<p>Congrats, minnymom!!</p>
<p>Thanks for the well wishes. I will coach in the same district that I have taught.</p>
<p>Eyeamom, thanks for the feedback on HighPoint. Your thoughts seem to coincide with others. Flights to Greensboro are very expensive so I think we may be able to safely take this one off our list.</p>
<p>Incadinca - welcome here! For adding schools, Lehigh makes sense as would Bucknell. I can understand Pitt from a merit aid perspective, but Penn St is really considered the engineering powerhouse in the state. Pitt is better known for everything medical (so better if wanting BME). Rochester makes sense - you could compare two there - RIT and U Of Rochester. They are close to each other, but very different. Have you considered Drexel? It’s VERY urban, but some students like it.</p>
<p>Minnymom - congrats! I’m still undecided whether I want to leave school after next year when youngest graduates or not, and if so, what next…</p>
<p>My guy is definitely applying to Eckerd and probably applying to Palm Beach Atlantic, FIT, Nova Southeastern, Coastal Carolina, University of Hawaii and maybe University of Miami - the last we go back and forth on because it would be a reach school for him and we’re unsure how much his strength in all things flora & fauna would hold up against the vast number of pre-meds there (plus, he doesn’t want a pre-med focus in Bio classes).</p>
<p>We still need to visit all of them. The Florida schools and perhaps Coastal Carolina will be this fall. The Hawaii schools will be next spring if financially affordable.</p>
<p>Congrats Minnymom! Sounds like a great time to start a transition to a new career. I’ve owned my own business for 14 years, wow that’s a long time. I haven’t interviewed for a job since the first few out of college. Now I’m on the other end interviewing and it isn’t fun for either side. However, it’s not a job or even a career, it’s just woven into the fabric of our family. Hubby and I run it, kids work for me over the summer. I have 20 employees and I’m never really off. We’ve toyed with selling one day. </p>
<p>We recently added a new school that looks great online and on paper for d but I don’t know anyone who knows anything about it - Ithaca College. </p>
<p>Creek - I know I need a vacation when I read your list and I just sigh. lol</p>
<p>^^^ It should be a nice perk HAVING to visit FL in the fall and HI in the winter. 
Both in the winter would be nicer, but wouldn’t be helpful at screening schools for applications.</p>
<p>Creekland, thanks for the response. I hear hat you are saying about Pitt, and it is on the list solely for merit aid. My son is leaning toward mechanical engineering so maybe it’s not a good fit. The high OOS tuition and lack of merit eliminates Penn St. Have in-laws in Philly so am familiar with Drexel, which is just too urban for him. Definitely think we will add Rochester to the list as he is into music as well. Thanks again.</p>
<p>tpcrd - glad you took my comments okay. After I wrote it I’m thinking, people love that school, who am i to say what is and isn’t okay? Just telling you my perspective. But there are so many schools, only so many you can visit, if you’re borderline it could save you time.</p>
<p>Thanks @moonmaid for the info on Tulane! My D is definitely interested, and it looks like one of those schools that really values prospective students showing a lot of interest in the school. We will have to fit a trip in to visit at some point. Never a bad reason to visit New Orleans! That one might be a weekend trip on it’s own - hopefully we can use some frequent flyer miles for that one.</p>
<p>Question for you: My D is really big on going to a school with big school spirit. Sounds like you are pretty familiar with a bunch of schools - how would you rank Tulane on the “school spirit” spectrum? Do most kids go to lots of games? I assume basketball is big - is football as well?</p>
<p>Congrats Minnymom, but we hate to lose you from the classroom :(</p>
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<p>Congratulations to Minnymom on the new job!</p>
<p>Yes Glido- it is unfortunate that students are the casualty when effective teachers leave the classroom to do other things. I know that my ability to teach has been improved through the coaching and leadership of other former classroom teachers, so I can only hope my coaching will ultimately benefit students.</p>
<p>Hello everyone, NatureChild is a member of HS Class of 2014.</p>
<p>Today we will take DS14 to a 5 day Summer Engineering Seminar at Santa Clara University. It is designed for HS students who have math aptitude but little exposure to Engineering. DS11 is a 3rd year MechEng major- always knew that was his field of interest. But younger brother is undecided. We hope this week will help him to clarify whether engineering is also his path… Or not. Most universities require engineering majors to declare when they apply, and 4 year graduation is contingent upon following course plan starting freshman year. So DS14 is feeling some pressure to decide. Regardless, I think he will have a blast this week.</p>
<p>Minny - it’s much easier to start engineering and change your mind to do something else than the other way around. My son started as engineering last fall and the very first class made him realize it wasn’t what he thought. It really didn’t hurt him in the slightest - except his career prospects ;)</p>
<p>Welcome nature7 and NatureChild! Hope your family’s college search is progressing well!</p>
<p>student4ever:) - Many thanks !</p>
<p>Getting a taste of Fall 2014 this week. D14 is at a pre-college program, and I’ve gotten texts about weight gain, cliques,group projects (and how much they stink…), dorm room temperature, etc. Yep, good introduction to college life!</p>
<p>Welcome aboard to our new posters! Glad to have eveyone along for the crazy ride over the the next 9 months! Feel free to ask any questions. We are all here to learn and help one another. As they say, this is not your father’s college admission process. Everything has changed!</p>
<p>Our European adventure has come to a close and it’s great to be back home, although I will sorely miss the fabulous wine and cheese. And I lost 7 pounds - woo hoo! That’s what happens when you walk miles and miles on a daily basis. </p>
<p>The month-long study abroad program was a fantastic experience for Spygirl. She not only improved her french, but she earned college credits and experienced the good, the bad & the ugly of college life for 4 weeks. </p>
<p>She is now even more confident about leaving home next year and I believe the transition will be far easier, especially after having to shop, do laundry, find restaurants and learn to ride the metro in a foreign country. She was the youngest in the program but is outgoing and now has friends across the world.</p>
<p>The downside is that so little of summer is left and those college apps are looming, as well as summer reading. Meanwhile, Spyboy has two novels and a thick packet of math to complete before he begins high school in September. </p>
<p>I see that the Captain is outfitting our ship for Thursday’s voyage. So glad I made it back in time to set sail :)</p>