<p>aris- not sure what part of MA you are from , but we have had plenty on the south shore. </p>
<p>Regarding profile and fafsa. We filled out profile because several of S’s schools required it for merit money. We will fill our fafsa just in case we decide we want S to take out a loan. Ideally he will graduate loan free, but it may make financial sense for him to take out a loan now and for us to pay it later. We aren’t sure yet, so we will fill out the paperwork just in case. I would also file it in case your H does not find a job or you lose yours (do you work??) some schools will not consider aid to folks who never requested it fresh year.</p>
<p>Wacky weather isn’t it? I am always happy to share our snow with my southern relatives! Especially my bro who went to SC to escape the cold north and has 6" this am to clear. Going hit us Tues into Wed so Mamom and I must be neighbors.</p>
<p>I am sifting slowly through fastweb and collegeboard scholarships. Should have done this in October. Isn’t it funny that every neighbor you talk with says “there are so many scholarships that go unclaimed, certainly your ds could get some of those…” - this urban legend stuff is amazing.</p>
<p>fogfog - Glad to hear all’s well with the trip.
owm - Sounds wonderful, hope we can share pics somehow, I’d love to see what a ball looks like.
FImath - The chinese mother thing to me is fascinating, true and untrue and that law prof is a bit of a mental case if you ask me. I do remember my fil (in PRC) giving my niece her “homework” after she got her school-assigned homework done. He was the “chinese mother” in that home but given that (at the time) only 2-3% got into university and the rest assigned to factory jobs, I am not surprised.</p>
<p>Quote:
I’m envious of all you athletic families. </p>
<p>Quote:
sooo jealous. My kids play sports but we just can’t seem to get it together to do athletic activities as a family. </p>
<p>Ha! Believe me, I am not an athlete, I just play one on vacation. I am a completely out of shape middle aged woman but in my kayak I feel sporty. Amanda is absolutely right about kayaking being Zen. To give you an idea of how my family approaches kayaking, one of our favorite things to do is paddle out into the middle of a pond and just float there reading our books. </p>
<p>Oh and like Fog’s family we really limited electronics but that translated into more time with the dress-ups than sports equipment in our family.</p>
<p>“To give you an idea of how my family approaches kayaking, one of our favorite things to do is paddle out into the middle of a pond and just float there reading our books.”</p>
<p>But amanda and LoP you are completely ignoring the fact that you load them ONTO your car and take the OFF of your car! That’s very athletic compared to us.</p>
<p>I’m a bit jealous of the snow, and the snow days, although around here 5" is barely a dusting. We did have a “cold day” a couple of years ago when the windchill was 35 below.</p>
<p>D could use a snow day to get things done; instead she’s having a “flat on her back” day because she threw it out yesterday playing with the dog. We have a call into the doctor - she has a bad back and scoliosis, so we’re always watchful. But rest should be enough; I wish she’d just stayed home this morning as I suggested. She just hates to miss school. And she’s going to insist on going to her audition tonight (community, not college). </p>
<p>Right now the only person in our house without spine issues is our exchange student …</p>
<p>EmmyBet – My D has scoliosis and a bad shoulder…and just try to get her to rest when she needs it. The suggestion of a nap is still met with the same attitude she had when she was 2. Still, you gotta respect their unwillingness to let these things rule their lives.</p>
<p>Wondering what you all think about unsolicited letters of recommendation. Recently, S2 has received offers from two different people to send a letter of recommendation to their alma maters. The first, the father of a close friend of his, has offered to write a LOR to an ivy league school. He’s active in alumni events and interviews prospective students (though he wouldn’t be the one to interview my son since he already knows him). The second, my former SIL, offered to write a letter to her alma mater. She’s been active in recruiting for the university – attending college fairs, talking to accepted students, etc. – for the past 20 years. Both have asked him if they may write on his behalf and he doesn’t want to offend either of them by saying no if it’s not a good idea. Is it okay for someone to put in a good word for him? He just doesn’t want it to hurt his chances. I’m not sure how to advise him. I’m not sure if these would be viewed positively by the adcoms or just annoying. Or maybe they’d just toss them aside since they weren’t requested. What do you think?</p>
<p>mamom - northwest of boston. I did hear just now that we are expecting snow Tuesday night into Wed. D tells me that the talk at school was about a snow-day Wednesday! The seniors are especially delighted since they don’t have to make up these snow days - which is also the reason why they are especially bummed we haven’t had one so far!</p>
<p>Missed out on congratulating phbmom the last time around - fabulous!</p>
<p>Quote: OWM - I’m loving the mental picture of you and O’son waltzing. </p>
<p>Sounds wonderful…congratulations to phbmom and to everyone else with acceptances in hand.</p>
<p>madbean - Ahh, Florence, Tuscany, sunflowers, food and wine…I am so incredibly envious of you S’s opportunity…there is just something about being in Italy. The wonderfulness of it all…I am dreamin…</p>
<p>As far as the college stuff goes, we are in wait mode and FAFSA mode…we don’t qualify for aid but we have decided to have D take out a Stafford loan at least the first year so that she has skin in the game. She is self driven but you just never know how they will adapt to no parental oversight. She may think twice if she conteplates skipping class…</p>
<p>Emmybet - Loading and unloading are the jobs of dh and ds because I am just too short!! Thank God for taller people because that is the real athleticism involved. My fav thing to do in my kayak is sit my little dog on my lap, paddle like a madwoman and get far far away from everyone and just float. Best way to see a loon or a beaver. LeftofPisa - don’t your books get wet? It’s nice thinking about being on the water when we have 8" of snow in the forecast!</p>
<p>OWM - I can’t imagine my son waltzing. I give yours a lot of credit.</p>
<p>Arisamp - Can’t hurt to fill out the FAFSA. You never know. As others have said, some merit scholarships and outside scholarships require it. Hopefully your husband will be gainfully employed very soon. If he isn’t, you might want to contact the fin aid offices and explain your new situation.</p>
<p>Amanda - I had some of those tendencies when my son was in elementary school. He LOVED math. I used to buy math workbooks and computer games to play with him. It was his choice. He even wrote about it in some of essays re: where his love of math came from.</p>
<p>Ohiomom - My understanding is that the adcoms are interested in LORs from people who actually know the student. People who have a relationship with him/her and can speak about his/her qualities.</p>
<p>FlMathMom: Both of the people who volunteered to write letters recommending him know him well. The dad of his friend has known him since kindergarten and coached him for many years in travel soccer. His son and mine have played on the same soccer teams since they were in 2nd grade and played baseball together for many years. The other recommender, my former sister in law – his aunt – was married to my brother for approx 15 years until they divorced. We don’t see her as often as we used to, but still stay in touch and see her occasionally. So, if they know him personally and could speak to his character, you think it wouldn’t do any harm?</p>
<p>Hi all…
Snow in the forecast here as well and the talk at school per S is glee over no school Wednesday-we’ll see if it actually snows. Some of you may know S in obsessed with snow so his mood is good right now. Seniors don’t have to make up the days but D will have to being in MS so this will be tonight’s fight. He is being dispatched now to pick her up from basketball practice so maybe they can get it over with in the car.</p>
<p>He has midterms next week like some others here. The grades continue to slip-he is very social and I am happy for him-he is also very ready to move on to college-emmybet was right all those months ago about this. </p>
<p>Congratulations for all the good news on here-and condolences to the disappointments as well. </p>
<p>FlMath I thought that was you I heard! Oh well I think you know you have a lot of company with blowing corks!</p>
<p>I would advise everyone to fill out FAFSA-it really isn’t that bad (ducks head)-nothing like the Profile.</p>
<p>I would also vote to let those people send LOR-they offered so why not? I can’t imagine they would do anything but help.</p>
<p>Ohiomom: I would go ahead with the letters. I don’t think that they will hurt, and they might just help. </p>
<p>We’re expecting some snow here tomorrow also. The last storm missed us, so I will welcome it. Our seniors don’t have to make up snow days, so bring it on. I love snow, except when I have to shovel it!</p>
<p>Ohiomom - It sounds to me like these people may know your son better than anyone else writing LORs for him. I agree with Pepper and momjr. I only see an upside. I’m sure others will give their feedback too.</p>
<p>Flmath, thank you for posting that link to the WSJ story… now it’s popping up on Facebook, too. It’s quite extraordinary. She’s a very funny writer, so at first I was laughing, but it ends up being kind of horrifying. Of course, we sent our kids to a progressive elementary school that had neither grades nor standardized tests, so talk about oil-and-water approaches. But guess what? My older D, who never got a grade or took a standardized test until high school, has been on the dean’s list every semester in college, and my younger D is an even better student. </p>
<p>That said, and even though she is clearly an abusive mother, she does make some amusing points about how many of us (me included) probably coddle our children.</p>
Isn’t it funny that every neighbor you talk with says “there are so many scholarships that go unclaimed, certainly your ds could get some of those…” - this urban legend stuff is amazing.</p>