*****drum Roll*****and The Winner Is.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

berurah
Fri, 22 Apr 2005 02:49:01 +0000

Hey y’all,

It appears that my overzealous use of the exclamation point button on my keyboard when I posted my son’s unexpectedly early decison caused it to seriously malfunction (hence the period in my son’s post above after the word “Wow.”) Now, most of you know me well enough to realize that I simply cannot make one post without an exclamation point, so I had to make an emergency trip to Wal-Mart at midnight to replace the ailing keyboard, which, by the way, also had issues with all of the buttons SURROUNDING the exclamation point, so it really was a problem! lol

But, here I sit with the new keyboard ready to tell you a little bit about how my son came to his decision.

About a week ago, my son was about 95% sure that he would take the JHU offer with the Hodson Scholarship. One night he asked me if I would go ahead and purchase him a JHU t-shirt and baseball hat. I told him that I would, but you also know me well enough to realize that I am a MAJOR procrastinator, so I never got it done.

Meanwhile, the Duke financial aid package arrived. So surprised was I at the large grant that I called my son at school (I NEVER do this…only once before when the JHU acceptance came via my email while he was in school and the “Congratulations!” was in the title line, so I couldn’t help but see it). He was completely floored at the amount of the grant from Duke.

Based on the FAFSA and the paltry (2,650 in a loan) money that he had received from the University of Michigan, we had expected nothing from Duke. But, it seemed that Duke had used an entirely different (and may I add more accurate) formula to determine their financial aid award.

That night, my son did not sleep at all. All along he had done such a beautiful and admirable job of adjusting to whatever situation seemed the most viable at the time. He had gotten totally excited over the University of Michigan acceptance (before the lack of money became apparent), and then again, over the University of Miami’s generous offer. We thought for a long time that Miami would be it, and truly he was getting quite excited about the prospect.

I assume that I don’t have to retell the absolutely triumphant tale of the Duke acceptance (it’s all in writing if anyone missed it! lol), but by his reaction to it, I knew that that was where his heart was. We did not receive a financial aid award along with the acceptance because we were missing some crucial paperwork. Then came the JHU acceptance and the very unexpected Hodson Scholarship which carried both great prestige and great money! Of course we assumed that Duke would never be able to even come close to that financial offer, and my son was very honored at having been chosen for JHU’s highest merit award. We adjusted our thinking yet again and tried to see all of the good in that situation, and there was plenty of it. Finally, the Penn acceptance and the Vagelos Scholars Program invitation, yet another offer, but the possible money was risky.

After the Duke finaid offer came in, the whole house was abuzz…My husband told my S to go ahead and send in the reply card for Duke. Max trailed after his older brother nonstop, touting the benefits of Duke and urging an instant decision lol. Still, S could not decide, so he and I talked about it…and talked about it…and talked about it…and analyzed it from every angle. These were the major points:

JHU–Good things: Hodson Scholarship was a HUGE pull: prestige, money, and various perks. It was a boost in a very competitive environment; fabulous place for medically-minded kids; lots of research opportunities; interesting urban setting. Downsides: Questionable safety issues, fierce competition; housing issues (juniors and seniors must live off campus), and, of great concern to us because of S’s future goals, grade deflation perhaps affecting graduate/law school admission.

UPenn: Good things: Selection to the prestigious Vagelos Program, great school for medically-minded students, Ivy luster, intersting urban setting, many research opportunities. Downsides: a little TOO urban for S, I think, Vagelos Program a bit too intense for his undergrad needs (and has a very high attrition rate), money tied to the Vagelos Program.

Duke: Good things: VERY personal service, support, encouragement; great place for medically-minded students, lots of research opportunties, more quintessential college experience, incorporates EVERYTHING son wants–academics, lovely college campus, rah-rah sports, social life. It is a place for which he feels much PRIDE and PASSION. Excitement, thrill, dream fulfilled, best monetary offer. Downsides: He could possibly be “out of place” due to coming from a modest family.

We have not received the finaid offer from Penn yet, nor any reaction (if there is to be any) to the special circumstances letter we sent JHU. But basically what we did in the end was to try to imagine ANY scenario in which Duke would not end up on top, and we couldn’t, not even if one of the other two places were to have kicked in more money than Duke. The way we see it is that the only thing keeping S from Duke was the money, and they came through with it. There was nothing left to consider at that point.

The look on his face as we (all three sons and I) dropped the reply card off at the post office let me know that he made the right decision. He is very, very happy and so grateful that this long-held dream has become a reality.

Many thanks to all of you who have provided information and assistance. I received many pms and emails from those with experiences to share, and I took all of them to heart. There were so many of you who had a crucial part in this decision, and I am so grateful to each and every one of you! Thanks, again, for all that you have done for S and me!!

Love to you all, ~berurah