<p>Congratulations on all the continuing admissions and money! I hope to be sending one of those emails soon, but it is hard to keep waiting, knowing nothing, and tracking the huge early admissions/decisions stats on each of our schools (for which we applied RD). I do not understand how this system has gotten into such a mess - it’s like being in an endless holding pattern over an airport, trying to land in an ever-decreasing number of gates. I saw that last year, Chicago admitted more students early admission than it had total spaces for, and read that last year, when they adopted the Common Application and commenced a very clever and pursuasive advertising campaign, total applications increased by over 40% from the year before. I guess that we are lucky that this year applications increased by only 11.8% from last year. </p>
<p>At least spring is starting to show up here, which helps keep things in perspective. The daffodils’ leaves are out, and the first four foals to be born at a nearby Thoroughbred farm are in a pasture with their dams, trying to figure out how to work their impossibly long, delicate and wobbly legs. Each year, it’s hard to believe that in just days they will suddenly figure out how to jump, buck, and fly like the wind.</p>
<p>just got off the phone with h= very upsetting news- you know how I have been saying that the admin people have been saying any day now for where and when we are moving. Well that just changed to maybe mid April, maybe late April, maybe beginning May. Again, this is with a move in June. I am so upset- we can’t make any plans for anything. H has decided that we will sign up and pay deposits and possibly full payment for youngest’s summer program because we don’t think it is fair to her. I will be checking out cancellation policies. I really, really want us to know before April 30th. How easy or not it is to travel to a school can be an important consideration. What school or programs youngest is in next year is all up in the air too.</p>
<p>How lovely is that? That is a wonderful distraction to all this college app stuff.</p>
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<p>S must have received at least 20 postcards, letters and brochures from them. he had no interest in the school but they were very persistent, no wonder their apps were up.</p>
<p>Military Mom: I’m sure it’s no consolation, but thank you for your husband’s service. Being a career military family is not easy and I’m sure it’s become more difficult in the past few years. </p>
<p>Hang in there. And feel free to vent all you want here.</p>
<p>MilitaryMom- how frustrating, especially if you are the planning type (and it sounds like you are). Fingers crossed it works out.
D is fully in senioritis- but a fair amount of blame can be allocated to the school. They did not have classes for her, but are requiring her to be on campus. So she signed up for 3 (and as of last Friday) now 2, online classes. However, they are putting her in lower class study halls where she can get little done, or placing her in class with her classmates for classes she is not taking (again with little chance to get anything done at school). When she gets home she is totally not motivated either; after wasting the day at school the last thing she wants to do is buckle down and concentrate. The only bright spots are two former teachers. One offered to let her sit with her two days a week in the teacher’s lounge for an “independent study” for a few weeks. The other teacher is having her TA a 9th grade class, which D is loving. Of course the GC is threatening the pull her from the TAing because D is behind in her online classes and making the school look bad. Sigh. It is going to be a long 3 months.</p>
<p>MilitaryMom, how frustrating for you! I hope you find out much sooner than they’re saying. And like olderwisermom did, I want to say “Thank you” for the sacrifices you and your family make for our country. [hug]</p>
<p>MilitaryMom - This country is so lucky to have citizens like you and your family, whose members voluntarily serve, and who receive so little in return. My parents moved 21 times in their first 21 years of marriage (part military, part Federal government), but at least we were all young through the worst of it. Surely on things like cancellations of summer programs, the programs would make an exception for you. I assume that there are no flight benefits that enable military families’ members to visit each other? That should not surprise me, but it does.</p>
<p>I will have to check out the cancellation process. I have already looked at all flight schedules and figuring out which program is the best suited and the easiest for my youngest to get to. I don’t mind a 14.5 yo flying in this country alone but I can’t have her flying alone from overseas, especially since it would mean she would have to go through customs alone and changing planes since she would need to fly into San Jose CA airport to be picked up by the program. </p>
<p>Yes, I am a planner. Probably partly due to natural inclinations and also due to my parent;s early deaths (my dad died when I was 13 and my mom when I was 23), I just hate uncertainty. Obviously, with h being in the military for 24 years (and we have been married 25 so I have always been there too), we are used to change. Change isn’t the problem- not knowing is. This will end up being our shortest notice move ever so yes, it is stressful.</p>
<p>Hey guys, don’t have much time to read today or post but I wanted to bring to your attention something I just saw on the NYTimes The Choice blog – a blog devoted to college admissions. Some kid who is a freshman at Hamilton has just created a website with the intention of helping kids choose their college. It allows you to set up a chart naming all your schools and then grade what features matter most to you, ie. cost, athletic program, food – whatever attributes you choose to rate. This could be a terrific tool at both ends of the process: in the beginning, for which schools stay on your list of applications; and in the end, after you’ve been admitted and are trying to weigh which school’s offer to accept.</p>
<p>MM: can’t imagine compounding the college uncertainty w/ the move uncertainty. Gives me lots of perspective. After reading your posts through these pages, you strike me as a real “can-do” personality. If anyone can manage this situation well, you more than seem the type. Still, it’s a big, complicated undertaking, particularly w/ late news. like the other posters here, you have my gratitude and my admiration.</p>
<p>MilMom, I’ve meant to say this before, but today it seems especially essential to tell you how much I appreciate your husband’s and family’s service and sacrifices. I’m so sorry your whole life is in turmoil because of the uncertainty of your move. I’m praying for unexpectedly early and good news for you, on all counts!</p>
<p>Any WashU hopefuls here? Apparently, today may be the day for decisions! </p>
<p>My company is having an outing April 16. The rsvp date is April 1. My thoughts at seeing the invite: “please, oh please, let my D be at some accepted student event on April 16” and “april 1 is going to be interesting!” So sad to frame things by the decisions calendar.</p>
<p>MilitaryMom- my D went through customs alone (her first overseas flights ever) this fall. When she came back to the US she got put in a special line and then moved to the front for processing as an unaccompanied minor. She got better treatment at JFK on her own than when the two of us did it a few months later. I of course have no idea about your 14 year old, just sharing what my inexperienced traveller found- she was 17 at the time which is also a bit different. Good luck.</p>
<p>thankyou! H is hounding S to do something like this. I know S has it all figured out in his head, but H wants it on paper. This is a start and not so overwhelming for S.</p>