Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - We're awesome!

[FlMathMom]

Popping in to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. DS is LOVING Olin. It definitely was the right choice for him. He loves the kids, profs, challenge, opportunities. Probably only downside for him is the fact that some classes are offered infrequently due to the small size of the school. He is taking an Artificial Intelligence class next semester that is only offered every few years. We love the Olin community.We have made lots of friends with the parents. I'm sad that it is all speeding along but I love the person my son is growing into. C'mon everyone, pop in and update us.

[kathiep]

My son is home too. He's having a great second year and seems much more settled in. He's talking about doing an internship this summer in his college town, which doesn't make my husband happy. His sister wants him to work in the city where she lives. He says that he has more friends in his college town then he does here. I know he really wants to work, so wherever he gets something is okay with me. On this break he's looking forward to catching up on sleep, visiting cousins and eating I think.

Love having my boy home on the couch!

[lacrossemom]

DS came home on Friday and I am so happy.

[seattle_mom]

Love the updates especially the happily adjusted kids! Thanks everyone for your OT help. I will PM to keep this thread on our '11/15ers.

[AvonHSDad]

S doesn't arrive home until Tuesday evening. Break officially begins after classes on Wednesday but all the profs cancel Wednesday classes and many cancel Tuesday as well. He is having a great semester and will be updating us on next year's study abroad programs, housing options, major selection, and course options for next semester. He also announced he got a call back for additional information regarding a possible internship on Capitol Hill next semester working for our Congressman. He has his schedule set up so that he will have two full days without classes next semester. It will be nice to have him at home for a few days. He is back home for Christmas break in another 3 weeks or so. D-14 is looking forward to having her "tutor" at home for a few days for help with chem and precalc.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

[CHS2011Mom]

DS will be done for the week after Tuesday morning's classes, so DH will take off early Tuesday to pick him up and have him home in time for dinner. Short break--heads back Sunday--but we're very much looking forward to his visit, even though he'll be heading back here for winter break just a few weeks later.

[mathmomvt]

We pick up DS on Wednesday and return him on Sunday. He's a bit stressed because he has to apply for his major. He's known since day 1 what he wants to major in, but he has to fill out details on the application about his specializations, which he doesn't know yet, so that's stressing him out a bit.

[SlitheyTove]

Today I learned that if a student is at the hospital at Tufts and doesn't have their wallet and hence can't pay for a taxi back to campus, it's not a problem--the campus police will take them back. Nothing like getting a text saying Hi, I fainted at the library and am now at the hospital to make your day. She's fine now. Sometimes this going to school on the opposite side of the country is for the birds.

And speaking of birds, she'll be home late Tuesday night, and can help us decide if we want to try spatchcocking (basically, removing the backbone and flattening the bird so it cooks super-fast) one of the turkeys.

[FlMathMom]

ST - sorry to hear about the visit to the hospital. Hope all is well now. I understand about having a child far away. Even tho DS applied to two CA schools, we would have needed a compelling reason to select one over a school that had a better location for us. Fortunately we have friends in the same town as Olin who can be our eyes and ears if necessary.

To all, enjoy your visits. Too bad all schools don't lose for the entire week.

[mathmomvt]

Yikes, Slithey! My kid is "only" 4 hours away but it still feels way too far when he has medical issues like that (and he's had a few). At Cornell, they have an arrangement with the taxi company that they will drive you to the hospital and/or home and bill it to the school, and it shows up on your bursar bill, which is convenient.

[momofboston]

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

[gsmomma]

D1 will be home on Tuesday through Sunday. Even though she is only 45 minutes away, she has not been home this term at all. We have gone to see her a few times. She loves her school and is very involved in several different campus activities.
She had to declare her major in the spring of last year, which I assumed was normal. However, reading all of the posts, it seems as if her school is the exception. The difference may be that in engineering, she needs to start focusing on her engineering classes sophomore year. She has had a few major specific classes the past 2 terms, and the good news is that she really enjoyed them.
Her biggest stress was applying for her mandatory junior year Interactive Qualifying Project. There are 50 project centers around the world, and the students must apply and compete for selection to their top choice. The students work in groups with a faculty advisor to solve real life problems in the various locations. A few of her friends are doing on-campus projects by choice, but one of the main reasons she selected her school was for the global junior year project. The process for project centers abroad is very intense, and if a student doesn’t complete each step, they are disqualified, and will have to do an on campus project. For example, they must attend the scheduled information session of their top choices, and attendance is taken. If they don’t attend the session of their #1 choice, they are disqualified. D1 said that she went to 10 different sessions to broaden her options. She also had a one on one interview with the project director, had to write an essay about why she should be selected for an overseas project center, get 2 recommendations, and fill out a detailed application. She said it was worse that applying to college. She found out that 50 students applied for 24 spots of her first choice. She is hoping that she is better than half of the applications. She will find out in the beginning of January where she will be going next year.

Enjoy all of the visits with your students. Pretty soon, they may be coming back to live with us full time after graduation.

[mathmomvt]

gsmomma, is that WPI? That program sounds fantastic!

for my DS, who is in engineering, they have certain major-specific classes they have to take in order to qualify to apply to the major, so they really need to decide by the end of freshman year, but are just applying now.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[EmmyBet]

I hope everyone has a great week!

We're probably in the minority here - D is staying at school over Thanksgiving. We never planned to bring her home, because it would have been easier, cheaper and more meaningful for her to visit grandparents instead. But because of the hurricane and a job she picked up, she has a shortened break and can't make the time. She's either going to spend the day with friends (has a couple of offers) or might volunteer at a meal for the homeless. I'm glad she has a car (yet again) so that she can keep her options open. She's a little sad - and we're a little sad - but I think it'll be a very memorable experience for her.

D's major is set in stone, and she's happy about that. She began her BFA the very first semester she was there. But she has been making choices among her Honors College options, possible minors, etc. and that process has been very enlightening. I am glad she is realizing her dream of solid conservatory-like training along with solid liberal arts - both for her sake, and I'll admit also for mine. Her choice of school continues to be able to provide just what she needs in terms of training and academics.

We still don't know which semester next year she will be abroad. It is part of her program and they are still deciding what the kids will do. This does not appeal to my plan-ahead personality. Ah, well.

It must be a relief to have kids whose schools take such nice care of them when they are sick. My D was diagnosed with pneumonia by campus health last year and was faced with finding a ride or paying $40 to take a cab to get her prescription, because the clinic at school doesn't have a pharmacy and couldn't help her find one that delivered (we are ever-grateful to her dept secretary who offered to drive her if one of her fellow students wouldn't - but they did). I just said the training and academics at her school are terrific - notice I haven't changed my mind about the campus life issues? She has learned to be a good problem-solver as a result, anyway.

[SlitheyTove]

Enjoy all of the visits with your students. Pretty soon, they may be coming back to live with us full time after graduation.

Very funny, gsmomma.

seattle_mom, thanks for your wise advice about questions for parents to ask themselves about their child's ability to manage. Saving that for HS junior D2.

D1 declared her major (comp sci) at the end of last year, though there was a bobble earlier this semester when she thought one class was just way over her head. Found out later she'd signed up for a class that was really for upperclassmen in the major and even some grad students. Sometimes being too ambitious is not a good thing! She'll be home for winter break, which is not what she was expecting--had hoped to do an overseas research trip, but her partner took another opportunity. Important life lesson there about having backup plans. It could've been worse, because final funding approval wouldn't have come until a week before winter break started. She's now planning on going to bartender school (!) over break.

She's planning on study abroad next fall semester, so we won't see her next Thanksgiving.