about college admissions is!), it can be fixed. And, there's no use getting my blood pressure up over things that can be fixed.
I've had more than one kid come to me in the past few months and off-handly mention, "Oh, gee, Mrs. Lawrence, I got some email thingy a few weeks back from My First Choice College. I never opened it. Do you think it was something important?" The variation on this theme is "Mrs. Lawrence, I got some email thingy a few weeks back from My First Choice College. I read it but didn't understand it so I didn't do anything about it. Do you think it was something important?"
I guess they think I am some sort of mind reader with mystical powers that allow me to interpret unseen emails with mental telepathy. 
I have learned not to get too spun up about any of this. That doesn't really do anything but make the student feel even dumber or stressed out, and, as I said, my blood pressure would have killed me off long ago if I got too wound up over every fixable mistake.
Nor do I stand over their shoulders and insist that they follow through. While that may get the job done, it doesn't teach them what they really need to know, which is: next year, when you're on your own, you'll have to do all this stuff without Mrs. Lawrence's (or Mom's) amazing powers of deduction.
In general, it only takes them having to figure out how to solve one or two "oopsies" on their own to get them on track for avoiding future mistakes. You know, a wise friend once told me, "I'm tough on my kids, so the world won't be."  Sometimes, you gotta let 'em screw up a few times before they take control of the driver's wheel.
Last edited on Thu Mar 6th, 2008 08:23 pm by CarolynLawrence
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Canadian
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Posted: Sat Mar 8th, 2008 12:10 am |
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If it helps any, not answering or even opening emails is a pandemic disease among the students I counsel.
In general, it only takes them having to figure out how to solve one or two "oopsies" on their own to get them on track for avoiding future mistakes. You know, a wise friend once told me, "I'm tough on my kids, so the world won't be." Sometimes, you gotta let 'em screw up a few times before they take control of the driver's wheel.
Yeah, it definitely helps hearing this.
My S is also of the "not opening email" variety. I'm glad to know it is not a moral failing.
Senioritis has led to some rather "interesting" oopsies that hopefully will not hurt his record too badly. And, yes, I'm absolutely letting him sort them out. But it can be painful to watch, especially when his sorting is not at all what I think would be best. Part of the growing up and separating process for both of us.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 09:29 pm |
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And it doesn't stop after they GET to college. My daughter, a college sophomore, has made more than a few "oopsies" --- I have gotten very good at listening to her moan, and then asking "How are you going to fix this?" It is interesting (and encouraging) to see her not only take charge, but get annoyed at any offer for me or her Dad to step in.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Senioritis has definitely set in for my son. His saving grace is that he loves AP Calculus and AP Government this year - both are keeping him somewhat engaged intellectually with school and on track. Socially, both my husband and I are trying to give son more freedom and flexibility. I figure if he gets a bit more freedom now, he may not go hog-wild once he reaches campus.
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Canadian
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Posted: Mon Mar 10th, 2008 01:06 am |
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I am doing the same.
He wants to be "roommates". As the roommate that owns the house, I get more say about the cleanliness. He is OK with this (though of course needing reminders).
And his life is his own (as long as he doesn't go too far off the rails, though I didn't say this). This has led to some consequences for him at school. The learning is very valuable and hopefully the consequences will not be too severe.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Mon Mar 10th, 2008 01:49 am |
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Canadian wrote: He wants to be "roommates". As the roommate that owns the house, I get more say about the cleanliness. He is OK with this (though of course needing reminders).
Canadian, it never fails to amuse me how our two boys see things in the same light. Roommates, indeed. LOL!
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outwest
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| Location: | CA |
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Posted: Mon Mar 10th, 2008 02:32 am |
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I did the same thing with my older two girls. I let the reins loose on my #3 around Xmas. I only ask that she tell me about when she is coming back or call so i don't worry, what general vicinity she will be in and ask that she not wreck my car. So far, so good.
I think it is really important to let them loose now because, like you said, you don't want them going hog wild in college. I have quit mentioning any of her homework, too. A couple times she has been up most of the night getting something done. I checked on line at the schools Zangle site just to reassure myself that she wasn't bombing (it has all their assignments, grades, etc. and is updated daily). All A's so far without a mention of homework from me for over two months!
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Consolation
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Posted: Mon Mar 10th, 2008 03:19 am |
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The GC at my son's HS just told me that 51% of the senior class was currently getting a D or an F in at least one class, including most of the top 20% of the class!
Of course, as she pointed out, due to snow dws there had been only about 15 days in the quarter, but she was still planning to have a talk with them.
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outwest
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Posted: Mon Mar 10th, 2008 03:28 am |
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Whoa, that is scary. She does need to have a talk with them. A D last semester is grounds for a recind at some schools. At the least a letter explaining yourself would be asked. They have time to drag those grades up, though. I feel for these last semester seniors. I graduated in Decemebr of my senior year. I don't think I could have held out until June.
Last edited on Mon Mar 10th, 2008 03:29 am by outwest
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