I Was Apparently Expected to Know This.
Applying to college is a daunting task. Not only do students have to do incredibly well for four years, get great SAT scores and have a life of extracurriculars that makes adults look lazy, but then they have to complete the entire application process.
First, there’s the application – which includes at least one essay. Thankfully, the process has been simplified and most colleges will accept an application that has also been submitted elsewhere. In other words, most places don’t require an additional essay.
Some do.
Then there’s the SAT score requests, the transcript requests, the letters of recommendation from the guidance counselor and usually teachers, too. There are interviews to arrange and attend. Then there’s the FAFSA and the CSS Profile for financial aid awards. And this doesn’t even take into account anything done while trying to obtain scholarships.
The biggest hassle for us was waiting for the transcripts and recommendation letters to be mailed. Dylan applied to colleges in August, so he got emails and phone calls regularly for several weeks, reminding him to submit his transcript.
I emailed his counselor five times. She assured me that “automated” emails were nothing to worry about, and that those transcripts would be mailed soon.
“Two weeks,” she said. “At most.”
Six weeks after Dylan requested transcripts, I was panicked. I emailed her again, having no idea that she didn’t send out the transcripts herself.
A few of his friends applied in August, when Dylan did, and they have already gotten acceptance letters. Can you tell me if there is a specific hold-up for Dylan’s transcripts?
Two days later, she wrote back:
I just talked with our registrar to see if we could figure out what is going on. She said that Dylan needs to go into the school software and indicate that he wishes to request transcripts, along with indicating that they’re early action. She said there are colleges listed in there, but they all say “regular application” (not early). She said she sent him an email about this.
The registrar had not emailed Dylan about anything. And Dylan isn’t applying anywhere “early action.” He simply finished his applications early.
I picked up the phone and called the registrar. Until then, I had no idea there even was a registrar.
Long story short: Dylan had not gone into the school’s software and clicked on the “request transcript” button. He had submitted all the papers and requested everything he needed to request in person, but he didn’t go into the computer and click “request.”
So the registrar, who had the appropriate paperwork sitting on her desk for six weeks, did nothing at all. In fact, she’d still be doing nothing at all, except for my phone call.
A few days later, upon realizing that the registrar didn’t reach out to anyone for anything, I noticed that the teachers’ letters of recommendation were marked in the school software as “requested” but not “sent.”
Having learned from previous experience, I emailed the registrar immediately.
I got one sentence in return:
You’ll have to speak with the individual teachers about the letters.
I was apparently expected to know this.
Eventually, I got a call from the resource person in the counseling office, who is in charge of everything. I now know that the teachers send out their recommendations separately, and that it requires several forms of various colors to request the transcript, and that if things aren’t done online, they aren’t done at all.
I am looking forward to doing this again with Shane, now that I have mastered the experience.