<p>D2 is 5 grades behind D1. D1 was like a surrogate mother to D2 growing up. When other kids didn’t want anyone to say they are just like their older siblings, D2 would just grin from ear to ear whenever someone said that to her. She really just wanted to be like her older sister. But as she got older (high school), she started to figure out that she was not like her older sister. D1 was a math/science student, and D2 is more humanities. </p>
<p>When D2 started with her college search, it was almost like any where but Cornell (where D1 graduated from). But as it got closer to decision time, it was like, “I like school X, but it doesn’t have this which Cornell has.” This past summer, she was trying to decide which one would be her first choice (for ED/EA), and she was trying to decide if it was going to be Yale or Cornell, D1 asked her, “If I didn’t go to Cornell, what would be your first choice? The school is so big, you will find your own niche, no one would know you are my little sister.” D2 decided to ED Cornell. Of course as soon as she got in, D1 emailed everyone she knew (including her sorority) at Cornell about her baby sister.</p>
<p>This situation actually isn’t as bad as you may thing. Things will probably change once S1 leaves for college. Having your older son in college will allow your younger son to do an overnight visit staying with him and really be immersed in the campus life. If S2 still wants to attend the same college as S1 come application time, urge him to consider nearby schools where he would be able to easily visit his brother yet still be a good fit.</p>
<p>Uh, there are plenty of schools that have both excellent history/lit programs and math/science programs; it’s a little odd to think that every school has to be one-or-the-other.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, back off. You cannot worry about what a 9th grader thinks. Lots can change between then and now. My D didn’t want to look at single-sex schools and within a matter of months, went from not wanting to do that to applying ED to one. My S thought he’d be at a small LAC and he’s at a research university. You are way overthinking this, and trust me, I’m an overthinker on this kind of thing.</p>
<p>Oh, almost forgot - on my kids’ lists, there were 2 schools that overlapped (that is, both of them wanted to apply there). Not because they necessarily wanted to be with the other twin, but because they naturally and organically found things about those two schools that appealed to them. Let it be. You don’t have any decisions to make yet; let it unfold.</p>
<p>I’m also hearing OP express frustration that the second child isn’t doing anything apparent with his current interests (history and literature). If they were at school, I’d suggest he try an afterschool club this year, such as the yearbook, school newspaper or literary magazine. </p>
<p>Since they’re both homeschooled, is there something comparable in the community for him to write and be published? Our city’s daily print newspaper has a youth edition, every so often, that seeks contributors from his school age level. If he were to review a history novel and have that printed, that’s exciting. </p>
<p>Perhaps the next family trip could be something of historic interest. Growing up, we’d go to Civil War battlefields, Underground Railroad safehouses and so on. As a homeschooler you surely don’t need pointers on this – I’m just suggesting the balance tip towards some history/literature activities even now. </p>
<p>Depending on your older S’s sensitivity to the younger brother, you might even have them come up with a field trip plan that they’d both enjoy that hits both chords. If those were my boys, I might plan to visit the Hoover Dam, S-1 to investigate the engineering, S-2 on the social history of the times in which it was built, along with poetry about it.</p>
<p>He doesn’t like to write . Part of the reason he loves history so much is that we traveled so much. He has been 10 or more Civil War battlefields. His uncle was teaching at Quantico and even taught a class at Gettysburg, so he took us around for a private tour. One year we took our RV to Vicksburg, Shiloh, Lookout Mountain, etc. Last year when we studied the 20th century we went to the D-Day beaches, Verdun, Churchill museum in London, etc. We took a couple of big historical trips each year. However, now that both boys are taking community college classes, all of that has come to a complete halt. We really miss that. Over the years he’s been to Yorktown, Plimouth, Boston freedom trail, etc. I believe visiting history is as important as reading about it. He has read all the Jeff Shaara books and David McCullough books he can. He is currently reading some biography and personal writing of Chamberlain ( I think that was his name…the man from Gettysburg)</p>
<p>I’ve thought about having him work in a museum, but the ones around us are tiny, rural BORING museums…</p>
<p>paying3tuitions–I would also say that the interests for the 9th grader are transient as well. Our youngest was convinced he was going to major in history and get a PhD and become a college history professor when he was in 9th grade. Well, he now has a “less favorable” history teacher for AP world and HATES the class. The history major has fallen by the wayside and is now thinking about the math field, which is a much better fit for him. He might get a minor in history but I doubt that. In 9th and 10th grades he had very engaging, very dynamic history teachers and I think their personalities sparked his interest more than the actual subject matter.</p>
<p>choirfarm–it is ok if history is just a hobby for him too. I’m a huge history buff, but I certainly would not want to make a career out of it. He is young, give it time. Think about it this way-he is 5+ years away from having to make a decision about a major. Look where he was 5 years ago, at age 9 and how much he has changed in that time.</p>
<p>I WISH my S2 would consider the same university S1 is attending. They both want to do the same thing (business major) and it’s a great school for business. However S2 absolutely refuses to consider S1’s school simply because S1 will be there… He doesn’t care that it’s big enough that they won’t run into each other.</p>
<p>I’ll go wherever my brother goes…
As we talk about colleges, my middle child said… “It doesn’t matter. I’ll just go wherever ___( oldest) goes.”</p>
<h1>UGGH… My oldest is a math/science kid. He is a history/literature kid. Who says they will be a match??? UGGH…</h1>
<p>Well, if the oldest ends up at a good major university, then the school could be strong in both STEM and Liberal Arts. </p>
<p>Don’t knock it…it is MUCH, MUCH easier on the family when both kids are at the same college…move in/move out is easier, family weekend is easier, Fall and Spring breaks match, Christmas break is the same…and on and on. Plus, they can help each other out in a pinch…and share one car on campus (if a car is allowed).</p>
<p>My younger son was the opposite. As a soph in HS, he LOUDLY declared that he would NEVER go to the same college as his older bro (they had attended the same small private K-12 schools, and he was tired of following his bro). However, after he helped his older bro move onto campus and he attended Family Weekend with us, he declared that he didn’t want to go anywhere else. Older son has since graduated from that college, and this son is now a junior there.</p>
<p>Our youngest of three girls did wind up at the same college her oldest sister chose. It seemed as if, during freshman move-in, the youngest (in 6th grade at the time) looked around and figured, “It’s nice here.” It was her first choice from that day forward, and I was very relieved when she was admitted. Half her wardrobe would have become obsolete if she hadn’t been.</p>
<p>Different personalities, interests, majors, but somehow the school was a great fit for both ds. OP, your younger son will probably decide other schools are a better fit for him than the one your oldest chooses - but if he follows in his brother’s footsteps, he may still be in exactly the right place. :)</p>
<p>choirfarm - kids change. If you had asked me about the path that my son would have been on when he was 9th grade - I would have SWORN that he was going to be a creative writer, holed up in an attic somewhere, and that his college choice would have been geared accordingly. He discovered a love of history and political science towards the end of the 10th grade and completely changed gears. Which is fine. You really seem nervous about wanting to lock them in. It’s fine if a hs student doesn’t have a particular interest area.</p>