<p>Weird questions: We received a note from a school asking us to verify our residency status. The form is 5 pgs long. One of the questions is where have you spent 7 consecutive nights in the past 3 years, including vacations. Maybe my D’s real residency is Cinderella’s Palace at DisneyWorld?</p>
<p>Wouldn’t you think tax forms/ utility bills would be sufficient to verify status? I do know of several folks who have tried to game the system the past few years and claim residency in states they do not live. None of them understood how the system works so they did not get away with it though. I suppose some resouceful person has figured out a way. But still, 5 pages???</p>
<p>Just checking in, thanks for all your well wishes and prayers. Today is the double viewing and service and tommorow my company will be leaving…and I can sleep and stop feeding people and cleaning up after everyone. The ice is not helping my plans but the sun is coming out, so hopefully it will melt away. I’ve never fully appreciated why people give people casseroles, food when someone dies, and let me tell you that it has been a godsend. Can’t wait until I can get back to creating a spreadsheet on college choices. Seems Ds won’t be getting an invite to the UMiami full ride singer weekend as people have reported getting emails on that…so I guess we need to plan a visit. Hope you are all managing through the snow and ice.</p>
<p>I did not read the instructions for one critical question on the CSS. I found out the hard way that, once you submit the CSS profile, the only way to correct it is by printing it out, hand correcting it, and sending the corrected hard copy to every college. I hope all of you are more attentive than I was!</p>
<p>^^^amandak: It’s so good to have you here. I am thrilled for you guys on the UMiami scholarship (even if it’s not the Singer). I am sorry that you have had to deal with the pressure of hosting people while trying to grieve. Hopefully, it’s been a good distraction at least.</p>
<p>Researching, puma, Flmathmom: all great news. Vamom, welcome and congrats on the W and M postcard.
I know I’m forgetting lots of things. It’s hard to keep up. AMI, it sounds like you have a great son and that you’ve been put through the wringer lately; try to keep on moving forward. We are all here to listen and help if we can.</p>
<p>I like some of the names you guys have come up with for our wintry weather. I’m going with snowpocalypse.</p>
<p>researching4emb- comedic parts are the best! Often scene stealers and a lot of fun. Hope she enjoys her last high school theater hurrah.</p>
<p>Novelisto- The idea of your D claiming residency in Cinderella’s Palace gave me a chuckle. </p>
<p>Amanda- I hope today’s events go smoothly and bring you some sense of comfort. Sending you virtual macaroni and cheese (my standard casserole for deaths, births and sickness).</p>
<p>Researching- my d also always gets the comedic roles . She is much better at them then the more serious ones. And they are fun!</p>
<p>amandak: Thinking of you today. </p>
<p>Welcome to VAMom. Sounds like your S is getting great news so far. I hear you on the procrastinator stress. You are definitely not alone!</p>
<p>I agree that these merit scholarships are so unpredictable. D got one from each of her two EA schools: the highest possible one awarded for the more selective school, and a not so high one for the less selective school which is known for giving $$ to almost all accepted applicants. The first one also has been following up with selective, not annoying (no phone calls) communications from alumni and faculty in areas in which D has indicated an interest (language, political science, study abroad). The other has done nothing to follow up (and is probably off the list). For those pondering the benefit of EA for schools - there clearly is a benefit for students - the first school is scoring points and getting D’s attention in a way the schools we haven’t gotten a decision from are not; it’s easier to see yourself at a school that has already accepted you and shown you the love.</p>
<p>AmandaK: I’ll be thinking of you today. </p>
<p>Welcome to the new posters. Congratulations to those who have gotten good news recently. For those of you who have been hit by the blizzard - stay warm and enjoy the view.</p>
<p>“the first school is scoring points and getting D’s attention in a way the schools we haven’t gotten a decision from are not”</p>
<p>Same situation here. D has been inundated with Facebook messages, newsletters, posters, receptions, a free plane ticket to visit the campus, etc. All in an attempt to get her to commit to the school early. It’s working. She’s wearing her logo sweatshirt at every opportunity and has already decided which dorm she wants to live in. But, since we must wait to see the bottom line (FinAid), I find myself playing cheerleader for the other schools that have yet to release their decisions.</p>
<p>Well the big freeze stopped the leaking as I knew it would. Can’t leak if its frozen. However it is just postponing the inevitable. I am afraid of a big thaw. We have a brand new roof, plus extensive remodeling underneath. We had the roofers over this am to try and remove some of the ice dams.
But, unfortunately if we get more snow they will just happen again. Not sure what you can do to prevent it. I read one poster had heated coils, wow never thought we would need that in CT.</p>
<p>Since S has pretty much made his decision, he wants to know why the heck I am still on CC. How could I be wasting so much time here. lol I tried to compare it to the time he wastes on fb (not that I’m not on there too, plus linkedin and twitter), but he said he was talking to “his actual friends”. You are my friends, right 
I call you my peeps on CC. Perhaps I wouldn’t be here so much if I had an actual job, but it beats applying for jobs online and dropping into the vortex where no one ever responds.</p>
<p>I didn’t see the car question on the Profile. Perhaps since our assets were minimal it didn’t pop up? It doesn’t let you omit things so not sure why we didn’t see it. I don’t think our two old VW jettas will push us over the edge of anything.</p>
<p>
My son actually brought up this very point with us a few weeks ago. His interest in GA Tech was much higher post-acceptance. His interest in the schools he has to wait until 4/1 for an answer is waning. No matter how many times you tell yourself to wait until 4/1 when you have all the info, including the scholarship info, it is hard for your head to control your heart.</p>
<p>Welcome VAMom - Your son may be a member of the popular Procrastinator’s Club, but so far he is doing great. Congrats to him. You have our support.</p>
<p>OWM - I cannot imagine my son missing 8 days of school. He gets upset about missing 1.</p>
<p>Avon - Glad someone can benefit from Reagan Scholarship. Good luck with it and OSU.</p>
<p>AK - If you lived near my sister you’d get a delicious brisket. She is the head of the Grief Committee at her synagogue. She brings each family a home-cooked brisket. </p>
<p>3257 and others - You might want to check with each school before you send them a revised CSS Profile. I asked the two EA schools that I sent the Profile to in November how they wanted the changes. One only wanted the pages that changed with the original numbers crossed out (hopefully you printed a copy of each version you sent) and the new numbers marked in pen. The other want an Excel spreadsheet mailed or emailed with three columns - row number, old number, new number.</p>
<p>AmandaK: Thinking of you today. Wish I lived nearby so that I could drop something off and lighten your load.</p>
<p>To all who have had good news from schools (acceptances, $$$, likely letters) a huge Contratulations!!!</p>
<p>Leaking here, too! What a mess!</p>
<p>Profile: When they asked for the year,make, and model of our cars, I also included mileage. My husband’s 2005 has 195,000 miles on it. I figured they might as well know that we are driving our old cars into the ground…not wasting the college funds on nice, new cars.</p>
<p>A profile question: It says that “significant” changes must be reported. Any idea what they would consider to be “significant”? There were some changes in investment balances after we received year-end statements – I had based the numbers on 3rd quarter numbers for 2 schools. I guess I could call the schools individually and ask, but thought if anyone knew, I might get lucky and not have to.</p>
<p>As the word on scholarships and decisions rolls in, here’s hoping the good news outweighs the bad!</p>
<p>Ohiomom - Profile ques on ‘significant’ - Your FAFSA should have more up-to-date info on your investments so they can get info from there which has to be as of 1/1 or later. Doesn’t necessarily mean they wouldn’t want it reported. Unfortunately I think the only way to get that answer is to ask each school.</p>
<p>For BOA or ML customers near museums who want to risk driving, here’s a freebie.
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<p>FLmm… The Ronald Reagan scholarship sounds good. Do you know anything more about this? It says they have to nominated… how do you go about that? Can you ask your principal or “eligible community leader”… I wonder who this would be?</p>
<p>OK, so D got accepted to URI via a status change on her login … and now has an e-mail saying “Congratulations on your acceptance and merit scholarship” … but we still have no letter! I guess we’ll blame it on the snow. But I’m REALLY curious now. She should hear from her last EA school in the next day or two as well, and could get merit aid there. </p>
<p>D also is perpetually comedic - we’re afraid she’ll get laughs from her “dramatic” monologues, just because she can’t help it!</p>
<p>Next week she gets 4 days off from school (Tues-Fri) for auditions and a college visit. Perfect timing so early in the semester, and we’ve only had the one snow day yesterday. I’m sure she’ll fix things with her teachers. </p>
<p>Showing love: We got more e-mails and handwritten notes from the school that DEFERRED her than from anywhere else, both before and after the deferral. I’m not so sure that was so thoughtful on their part. It makes us think they just do it for everyone. Although from their end I can understand, because this is a school that probably is a back-up for tougher, more well-known admits and might feel it needs to remind people that it’s special. Yeah? Well, then, you should have accepted my kid right off!</p>
<p>OK, people, countdown to Monday for the big Second Semester Shout-out!</p>
<p>Emmybet - Congrats on all the great news in your house.</p>
<p>5boys - You might want to Google the scholarship or call them. I don’t know anything else.</p>
<p>EB- I know exactly what you are going through. It took about 10 days after d’s online status said accepted for us to get the letter in the mail from Juniata!</p>
<p>idinct - the car questions are school specific - so if the colleges you are sending Profile to don’t ask, you won’t have those questions on yours.</p>
<p>So glad I don’t have to do Profile this year! D’s college doesn’t require it for renewal of aid, and S’s doesn’t use it.</p>
<p>Some of you expressed the desire to go back to school. Now it’s time for you to write essays for yourself. This week, the AARP Foundation announced a call for entries to its annual nationwide Women’s Scholarship Program. The scholarships will provide funds to women 40+ who are seeking new job skills, training and educational opportunities to support themselves and their families. In 2010, more than $450,000 in educational scholarships was awarded to 200 women nationwide. Interested applicants can submit their application online beginning February 1, 2011 at [Scholarship</a> opportunities for women 40 and older](<a href=“http://www.aarp.org/womensscholarship]Scholarship”>Income Opportunities for Older Adults - AARP Foundation). The application process closes on March 31, 2011. Scholarships will be awarded in early summer 2011.</p>