<p>Congrats amandakayak! Afraid my S2 also has no feelings about UM–we didn’t visit either. Plus he’s deliberately kept himself on “simmer” about most schools perhaps to avoid the emotional fallout of wanting a dream school that turns out unaffordable. </p>
<p>OTOH, I am excited about U Miami. My bro was born in Coral Gables Hospital and our family lived in CB for a couple of years when I was wee. </p>
<p>Think we need to plan a trip, too!</p>
<p>Congrats on Miami, folks! I think we’ll see news really start to flow now.</p>
<p>I figured out online that D is getting her acceptance packet from URI in the next few days. I can keep a secret. This is a login I’ve been allowing myself to check because it says they won’t be sending out info on scholarships, etc., and that we have to look for ourselves. And today her status changed!</p>
<p>This is her second safety and assures her that she can “go east” in the fall. Also it assures her that she can get a BFA in theatre, since they don’t audition. I’m thrilled for her. It’s a school we found fairly late in the game, so it’s on the visit list for spring break.</p>
<p>It doesn’t quite have the warm weather of Miami, but it is near the beach in Rhode Island …</p>
<p>Madbean & Amanda - Come on down. It was a bit chilly today. In the 60s. I have my sweats on in the house, but no heat and wearing short sleeves. No sweats to bed. I lived in the Gables for 10 years. Loved it. Very ethnic. I could see the Biltmore Hotel from my townhouse. We are now a bit over an hour or so north of there. I don’t know much about the school altho my son’s best friend’s sister goes there. Heard their fin aid can be generous. Let me know if you need more info I can help you with.</p>
<p>My son was born in South Miami Hospital.</p>
<p>^^^ Another South Florida resident here (former Coral Gables resident - now live about an hour northeast of there), and congratulations on UM acceptances! And my D was born in Doctor’s Hospital in Coral Gables 
My niece was accepted to UM last year, and although she ended going to UVA, she did receive really good merit aid/scholarships from UM, that were entirely unexpected, and very happily put into consideration. Good luck with those scholarships as they make a big difference!</p>
<p>Emmybet: Congratulations on URI! Although my D is in boarding school in the northeast, she is choosing not to return to the Land of Sun & Palm Trees, and is instead very excited to be heading for 4 years in Providence. I am going to meet her up there next weekend, and have lived down here too long so am feeling very wimpy about a few days of serious cold and snow…</p>
<p>FLMathMom - I am wearing sweats - yes, that is how wimpy I am…;)</p>
<p>AmandaK and Madbean: Congratulations on the Miami acceptances. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that merit scholarships will follow.</p>
<p>Emmybet: Congrats on URI. What a relief for your daughter to have an acceptance to a BFA program that doesn’t require an audition!</p>
<p>@amandakayak and madbean: big, big congratulations on the Miami acceptances. It is a rising star among national privates…
I’ve become less of a poster and more of a lurker, but I am thrilled for you guys as the acceptances roll in.
@blue: I am so sorry to learn of your loss.
Why are we losing so many young people? </p>
<p>Just to chime in about scholarship apps: Me, saying to S, “Did you finish the scholarship X app?” S to me “I’m getting to it.” And so it goes…</p>
<p>congrats on the Miami acceptances; while the past few years have proven a little quirkier for scholarships, I have a feeling you will both get good news soon…I think their top one is full (Singer) and then they drop down to around $20,000/yr guaranteed which brings COA down to around or slightly below an OOS public (minus UMich which is priced like a private)…</p>
<p>they are bigger sticklers on class rank than they are on GPA btw for the scholarships so if you are unranked, be aware…</p>
<p>Madbean- my D is the same as your S. Since she did not get in ED to her first choice, she has been what she calls “zen” about the whole thing. She did what she had to do, in plenty of time as we were leaving for an overseas trip on Christmas Day, and then has not done anything other than open enveloples. She hates writing essays, and was such a good sport about doing extra essays for two schools I thought she might like and had a chance at, that we are not pressuring to go after any of the smaller scholarships as all pretty much require an essay. It is hard to balance encouraging them to stretch and reach, and not pressuring them more for things they do not really care about/ or have a chance to get. While she has some stellar ECs (she founded and ran her school library) her grades are just fine, not exceptional, so she thinks the extra effort is unlikely to result in anything. Too bad none of them are based on personal interview as she rocks at those.</p>
<p>AM & MB - congrats to your kids on the Miami acceptances! yahoo.</p>
<p>Another Boston area resident tired of the snow. streets are narrow and some folks just can’t drive through 2 parked cars if there isn’t 15 feet of space. Makes going through town very slow. Huge amounts of ice on roof, hoping we don’t get ice dams. And to top if off, just got another oil delivery to the tune of $700. Yikes. We already keep the house a balmy 64-68. </p>
<p>S has a few scholarships and honors apps to finish, all due Feb 15. H is not happy I let S wait this long to get them done. </p>
<p>10yo little sis got her first acceptance to middle school today. It was a huge safety for her, but financially probably affordable, if we aren’t paying full boat for S. They threw a wrench in the whole process though by requiring a $500 deposit by Feb 15. D will not hear back from other schools til March 10 and will have til April to respond to those other schools. We have two issues, first all the other schools are much, much more expensive that the safety, but academically much better. Second, until S makes up his mind where he is going I don’t know where we can afford to send D. If money were no object (and she gets in) she would definitely be going to one of the other schools. H & I will be doing a lot of numbers crunching in the next couple of weeks, my favorite thing to do.</p>
<p>OWM - what tragedies! I am so sorry to read about them.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your kind words of support. I can’t even think what else to say. Thank you all.</p>
<p>bluei–I’m sending hugs from the west coast. So sorry for you all.</p>
<p>mamom–congrats on your youngests’s acceptance. In our area, the apps to private schools are even harder (no joke) than college apps have been. Only so many good privates near enough to home so way fewer choices and our SoCal privates are so selective. Good she has a safety but I feel your pain about the early deposit.</p>
<p>rodney–my son’s school does not rank. Do you mean no ranking will ding him at UMiami for merit $$? Usually, the nonranking thing has not been a problem. Oh dear. </p>
<p>kinderny–S2 has kept his feelings pretty private and has maintained he’s in wait-and-see mode (since it’s not just getting in–tough enough, but also scholarships–even less certain). He’s been pretty low all day, so the idea of one of his top choices off the table (most likely) is bringing some of his true feelings to the surface. I feel so sorry our circumstances place this extra burden on him. Sigh.</p>
<p>I told my older brother (well, in truth–he’s my younger brother, but I prefer to think I’ve stopped aging) that S2 may be going to school near Doctor’s Hospital (thanks for the name correction!) and he was jazzed. Asked if U Miami was a public school. Um. Can you guess my brother has no kids?</p>
<p>Trying to read a bit and catch up somewhat.</p>
<p>Hugs and prayers to the blue and bluejr…</p>
<p>definitely struggling with some procrastination here too, but not just our kid–havin a hard time finishing up taxes and then will try to do some FAFSA corrections…</p>
<p>S has been sick all weekend with the dreaded stomach virus-missed a writing competition yesterday in a foreign language that his teacher had picked him to attend. </p>
<p>I am waiting for the rest of us to get it-from what I hear it picks off one member of a house at two day intervals and the way I feel right now I think I may be victim number 2!</p>
<p>Hope he feels better and can get to school tomorrow and take his last midterm and be a second-semester senior.</p>
<p>Madbean I understand your feelings since we also have financial considerations as part of the choice. Sometimes I feel exactly how you describe and it’s then I need to remember that he is going to be going to a far better school than I ever dreamed of attending-perhaps not his dream either because he didn’t get accepted or he does but we can’t swing it. What I am doing is just waiting to see how things end up coming out-there is still so much we just don’t know yet and won’t for a while.</p>
<p>Our kids will be fine no matter what. :)</p>
<p>Morning all. Pepper-I sure hope that stomach bug skips over you. Not fun at all.</p>
<p>D had an interview yesterday for one of 35 spots in the Honors Program for U of I’s School of Business. As I mentioned on this board last week, she was less than thrilled to attend the interview b/c it’s not her 1st choice and she didn’t want to be “phony.” Well, thanks to some great advice from posters here, she approached it with a new attitude and she thinks it went well. </p>
<p>Came home from the interview to a letter from NMSC with news that she made finalist for National Achievement program. This will likely boost her merit aid at some of her schools.</p>
<p>Plus notification from Marquette that she got a nice merit scholarship. </p>
<p>So, I would have to say, yesterday was a good day for my D in this crazy college admissions process :D</p>
<p>So sorry for Bluejr’s loss. I can never wrap my head around the death of a young person. Its just so unfair.And OWM so sorry to hear of your friends’ experiences. Tragic. We also learned of dear friend’s terminal cancer diagnosis this week but I am in denial at this point.</p>
<p>Welcome to lurkers. I love hearing new voices!</p>
<p>And many congrats to newest acceptances and merit awards! Wonderful news!</p>
<p>Congrats holliesue on your D’s finding a prom dress. That will no doubt be an arduous process here. D is also not a frilly girl and will want something different. And we will probably need 2 dresses, one for Junior prom and one for Senior prom. We had great luck last year finding a gorgeous and very different dress online and another very simple class black dress at a thrift store. Yup, thrift store. She tried on a ton of different dresses but in the end liked that one best and I was thrilled! I won’t get that lucky 2 years in a row though.</p>
<p>I hear you on the venting gamom et al. D has an honors app she has to complete TODAY. Its not negotiable. It would mean a significant tuition award at a school she really likes and its just one darn essay that she actually says is interesting. But if one thing has become clear in this process its that my daughter is a procrastinator and nothing is going to change that. Can anyone say, you plant a pepper, you get a pepper? Oh and I agree with providing administrative support.</p>
<p>She had three auditions this week. I am really proud of the way she is putting it all on the line artistically. It takes a lot of guts. 3 more next week and then a couple more later in the month. And she has the lead in her high school play at the end of the month. Its what she loves and she knows this is an amazing nd unique month in her life. I’m glad I can share it with her.</p>
<p>Hi everybody – it’s gloriously sunny here in a NYC suburb where we are buried deep in snow: a nice combination. this is the most accumulated snow i’ve seen since moving here 24 yrs ago. it’s beautiful – i feel as though i’m living in VT.</p>
<p>Welcome to all the lurkers – so nice to have you join us!</p>
<p>Madbean and AmandaK: congrats to both of you on the UMiami acceptances. hope your good news from this U continues w/ scholarships. Years ago I attended one of my husband’s conferences at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. That neighborhood is gorgeous. We went for a run everyday, and although it was flat, the housing stock and the beautiful trees made it so interesting. I had a hard time keeping up w/ DH b/c I was house shopping!</p>
<p>Emmybet: Congrats on the URI acceptance. I grew up in RI and Narragansett Beach, not far from the U, is my favorite south shore beach. RI is a terrific state. Lots of wonderful restaurants, great gem of a museum at RISD. Amtrak train stop right in Kingston – can get you to Boston or NYC w/in a couple of hours. If your daughter ends up anywhere near here and does any auditions in NYC over her college career, she’s welcome to stay w/ me. I have a guest BR w/ twin beds on the first floor. I have a cousin’s daughter in theater at Elon and she and a classmate came for auditions last March for summer jobs in NYC and CT. The train to midtown is w/in walking distance from my home.</p>
<p>Mayhew: my son’s favorite school is in Providence. keeping my fingers crossed. if they both end up in Providence, we should exchange personal info. my mom and in-laws live just 15 mins from town. Pepper isn’t far either. A shout-out to you Pepper: hope your son feels better by end of today so that he can get those midterms out of the way.</p>
<p>Regarding prom dresses: something I will never have the pleasure to shop for w/ 2 sons but I’ve noticed some really pretty dresses in the J.Crew catalogue – some intended as bridesmaid dresses.</p>
<p>Blue and OWM: I’m very sorry to hear your news. There really are no words but hopefully just knowing that we’re thinking of you as you tend to your friends will give you some solace. speaking for myself, i know that when I was sick w/ cancer and a few years later grieving when I lost my dad, having my friends check in on me made all the difference.</p>
<p>as far as the scholarship applications: my son like many of yours is fried. between his college apps and college-specific merit scholarship apps, he wrote 17 applications and i lost count of the total number of essays. one of those merit apps had 7 essays alone. and although he’s passed his midterms and officially a second semester senior, he still working really hard for school. he has a huge term paper due on fri and was hoping to work on it hard last night but had an all-day meet yesterday over an hour away. my H, younger S and I went to a terrific Ibsen play last night in Brooklyn at BAM w/ Alan Rickman and Fiona Shaw. S1 bowed out to stay home to work on his paper – and he’s the kid who’s done theater programs and would like to perform in college – but said that he was so exhausted that he ended up doing physics problem sets instead, which he felt were easier than writing a paper. We specifically chose last nights date for our tkts assuming that it would be no problem for him b/c all his apps would be done and he’d be beyond mid-terms into a new quarter. oh well, so much for planning.</p>
<p>he should be hearing from another school in mid-feb b/c he took advantage of a special earlier app. march 30 seems far away but he too is in the zen mode. it helps that he got into one of this favorite schools already, if not his first choice. Thank you CC for the strategy of applying to a mix of EA, rolling and ED! makes waiting for RD much less stressful.</p>
<p>So I log back in today and am greeted with sad news. Blue= so sorry for your loss and I will pray.</p>
<p>I think I last said anything on Tuesday or Wednesday morning. Boy have we had an adventure since that time. On Wednesday morning, snow started falling, then rain, then ice then much more snow. My girls went out around midday to help set up for our large speech and debate tournament our club was hosting. I start waiting for our guests we would be host housing around 3-4pm and they leave for about a fifty mile trip to our house. At 8pm, our power fails. At 10:30pm, they finally arrive at our house, with my daughters using the sled to help them get to our house. Our tournament is delayed by two hours but we still don’t have electricity so people are washing in the sinks. WE finally get our powerr back on late Thursday night but not before our fridge and freezer had started to melt. Puddles of water greet us that night. Next day, roads are still not that good but we do get to the tournament on time. I come late after throwing away eight bags of food. I had a call to the insurance but haven’t been called back yet. Fortunately we didn’t get any pipes bursting. The restaurant we had our post tournament gathering on Saturday night had water dripping. At least one of the grocery stores locally also had to throw out all perishable foods in refrigerated units. </p>
<pre><code> But the great news here is that d finally broke to out rounds in debate and also to semi-finals in extemporaneous. What was unusual too was that not only did they advance to octo-finals but won that and went on to quarterfinals. Most times first time teams that break don’t advance any further. So now I have to plan a trip to Wake Forest, NC for our regional tournament in late April.
</code></pre>
<p>Pepper: I hope your son feels better soon and can finish his mid-terms.</p>
<p>Mommylaw: Congrats on all the good news. </p>
<p>Militarymom: I’m glad the competition went well despite the weather and power problems.</p>
<p>Good luck to the kids who are auditioning in the next few weeks.</p>
<p>My mom passed away suddenly last night. I know you all will send me good wishes, and I appreciate that. I just feel like I need to tell you all. The facebook mourning has already begun and I am just not sure I can go there.</p>