Parents of the HS Class of 2014

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
10561

<p>There definitely used to be more activity on individual college pages. I’m kind of floored by how quiet they are. Do kids just tweet these days?</p>

<p>You’re going to get so many different opinions about the cheaper close school vs. the dream more expensive school. In my opinion, it’s a family’s decision about what really is best for all of them. If you can afford the dream school, great. If you really can’t do it, then stick with local. Which has the better program for the perspective major? Where are there better internship opportunities? </p>

10562

<p>The 2011 class thread had a lot of info regarding Univ of Chicago and their alleged “manipulation” of the admissions stats. Lots of Tuftslike syndrome with high stat rejections and waitlists. It appears some things just don’t change.</p>

10563

<p>For those of you wonderng about the prom dress success with D this past weekend, we were at the King of Prussia Mall near Valley Forge, PA (NW side of Philly) where there are at least 6 department stores. Our success (and the largest inventory) was at Bloomingdales. The best part was nearly 1/3 off with an in-store coupon and the balance on a new Bloomie’s card that will most likely not be used again as they are not in our home area. And Pennsylvania doesn’t charge sales tax on clothing so that saved another 8% that we would have paid at home. (Happy Smile!)</p>

10564

<p>Agree about the great group of parents. This college process is not for the faint of heart - students and parents alike. Some of our kids are using Twitter and other social media to ‘find out the news’. Colleges and parents juggle between electronic and snail mail. Our kids always had the internet; 25 years old. My college programming course was on Univ of Houston’s mainframe in 1980 with computer cards (bought in a box, 1000 for $5). Husband graduated in EE in 1978 and their ‘high tech’ school had a programming ‘final’ - several ‘crashed’ the computer including H, but H was relieved (ie knew he didn’t fail the final) when a really smart kid also ‘crashed’ the computer.</p>

<p>crewkid my Iowa nephew chose to go to the private school (Drake) over the in-state honors program (U of Iowa) and he did make the most of his education. My sister cash-flowed the extra out of pocket costs with her job (and her H and she were always ‘careful’ with money, essentially getting pity and support from grandparents…). Nephew only had to take out student loans during his doctoral work, as he bought a car and did research overseas (he had extra scholarship in addition to fully paid graduate school and graduate assistantship). Their second son followed and went to same private school Drake (although he applied to others in his different field, and actually got the best $$ and fit at Drake) and also made the most of it; had only one year when both were undergrads together. My sister and her husband were in on thinking Drake gave them enough value for what they considered a better education.</p>

<p>I think it does depend on what is being studied and how much ‘value’ will you get out of the private school over the honors program at in-state public. Older nephew probably could have done really fine at U of Iowa, while the younger nephew’s majors were better matched at Drake.</p>

<p>Both my daughters are in honors programs with in-state public schools (one begins in fall). They are studying nursing (UAB) and civil eng, (UA) and their schools are great for those programs (DD’s nursing school has an ‘honors program’ so as long as her academics are good, she is not cut from nursing program and is automatically able to continue with class priority into junior level nursing classes; I went to a private college in WI in order to be guaranteed to finish nursing, as state schools at that time cut over 75% of nursing majors after 1st year of college - for example 400 nursing freshmen, then 90 nursing sophomores able to continue)</p>

<p>We paid for private (catholic) high school to give them the best education in preparation - we sacrificed to do this, but it has worked out great - for what they learned and what they achieved; plus we also were keen on faith based education and giving them a really solid faith core before sending off. Very much looking forward to the last tuition monthly withdrawal in May. Their ACT scores and GPA qualified them for great automatic in-state scholarships. We are fortunate to be in a state where we have such great higher ed options and scholarship $$. We had a college savings program as well (pays for housing and other costs over the covered tuition) and the girls each received a small inheritance which is their cash if not needed for school.</p>

<p>As I heard on NPR, one woman was willing to sell her house and downsize because as a single mom she took out loans so her daughter could get a private school college education. Another family made financial sacrifices along the way, living under their means and putting away one of their two salaries into savings for college for their three children - so savings and cash flow to pay for college.</p>

<p>Thanks for the NPR link GertrudeM - I also enjoyed hearing your story of college in the late 1980’s in CA. CA and TX are two states that have had a dramatic change in their state colleges re accepting students and out of pocket costs. I got my MBA at TAMU (attended 1980-1982 after living and working in TX since 1978) and the most I paid for a full semester was $212 (the big items were health services fees - mandatory; undergrad tuition was $2 an hour and graduate was $4 a credit hour at that time).</p>

<p>I enjoyed reading the comments after that NPR article; it is definitely true it costs a lot more to raise a child these days (as one poster commented) - IMHO beyond inflation factors. I recently heard a statistic where only 2 out of 10 homes have a stay at home parent, which is a big shift from the previous generation. Many reasons why two household incomes are desired or needed.</p>

<p>Asleepatthewheel maybe I am not the only person who had to look up labile, but you have expanded my vocabulary :)</p>

<p>Good luck as students and families get the rest of the college puzzle pieces, as we finalize boarding plans on our cruise destinations.</p>

10565

<p>@eyemamom- great to hear about the roommate!! </p>

<p>@crewkid-Congrats on acceptance w award to her top school! Is your daughter comfortable going to a school in her “backyard?” I’m sorry, I don’t have any words of wisdom for you. It’s such a tough decision with so many variables. We have a fab univ in our backyard which my D received a scholarship to Jnr yr. She didn’t even apply even tho it was hard to watch her turn down an incredible school at a great price. But the school was missing one of her key requirements. So we supported her. We have the better school/higher price vs mid tier school/much lower pice option. I have no clue how we will proceed. More visits/research are in order. I can’t tell you how much I wished we lived in NC or VA. </p>

<p>And thanks all for posting here. I learn something new every day. </p>

10566

<p>Hello…checking in from the parents of the class of 2015 to get a sneak peek at what’s to come next year. This is a great thread! (Thank you for the NPR link…love their stories.) Now that your acceptances (Congratulations!) are starting to come in, how are the financial aid (need and merit) packages comparing to what you expected based on the net price calculators? </p>

10567

<p>Welcome @shoboemom - you’re in for quite a ride! My D and I did a LOT of research on school and potential merit aid (here on this site, each school’s website, Net Price Calculators, etc) and so had pretty concrete expectations for each school. The offers were pretty much spot on to what we expected. D applied to a couple schools where she knew she could only attend if she was awarded one of their big competitive scholarships, and she did not get those so those schools have come off the table. There have been a couple small surprises - D got a $2000 “travel grant” from a school on the opposite coast, and just yesterday received a package with a $700 'Live on campus" incentive. </p>

<p>Guessing from your screen name, are you the parent of a musician? if so, that opens up the world of music merit awards, which have been a whole other story. No predictability there whatsoever! Perhaps oboe players are more sought after than sopranos, so that may work out well for you. Good luck!</p>

10568

<p>@shoboemom
Well, accdng to most NPC, we are not qualified for any need based aid and so far it is spot on. But one school offered about 4K more on merit aid than their NPC estimated based on grade/score.</p>

10569

<p>Such fantastic news, everyone! @Worrytoomuch - Congrats to your D on some fantastic admits, even though she had her heart set on Pomona. Also, Oregano essential oil applied on shingles can lessen the nerve pain. </p>

<p>@onlyonemom & momreads - Congrats on the acceptances and scholarship money. Isn’t it nice when schools show their love? </p>

<p>@asleep: I think I startled the dog when I read this, I laughed so hard.

</p>

<p>Yay@Calla! Happy for your son. Now you can relax and wait for him to make a decision.</p>

<p>We are in the same boat @Dave N. No merit, no way. Spygirl immediately took it off of her list. And really what are the odds with the wait list at 800+? I’m so jealous of ya’ll whose kids are going to Tulane. I’d love to have fabulous city like N.O. to visit.</p>

10570

<p>crewkid and crowlady…similar situation here although instate is a great school and about 35 minutes from home. the monetary difference is at least 15K and in one case 25K per year from OOS schools that are peers or near peers of “U. of Instate”. no decisions until we hear from everywhere…which should be april 1.</p>

10571

<p>Does anyone know how close up to the decision release date/time the adcoms are deliberating? Do they really push it all the way to the last day, or do they decide several days beforehand and then spend a couple of days putting things together? (I’m interested in how it works at small LACs, if that matters.)
Thanks!</p>

10572

<p>@staceyneil I have been wondering about that too. Are the large research institutions like UCLA still working on it or just relaxing and holding off on the release?</p>

10573

<p>Just surmising here. I imagine that there are a bunch that are automatically cut and thrown into the no pile, the automatic yes’, and then there are those in the middle that get the “meeting”. I think those in the middle are the ones where the holistic comes into play as well as an awareness of financial need. The people in the admissions office probably work constantly updating a spreadsheet or some kind of program so that all yes letters can be printed at once, as well as the no letters being printed then needing assembling by the entire staff. I would think a big school could need at least a week to get all the packets together. And hopefully they notate the accounts and double check things. If the financial award comes with the letter, it has to be determined as well. I imagine there are a lot of very busy admissions offices right now, but it may not be reading the folders but doing all the final nitty gritty. </p>

10574

<p>My guess is that all decisions have been made–now they need to type those admission letters, put together all of the folders ready to mail!</p>

10575

<p>Has anyone read “The Gatekeepers”? It’s a book about elite college admissions from a few years ago. Very fascinating behind the scenes look at this process, mostly at Wesleyan. In the book, they portray the admissions officers wheeling and dealing until the last minute - “Let this one in and you can reject these two” etc. </p>

10576

<p>Just got the reminder the this is real life. This is the time to relish and enjoy. Life doesn’t go on pause until March 27th (or whatever date you are waiting for). Good reminder for me and thought I would share. </p>

10577

<p>Have you watched “Admissions”? All those folders nicely stacked in a corner room? </p>

10578

<p>I haven’t been able to read all the last posts, but I am echoing those with congrats for minnymom and Barnardmom!
S now has 3 acceptances (woo hoo!) after a long painful fall and winter of deferred, rejected, deferred, rejected.</p>

<p>Still waiting for the final showdown with soon-to-be-ex over college funds and his alimony demands (yuck and yuck) while I deal with the seemingly never ending deluge of unpaid medical bills (his and kids) that he routinely threw away when we were married. And yes, I had no idea. I posted about this in the cafe and got bashed which is why I’m never going back there. Let’s just say I am the smartest fool you will ever meet :)</p>

<p>But overall, I am so much happier than when I was married. I have no regrets (except not doing it sooner).</p>

<p>Best wishes to all on this journey.</p>

<p>Captain – reserve me a seat at the singles table on the SS Indecision! But don’t sign me up for shuffleboard.</p>

10579

<p>DS received the FA letter from Philadelphia U. Nice! Unusual in that merit doesn’t reduce need based aid. Now waiting for Lafayette and Bucknell at the end of the month. Hard to believe they will be able to compete with the PhilaU package even if S decides one of them is the #1 since they don’t bring costs below EFC and that’s including subsidized loans.</p>

10580

<p>I’ve been busy the last 24 hours and it seems like there have been over 50 posts since I last checked. I am starting to lose track of who got in where, who is waiting on what decisions, and who has narrowed the field or decided! Maybe we need a re-cap post?</p>

<p>It is wonderful to read so much good news! Congratulations to all with new acceptances and scholarship offers!</p>

<p>D received an acceptance to Rhodes today. Frankly, I was a bit surprised because she didn’t demonstrate much interest. Somehow demonstrated interest was a difficult concept for D. She only applied to 5 schools - seems like it would be easy to show the love. In D’s mind, applying to a limited number of schools (like the schools know?!) was her way of showing interest. She’s a seeker, not a doer, and not one to jump through hoops (despite the urgings of her sometimes frustrated Mom). </p>

<p>D and I went to an alumni reception for Sewanee last night. I had to practically drag D out because she was having so much fun chatting with professors and alumni. I was surprised that there were no other students from D’s school at the event. Although I probably shouldn’t have been because the vast majority of students from public schools in our area stay in state. The few that don’t mainly aim for the Ivies, Duke, or Vandy. Small OOS LACs, regardless of reputation, are overlooked. Names like Williams, Wesleyan, Colgate, etc draw blank stares around here. </p>

<p>We are still waiting to hear from 3 more schools, including our “back yard” in-state (to which she applied late…sigh). It’s not D’s first choice (nor mine), but it may be tough to beat financially. </p>

<p>@eyemamom - I am so happy that your D may have a found a roommate! </p>

<p>@worrytoomuch - somehow MIT acceptance and “slow learner” don’t seem to go together:). I am sorry to hear about Pomona. I hope your D is excited about her acceptances.</p>