<p>Congrats Kelowna and S! Whoever asked about the ‘hook’…that might be too revealing but kids that get the Robertson tend to have amazing ECs in the community service area. Our D’10 was like that but early on S’13 chose not to go down that path because he was too busy with other things (and realized he would be in college as well. He would have been more of an AB Duke kind of guy.) I think those that get the Robertson, (and awards at similar programs at other colleges) as well as the coca cola scholars etc. are amazing human beings!</p>
<p>An ‘update’ from CPW earlier today in the form of a very brief phone call. “I’m taking the shuttle back to my frat…” (?)</p>
<p>A decision has been made! S13 will be a Cardinal at C U A in DC. He made his final decision at Odyssey Day yesterday listening to all the talk about Capital Hill internships AND they are covering his tuition for the next 4 years, we pay room, board, fee’s, etc… So happy, so proud, so relieved!!! I almost cried in the FA Directors office. </p>
<p>Congrats to Lizzie T, Octoberdana & Kelowna. </p>
<p>Kelbee - great party ideas.</p>
<p>Swizzle13 - love your enthusiasm!</p>
<p>SameOldGuy - Love the Talking Heads & how well that goes with GoNards! ;)</p>
<p>Critter/CPW: There are over a 1000 pre-frosh on campus, so many are being hosted across the river in the frat houses. They aren’t being pledged, just housed. There are multiple M I T shuttles, one circles around the very long but skinny campus, two others drive around from the Lobby 7 area and then around two different frat circuits so the kids can safely get home, even at 2 am after doing this type of activity:</p>
<p>FIREHOSE: Make ANYTHING out of Duct Tape
11:00pm to 3:00am
Building 24, 6th Floor
Student Organization Event</p>
<p>A fedora, or a wormhole, or six-foot-tall model of the great dome… anything! Last year’s prefrosh made a beaver with a woven MIT cape and rose in its mouth…</p>
<p>Carimama: Sorry I wasn’t awake at 3:05 am to answer your question. Should I ask why YOU were awake at 3:05 am asking questions? :D</p>
<p>Kat - congrats on the decision being made! Relieved?</p>
<p>About a hook - I don’t think he had one for Robertson. Actually, when he got back he made a comment that he is probably not getting it because almost everybody else he has met there had started a non profit And he really does not have any extraordinary volunteering past. Maybe it was his entrepreneurial spirit? As soon as DS got to Duke he was introduced to members of Entrepreneurial Society (admission by application, apparently there is like a 30% admit rate, I am kidding you not )</p>
<p>Insomnia, DDHM. LOL!! I went to meet a fellow cc’er who was in town & it ran rather late (but well worth it). After that, it took a but for me to fall asleep. </p>
<p>The tumblr is nice!! The giant Tetris game was pretty awesome. And the sets game they were playing in another pic is one of my favorite games! </p>
<p>Congrats, Kat2013! Love to hear about how happy you are :)</p>
<p>Love the song selection, SomeOldGuy! Not so much what’s coming :(</p>
<p>It’s really hard not to pester S13 about where he’s at in the decision. Good thing I won’t be home tomorrow (gotta go move grandma - again - due to uncle changing his mind and ending his “turn” early <sigh>). Like I need this now??? Of course, it’s not about me, I just want to treat it that way and stamp my feet and whine a little.</sigh></p>
<p>Been absent for a while…wanted to just think about my son as a senior and not worry about college or the financial aid (which hasn’t been done yet )… In the mail today, DS got a $3k scholarship from the college of engineering. He’s really happy because only four incoming freshmen get this scholarship. It’s renewable as long as he keeps a 3.0…Now off to get tux rental for the prom next Saturday…34 days till graduation!</p>
<p>Congratulations to the Kat and Kelowna’s sons! Wow! The CC Class of 2013 is raking in the $ and opportunities. Congratulations on the great offers, parents, especially those with younger kids and more tuitions to pay for. And thanks for sharing the numbers. I’m very happy with my D’s offer but she was disappointed not to get an interview for the Robertson. Seriously! 32 out of 35,000! Are you kidding me! I’m proud of my D but she is not at that level.</p>
<p>Kelowna et al- I would be surprised if any student went for one of those interviews for big scholarship opportunities and walked out thinking that they got it! My son was so shaken up that he was incoherent when we talked to him. It was heartbreaking at the time! He was very convinced that he didn’t have a chance! One of the difficulties with such an experience (which we hadn’t even considered beforehand) is that if they aren’t offered the scholarship they are embarrassed and don’t want to choose that school because the kids that did get it will be there and they will “know.” I know it’s stupid but that’s how my son felt and I can understand where he’s coming from. One bad scenario is if a kid was ED and is bound to that school and then doesn’t get the scholarship. It’s all a very emotional ride!</p>
<p>^^Interesting, never thought about it this way, because for us Duke is not affordable without this scholarship.</p>
<p>About the experience - like I wrote earlier, what the kids going through all of this learn is priceless! Even for my DS, who is a natural speaker and usually has no problems articulating what is on his mind this whole college application process has been a HUGE learning opportunity. He has been interviewed by so many great minds, great people.
But now when I think about it, I do not recall that he was ever interviewed for Duke…</p>
<p>Interviews and speaking abilities: One thing I learned is that being interviewed for college (and having to talk about one’s assets) is very different from comfort in public speaking. DS is completely comfortable speaking extemporaneously about how they build robots in front of 200 engineers or asking for sponsorship to a roomful of corporate execs or selling a STEM program to an arena of over 1000 high school students. However, I should have spent some time having him practice how to promote himself in an interview. He wasn’t used to (and doesn’t particularly like to be) talking about himself and what he can do and has done. (Advice to anyone still with kids in the college app pipeline!)</p>
<p>Same said DS is still in communications blackout with us, but Carimama just pointed out to me that he has been posting photos on the CPW flickr account. Yeah for the internet’s ability to provide evidence that DS is alive and well.</p>
<p>Good afternoon! I am a little late for my SS Indecision shift. The place is a mess with all the empty champagne bottles from Kelowna’s party. Anybody need any Alka Seltzer? Otherwise today’s special is a Blueberry Pomegranate Margarita with plenty of anti-oxidants! Also there is a yoga class on the Lido Deck.</p>
<p>If anybody went to the UCLA Admitted Students Day, S2 was giving tours of the Hall of Fame.</p>
And he really does not have any extraordinary volunteering past. Maybe it was his entrepreneurial spirit? As soon as DS got to Duke he was introduced to members of Entrepreneurial Society (admission by application, apparently there is like a 30% admit rate, I am kidding you not 
)</p>
)… In the mail today, DS got a $3k scholarship from the college of engineering. He’s really happy because only four incoming freshmen get this scholarship. It’s renewable as long as he keeps a 3.0…Now off to get tux rental for the prom next Saturday…34 days till graduation!</p>