Some Homework For The Parents

Are you spending these lovely summer days wishing your rising senior would do some of the things on that check list I posted recently? It's time for you to put that energy into some homework of your own! 

Stop by your high school guidance office (the staff there would probably LOVE to see a fresh face in the quiet halls) and pick up copies of all the helpful resources they provide for the college application process. Most of these forms are for your student, and it wouldn't hurt to have an extra copy in case your student hasn't seen them. But one in particular happens to be for the parents. At Monticello, it's labeled the Monticello High School Parent Recommendation, but I'm sure all the high schools have their own version.

This form is an invaluable resource for your guidance counselor as they write a recommendation for your student. While not every college requires teacher recommendations for admission, the vast majority DO want some sort of counselor recommendation or counselor evaluation form. With each counselor having to write MANY this fall (our counselor told us last year that he had 75 seniors!), they can't be expected to know every characteristic of each one. This form gives them a quick reference so that they can create a recommendation that is thorough and detailed.

This is the information requested on the form:

• List 5 adjectives which best describe your son or daughter. Explain when necessary; give a supportive anecdote when appropriate.
• Assess your son or daughter in terms of academics.
• What personal characteristics are significant for your son or daughter?
• What do you see as your son or daughter's greatest achievement? What makes him or her unique to you?
• What do you think will be your son or daughter's greatest challenge in college, and what way do you think he or she will meet the challenge?
• Is there anything else that is important for us to know in order to understand clearly your son or daughter? (Medical background, family history, educational interest...)
• What special characteristics are you looking for in a college? (Geographic area, public, private, size, single sex, coed, military, religious affiliation...)
• Feel free to write anything else that you would say in a personal recommendation for your son or daughter. Include anything that you would want a college admissions office to know about your student.

This is not the time to be modest about your student's accomplishments and activities! This form is not very long, but it does require some time and attention. The more detail you give, the better your counselor can capture the essence of your student and convey it to the admissions people.

By the way, Jane Kulow has a blog post over at Dr. StrangeCollege today with some links to great resources for writing college application essays. You should check it out!
http://drstrangecollege.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/who-writes-the-essay-doonesbury-weighs-in/