<p>More on Southwestern . . . I should also have added that it is one of the Colleges That Change Lives.</p>
<p>“So with the acceptances rolling in, are stress levels coming down?”</p>
<p>Actually, I think my stress level is increasing because I see others getting acceptances and S2 hasn’t submitted any applications yet. Not that I don’t rejoice in your acceptances, but honestly, it’s stressing me out a bit — feels like we’re waaaaaaay behind all of you.</p>
<p>"Actually, I think my stress level is increasing because I see others getting acceptances and S2 hasn’t submitted any applications yet. Not that I don’t rejoice in your acceptances, but honestly, it’s stressing me out a bit — feels like we’re waaaaaaay behind all of you. "</p>
<p>Same here. I haven’t been posting lately b/c we are still at square one with D not having submitted any applications (and I’m tired of venting about it). I thought we were looking at two 12/15 EA’s and four RD’s - now I found out that for scholarship consideration at at least one of the RD’s (the one with the most competitive admissions) the application also has to be in by 12/15. I put my foot down and told D that she needed to have the CA, sans essay, completed by Friday, and the essay turned into her teachers for review by this Monday - otherwise, no after school theater work. She is not happy, but I really felt like I had to take a stand on this. We have always had an exceptionally good relationship, and it pains me to see her so annoyed with me, but I know that this too shall pass.
In the meantime, it really is wonderful to see all these acceptances.</p>
<p>Slithey - we are with you. Dec 15 decision is reachy reach. I am hoping the one state rolling will be good news before then (although D does not love this academic/financial safety). Everything else will be April.<br>
Sincere congrats to all those getting such great news and best wishes to those whose kids are now starting to focus.</p>
<p>“So with the acceptances rolling in, are stress levels coming down?”
We haven’t submitted any apps yet, except for the safety school, McGill. All others will be submitted in December (hopefully early in December rather than on Dec 31, but who knows…) and we won’t hear from any until April, except once more McGill from which we may hear as early as January.</p>
<p>The early acceptance, in a way, has been a big distraction. I feel it has added to my son’s dragging his heels, he’s been accepted somewhere already, right? In part, that is the marketing of rolling admissions. Get them in early, make them feel at home, send the shirt, call them personally, give them a school email, hope they don’t send in other applications. While it’s great to feel that love from the safety, I wish the love had waited a month until the other apps were out the door.</p>
<p>Truth be told he is further than it often feels in applications. He hasn’t filled out the common app but has all but one essay either done or into several teachers for review. Two that he had submitted to his AP Lit teacher came back with little helpful feedback, simply ‘I like one a lot, the second one is okay not great’. Okay? He submitted both to his AP Comp teacher from last year who knows him well and got the exact opposite reaction. She loved the ‘creative’ one saying it sounded just like him (yea! going to first choice!), and said the ‘five reasons why school X’ was great in content but clunky in delivery and is helping him with that. I think there is something to be said for getting more than one opinion. It’s not that his current teachers opinions weren’t valuable, he just didn’t offer anything constructive. Two other essays are with his ‘gifted’ coordinator (hate that word, but that’s what they use…) who was also his freshman english teacher.</p>
<p>So, for those whose students that haven’t received an acceptance, or even put in an application, consider that it has a lot to do with your students list… not everyone wants to go to the schools that offer rolling admits. For my son, Auburn is a good early choice…for songbird’s daughter…not so much.</p>
<p>To those whose kids have yet to hit the submit button, I remember my friends telling me that no one goes to college in diapers when my S had NO interest in being toilet trained at a rather advanced age. He was a late walker too. They all catch up and all will walk, not crawl, into college with underwear on, not diapers.</p>
<p>Stress level is very high here also. My daughter has submitted most of her applications, but now she’s worrying because her ED school has asked for 1st quarter grades. Her grades are pretty good, but she’s stressing about a high “B” in an AP class that she had hoped to turn into an “A”. I’m hoping that she hears good news from one of her rolling admission schools soon. </p>
<p>For those of you still trying to get your kids to finish the apps, you have my sympathy. It’s are really stressful process.</p>
<p>Alot less stress here since marching band is nearing the end and 6 of 7 apps are done and in the hands of someone else. He still has to take SATIIs in Dec, finish a lengthy honors college app by 11/30 (1 of 3 essays done though) and finish the final RD app. I don’t think his stress is over but mine is as exec secretary!! Sure, I should be wringing my hands over the Profile (aka the next great challenge) but I looked at the first few questions on that and gave up for this week. For me the stress was getting the procrastinator to get these apps submitted!</p>
<p>AmandaK - The Profile is not as bad as it looks the first time other than the result of course. If you have your 2009 tax return and your income and expenses are predictable it is not too hard, just tedious. It helps to read the directions and FAQs first. The ? are helpful too. I emailed the CB people with any confusing issues.</p>
<p>D1 has an invite tonight for state univ honor college. She has been reluctant to fill out the application. She has already been accepted to the University. In the acceptance information it mentioned to reserve a spot for housing. apparently housing feels up quickly at this State U. I told D that we need to get the information out to the Univ and reserve her spot. She is hesitant since this is her safety. Most of the other colleges she is applying to are most likely reaches. Hopefully, I can get her to sit still long enough to fill out the housing info.<br>
On other note, she has sent her SAT and ACT scores to several of the reachy reach colleges and one sent her an e-mail asking about her application. Just wanted to know if she is going to send in her application. I told her I thought she got the e-mail since she has started the process but has not completed the admission process.
Any thoughts???</p>
<p>Thanks FIMathMom, it just looked so daunting, dh being self employed (LLC) with no accountant (ahem, dh “doesn’t need one”)…makes it more icky.</p>
<p>On a happy note, big fat envelope in mailbox from U of Pittsburgh! Resisting the opening, the texting of the son, resisting…argh. Best part of Pitt was the Cathedral of Learning which inside resembles the great halls of Hogwarts, really unexpected fun when we visited over the summer.</p>
<p>AmandaK - My husband is self-employed too but is retiring next year, starting SS. Fortunately I am a CPA (altho the only taxes I do are ours) so I’m used to juggling numbers. If your husband’s income varies yr-to-yr and if you do your taxes using a software program like Turbotax, you can put estimates for 2010 in the 2009 program to get new AGI #s. Capeche?</p>
<p>Early congrats Amandakayak! ^ That sounds really good! You are resisting opening his mail, right. hehehehe</p>
<p>Right now we are working on outside merit scholarship apps. One app is done and the interview is this week. Two more apps for merit scholarships–one needs a LOR which our student will need to follow up on–Have to search out the particulars of the other app.</p>
<p>Thing about these outside merit scholarships–I have been told the scholarships reduce the student’s responsibility–
and any extra above replacing the students work-study, summer earnings reduces the school’s scholarships…!!</p>
<p>The school FinAid will not apply outside scholarship $ to the EFC…the FAMILY contribution…
… So not only -won’t it stack these on top of the scholarship awarded by the school…they won’t let the merit scholarship my kid gets offset the “family” payment. </p>
<p>Kinds makes the incentive for a student/family to get more merit scholarship $ moot…</p>
<p>Congrats on the Pitt acceptance amandak. We are waiting to hear from them also, but it’s a reach for my son. I think a smaller college is a better fit for him anyway and don’t especially want to hear bad news, so maybe no envelope is better right now. Is snail mail the most common way still to get the acceptances? When son heard from Drexel it was on-line by just checking his application status. Recent mail has brought (scary) small thin envelopes that when opened just talk about financial aid information.</p>
<p>Those of you whose kids have not applied, I was in your shoes five years ago with #2. I’m afraid I nagged that poor boy until Christmas. #3 is just easier to work with. ;)</p>
<p>TessaR- S (AKA-Me) submitted his ACT and SAT scores to all 12 of his schools a couple fo weeks ago and he has received emails from 4 of them. I don’t make much of it, I am sure they know if we paid to send the scores the app will be coming at some point. </p>
<p>AmandaK- Congrats to your S! My S will/should/hope he will?? be submitting app to Pitt this week. </p>
<p>For all those who haven’t started, I know many kids who last year didn’t work on their app til xmas break and all are going to good schools. I think we have a lot of type “A’s” regarding this process here.</p>
<p>@slitheytove: we are a similar boat here. ED school is reachy for sure. Stay positive.</p>
<p>The stress has eased just a little bit with the acceptance - kind of affirming our thoughts that this school was indeed a low match/safety for D. That has been nice. She did submit another EA app last weekend - another match school. All the reach school apps are still pending. I agree with blueiguana that getting the one acceptance has been a bit distracting.</p>
<p>Fortunately, cross country should be done this week and there’s a two-three week break before winter sports kick in. Currently, she’s busy rewriting essays for English Lit - hopefully once this week is done, she can work on some of those “why school X” essays. It’s hard to keep the pedal pushed down constantly, but I keep thinking it’s only six or seven more weeks!! Oh yeah…there are a few scholarship apps to do as well…</p>
<p>fogfog, I’m not understanding your post. The school told you if your child received outside merit scholarships, it would reduce the amount of the school’s merit scholarship? To me, that means it is not really a merit scholarship, but has some need component. That’s not how it works at my D’s school - her merit is a fixed amount, not affected by outside merit.</p>
<p>^ I am sorry
I meant that any merit aid our student gets–will reduce the need scholarship that the school meets…
First they apply it to the students work-study, then to the summer work ,
I am unclear whether it then covers the student asset portion…
anything else goes to the school’s scholarship…not reducing the EFC…</p>
<p>ANd if our student gets multiple merit awards (applying for at least 3), anything above the student portion, will reduce the school’s aid…not the EFC</p>