<p>…you mean it no longer means to throw down my gauntlet, as in to challenge one to a duel? 
</p>
<p>Oh, man, it seems I may need to acquire a whole new vocabulary in the next four years.</p>
<p>Our2g: I agree with you. I have advised my twins that “if it is not in writing, it does not exist.” Back when we threw our gauntlets, a handshake was enough, but no more.</p>
<p>New Issue: For those of you who have sent kids on planes for sleeping bag overnights:</p>
<p>Do sleeping bags fit under seats or should my DS pack himself in a backpack (rather than a rollerbag) so the sleeping bag can go as his larger item?</p>
<p>
If he’s got a talent like that, no wonder he got into those fancy schools! :D</p>
<p>Muse? Freddy Mercury? Love this thread even more! Shhhhh, i’m on a mission to make D13 see that UofM TC and Mt Holyoke make so much more sense, did the spreadsheet and the money part is OBVIOUS! Wish me luck!</p>
<p>laughs</p>
<p>bovertine: Not a problem with DS. Had it been DD, well, she would probably prefer to pack in a Uhaul if it is for an entire weekend. :D</p>
<p>Tx5 a Mimosa might just help - so yes please! While cruising on the SS Indecision and preparing for the UC Davis visit I made the mistake(?) of checking out the safety records of DD13s last two contenders which are UCD and Cal State Long Beach. Many moons ago I declined CSULB because there was a rapist on the loose and my brothers convinced me CSU Fullerton was a safer option even though the commute was much farther. At that time Fullerton had a very open plan campus and CSULB was a mugger’s paradise with all of it’s weird landscaping. I’ve always been cautious so CSUF it was. </p>
<p>Now I’ve been supporting UCD for DD13 for the same reason - thinking it sounds safer. But looking at the Clery Reports of CSULB and UCD I’m shocked! UCD reports 20+ sexual assaults each of the last 3years but CSULB reports something like 2 !???! What am I missing here? I think they are supposed to include the surrounding areas so that’s Sacramento CA for UCD which could make sense, but seriously I’m not buying 2 sexual assaults in the City of Long Beach CA for a whole year! Now I’m not sure where to turn for truthful info on the safety of these two schools. For me, safety is as important as FA, maybe more so. Your thoughts?</p>
<p>Just booked DD13 and DH for a two night stay in New Orleans at a four star hotel for $1000. Not bad. I think I like this new Priceline dot com set up! I also think DH and I need to look into these quick trips more often! DD is deciding between Tulane’s honors college with a 51 ranking overall, but a 105 ranking in biomedical engineering versus U Rochester, 33 ranking overall and a 38 ranking in biomedical engineering. Tulane’s merit aid is stronger, but UR is close in FA, except year 4 when DS12 will be out of college and our FA will be gone. Hmmmm. I think the warm weather, honors college and cheaper overall seem pretty attractive. However, UR is the better school for her major and she loved it. What to do, what to do…Any ideas wise parents?</p>
<p>DDHM- my D had to take a backpack on a plane, and we found one at a sporting goods store that was made with the same kind of Omni Shield that Columbia uses in their outerwear. It was very thin, and didn’t take up more space than a pair of shoes in her suitcase. It was inexpensive, less than $50.</p>
<p>Geogirl - At a glance I’d vote Tulane if only because of the $ as none of us know what our $ will be like in 4 years…and there will probably be grad school. Oh, and the warm weather… So Cal born and raised sooo if I’m right that UR is upstate NY…brrrrr! Not enough $ to get me there, however my DD13 wants some weather…she’s gonna looove Germany…heh, heh, heh.</p>
<p>No advice here, geogirl, as mine is between 2 schools also. At least I think it is down to those 2. She has started letting the coaches at other schools know that she will not be attending there. It’s a little sad; they were very kind to her.</p>
<p>There is only one real drawback to one of the remaining 2 schools - distance from home. Both are great and she will get a fine education at either, so for us it comes down to her preferences.</p>
<p>ree - are you saying that they’re making him move in twice??? Good thing it’s not my D it would be October before she was done…</p>
<p>Lovin’ the music Haystack and SomeOldGuy - sure can use the happy fuzzy-feeling songs right now :)</p>
<p>RobD - I guess it’s flattering that they really want our kids to attend, right?</p>
<p>We aren’t getting caps and gowns yet… but we did get graduation announcements last week. I haven’t been able to look. Guess I’d better in case there’s a mistake {{{opens new box of kleenex}}}</p>
<p>Ooohhh, a new college blog! Where’s my “refresh” key? </p>
<p>tougis - I will check at home tonight, but is it like the “reasons my kid won’t apply” thread?</p>
<p>Tx5 - I want a wall with circles. I’d suggest it to S13’s AP English teacher, but S13 almost certainly does NOT want a wall…</p>
<p>Thanks YDS and DDHM for the language lesson. It’s funny, I consider myself to be fairly articulate in a basic linguistic sense, but can’t speak “teenage” to save my life.</p>
<p>Here’s some luck for mnmom62!!</p>
<p>Good news here - after an hour playing with the NPC, I can safely say that we’re not likely to do a darn thing to improve our financial status in Notre Dame’s eyes. I’m so relieved! (Another thing no-one ever heard out of my mouth before). </p>
<p>No real advice here geogirl, except listen to instinct. If you and she both have the same gut feeling, give that some weight (gut feeling is often the brain working in the background).</p>
<p>Pouncecat: I don’t know how much worth I give the crime statistics. UCLA got a really bad rating early this year in that regard and I wonder if it is just because they are more honest than other schools. But I have a kid at UCLA and I never worry about him and wouldn’t worry if I had a daughter there. A lot of kids from our neighborhood go to Fullerton and my opinion is that it is kind of more of a commuter school, and I think of the two I would prefer Long Beach. But of the three, I would definitely prefer UC Davis. I went on the tour there twice and really liked it. The campus is great and the town is great, and it would be easy to get there and back since it is close to Sacramento (and the airfare would not be bad). I just think Davis would be a more traditional “college experience” and that there is more school spirit. AND, I don’t know about you, but for us, the UC’s financial aid packages were MUCH more generous than the Cal States, and even though the tuition is 50% less, it would be more expensive for my DS to go to a Cal State.</p>
<p>Tx5 Thanks for the input! Someone up thread said go with your gut… I think that’s right. My wallet is screaming CSULB but my gut says UCD. For us CSULB will be zero because she’d commute. UCD is gonna be $12k per year… ouch. I know everybody in the adjoining lounge chairs - especially those with decisions back East want to dump their drinks on me about now for thinking $12k is a lot but compared to zero it is.</p>
<p>Speaking of music, son and I were listening to some favorites last night…contemporary stuff from Mumford and Sons and old stuff from Townes Van Zandt…I’ll miss evenings like that.</p>
<p>It’s goodbye to all my friends
It’s time to go again
Think of all the poetry
And the pickin’ down the line
I’ll miss the system here
The bottom’s low and the treble’s clear
But it don’t pay to think too much
On the things you leave behind
I may be gone but I won’t be long
I’ll be bringing back the melody
And the rhythm that I find</p>
<p>Love my hometown guy, Haystack.</p>
<p>No wall with circles here but even though they have uniforms (bleh) the seniors are allowed to wear their college sweatshirt if they show their admittance to the office and sign a display pennant of their college. DD is calculating that she should be allowed to wear both her I <3 Berlin and UCD shirts. :-)</p>
<p>DDHM, a regular-size sleeping bag in a stuff sack should fit under the seat, no problem. A 1970s sleeping bag with thick padding won’t, though. Hope your DS has a good time at CPW (what does that stand for, “BTW”?).</p>
<p>Geogirl, does weather matter to your DD? Seems like a major diff between the two…</p>
<p>PounceCat, what about a self-defense class for your DD? I’ve heard they make a difference in a student’s safety.</p>
<p>Count me as a Freddie Mercury fan. And I was introduced to him by DS13…who knows what I was doing when I was growing up in the 80s…but it wasn’t listening to any contemporary music. :)</p>
<p>DDHM I’m going to bring a carryon and a backpack I think. I’ll put the sleeping bag in the carry on with whatever clothes fit and then the rest in the backpack. 
I’m really looking forward to it!</p>
<p>CPW stands for Campus Preview Weekend</p>
<p>Thank you all for your feed back on DD13’s choice. I think weather is a factor and I think the other factor is that she wants to be an engineer, but not an engineer who goes to college and never sees the light of day. The “go in a closet and don’t come out for 4 years” engineering model is not attractive to her. She is smart, she is capable and she is willing to work hard. However, I think she’d like to have some time for the “college experience”. Not that Tulane is easy, it is not, but they seem to have a good balance between life and work. She will find out more this weekend. Maybe engineers at Tulane doen’t get to come out and play either. :(</p>
<p>Unic: Good idea. DS13 may need to do this. He is bringing my camouflage green camping sleeping bag* which may predate the 70s, but that padding will come in handy on a floor. Don’t forget a little pillow too. </p>
<p>*The alternative would be to bring his Dtwins’ (DD13)'s Hello Kitty Preschool interior slumber party sleeping bag from ~1997. Probably not the best choice for making new friends, although it would be a conversation starter. :D</p>
<p>EastGrad: Are you telling me you never heard “We are the Champions” or any of their other songs in the 80s? How could anyone have escaped that?</p>