My daughter (who I'm giving the alias "Rachel" for privacy purposes) is a senior in high school preparing to go to college. When I asked her what name she'd like me to use for her here, in true teen fashion, she said she didn't care. Not that she's apathetic about most things. But I do seem to get "I don't know" and "I don't care" from her quite a bit these days. I also get lots of strong opinions from her, some half formed and others surprisingly well thought out.
By and large, I think she has good instincts. It's her ability to articulate them that can be problematic. She receives great grades for her essays on Hamlet and American democracy, but ask her to describe what she wants from college or a career and she'll curl up into a fetal position and moan.
So, for this blog, I'll call her Rachel. Rachel and I are deep into the college admissions process. We've passed through the outer bands of the hurricane and are now aimed for the eye of the storm. We've been following all of the prompts provided by her high school to get her ready.
For example, Rachel took the PSAT in her sophomore year (a practice run for the PSAT in her junior year). Like all good juniors, she took the PSAT in the fall of her junior year (a practice run for the SAT). So, essentially, she had two practice runs for the SAT.
Then, she took the SAT in the spring of her junior year. But she had to take the SAT again a few weeks ago, because, even though she had the two practice runs for the SAT, she still forgot that the SAT penalizes you for guessing, so she scored lower than she would have if she had remembered that simple rule.
She's taken two SAT subject tests and is signing up to take a third, just in case.
Meanwhile, she's been careful to take all the classes required by our state university system (the University of California).
Seems like a lot of hoops to jump through just to get to college. That's my humble opinion.
So here we are, in mid-October, poised to make the next important decision of her young life: Where to go to college?
In the next few months, we'll continue our ongoing search for the right college. She'll get teacher recommendations and write college application essays. She'll create a giant spreadsheet of deadlines and requirements. Meanwhile, I'll be her trusty assistant and counselor, allowing her to make certain executive decisions but guiding her with a light touch and providing soothing words and "atta girl" encouragement. I'll also blog about our journey together. I'm hoping I can turn this stressful journey into a fun ride for everyone.
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