<p>Madbean sorry your thick envelope didnt have the news that you were expecting. Hope your S2 will have some great options at other schools. This whole process is very unpredictable. Oh, and my S did get a cool EA acceptance, but its still possible that you were thinking about someone else ;). I myself have a hard time keeping up with everyones news.</p>
<p>Funny story about Amy Chua becoming a household name. S asked last Sunday if he can go to the movies with his friends and I reminded him that he had a scholarship application due soon and that was the only weekend that he wasnt traveling for his EC. He said: What? Are you going Amy Chua on me now?</p>
<p>Speaking of Amy Chua, I saw a Chinese tiger mom in action recently. My husband and I were with friends at Barnes and Noble having coffee at 10 pm on a Saturday night, and a little girl and her bother were sitting at a table next to us. The little girl, who looked about 6, was filling in page after page of worksheets, while her younger brother read books. Their mother was working on her laptop nearby, and would come over every 15 minutes or so to check her daughter’s work and quiz her on flashcards. I’m sure that the little girl will end up with perfect SATs someday, but it was really quite sad to watch.</p>
<p>FIMathMom: Wow!! Best of luck to your son on his Olin visit/interview!</p>
<p>Keylimepie: sounds like your son will have a tough decision come spring – good for him!</p>
<p>madbean: know what you’re talking about. my S also goes to a rigorous private school known for its grade deflation. he too just lost out on a college-specific merit scholarship. w/ out the $, the school isn’t worth considering seriously since he’s already been accepted to a school he prefers that’s probably a better fit for him. </p>
<p>and although he’s now a second semester senior, his work load hasn’t diminished a bit and neither has his seriousness of getting it done well. he’s still studying at least 4 solid hrs a night after he comes home from his EC at 6:30, showers and has dinner. but the edge is off and that’s very nice. so i’m ready for that shout-out come next week!!</p>
<p>This group is just so wonderful! I know I’ve been whiny but not one of you nice moms has called me on it. LOL. Thanks so so much.</p>
<p>Renmom–know what you mean. S2 is also doing multi-hour/night of homework. But by now he’s really in the zone. Maybe this helps keep his mind off of the uncertainties of the future? If so, I think I need some homework, too.</p>
<p>Ah, lacrossemom, sorry to hear you are in the same boat. </p>
<p>My DH just came home from a long day at work and offered to cheer me up. Isn’t he sweet?</p>
<p>madbean- this is the place for us to vent safely!! feel free! and yes your DH sounds very sweet…</p>
<p>so my d had the best semester of her HS career. All A’s for the first time!! Not having a full schedule has really made a difference! It is a nice finish to her HS career!</p>
<p>I was glad to see someone else mention they have no clue what their kid’s favorite is with any acceptances received at this point…my D1 knows alot of it will boil down to $$ so maybe that’s why she’s not sayin yet…darn, and we probably won’t get finaid info for a loooong time … her merit scholarships have been great so far but still need to wait for the “whole $$ information enchilada”</p>
<p>Yay again for holliesue’s D! My D, too, benefited a lot from a lighter load this semester - while her classes were plenty hard, D decided not to take another light elective and instead did a “Student Tutoring” period once a day: some days she tutored, most days did TAing for the choir teacher, and when she needed it, took a study hour.</p>
<p>Also she ran out of “0-hour” (the hour before regular classes start) options, and has been able to sleep a little later. The trade-off has been foreign language (instead of dropping music, which was NOT on the table for her), but it was worth it, even if it ends up costing her in college acceptances.</p>
<p>EB- D is also able to sleep later since she has no classes until 4th period (this after years of no lunch and no study hall). It is amazing what more sleep, less pressure and work can do!!!</p>
<p>wow -was gone for a few days and there have been so many updates, I can’t keep them all straight!</p>
<p>Amanda & Blue - so sorry to hear about your losses. You and your families are in my prayers.</p>
<p>I’m in the camp with those whose kids seem to have lost steam. D is just “done” and it’s worrying me. She has always been my procrastinator, doing things at the last minute but now she just doesn’t even want to do them at all. I’m giving her a few more days to get re-energized or we’re going to have what my dad always referred to as a “come to jesus meeting”. </p>
<p>D also recently experienced the bittersweet situation of being accepted to her dream school but not receiving enough aid to make it even close to doable. She took it pretty well but I know it was tough for her. Luckily, she had many other acceptances and made a good choice.</p>
<p>Forecast here is freezing rain/ice tonight and tomorrow with snow and 40 mph winds on Wednesday. She’s hoping for a calamity day tomorrow but we’ll see. Count me as one of the folks who hates winter!</p>
<p>So much to cover. You really can’t miss a day here.</p>
<p>amanda: you and your family are in our prayers.</p>
<p>FlMathMom: good luck to your son at Olin. It’s such an interesting concept. Really cool marketing materials! I hope the experience is that way.</p>
<p>We didn’t have school today due to freezing drizzle this morning that covered the roads with a sheet of ice. Already closed for tomorrow due to a blizzard warning. I think everyone but the seniors will be adding days on at the end of the school year. Graduation is May 22. But the rest of the district is supposed to be in school until May 27. And my offiice two states away is also already closed tomorrow. It’s a sleep-in day. I’m going to suggest a few scholarship essays and the essay for a freshman research fellowship to our son. We’ll see…</p>
<p>A great big raspberry to the U Miami admissions people who couldn’t see the clear-as-the-nose-on-your-face wonderfullness of our kids, and make those fat envelopes a little fatter. </p>
<p>FlaMathMom, a big big congrats to your son on the Olin candidate weekend! Reading the profiles of the Olin students always astounds me–I hope he’ll be one of the students to astound me soon. </p>
<p>For the parents of sons, did any of your boys apply to Deep Springs? </p>
<p>A friend’s high school junior son called me today to ask some questions about writing an essay for a summer program. It was the dreaded “describe a challenge you’ve overcome” topic, which is a tough one for a (great, wonderful, humble) kid who’s grown up in a privileged environment. I dispensed wisdom, and told him that if he needs another adult reader of this essay or any others, I’d be glad to be another pair of eyes.</p>
<p>FlMathMon quoted - “Anyone hear the shouts from South Florida!!! My son was just selected to attend Olin’s Candidate’s Weekend. It is his #1 choice. They have approx 70 kids come to the school over three weekends to be sure the fit is right both ways. Out of the 210, they will select the ones to admit. He’s up to bat. Now he has to hit a home run!!” </p>
<p>Congrats and good luck to your son. Our niece is a Jr at Olin and went through the selection process three years ago. She said it was a busy and challenging weekend. She is the real brain trust of the family as she was admitted everywhere but MIT where she was wait listed. She absolutely loves the school. </p>
<p>DS got his acceptance from Miami (OH) today. He won’t hear about Honors until early March. The two state safety schools are done. Now we wait until the end of March for the other 8 schools to respond. It is going to be a long 60 days. My DW can’t take it. I think its harder on her than our son.</p>
<p>On behalf of my daughter, I envy those kids who are taking it easier second semester. She has three AP classes and three other non-cake classes (okay, not physics or calc, but not dance either), and while she’s not too stressed, she has a lot of work every day and can’t just kick back and relax. </p>
<p>Frustration for her today: She was supposed to find out her part in the last play of her high school career after school, but the drama teacher never showed to post the cast list, and she was supposed to hear from one of her top-three schools via email after 5 p.m. (2 p.m. our time). She checked and checked, and called the school, but nothing. Apparently they didn’t meet their deadline. </p>
<p>But another day of maturing… she rolled with it pretty well. Hopefully tomorrow will bring good news on both fronts.</p>
<p>FLMathMom, three cheers for the Olin news!!!</p>
<p>And good luck to all of you dealing with ice and snow and freezing rain.</p>
<p>Speaking of brain melt - I’m just glad I’m not my kid - IB diploma is just too much dang work - no “pressure’s off” until the last of the 6 exams is over in May. But he DID finish a scholarship application tonight. only a few more to go and then nothing but checking the mailbox…</p>
<p>kinder- wow! what a great experience your D must have had! Those online courses can be tough for the unmotivated but it sounds like your D is the type to get the most from them. </p>
<p>madbean - sorry for bad news. My S is not getting the scholarships he should, but not because of grade deflation, but because of lack of hard work. He has very high SATs but mediocre grades. He just got a scholarship from Marquette that was half what I was hoping for. Luckly he has better offers from other schools, but “I” really like Marquette.</p>
<p>LOL. Smart kid, trying to put the guilt back on you.</p>
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oh yeah. I thought I had everything under control now that all the apps are in. Just a few scholarship apps. ha. Then I went through the college emails and find out we are in danger of missing one deadline. To be honest it is an honors scholarship and it requires the student to maintain 3.4 GPA, which is pretty high in my estimation so I am glad it isn’t get that scholarship or you can’t attend situation. I am now wondering what else I missed. And forget about all those college logins. Everyone has a different user name and different requirements for password. I have a spreadsheet I consult to keep them straight. I can’t wait for May and all I have to do is write a check. </p>
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<p>researching - well that stinks! Couldn’t the drama teacher have posted it online or something if she couldn’t make it in? I am surprised at the college though, they seem to be pretty good about doing what they say.</p>
<p>AvonHSDad - congrats to your S!!! Good luck on the honors.</p>
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<p>We may have to have one at our house too. S has a snow day today and will most likely have one Wednesday. 5th one since Jan 1. He is taking 3 AP classes and there is no rest for the weary so he has to keep those balls in the air, but with 5 days off in 4 weeks, he is losing momentum. </p>
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<p>sorry to read that, it reallys stinks. S has been accepted to most of his schools but deferred from 2, one of which is/was his #1. I was disappointed, especially when I see kids with lower stats accepted with merit. (S has high SAT but ave GPA) I guess they really do look at the entire app and see a kid who can but doesn’t when they read my sons. I have already crossed this school off his list, sour grapes type of thing, but I am not sure S has.</p>
<p>kinder- wow! what a great experience your D must have had! Those online courses can be tough for the unmotivated but it sounds like your D is the type to get the most from them. </p>
<p>Mamom- The international internship (in the field she hopes to pursue) was the saving grace of this high school program (although they did nothing to find it/support her, they are letting her come back second semester). Gee, can you tell I am bitter? As for the online class, I think she could/would be motivated but 1) the guidance counselor “forgot” to sign her up for the classes so it will be a week or so until she can start and 2) the school has no place to seat her for most of the day so she is being placed in a mish mash of (noisy) study halls with various grades and it is unlikely she will get much done during the day at school- what a waste. But she wants to walk the stage with her friends and we will put up a lot to ensure that happens.</p>