<p>That’s awesome PHBmom!</p>
<p>phbmom - WOW - That is fabulous!!!</p>
<p>KayakSon - Hope your night was super.</p>
<p>I blew a cork at my kid on the couch today. Each week we review his list and discuss what he needs to do over the weekend, what he accomplished the prior week (comes off the list) and what the priorities of the next week are. Generally works well for him. Not this weekend. </p>
<p>Everything he was supposed to do the first week back at school did not get done. I rarely raise my voice, but you probably all heard me today. He was supposed to ask some teachers for LORs for scholarships, get forms signed and stuff like that. He also was supposed to be making headway looking for a summer job. I think I was particularly peeved b/c I spent my week doing taxes and fin aid forms. Seems like things are out of balance.</p>
<p>Hopefully my hissy fit will get him back on track. I truly wonder how he is going to manage on his own next year. I blame myself for this of course. I’ve got 8 months to pull back. I’m going to try, really try my best.</p>
<p>Thanks for listening.</p>
<p>phbmom—
Congratulations to your daughter and you have every right to be overflowing with pride.</p>
<p>Today was so much fun in this household. First day since probably September that we were not working on college apps or feeling guilt that we were not. S2 slept in until almost 11:00. I fiddled with long-neglected hobby projects. Stress was gone. It was really nice.</p>
<p>FLMom- thanks for the heads up about the summer job. I know the camp he worked at last summer starts hiring again now, I will have to remind him. The camp will probabaly not give enough work (only 8 weeks) so he is going to have to look at other options also.</p>
<p>But FlMathMom, Today was the day that the news about the new Robotics tournament came out - how did you expect him to concentrate on anything except that??</p>
<p>phbmom - Congratulations!!!</p>
<p>Ds didn’t quite get his best out in auditions and didn’t make the band, which is ok but disappointing nontheless. I appreciate all the good vibes though!! FIMath - I hope you get your cork back soon. I told my son “I think we need to go back to visit (state u.)” and he said “No, please, not that.” I think that will help motivate him to get the scholarship apps in for the other places near and dear to him.</p>
<p>Phbmom, wonderful news!!! It must be a very proud moment for your family. Hearty congratulations to you and your daughter!</p>
<p>Some good news here (I knew today would be a better day). Remember that pre-audition recording sb did right before Christmas? She just got the call that she’s one of the 25 finalists they selected to audition live at this college’s Honors Music Weekend next month.</p>
<p>She got the Presidential Scholarship with her acceptance; if she gets one of these $4-5K music scholarships, that would be a nice boost on top of it.
She also got an app in for a small scholarship that I think she has good odds on. It’s small - just $1K, and just for freshman year, but the app was quick and easy, and it looked like low hanging fruit. Besides, we have a new saying around here - Any K is a good K!</p>
<p>FlMathMom, I did hear you blow your cork today, way here up north of you! Couldn’t make out the details, but it sounded like somebody’s kid somewhere was getting an adjustment. :)</p>
<p>MOSB-great news!</p>
<p>MOSB- Good luck to your D at the audition and congrats on the scholarship!</p>
<p>phbmom: Wow. I am impressed and humbled by your daughter’s willingness to serve our country. A very proud moment indeed. Congratulations!</p>
<p>MOSB: Congratulations to your daughter! We all saw that one coming – the tape was great! Love your saying about every K being a good K. </p>
<p>AmandaK: So sorry that your son didn’t make the band. Hope he bounces back from this disappointment quickly. I like your idea of revisiting the safety to inspire him on the scholarship apps. I may just try that with S2!</p>
<p>FlMathMom: I wondered what that rumbling was yesterday. S2 seemed to have some trouble getting back in the swing of things this week, as well. He did submit two scholarship applications, but “forgot” to ask two teachers and the GC if they would do recommendations for a summer internship and didn’t spend any time on that summer job thing. Sigh. Finals at our high school this week, so I imagine that college application/scholarship/internship/summer job productivity will be low.</p>
<p>Phbmom: Congratulations! What a wonderful accomplishment. You have every right to be proud.</p>
<p>MOSB: Congratulations to your daughter and good luck on the audition.</p>
<p>AmandaK: Sorry your son didn’t make the band. I hope he gets moving on those scholarship applications.</p>
<p>FLmathmom: Sometimes you just have to blow. I hope this week goes better.</p>
<p>Amanda - sorry t read about S not making band. ;-(</p>
<p>Good Morning all </p>
<p>All4game~Congrats on your acceptance to Drexel. 
It is a very fine school with a lot to offer. Hope you will enjoy your visit.</p>
<p>Phbmom~ congrats to your D2 ~ What a wonderful moment for your family~
So proud of all the fine people that decide so unselfishly to go into the army.God Bless her.
UT84321~ Glad you enjoyed a free-stress day, there are few and between until we drop them off.
In this household, it was our second year in a row of college applications
…and when that last submit was hit, I felt a huge relief.
Next year at this time, we will be empty nester and I am planning a big party to celebrate the fact that we do not have apps to do. HAHA
MOSB: Congratulations to your daughter, and good luck with the rest of the competition ♪♫♪
AmK: Sorry your son didn’t make the band. Good Luck with all the scholarships. A revisit sounds like a good idea to keep the interest going. </p>
<p>Cheers:D</p>
<p>PHBMom – Woot! That’s an amazing achievement…so many apply, only the very best get in. </p>
<p>Falling behind in my congrats…this group is just too good!</p>
<p>I only recently discovered CC and i sure wish I had found it earlier. I have friends who are also going through the college search process but there is so much collective wisdom on this site! I hope you all won’t mind if I join you for the rest of our shared journey.</p>
<p>A little background info: I have two DDs - the oldest is in her 3rd year in college and the younger is a senior in HS. I’ll be gearing up to help DD1 find a grad school soon but, for now, I’m entirely focused on helping DD2 choose the right school. She applied to 7 schools, all mid-to-large state schools both in-state and OOS. Talk about differences between siblings - DD1 applied only to small to mid-size LACs but DD2 wants the big campus, big-time sports kind of atmosphere. All of her choices have good options for her academically so that’s not an issue.</p>
<p>She received quick acceptances from 5 but is still waiting for the last two. Unfortunately, one of those two is her first choice and she’s been on pins and needles waiting for their decision. It’s the local flagship U so she has begun talking about possibly living at home for the first year and attending the regional campus near us, then transferring to the main campus.</p>
<p>I have very mixed feelings about this option. I can see definite advantages, both financial and because she’s the kind of student who might benefit from a more gradual transition to college. The main disadvantage would be that she would miss that typical “first year” experience and I worry that she would then have a harder time because she didn’t forge the relationships that others do in that first year in the dorms. The schools she has been accepted to aren’t bad choices - Universities of Kentucky and Alabama are among her choices so it’s not like this is her only option.</p>
<p>Anyone have any experience with this or have any advice? Does it make sense for someone with acceptances to at least five schools to live at home and go to the small regional campus? Should I be jumping up and down at the prospect of paying $6M for the first year instead of $20M? She received some merit aid at the OOS schools so all 5 are in that $20M range.</p>
<p>Morning All
Welcome ProudMom. Good questions. Hopefully someone has some good advice. CCers come fromn such varied backgrounds and experience that the collective wisdom here is great.</p>
<p>Well our intrepid traveler will be heading to the airport in about 4 hrs.
I spent more than 20 minutes on hold in the waiting cue to talk with the airline re seat assignments! yikes.
The winter storm cutting across the south and movigng east has the agents busy!!
So praying our kiddo has a good day and safe travel home.
Gets in late this evening and will be very very tired.</p>
<p>Good luck to fogkiddo on his travels.</p>
<p>Congrats to songbird and phb’s D. Very exciting.</p>
<p>I’m sorry about the audition, amanda. For everything my D gets, there are 2-3 that she doesn’t. Just last Monday, 3 days before the Concerto audition, she didn’t get a music opportunity that she’d wanted for years - again, she was close but no cigar (that’s an English expression our Japanese D gets a huge kick out of). And she has theatre and music auditions these next 3 days, so it never stops!</p>
<p>I guess you only get one day to cry, and one day to cheer, and whatever happens, you move on. Just keep swimming, eh? But the good news does tend to last a little longer, especially if it means you get something in the long-term that will really mean something.</p>
<p>proudmom: Welcome! Thanks for sharing your story. I think many people would say right off the bat that if your D wants a particular option, let her go for it. And many people would say that saving money, especially at a school she wants to go to, is great. </p>
<p>I know there are qualms about transferring, for many of the reasons you say. I know many kids who have experiences on both sides of the coin - yes, you “lose” the 1st year of connecting, but you also have friends from the other school; maybe the education is more disjointed, but the degree from the ultimate school is worth it. Some kids realize they don’t want to transfer after all; some kids realize after transferring that they never should have left the first school. Some kids say it was totally worth it, that the first year fades into memory and all that counts are the 3 years they really loved. Some kids don’t transfer and they are always sorry, and look back on college with regret and “what if” feelings.</p>
<p>I think you will know when the time comes what she should do. It sounds like she’s past any situation where she’ll have to commit without knowing what all of her options are. I admire her for knowing how she can get what she wants, and being willing to do something less glamorous for the reward in the long haul. It’s the waiting that’s hard on all of us … Just this morning I was explaining again how tricky it will be for my daughter to juggle all of her choices, including the possibility that one of her favorite schools may waitlist her, and prolong the process in to the summer (I try not to think about that, but it could happen).</p>
<p>You’re doing great thinking, and I have faith in you both! Come visit us whenever you want - the conversations here are supportive and respectful, with a lot of terrific information, too.</p>
<p>Congratulations to songbird! Hard work paid off. So excited for her. Doing the happy dance for phbkid! Several of my son’s friends applied to academies. It is an amazing honor and really respected by their classmates.</p>
<p>Welcome proudmom - Welcome! You will find that we have children that are very different headed in different paths, but we share a very common thing: We love our kids and want the very best for them. I have found kindred spirits here that have offered me great advise, support, and some much needed comic relief. I wouldn’t want to walk this path without this group.</p>
<p>Another parent mentioned that those of us with W-2’s count our blessings… Believe me, I am!!! There are many things I curse about DHs employer but in this case I am very glad we don’t have the financial web many of you are dealing with. The FAFSA and Profile are not likely to do us a bit of good. All schools are right around state flagship price…one a bit more, but just under the EFC. DH has been ‘tasked’ with doing this (the only thing I’ve asked him to do in this process) so we make sure we don’t miss something.</p>
<p>fogfog - keeping fogkiddo in my thoughts during his travels. These storms can cause problems all over the place in air travel. So unnerving when you intended to put kiddo on the plane from point A to point B.</p>
<p>Amanda - Sorry things didn’t work out like DS had wished. I know you will find just the right, supportive words to say. Sending hugs.</p>
<p>FlMathMom - That was you? I thought it was my echo from chewing out my 19yo. He said something that hit me the wrong way…like a kick in the gut. It really wasn’t that bad, but I took it very personally. I doubt he’ll ever make that mistake again.</p>
<p>Bluejr is REALLY dragging out his scholarship apps which is in contrast to his college apps. Not sure why, but I’m trying to stay off his back. I know he’s working on them…just at a snails pace. </p>
<p>Happy Sunday to all. I hope it’s as non-stressful as possible and we all get to do something that brings us peace. I have chicken tortilla soup in the crock pot, everyone will be home for dinner and no one needs a ride today, DH is sitting here in the room and hasn’t looked at the crackberry in 30min (that’s a LONG time), and I have a book with my name on it!!</p>
<p>Just had a “meeting” with my D. So much to discuss. She was very reasonably about it, and appreciative. She has a chunk of work to do this week - 2 last apps with quirky short essay supplements due 1/15, 2 scholarship apps, and some last pieces of her audition packet. Plus she needs to do some e-mails to set up interviews. In all, not more than 5-6 hours of work, but it was rough setting all out in front of her. Luckily the scholarship apps and the audition packet share a similar essay, which she’s already written. Just some tinkering and pasting is all. </p>
<p>But as I reminded her this is the END of paperwork. A few more scholarship apps may come along, but she has so many essays in the file I can’t imagine it would take more than just adapting them. She’s certainly had to think long and hard about what she wants and has had to express that in words extensively. Not a bad experience, really.</p>
<p>I guess she’ll fit these things in when she has gaps this week. Luckily it’s not finals yet - they are the end of the following week. Schoolwork is more or less in hand - she had all As last quarter, but could end up with a B or two if things don’t jell (whatever). She has 2 Mondays off in a row, which will help. There are some rehearsals and auditions in the meantime, too. I’m just trying to be nice to her - it’s a heavy few weeks. I wouldn’t trade places with her for a second.</p>
<p>But the other half of our meeting included talking about the fun part, the traveling we’ll do for auditions plus school and family visits through Feb and March. That part will be nice, really. I enjoy traveling with my kids … one at a time, anyway.</p>
<p>So it’s not entirely a relaxing Sunday at our house - lots of tasks and chores. Japanese D has a huge long-term project due Tuesday, which she’s only barely on track with, and now tells me she forgot the assignment packet at school! She worked on what she knew needed to be done yesterday, and can do some more today, but I guess tomorrow she’ll have to sweat it out. Maybe she can get an extension for a couple of days - she’ll have to ask. </p>
<p>I’m sorry for her, but I’m not sweating it too much - we’re here to help her learn, but things like grades aren’t a high priority. It sure feels different than if it were one of my kids, worrying about how it would affect their getting into college!</p>
<p>Thank you all, espec kathiep, mosb, ohiomom, momjr, blueiguana, for your support and the smile you brought to my face. I can almost see some of you, with your ears perked up, listening to my shrill utterances. Son’s behavior is much better today.</p>
<p>Amanda - Hugs to your son. I’m sure he tried his best which is an A in our house. That’s all we ever ask. </p>
<p>Big ‘high five twice’ to songbird. She is on a roll. We are so proud of her.</p>
<p>Welcome to proudmom. The only story I can share is of my friend’s daughter, now 27, and very successful. Her first choice school was our state flagship. She didn’t get in so she went to a community college in the same town as the flagship for freshman year. She tried to transfer sophomore year, but since she didn’t get in again, she transferred to a private school in Boston. She tried to transfer again as a junior and finally got in. She LOVED her last two years there and miraculously she actually graduated on time. She followed her heart and it all worked out. This zig-zag has not hurt her at all in looking for jobs either.</p>
<p>Praying for safe passage for son of fogfog.</p>