Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - Original

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
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<p>AK, congrats on the Miami scholarship for S. I understand from their forum that Singer invites are set separately, so here is hoping your S gets one. My S received his big UMiami envelope and I was surprised to not see a merit scholarship, but he already has a big one and has pretty much made his decision, so it wasn’t a big deal.</p>

<p>I am definitely seeing some pulling away however circumstances at our house in the last couple of weeks - my mom’s passing, me being sick and my b’day this weekend have shown me a really caring side of S. What he did for my birthday was so sweet - a dozen roses (in water!), my favorite loose tea & a tabloid and then built me a fire to drink my tea and read my tabloid in front of. What is better than that?</p>

<p>He is already talking about being one of the first to go back in Aug. The Thurs, Fri, Sat nite until 1 am job may have to give way to a job with some evenings free. He realizes high school times will soon be over.</p>

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<p>Yes, arisamp, the same thing happened at Clark, one of my D’s other top-three schools (she insists she doesn’t have a #1 but likes all three equally). Her news there was finally very good (acceptance and great merit aid), but they were very late getting news out and didn’t honor the deadline they both had on the website and told callers to the admissions office.</p>

<p>But we cut them all some slack. I just saw the new NY Times post on the Choice about the % increase in RD apps… holy cow! These poor admissions offices have just been buried this year. It’s worrisome for our kids-- how can schools make intelligent choices with apps up 20, 40, 60%?-- and I presume this means the competition is a lot higher. And schools will have to risk admitting more kids and assuming a lower yield-- this huge increase in apps is likely not a significant increase in actual kids applying to college, but an increase in the number of schools each kid applies to. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle… anxiety about not getting in (and/or need money) leads to a student applying to more places… which ups the application rate and makes everyone even more anxious.</p>

<p>I can’t wait for this all to be over with.</p>

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<p>I’m still intimidated by this thread, but time to de-lurk again…</p>

<p>First, my sympathies to those who’ve experienced recent loss of family or friends. It reminds us all of how small some of our stresses are in the great scheme of things.</p>

<p>And congrats to those who have received acceptances, especially the kind that come with big fat scholarships. I am worried my daughter will also find herself in the accepted but not really category – especially after getting back our EFC. WHAAA…???</p>

<p>Not too much going on now. Sending in the dribs and drabs of pieces needed for apps and fin aid. Daughter is getting ready for three dance auditions this month. They’re all for scholarships, not admittance. She verified today that her one EA app is finally complete, so that’s one school we should hear from by early March, while the rest are RD.</p>

<p>I don’t think she’s changed too much, although she claims to have senioritis – perhaps it’s a mild case! She’s pretty excited about turning 18 this weekend. She does want to spend pretty much every waking moment with her boyfriend, so I guess in that way she’s preparing her Dad and me for when she won’t be around much.</p>

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<p>I just spent a little time on the National Merit website, and discovered that, to have a shot at a college National Merit award, the student must have, by March 1, designated with them as his or her first choice college a college that offers National Merit awards. Their website has a list of colleges offering these awards and a post card you can print out to report or change the first choice college. We’ll be sending that out today.</p>

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<p>fogfog: same scenario here with D2 adding snarkiness to the mix; had this with D1 at about the same time so all expected…we’ll see how it progresses…</p>

<p>definite senioritis, especially with all the snow days…difficult to stay on task when you haven’t had any consistency…</p>

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<p>When I was in HS, we had a “Senior Year Project” where you could do something really interesting and fun during the final semester - on any topic, any idea. They gave you an advisor, whoever would be most helpful in the staff (I was a bookish artsy type, but I got a shop teacher to help me build something), and you got to show off what you’d done at the end of the term. I think it was an excellent way to fight off senioritis, a terrific distraction in general.</p>

<p>I’m asking myself if my D seems snarky or to be pulling away … well, they’re all a little like that, unless they’re being clingy or something else that’s annoying … but I will say that right now she’s in rehearsal for a wonderful play, with adults, a big thrill that’s put new juice into her life.</p>

<p>I know D1 got very disgruntled her last few months of HS, and I think that a lot of it was because while she was extremely busy, she didn’t have anything NEW. The same series of concerts and projects had gotten awfully old. I wish she’d had some new people to hang out with, and a different kind of experience, as D2 is having. D2 has all of the annoying stuff D1 had, but she has this special thing to balance it.</p>

<p>And while D1 had an ED acceptance in the bag, there was something “dull” about that; not knowing is a bit more exciting, even if it causes more anxiety.</p>

<p>I guess there are trade-offs, or, in other words, you can’t win!</p>

<p>There is so much going on in these kids’ lives that I cut mine a ton of slack right now. Yesterday she was chatting with me about her friends - which ones she’s closest to, what she has in common with various kids - and the inevitable, unspoken, question was, “Will I stay friends with them when we’ve all gone off to college?” Those are tough things to have on one’s mind, on top of wondering about acceptances, and managing APs, and everything else.</p>

<p>Most days she’s actually pretty happy. But really, I’m just glad if she changes the cat litter once in a while.</p>

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<p>AMI1988: I’m sorry to hear about all the stressful experiences you’re having. It stinks when kids do everything right and things still don’t work out. None of this is your fault. You son sounds like a great kid, and I’m sure that he will end up at a great school. The best thing you can do right now is to give him time to handle his disapointment.</p>

<p>Reasearching: I can understand how frustrated you and your daughter are with the wait. It’s amazing how slowly those days can be. Hang in there. I hope you get good news soon.</p>

<p>Fog: I do think that it’s normal for kids to pull away from the family senior year. Just like us, they’re excited and scared at the same time. The good news it that they usually appreciate you more after they leave.</p>

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<p>AMI1988, I feel for you. How tough to deal with teenage issues with such serious health issues in your family.</p>

<p>We were sure our son would get offered merit $ from his public flagship choice but there are only two weeks left before the scholarship offer deadline and most people seem to have already had offers. The only offer he has had was an invitation to apply for an “Emerging Urban Leaders” scholarship that is worth 5K per year for 4 years. There are two problems with it. One, I don’t think he is the right race/ethnicity to be considered “urban”. Two, the big one, is that the essay prompt refers to God twice and my son has decided that he is an atheist. He doesn’t care if his essay is worth 20K, he is not going to write anything that shows any appreciation for a higher being. We keep telling him that the less money he tries to win is the more money he will borrow but he is not sold.</p>

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<p>AMI- I am so sorry to hear about your long stretch of frustrations and stress. You have had a lot to deal with. There is no limit on venting of frustrations. There is always someone here! I do agree with momjr, that your son sounds really great, and wherever he decides to go he’ll have a great experience. With hearing some things early, some later, they get disappointing news and then have to wait weeks for more news so they can make a decision and get excited about that school. It’s hard to shift gears when you don’t know what direction your headed.</p>

<p>I’m sorry to hear about the lousy scholarship offers. We promise ourselves we will walk away with no regrets if things don’t line up…nothing ventured, nothing gained…it still hurts like heck when one of the schools your student has at the top of their list admits them but the scholarship or fin-aid package doesn’t make it happen. There is that point that you have to walk away, but it’s so hard… and yes, as much as this is our kids journey, we are there with them and it hurts us to see this happen. We hurt for them. </p>

<p>After May 1 we could start a thread ‘Sound off to the school that irked you the most in admissions’. We’d have to agree that there would be full support, no arguing about why as school didn’t deserve a bad rap. that’s not the point. If they peeved our kid, we should have a healthy place to vent…all in one place. I think it could be funny, and good therapy! :wink: Yea, we’ll just tuck that idea back with the t’shirts, the prom-date match-ups, and spa vacations where we will all meet next year…right!</p>

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<p>Add bluejr to the list of snarky seniors (now THAT’s a t’shirt they would wear with pride! :wink: ). This just gives me fuel. I logically explain to him that he’s ‘fouling the nest’ so I will push his feathery behind out in a few months. I follow by saying it’s not working and kiss him on the head. I have to time this when he’s sitting down or I come up to his chin and the entire power play is lost. He is a good kid and has rarely given us much worry, so the age appropriate smarty-pants stuff is tolerable. He skates around the respect issue…just close enough not to put his toes over the line. </p>

<p>This morning we had expected ice and anticipated a delay, but had told him he would take the bus either way instead of driving. When I saw at 4am the first wave of the storm had moved further north, leaving the road clear, I told him he could drive. All I heard was some yea-yea-yea from his room (now about 5:30am). I called him in and flashed my iphone on his face, then on mine, then back to him. I said ‘do you see your mother’s eyes? listening? Drive SLOWLY do not hit the breaks hard and be careful!’. He took the phone and flashed it on his eyes, then mine, then back to his. ‘Do you see my eyes mom? I love you and I will drive safe! Put away your i-nightlight and go back to sleep! ;)’. So that made up for a few days worth of grumpiness.</p>

<p>Two more exams down today. One left tomorrow (where his quarter grades are so high he could drool on the exam and still have an A for the semester), and he’ll be a second semester Sr.!! Whoo-hoo!! I have no idea how the first two exams will play out. I don’t think they will change his grades beyond what we thought. It’s all done now.</p>

<p>I totally love the idea of the Sr. project. Blujr would be doing just what he is doing now…designing, building, programing, competing, painting his face, dying his hair… Yes, this is just what he wants to be doing and I know beyond any doubt he will miss this program terribly next year. His college search had to include schools where undergrad hands on competition teams existed. For a student that has spent years designing, working in a machine shop, programing, working on electrical circuitry, with other students on a tight deadline, long hours & travel… telling him there would be no toys and no friends to play with them would be unthinkable. :)</p>

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<p>“We were sure our son would get offered merit $ from his public flagship choice but…the essay prompt refers to God twice and my son has decided that he is an atheist.”</p>

<p>Is this scholarship being offered by the public flagship or an outside organization? If by the public flagship…looks like there could be some chuch/state issues with this prompt. </p>

<p>I am NOT trying to start a political or religious discussion on this thread…but could be a problem if the public flagship is requiring an essay about God.</p>

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<p>What public flagship mentions G-d in their scholarship app? interesting…</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone for sharing our excitement about son’s Olin invitation. We’re still on cloud nine. We just got the news about the GA Tech PSP (President’s Scholarship). That was the one son interviewed for two weeks ago and had bad vibes about. His vibes were right. He didn’t get it. He is fine as are we. After the interview, we sorta wrote it off.</p>

<p>No rest this semester for DS. He has 6 IB and one AP exam in May. almost every weekend between now and graduation there is a math, science or Academic Team competition or some other school or college activity.</p>

<p>I laughed at the question about Deep Springs. The closest my darling child has come to manual labor is emptying the dishwasher.</p>

<p>Congrats AK on the super duper scholarship. Thank you 3257 on NMSF info. I’ll check it out. Finalist info is supposed to be out next week. AvonHSDd - thanks for the info about your niece at Olin. My son has a HS friend who goes there. She is rolling out the welcome mat for him. My son didn’t apply to MIT. None of us liked it when we visited.</p>

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<p>Yours sounds like mine, Blue.
Right now I am a resource for the car and cash on the debit card…</p>

<p>Maybe some senioritis…I think kiddo is a bit bored inschool–while there is plenty of work–six APs, and a varsity sport with 8 practices a week–kiddo is ready for other things…</p>

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<p>In response to a previous poster:</p>

<p>If the student knows his first choice school (or if only one school to which he has applied offers scholarships to NMFs), it would be good to go ahead and send the postcard naming the first choice school.</p>

<p>If the student is undecided and doesn’t yet have admissions results, he can indicate “undecided” and wait until after April 1, when admission results come out, to designate a first choice. In fact, he has until April 27 for the NM Foundation to receive this.</p>

<p>While the NM website has much more information, here is a bit that I found helpful:</p>

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<p>amandak–great news for your S w/U Miami merit. I had to smile to think of him tossing aside an envelope that was holding (when you come to think of it) a potential “check” for almost $100,000 (merit certificate value!). Hope he also gets the Singer invite.</p>

<p>It’s an anxious time since the kids simply do not know what stats will land them in the right pile for acceptance and for merit. The uncertainty is compounded because we cannot even go by previous year records. I hadn’t been keeping up with the news of increases in applications (I’ll have to read more) but I used to think for below-top-20 school: if the applicant was above the top 25% of last years gpa & SAT/ACT, they should count it a match. Might be okay for admissions, but not sure anymore.</p>

<p>I imagine that many colleges with these huge increases in apps are suddenly flooded with top stat applicants and how tempting it must be for them to admit a class with higher overall gpas and SATs. Yet, those are most likely the nervous kids throwing in many match/safety apps out there this year with hopes to matriculate higher up the food chain. If they sprinkle their merit scholarships among superstar stat kids-- I wonder how many of them actually take the $$ and attend? </p>

<p>I predict a super-weird year of results. Same type of kids ultimately attending same U’s, but lots of over or under-estimating by colleges trying to get their yield right.</p>

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<p>32578233, the posters over on the National Merit forum posted a timeline. From this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1078223-class-2011-notification-timeline.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/1078223-class-2011-notification-timeline.html&lt;/a&gt; For the March 1 date, it says</p>

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<p>I know that different schools have different dates by which a student has to designate them as first choice to be eligible. Some of those deadlines might already have passed (American U used to have a really early date, not sure if that’s still true). Others extend into May. As Schokolade said, if the student knows that they’re committed to one school, or there’s only one school that offers NM money, better to send it now.</p>

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<p>I agree madbean, I think the top 100 or so schools are going to have a very tough time deciding how many to admit, wait list. Maybe the common app should have a limit but I guess that wouldn’t be fair to the ‘audition’ kids. It will never happen anyway b/c their goal is TO MAKE $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.</p>

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<p>I’m pretty vague here–but I recall discussion in previous years that listing a first choice school gets distributed on the NMF list to all colleges. So before some reg decisions have been finalized, will all colleges see S or D picked another school as first choice? Just wanted to make sure you look into this–I may be completely mistaken. </p>

<p>For instance, USC gives 1/2 tuition merit awards to all NMF who list USC first–but they have until like May 1 to do it, allowing kids to wait and see if they get into USC or into another maybe higher choice college before putting that info in writing. </p>

<p>Just a heads up.</p>

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<p>So much going on! For those in the snow storm - stay warm & safe! </p>

<p>Amandak - glad for your son and hope there is more to come!</p>

<p>AMI1988 (Is the AMI from FL?? just curious, that being one of my favorite places) - I feel for you and all the stress you have been under. With your S sounding so great, I know you are just hoping that you as a family catch a break. I understand the feeling. It will not make him feel better now, but these things usually work out for the best, just hard to see now. {{{hugs}}} to your family.</p>