I felt like we were holding on to the caboose of a train in regard to Edwin’s college application process. I had friends who were way more in the know, alerting me of deadlines, strategies, online groups, etc. Unlike some parents, I had very little appetite for interfering with Edwin’s choices about his classes and extracurriculars in order to boost his chances of getting in to certain engineering schools.
He didn’t end up getting into a few schools we really thought were in the bag. In hindsight, it’s pretty clear why: he chose chamber orchestra and AP French 5 over the higher math and science classes his senior year, choices he was forced to make due to scheduling conflicts. We thought senior year courses wouldn’t matter much, and we let him go with what made him happiest.
I think he would have chosen the school he ended up with, anyway, but it was a bit of an ego blow not to have the choices he thought he would.
Maxine is a whole different story. She has no idea what she is looking for in a college, which is totally normal for a 16-year-old. I am getting out ahead of the process this time. I’ve registered for two college tours in August. They’re two very small colleges in Pennsylvania, the kind of schools with which I have zero familiarity. I want her to have an idea of where she fits in before this train gets moving again.
My Corner of the Village 