<p>I’m not sure how the AP teacher got a hold of it, but after the exams were over and before the end of the year she had the kids write one of the prompts and worked on it with them. So I guess d is ahead of the game with that essay written. However, only 2 out of 8 of her schools are common app. </p>
<p>It seems this summer I’m spending tons of time (and money) feeding all the kids. My son was a big eater, so when he left the bill dropped in half. Now he’s back, usually the girlfriend in tow, and generally other friends are popping in and out.</p>
<p>D now also has a boyfriend who seems to make it to the dinner table many nights a week as well. I’m happy to have them, and it’s forcing me to actually plan dinner. The worst is the waffling on whether they will or won’t be around for dinner, and how many will be with them.</p>
<p>The common app essays were released months ago, so the AP teacher probably got them then. DS has had them, but of course has done nothing. But we did agree that he would get until July 1 off, and then we’ve been in Boston since then. </p>
<p>We are having a sit down on Friday to go over apps and such so hopefully there will be some progress.</p>
<p>I’m very familiar with Kettering. I know a lot of people who went there (including my boss) and have friends with kids there now. It is primarily an engineering school but also has management programs. It is a unique set up because they go to school for a term, then work a co-op job for a term and alternate that way until they graduate. As such, a lot of them graduate debt free because the co-op jobs plus financial aid can take care of the whole bill. Sometimes they can get co-op jobs near their homes and can live at home. Some co-ops help pay for housing costs, etc. </p>
<p>As such, there are two separate sessions- A session and B session. While A session is in class, B session is in co-op and then they switch. The program ends up being 4.5- 5 years for all students, but they have real job experience when they graduate and can often get hired by the company where they did their co-op. It used to be called GMI (General Motors Institute). Back then, co-ops were almost all with GM but now it can be anywhere- in state, out of state- all over the place. </p>
<p>I think it is fairly competitive for admissions, but not as competitive as some others. Almost all kids graduate with a job in their pocket already and very little debt. That’s huge.</p>
<p>We’re on day 2 of our East Coast College-apoloosa. Yesterday-Columbia and today it was Princeton and Penn. Tomorrow will be a day off for sight-seeing in Philly and maybe the John Mayer concert and fireworks over the Art Museum. Last night it was a Broadway show. So far, so good.</p>
<p>Mrspepper–sorry you are experiencing such uncomfortable and unpredictable weather on East Coast college-apoloosa! We toured three schools in Boston last week during the oppressive humidity, but it sounds as though you are doing a better job of remaining chipper!</p>
<p>We were in Philly in April and I had forgotten how much that city has to offer. Hadn’t been down there in more than twenty years. Love the walk to the Art Museum. Hope the rest of your trip is as fun.</p>
<p>^^ I’d hate to see what you think is ‘bad’! You’re from NYC, right? I think we are always more critical of what we are familiar with. </p>
<p>I used to live in Rochester. The city is kind of sketchy but URochester has a nice campus. I really like the Medical Centre. It’s very close by and inside, research is connected straight to Strong. They have a strong neuro program but they are also good in different areas, if an individual decides to change his mind. Weatherwise: I actually have, however, moved to a place that is far colder/grey-er/snowier than Roc, so its’ weather is relative. </p>
<p>Rochester as a city is very, very sketchy. It has some nice cultural events: Lilac Festival, Jazz Festival etc. The memorial art gallery is quite good too. URoch has a nice mix of students. I think one can party but also be really studious. I know people in Roch’s REMS program and they really enjoy it. </p>
<p>Congrats to you and your son re: his wedding, Creekland. That must’ve been incredibly exciting. </p>
<p>I have to talk to my parents more about my strategy. I think they want me to go reachy in the states and have Canadian safeties. I prefer the liberal arts model - though a LAC would be not a good option because I’m advanced in subjects but Canada is far cheaper. Plus, I could get started on my career faster and be an autodidact. Too many interests, too little time.</p>
<p>Columbia is interesting but I am somewhat scared by the core. I know very little on visual and musical arts (core courses). At the same time, learning about them would probably make me more cultured…</p>
<p>^ If you look at Columbia- take a hard look at the housing and dining situations.
Some of the dorms are in quite disrepair. While we were there I overheard 2 young ladies lamenting how their ceiling had fallen in and not been repaired. </p>
<p>Other than that–Columbia has a lot to offer because it is in NYC
We looked at the engineering school which also requires the great books core etc. The only difference seemed to be the engineering students didn’t have to learn to swim/pass a swim test to graduate</p>
<p>That’s a shame, but it’s hardly something I’d give much weight in choosing a school, unless it was really an “all other things being equal” situation. To me that’s just a thing you deal with, if the school is otherwise your best fit, unless for some reason the student is particularly sensitive to their living environment. (I would consider things like freshmen being housed in quads or forced triples which I think can more significantly impact the quality of life and ability to study, depending on what other spaces are available to the students outside their own rooms.)</p>
<p>Not to belittle those who do care about those things. Just saying that I and my kids wouldn’t care much about the dorm being in disrepair, as long as the wifi worked :)</p>
<p>Waiting for the parade in Philadelphia. Lots of police presence. The city has beautiful architecture and lots to see but I am dismayed and struck by the amount of litter! It is much worse than NYC and I have witnessed people just dropping their trash on the ground even in the historic areas and in front of hotels around city hall. It seems so odd and sort of barbaric. We drove through Drexel’s campus and the amount of litter was appalling.</p>
<p>I wonder if you’re seeing an anomalous amount of litter due to the long weekend. When we visited Drexel, the campus struck me as quite clean and nice.</p>
<p>Nice graphics, AvonHSDad! Puts me in the patriotic spirit.</p>
<p>Got a call from D yesterday – she hurt her foot (couldn’t put any weight on it) so I had to scramble to find a podiatrist where she is in VA. Boy, people are nice down there! None of the NYer attitude of “don’t you realize tomorrow’s a holiday?” They saw her right away – took some x-rays – turns out it’s a stress fracture and she has to wear a boot! Which throws off her whole outfit. :(</p>
<p>S is out at the beach with friends. Thank God it finally stopped raining!</p>
<p>Here’s hoping everyone has a joyous Fourth.</p>
<p>I’ve been in the hospital since Monday but the doctor has written the discharge order so I’m going home today. That gives a new meaning to Independence Day. We’re visiting Oberlin tomorrow.</p>
<p>Sorry about the hospital stay, BarnardMom. Hope all is well and you have a great visit to Oberlin. Thought about that one for D14, but she wants more urban.</p>
<p>Mrspepper the trash thing sounds appalling! I don’t understand that about people at all.</p>
<p>One thing I notice on campuses is cigarette butts…
Neither of my kids smoke and neither of them have friends that smoke.
So it was something we noticed–Somehow thought college age kids didn’t do anymore and that the disgusting habit was passe with not only the knowledge of its health risks, yet also the smell etc.</p>
<p>Same here. A generation or so ago youngsters smoking supposedly made them look older and sophisticated. Nowadays when I see it all I can think of is young and dumb. I can understand older folks who smoke esp when they got hooked before the current knowledge/studies. I just can’t see how anyone smart enough to go to college can choose to smoke today - the health issues, the smell, the cost, etc.</p>
<p>Class of 2015 - hope your D’s foot heals quickly!</p>
<p>Thanks Creekland! She went to a party in Georgetown and she said the boot was a real conversation starter. She might not want to take it off. :)</p>