<p>While I am jealous of WDW trip (its about to get cold here), I am much more jealous of the nine days of no college discussion…know that wont be the case as relatives descend albiet loving and interested to ALL give their opinion on what should, could, would be if my kids live at their house etc…ugh! Won’t be mean spirited just endless cause these are the oldest of the 14 grandchildren and lots of teens and tweens so everyone has interest and opinions…we are the only ones tired of it all right now😀</p>
<p>ugadog, we are just going to miss you. We fly to Orlando for a little WDW on the first. The day before S’s UChicago app is due. He is stressing over the essays as he heard that they are a big factor in the decision.</p>
<p>Congratulations to Parraziman and Viewer.</p>
<p>Thanks David1126 for that link. Funny how everything you think you know can go out the window for a little bit. There I was, just as outraged as anyone on the decision threads “how dare they?” lol. I’m better now.</p>
<p>DDHM, I will dance in Walker’s basement.</p>
<p>Congrats, perazziman!</p>
<p>my3gr8boyz - definitely this is where we can be ourselves. I can’t tell you guys how often I’m thankful that I have somewhere to be honest about how I’m feeling without worrying that it comes off as bragging or whining or whatever. Besides, you didn’t sound rude at all. I think “buyer’s fear” is fairly normal, it just usually comes in the spring. I seem to remember seeing some of that in other threads when I was lurking last spring. </p>
<p>Have fun, ugadog!</p>
<p>Super congrats Viewer!</p>
<p>S13 has 3 exams today (not finals, those are in January) and is now worried about mid-term grades (now???) so he’s stressed. He only has 2 B’s but he’s never had that many! Tonight is the last band Christmas concert. I have my tissues ready lol.</p>
<p>Yesterday they announced the music tour, which is about 3-4 days on the road performing and learning at a couple of colleges, a couple of high schools and at least one professional performance. This year is orchestra’s turn but they are planning on taking a full wind orchestra. The problem is, 7 kids from our school are in a youth orchestra that has 4 concerts a year, one of which is during the dates they picked for the tour. All 7 are principal or first chair at their respective positions so it’s a pretty big issue (First violin, viola, cello, french horn, flute, trombone, percussion). I guess they are trying to change the dates of the tour and I hope it works because I don’t want him to have to choose. This year they are going to St. Louis and working with the UIUC music director, among other things. I hope he gets to go.</p>
<p>Re: Duke. When S2 was little he always said that he was going to Duke because they had a lemur research center. He wanted to live with the lemurs and was so disappointed when he found out that he’d have to live in a dorm like everyone else! </p>
<p>Our family decided to go to New Orleans for a few days next week. As a pastor, I have to work on Christmas eve (6 services), but then we head out on Christmas day. Our family loves NOLA - kind of a WDW for grown-ups. S2 likes the zoo (lemurs!) and the jazz. Me? Give me Pat O’Briens on a busy night! I’ll have a huricane for all y’all.</p>
<p>Congratulations, perazziman, L-Dog and Viewer!</p>
<p>Moonpie, I’ve only seen a bottle tree in a movie, so it would have been fun to see the parade!</p>
<p>my3gr8boyz, college is such a big decision, your S wants to make sure he’s got it right! I think that lacrossemom had a good suggestion, that admitted days might help. Also, my S found that when he got on the FB page for the 2016’s at his college, he knew right away that he would fit right in and have a great 4 years!</p>
<p>Galaxy - don’t stress too much about the essays for UChicago, I know they are important, but you never know what an adcom is looking for. I have reread DS’s essays for UChicago a bunch of times and every time I convinced myself to prepare for deferral. And all of my anxiety and stress didn’t matter and was a complete waste of time. He got in and I am beyond happy for him. Do I know where he is going to attend in the fall…absolutely not. But I do know that being accepted there meant more to him than any other school. I hated the fact that it would mess with his self-esteem if he didn’t. He very pleasantly surprised me with his only facebook response to his acceptance: “I don’t acknowledge this enough, but I am very blessed.” All of our kids will end up in the best place for them because they have people who love and support them and that is why this thread exists! I wish all of you and your families many blessings along this ridiculously emotional, crazy road from high school senior to the next step whatever and wherever it ends up taking them. :)</p>
<p>Fredderic-I’m thinking I may have missed your post, but a belated and hearfelt congrats!
Perrazi-how awesome, congrats!
Viewer-wow, Harvard bound! Yipee!</p>
<p>WDW trip sounds nice…can I come along? On the other hand, NOLA sounds pretty good, too. Is it just me, or do the words “pastor” and “pat o’briens” seem incongrous?
Now, “priest” and “pat o’briens” I can definitely envision for some reason!</p>
<p>Mommaof5—what a nice sentiment…love your son’s attitude!</p>
<p>kelijake - there’s a reason this pastor has to go to NOLA for a little nip! Anonimity is a wonderful thing. :)</p>
<p>Amen to that!^^^:)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Thank you. That is exactly what I was telling my son in the morning. He is so excited about the A&M approval, that he does not seem to want to apply to any other schools. The app deadlines for the rest of the schools is ~ Dec 31, so he has to move now or it will be too late. In addition to dropping out, one has to watch out for merit scholarships drying up, that are contingent on maintaining a high gpa. At A&M, for example, most of the scholarships require a 3.5, which is not easy to maintain in engineering, in my opinion.</p>
<p>Has your son picked a dorm at A&M?</p>
<p>perazzi, he’s applied to the honors college and is hoping to live in those dorms. But, truthfully, now that he’s in at G’town, his dream school for as long as he’s known about college, I can’t imagine him going to A&M. Still, you never know …</p>
<p>Congratulations to the young men and women in the families of dadotwoboys, wherenext, mommaof5, Kelowna and fredricksdottir! To the latter, 2 UChicago tuitions!!! OMG! </p>
<p>Congratulation to the Dragonflygarden and Viewer families! Princeton and Harvard! Wow! I admire the kids who even have the nerve to apply.</p>
<p>Laurendog, the thought of San Diego State is heavenly at this time of year. Hope your SD is very happy!</p>
<p>Perazziman and Our2girls, Texas A & M and Loyola sound great, too! </p>
<p>Ahsmuoh, Butler is a short distance from my workplace so if you need Butler gear for the holidays, pm me! </p>
<p>Congratulations, all! And know that you are on the ball, where ever your student stands at this point. The college guidance counselor at my school told me that she was very disturbed to see that only 47% of our seniors have even applied to college so far! At least our kids are on their way!</p>
<p>My D1 is a mechanical engineering major, 3rd year at UVA, and LOVES it. She had many great choices, some at much “higher” ranked engineering schools but she truly went for fit and in the end her heart knew UVA was THE place for her and she’s happy as can be which I think is in the end what truly matters. Heck even in-state here in VA, VA Tech is known more for engineering but she knew that just wasn’t where she wanted to be and didn’t even apply, and she’s always been very heavily a math/science kid so I was surprised she was really seaking out the whole experience but she’s really found the right balance for her.</p>
<p>When they end up at the right place for them they can excel best, whereas if they go solely based on rankings or perceived prestige they run the risk of washing out or not flourishing and may not be able to take advantage of that program. </p>
<p>The great news just keeps coming in - congrats again to all!! And I know how deferrals and redirections sting and know we’ll likely deal with a few of those again now with D2 but they really do end up where they are meant to be, and that also isn’t always at the school they start out at and that’s ok too :)</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! Never thought we’d have any buyer’s remorse here! It’s funny how I thought just getting the decision was the thing to worry about. Then there is the money to worry about… currently there is no aid even with husband’s job loss. I have to trust that it will work out on that front… then there’s the tennis that is perhaps not as “try-out free” as we had hoped, but that is looking better… Now there’s this… Did my son’s lack of research lead him to believe that top universities are the top in every field, every major? Did I mislead him? If we had tried to find the absolute best school in his specific branch of engineering, possibilty of dual major in 4 years, (not 4.5 or 5), location, tennis, atmosphere on campus, liberal arts school available… well, that school doesn’t exist! </p>
<p>I think because of my dad’s recent passing (in 3 minutes it will be exactly one week), I have been thinking about him and his alma mater, Cornell, and sentimentally wishing DS has applied… These are heart thoughts, not head thoughts, and I 100% know that my dad would want my son to be happiest. Heck, my dad didn’t even think Cornell was that great a school back when he went!! :D</p>
<p>OK… I will stop whining now (even tho I hear it is OK to do that on this thread! ) </p>
<p>Shilly - Thanks for mentioning UVA. Her situation sounds very similar, even down to VTech being higher ranked for engineering. I’m so glad she is so happy there! I LOVE to hear of kids who are just thrilled to be where they are!!</p>
<p>my3gr8 - for what it’s worth, some of your list o’ questions sound like things I’ve been thinking to myself since getting really started with this college search - What if I had known about safeties? What if I had done research based on specific majors? Did I go to the best college lo, these many years ago? It’s interesting to speculate, and human nature to ask. My point is, everyone will have the “wonder-ifs” at some point, but that doesn’t change the rightness of the decision. </p>
<p>Besides, S13’s friends that graduated last year who aren’t thrilled at school all have exactly the same complaint, and only one complaint: roommate problems. And no amount of research can help that!</p>
<p>my3gr8boyz – each kid gets a bit of cold feet and doubt because the peer influences are so great. My D loved a certain liberal arts school but turned on it when others told her “she can get in somewhere better.” It made me very sad that years of good teaching, if you will, as well as her own good instincts were chilled by a flippant, ignorant remark. All of this does dissipate or so I hope. For my D, she’s now been accepted to where fun goes to die (UChi) and hopefully she will drown out all the noise, including what she may read on CC, and enjoy the acceptance and the awesome 4 years to come.</p>
<p>@Walker - MyLB invited me to your basement to drink and dance. OK? I haven’t heard anything yet and am going crazy!</p>
<p>Welcome, ConfusedMominMA! Walker’s basement is always open :D.</p>
<p>Congrats on all the wonderful acceptances! My DS received his first acceptance today…he just doesn’t know it cause the big red envelope is sitting next to me and he isn’t here! [: So happy to finally know he is going to college! But the big decisions that DS is waiting for won’t come until end of March.</p>
<p>FWIW My DD loves her university and you couldn’t convince her there is a better one in the whole world even if you showed her years of US News rankings!!! The greatest college is the one where your child is the happiest!!! That makes it #1 in my book!!</p>