Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - Original

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
8841

<p>Good news in the mail today. S got into his last EA school. 7 yeahs, 2 deferrals. 5 more schools will give him the nod or not in a couple of months. 3 of them are his reaches, 2 are safeties.</p>

<p>S’s finals/midterms have already been postponed to Friday (tomorrow) because of school closings last week. Another storm is forcast for rush hour tomorrow. His school usually shuts down when that happens because we have kids traveling long distances and even those who take the train are frequently late during storms. boo hiss.</p>

8842

<p>Mamom: Congratulations on the acceptance. Mason has a pretty good track record so far.</p>

<p>My daughter has mid-terms this week also and the schedule has been messed up by snow days and late openings. We’re expecting some snow overnight, so tomorrow will probably be affected also.</p>

8843

<p>Procrastination? Did someone mention procrastination? Its the last week of the semester here and the work is snowballing. My D is a major procrastinator and has neither the sense of self-preservation of Emmy Bet’s D (has exhausted herself and is currently sick with a cold) nor the luck of Schokolade’s D (in the midst of this her boyfriend has broken up with her and the snow has steadfastly skipped our region). She has another loooong night ahead of her. I am really, really looking forward to this weekend.</p>

8844

<p>mamom - Wow. Your son is doing great. He will have a big decision come April!</p>

8845

<p>Congrats, mamom! Your S really got it in gear with those apps.</p>

<p>D is definitely a procrastinator … she’s just too lazy to take it to an extreme. She filled in a housing app today, and I chuckled to imagine who’s going to be an available roommate for a girl who is incredibly messy AND needs a lot of quiet. Hm.</p>

<p>LoP - sending your D hugs. She doesn’t deserve that much bad luck.</p>

8846

<p>I think we used all the information I learned here on CC to find good schools for my S. We looked for schools that had the major and courses he wanted. We looked at the common data set and tried to find schools where he was above average. I am disapointed he got deferred at his number 1 choice because I know they accepted kids with both lower GPA’s and SATscores. But, I also know they don’t get him. They see a smart kid who can but doesn’t. And it is OK, because I love two of the schools he got into already and he likes them all. He won’t rank the schools that have admitted him (and yes I keep asking because I want to know!) but I know he is satisfied. And that is what life is all about, isn’t it. So thank you to everyone here and on CC for pointing me in the right direction. S’s school and GC could not have come up with a better list. </p>

<p>Not sure if I want to get snowed in Friday or not. I have to teach 40 boy scouts about composties Sat and still have stuff I need at work, so if I can’t get in during the day I have to go Friday night. Would be nice to sleep in though… And I am not sure having additional time to study for midterms is a benefit to S or not. I think he is studied out right now.</p>

8847

<p>Just found a box of Pepperidge Farm Ginger Family Cookies I bought before xmas. I am passing the box around. Enjoy.</p>

8848

<p>mamom, I’ll have one of those cookies. You really did a great job working through this process with your son and its great that there are already at least two schools you know he can be happy with.</p>

8849

<p>I’ve checked this thread periodically for some time, and you all seem to provide great support and advice. So I decided to ask this here instead of starting a new thread. This is a long post. I’m not sure if anyone will want to read it. Maybe I really just needed to get my thoughts into words and out of my system.</p>

<p>I’m a very confused HS senior. I completed ten college applications last semester, then one more about a week ago. I’ve received seven acceptance letters as a result, with the other four still up in the air. But even though I spent a lot of time researching and structuring the process, somehow I just didn’t execute when it came time to apply. My applications were scattered kind of indiscriminately, not according to my plans and not in a satisfactory manner.</p>

<p>The good news is that I have some very good options. I’ve been offered full tuition++ at the University of Minnesota, and while I haven’t visited - I will in ~1.5 months - it seems like a good fit. Colorado School of Mines is more expensive but not prohibitively so and is also of interest. Same goes for Iowa State.</p>

<p>However, I’m really having some issues with the idea of leaving “home”. Not in terms of getting out of my parents’ house - definitely ready for that :wink: - but more just uncomfortable with losing some of the aspects of life I’m familiar with. I’ve spent almost my whole life in Colorado and Alaska, and a lot of the not-so-tangible aspects of mountain-west living are a big part of my life. I can’t imagine being somewhere without the feeling of space we have here.</p>

<p>I’ve been to Minnesota briefly before, and while it is very flat I think it should be doable. At least the culture and climate are similar. The urban atmosphere in the Twin Cities is a little harder, but I actually think it might be good for me to live in a big city for a little while and it’s not like I’m coming from a rural area.</p>

<p>But I’m still kind of worried. What if I don’t like it when I visit? I previously considered - and probably should have applied to - three western schools: U Idaho, Montana State, and U Wyoming. I’ve consciously let deadlines lapse at MSU and sort of at Wyoming. However, UI is still a possibility. I’d be pretty much guaranteed a full ride and the atmosphere is very similar to what I’m used to. I have time to think about it, but the application would be due before I visit my other schools.</p>

<p>Here’s where it gets complicated: it’s not too easy for me to change things up now. My mom actually asked a few weeks ago whether I was having “buyers regret” about moving forward with my list, and at the time I hadn’t really put my reservations into words and said no. I now wonder if maybe she picked up on my attitude. At any rate, travel reservations are already made for me to visit all my current schools. Even if they could be changed, Moscow is quite out of the way.</p>

<p>So, the only choice now is whether to apply to UI as insurance in case I don’t like anywhere else and then book a frantic last-minute visit if necessary. Eleven seems like a lot of schools already, and I’m not thrilled with the idea of adding more. Also, I don’t really want to reopen that particular can of worms with the parents. But at the same time, it seems like a good idea to have a hedge in place if things don’t go as planned.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any thoughts about my situation? I think this might have just been confusing to read…</p>

<p>P.S. Can I have a cookie?</p>

8850

<p>oooh boy, will need to catch up here, especially since I see fellow parent misery with procrastination (theirs AND ours!)
just did my best first estimate with FAFSA without taxes done, had to do it to make some of D1’s schools deadlines but sure isn’t all that wonderfully exact and I think may have forgotten to put some info in, oh well, did best we could at the moment, will add corrections as we get the actual info and get taxes done</p>

8851

<p>EB-was laughing so hard about your description of your D being incredibly messy and needing alot of quiet…describes my D to a “t”! She swears that when she goes away to camp in the summer and is sharing a room, that she is neat and organized. I have a hard time believing it!</p>

8852

<p>Noimagination: First of all, congratulations on your acceptances and scholarships. This process can be very overwhelming. A lot of kids have a hard time figuring out what they really want, and sometimes priorities change as you go through the process. It very scary to think about leaving home and moving to a new place for four years.</p>

<p>I think that you should go ahead and apply to UI. It will give you another option. If you’re really interested in the other two Western schools, you might want to email them to see if you can still apply. Some schools have very firm deadlines, but others will extend them.</p>

<p>Don’t be afraid to share your feelings with your parents. I’m sure that they would prefer to rearrange travel plans now instead of having you choose a school that makes you uncomfortable. Environment and distance from home are huge factors in how happy students are at a college. When you make the visits, try to see if you can picture yourself living on that campus. It sounds like you have enough options that something will click. Good luck.</p>

8853

<p>noimagination - I think many kids get nervous at the thought of moving away. Moving away alone to a new place, starting school where you don’t know anyone, starting college are all big stress factors, life changing events. </p>

<p>[Holmes</a> and Rahe stress scale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes_and_Rahe_stress_scale]Holmes”>Holmes and Rahe stress scale - Wikipedia)</p>

<p>Heck I remember being nervous going off to college many years ago and I was only a 45 minute car ride from home. All the other freshman are in the same boat you are. I am manyof them are also wondering did I make the right choice? It isn’t fatal if you didn’t, you can change your mind and transfer. Are you majoring in engineering? You have some nice choices. Go ahead and apply to UI if you want, if it will make you feel more at ease. Just remember most kids feel exactly as you do. Help your self to the cookies!</p>

<p>Who is procrastinating? Jeez, still have 10 days left to file FAFSA, whats the rush? Don’t know why everyone is getting all excited, I’ll get it done.</p>

8854

<p>Noimagination - This is such an important time of your life, and such an important decision. Remember, when you go to college you will have to do a lot of work, take care of yourself, deal with new people and more. You don’t need to put yourself to a “test” of trying to live somewhere you don’t feel entirely comfortable. Yes, you might be “up to it,” but you deserve to go somewhere you can feel completely ready and confident, especially if you are able to do this with a minimum of cost and get a good quality education. </p>

<p>Follow your gut about the schools - and about the fact that your parents are concerned about you. The travel arrangements are not a “waste;” they will help you make a decision, and maybe you will go to one of those schools. It’s great that you understand what your feelings are and what you might need. It sounds like people are happy to help you get to where you need to be next fall.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

8855

<p>Last day - really just the morning - of exams here. D is tired, worried. But in a few hours all will be done, and they have a 3-day weekend.</p>

<p>D told me the last time she had a roommate at music camp they had the messiest combined room of the whole group. And it isn’t so much that she’s quiet - she just likes her particular kind of noise and does like to get her sleep, so she’d have a hard time dealing with someone who’s a different kind of loud and stays up late. I’ve told her for years I’ll feel sorry for her college roommate.</p>

<p>Major headphones are at the top of D’s grad gift list. </p>

<p>She did finish two supplement packets last night - mostly assembling things she’d already written, one for a scholarship and the other for theatre auditions. That’s about the end of that kind of stuff, too.</p>

8856

<p>Another snow day here and exams have been pushed off again. Given the amount of time my kids have had to study, they should easily ace them - ya right. D1’s senioritis has kicked in and D2 just keeps procratinating…</p>

8857

<p>We’re having another snow day too. This is our third full snow day this school year and there are only five days built into the calendar. They used to take days back from Presidents day weekend and Easter break, but haven’t had to do that since they built the days into the calendar. It will be interesting to see what happens. Son was up until after midnight studying for his Physics mid-term and is still sleeping. Funny to think that if it wasn’t for the snow, he would have had to been awake three hours ago.</p>

8858

<p>Thanks for the opinions. It probably doesn’t help that the past two weeks have been very stressful for me anyway.</p>

<p>Yes, I’m planning on studying engineering.</p>

8859

<p>noimagination - I think your concerns are very valid. Many kids start this process thinking that they are going far away but end up closer to home. I think EmmyBet had great advice -follow your gut!</p>

8860

<p>Noimagination - Congrats on all the great options, and full tuition to boot?! That is really great! Here’s my words of advice:

  1. If you are like me, you think there is one answer, one school that you will be happy at and if you do enough research, that school will clearly pop to #1 status. That just isn’t true.<br>
  2. And you have been told repeatedly that this is one of the biggest decisions of your life, and that IS true - because up to this point your decisions were probably limited to “big mac” vs. “hot wings” (I’m taking that from my son’s experience LOL) But try to remember that in the scheme of the world, and the scheme of your life, this is just one decision. And it’s a decision that can be reversed - transferring is always an option so try to take the pressure off by thinking of this as a decision for freshman yr.
  3. Your parents care about you being happy, they asked and now your answer is different, you think you’d like to have a “western” option. I’m sure they would tell you to go ahead and do it, if you have the time to apply. Probably, you already have an essay sitting around, after all the other apps, right? Well, why not apply?
  4. College is not the rest of your life - you are going for 9 mo. x 4 yr (hopefully) school - so if the academics make sense for your goals, I’d weigh that higher than “need open spaces.” I spent alot of time in the library, classrooms, my dorm and the student union. Did it matter that I was in Ohio at the time vs. NYC? Not really. Going somewhere other than where you have been can be a good new experience, it isn’t forever. It is the best time of your life to try out something new.<br>
  5. What “not-so-tangible” aspects of western states are you looking for? Can you find that in clubs/activities? You can do a bit more research online on student clubs that might get like-minded people into the great outdoors beyond the city. </p>

<p>Hope that helps, and like everyone said, you are not the only senior feeling like this, and we are always here with a box of cookies to listen!!! Good luck!</p>