Parent perspectives on applying for college
Parents play very critical roles in the tough but rewarding college application process. It involves studying for SATs, completing applications, researching colleges and much more.
Darwin Chan, father of a current sophomore Lauren Chan and graduate Kristin Chan, says the college process has changed distinctly over the years.
“The college process is more involved, and . . . the AP classes, test scores and application writings [are more important],” says Chan.
He had Kristin study for the SAT during junior year and spend more time on application essays during senior year.
Luckily, Chan had outside help. “We had a college counselor,” Chan says. “It will be easier [for Lauren’s process] than [Kristin’s] because I have been through it before.”
In the end, Chan comments, “I knew that she would be fine at whichever college she went to.”
Pamela Hung is the mother of sophomore Angela Hung and Victor Hung, a graduate of the class of 2010. Hung comments, “[Victor] was very stressed because he had to balance AP/Honors classes and extracurricular activities and had to worry about college applications. I was very stressed because I wanted my son to do well, [and] not to have a total breakdown.”
Differing from Chan, Hung feels if she had to go through this process again with Angela, she does not think it will be any easier.
She says, “Everything will be so much more complicated.”
The rules of the college application game are constantly evolving and parents have to keep up with its changes just as students do.
“Having more opportunities at school to learn about colleges and having online applications would have helped,” Hung says. Fortunately for Hung, “Victor attended the GATE college application essay writing workshops and did a lot of research on his own. He was independent and . . . organized,” so Hung did not have to worry so much.
In addition to the work load and stress level, parent Christina Kuo, mother of sophomore Allison Kuo and graduate Kasper Kuo, also worries about the amount of effort her kids put into college applications.
“Worrying about if your child isn’t trying his or her best [is the hardest part about the college process]”.
Alex Cheung, father of senior Angie Cheung, went to college in Hong Kong. For Cheung, “the process has changed a lot, but I don’t know if I’m qualified to judge because I went to college in Hong Kong and that was more than 50 years ago.”
Cheung says, “The difference with America and Hong Kong is their education systems. For example in the U.S. everyone is given a chance to go to college, but in Asia, we had to take exams for high school which were really cutthroat since only a small percentage of people made it and others who didn’t get into high school attended trade schools. Also back then education was not necessary, therefore many people chose to start working at a young age”.
Cheung feels, “If I had to go through the college process again in this century it would most definitely be harder because in this era the competition is intense and some may even argue that a Bachelors Degree does not amount to much.”
The college application has evolved greatly over the years and parents do their best to keep up with the changes. Nowadays, it seems as if students are not the only ones applying to college, but their parents as well.
