<p>RVM: I think I am on the same time table as you are as far as EFC. S1 will be a senior when S2 is a freshman. I am expecting our EFC will also go down, but only for that year. I expect that once S1 graduates we will be in a similar situation to where we are now. If your are in this same situation you also probably have 3 more years ahead of you after freshman years where your costs will be higher. Am I missing something?</p>
<p>Actually if there was any resonable way I could have I would have had S1 work the year following college and take a gap year and start college a year later so we could have 2 overlap years. But with a kid in the habit of studying and itching to start college there was no way I wanted to rock that boat.</p>
<p>spectrum - agree with what you wrote. I can visualize paying for S2’s college years 2,3 and 4 based on the EFC we have this year. It’s that one overlap year that is looming large and has me worried. I’m just thinking that if he does not end up applying ED to Elon - maybe we will cast a wider net and include some more expensive schools just to see what the FA looks like.</p>
<p>mhc - very true. Wake meets full need - but part of the package includes private loans! But they have given us very generous grant money as well - so I am not complaining.</p>
<p>And you are right about many people’s college majors having little to do with their ultimate career path. Funny about psychology - that is the top major at so many schools! My sister majored in psychology - but she went on to get her doctorate and works as a clinical psychologist - I doubt most of these kids have that plan in mind. Psychology just seems like a fun major that appeals to a lot of kids.</p>
<p>mdcissp - glad you liked the Binghamton program. It sounded the other day like you had decided on Towson - sounds like you are wavering again. What does your son think?</p>
<p>Mdcissp - Over Spring Break we are visiting our first group of colleges (for my soph.) the first school in Binghamton. I am hoping it has the feel of a school between UMBC and UMCP. Smaller then CP, geeker then CP and more social then UMBC. We then move on to RIT and University of Rochester and then Syracuse (mainly so DH can stock up on Syracuse gear, he is a huge Syracuse Basketball fan.) I think it is a good mix of schools to get his feet wet.
I was pleased that DS called Syracuse himself and then request a meeting at the Engineering School. He is really getting into this.<br>
We may drive around Bucknell on the way home. I can’t see him there, but we drive right past it on the way home and I want him to see that kind of school just to make sure my gut is right.</p>
<p>Mom24, I think you have Bing tabbed correctly. I am not an expert on the precise geography inolved, but if you are near Lawrence and/or Alfred, both are strong small schools if they have enough of the subjects you seek.</p>
<p>In budgeting for college, everyone has their individual views of how much they can spend. Mdcissp and MHC’s caution is logical. In the past decade, many who felt they had an adequate margin of financial safety were surprised by some combination of falling stock prices; falling interest rates on CD investments; job losses; kids deciding on extra years of schooling; inability to land paying Summer jobs; unexpected medical bills; etc–with the rising cost of colleges the only constant. </p>
<p>My suggestion would be for everyone to be generous in calculating how much is needed as a margin of safety, but that the right school is certainly worth foregoing lavish vacations or new cars.</p>
<p>Mom24boys: You spring break trip sounds like a good start. You’ve got a good mix of schools. We had a lot of fun last year on our spring break road trip, even though most of the schools didn’t make the final cut.</p>
<p>RVM: You’re lucky that Elon has EA in additon to ED. I agree that it might be a good idea to bypass ED to see what else shakes out. My daughter is very happy with her ED choice, but I sometimes wonder whether we should have waited to see what kind of merit aid she could get at other schools. One of her EA schools offered her a very nice award right a few days after we heard from BU.</p>
<p>On majors: My D1 is a history major. She is considering law school, but isn’t sure whether she wants to be a lawyer. She’s also considering business or public administration. She has applied for a lot of summer internships, and has been pleasantly suprised at the response she has gotten so far. (No firm offers, but she’s starting to get second interviews). While some employers want business majors, others prefer liberal arts majors. She has found that they are also interested in her leadership and research experience.</p>
<p>rvm - I think you are right in looking at some other reachier schools for your son. From everything you have said about him he has grown in leaps and bounds both academically and socially this past year. I can only think that this trend will continue. I think VT would be a good fit for him as well as Miami. </p>
<p>Regarding all of the discussions on majors and future job prospects, my opinion won’t be popular, but I say, who cares? Unless your kid knows 100% that they want to be an accountant or an engineer almost no other major allows for that kind of direct career path after graduation. I was an accounting major and I don’t regret my choice, I love my chosen career, but I know it’s not for everyone. For most people accounting is an either love it or hate it thing. What’s the point of getting an accounting degree, if you don’t love it, just to get a job you probably won’t enjoy. </p>
<p>I look at college as so much more than preparing kids for a career or grad school. It’s about life experiences, taking classes that interest and challenge you and who knows, in doing that, the kid may find their passion. The one thing I always regretted about being an accounting major is that I did not have many electives to choose from, and I remember so many awesome classes listed in the course book that I couldn’t take.</p>
<p>I want my kids to take those classes! My D will possibly be double majoring, or at least a major with a minor. But these things are her passion. Will they make her marketable? Not so sure. But she is a very bright kid and I have no doubt she will figure out what to do. But no, her path will not be guaranteed. I don’t have a crystal ball and can’t see what the future holds, both in my D’s job prospects as well as the global economy, but I don’t want her 4 years of college to be 4 years of worry about majoring in something that will 100% get her a job.</p>
<p>I say let the kids major in what interests them, the pieces will eventually fall into place.</p>
<p>JMHO!</p>
<p>Oh, regarding loans, I have no problem with some reasonable student loans, nothing wrong with the kid having a little skin in the game.</p>
<p>mdmom - I agree with you somewhat. I like the model of having a practical major and then minoring in something else that you simply enjoy. I agree with you that colleges today seem to offer so many varied and fun classes - you need to allow room for exploration - not just practicality.</p>
<p>Since we are visiting Elon soon - we’re just going to keep open minds and see what happens. I still think that overall - it is the best choice for S2 - but I also see that it might be worthwhile to have him apply to 6-8 schools - with varying price tags and just see what happens - where he is accepted - where he gets good aid, etc. He seems to be leaning towards the latter approach - and is not in the least bit worried about it!</p>
<p>Just a friendly reminder to those who are interested in participating to borrow/purchase the book. My copy arrived today!</p>
<p>Also - in addition to the HBO special that was previously mentioned - there is a episode about the Triangle Fire on a show called “American Experience”. Here in MD - it is airing on 3/31 on WETA. Also showing again on MPT. Hoping that public television stations in other states might carry it as well.</p>
<p>Since this forum focuses on schools for B plus Jewish students, I just want to point out that Binghamton is a fantastic choice if you get into the program you want from day one.</p>
<p>Parent of Seniors - congratulations on making it this far! Please keep us updated if you would like to do so. I would love to hear where your student was accepted - and where they plan to attend in the fall. If you are choosing between several schools yet - would be very interested in hearing the choices and the factors you are weighing.</p>
<p>Parents of Juniors - feel free to keep us updated on where you are visiting and what your impressions are. If you include a stop at Hillel or a Jewish fraternity or sorority as part of your visit - I’m sure we would all be interested to hear about that aspect of your visit.</p>
<p>I think I’ve posted this before, but I’ll start the senior updates. My daughter is attending Boston University. She was also accepted to Towson, Pitt and Northeastern. When she was accepted to BU ED, she withdrew her ap to Maryland and never completed NYU or American. She wanted a large city school in the mid-atlantic or Northeast with a lot of academic choices. She was accepted into the School of Communication at BU, but is somewhat undecided. She had high grades, a strong ACT score, moderate course rigor and average ECs. Thanks to the ED acceptance, she’s really enjoying her senior year.</p>
<p>We visited GWU, Towson, Delaware, UMDCP, American, NYU, UConn, UMass, Syracuse and BU. I’ll be happy to answer questions on any of these.</p>
<p>I’d love to hear about the other senior’s choices.</p>
<p>mdmomfromli, don’t forget nursing as a direct career path!
Nursing is not only a great education for a job; it is also a great education for life! Students learn about human development and behavior, they learn how to deal with people throughout the life span, they learn how to use judgement, they learn how ethics apply to situations, they learn how to deal with people during crises, and during the happiest and saddest moments of their lives, they learn to communicate with people from all cultures, they learn about science and statistics and how to think logically about solving problems; I could go on and on! A B.S.N. prepares students for graduate school in many fields. I know many nurses with Ph.Ds who are doing important research, and I know many nurses who are practicing with a great deal of autonomy. And, I know many who have been able to make “lifestyle choices” while bringing up families or caring for elderly parents. And, many who become the “advisors” for their families, encouraging them to make healthy choices.
When I taught nursing, one of my students was actually a nuclear engineer who had decided to switch careers. He said, “I have become such a better engineer since I have been in nursing school.” I asked why, and he said, “Because I have learned how to communicate with people.”
Sorry if this was hijacking but I just had to put in my little plug!</p>
<p>After reading so much about Binghamton on the previous page, I had to scroll up to make sure that I was actually on the right thread. For New Yorkers, Binghamton is an A student school. As a matter of fact, to get into their School of Management, you better have a 95 average and a 1300+ on SAT’s. For Harpur, low 90’s as a minimum, with plenty of kids still not making it.</p>
<p>So, as out-of-state residents who are accepted with lower stats, students need to understand that most of their classmate are going to be A students. This is not to say that B students won’t do well, but Bing is a school really filled with top students–especially since merit aid has dropped at some private schools that would draw some strong students.</p>
<p>Here is New York, the kids we send to Townson have significantly lower GPA’s and test scores.</p>
<p>levirm - no slight intended! Nursing is a great career. I would think it would require even more passion and dedication than picking accounting or engineering! I am sure that there are other degrees that lead directly to a job. However, they are a lot fewer than all of the other degrees that are offered. I just hate to see kids being limited so early before they may have a chance to fully explore what their interests and passions are.</p>
<p>I have nothing against a practical degree, I got one! But it should be driven by what the kid wants. I know we are all very invested in the college process, or we wouldn’t be here on cc!</p>
<p>uskoolfish, That same phenomenon is seen in Virginia. Lots of fairly high STAT instate kids have gotten turned away from instate schools like Virginia Tech and JMU lately. Kids in Virginia that don’t get into UVa,William and Mary,VT or JMU also have to look elsewhere.The University of South Carolina,Elon and College of Charleston seem pretty popular these days.</p>
<p>I also think that I have posted before, but my daughter is attending Johns Hopkins. She has about a 3.3 to 3.4 average - really! She is not in the top 25% of her class. She got a C in math last year. She has very high SATs, very unusual ECs, and very high course rigor. We were VERY confused about where she should apply given the disparity between her GPA and SAT scores, which is why I started reading this thread. She took the lead in wanting a very high achieving peer group in college (she has one now), and she even wanted to be rejected from some colleges to prove that she had “aimed high enough”. This didn’t happen - as she was accepted ED, and had to withdraw the only other application that she had submitted (McGill, without visiting, but she was intrigued by the idea of it). She was also accepted at Penn State. We visited Muhlenberg, Brandeis and the University of Rochester with her (and many other colleges, mostly for A students, with her siblings).</p>
<p>I have missed so much here. I should be grateful for how busy work is keeping me (as a consultant!).</p>
<p>Before I hit the road (need to leave in 2 min, but my cc obsession is calling me)…</p>
<ul>
<li><p>I want to agree on the Binghamton assessment. Sooo tough to get in from in-state. Although a friend of my DS got in to Binghamton and then waitlisted at PSU main campus (but then got in later). Hard to figure these schools these days.</p></li>
<li><p>Levirm - we are going to visit Hopkins in April. Would love to hear more about why you think your DD got in (pm is fine if it doesn’t seem to follow the topic of the thread).</p></li>
<li><p>Book club - would love to, but no time for reading these days!</p></li>
</ul>
<p>DD comes home for her very late spring break tonight! I have to drive up to Boston for biz on Sunday and she said she wanted to come with me. Yay for mother-daughter time! (She’ll study for mid-terms while I’m in my mtgs on Monday).</p>
<p>Congratulations again on all the acceptances!</p>
<p>To USKOOLFISH and LINYMOM: I think you are all 100% correct that Binghamton has top A in state and that it is easier to get in out of state. This is why I think Binghamton is fantastic if you get accepted directly into the program you want from day one freshman year. My son was accepted out of state into Harpur, but changed his mind from wanting Actuarial Science (Harpur Math dept.) to wanting Accounting (SOM). My husband does not want to pay the $26,000 out of state price for the unknown and difficult path to transfer to SOM. It is a financial risk that we don’t want to take at this point because the alternative (Econ major with 5th year MBA) is not what my son wants.
However, I still think Binghamton is awesome, just be careful which program you apply to. I think all those top A NY students at Binghamton will make internal transfers into professional schools extremely competitive.</p>