<p>So sorry @2016BarnardMom - hugs to your son. I guess tomorrow & Friday will be filled with highs and lows, and some tears and celebrations with our kids. Brace yourselves everyone…</p>
<p>No, no @2106 BarnardMom. Don’t give up hope! I will repeat over and over again the story of DS’s 2013 friend – rejected UVA, CMU and waitlisted MIT. ONLY acceptance was at Dartmouth. Admissions are completely unpredictable these days.</p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom - That’s so hard!</p>
<p>Waiting on 3 lottery schools tomorrow and have a phone appointment at 11 with Smith to explain to them that they don’t need the tax returns of the non-profit corporation I work for to decide on financial aid for my DD! I’m not hopeful that they’ll come up with anything that will work for us though. So that leaves a couple of options but just found out that her ex BF is going to one of her top choices - ugh! It’s a small school and she doesn’t want to make her decision based on him but it could be an awkward situation in a small school.</p>
<p>Oberlin accepted 83 People from it’s waitlist Last year. I was also waitlisted; I won’t be accepting that spot I think. </p>
<p>@BarnardMom I am so sorry about this news for your S. I was so braced for bad news all around and feel so lucky to have some good. I hope your son can re-adjust his expectations and enter in the fall with excitement. If not, maybe a gap year? That is what we were planning as plan B… best wishes to you both!</p>
<p>Oh no, @2016BarnardMom - I am so sorry for your son’s disappointing news. But don’t give up hope quite yet. </p>
<p>Sorry, @2016BarnardMom. Hang in there – things may still turn around.</p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom - Sorry about the possible redirections for your son but it ain’t over until the last decision is in! So stay positive.
</p>
<p>Spygirl had her dose of bad news yesterday, she was wait listed at Boston College - which she kind of expected since she didn’t apply EA. But the real kick in the teeth was the news from our local in state from which she was admitted 5 days following her application and sent a handwritten note saying she was one of their top candidates. </p>
<p>First news was that she was NOT accepted to the Honors College even though her stats are far above their minimum. Then she received her financial package. Her merit aid for being a top candidate? $3500 ! Needless to say, she was less than impressed. My reaction is not suitable for a family forum. </p>
<p>@Staceyneil – no idea, but it’s frustrating. One of the UCs included the FA info at the time decisions were posted, but no scholarship at that school. She has one scholarship at UCSC that she was awarded, but we don’t know how much because it varies, and she’s in the running for one at UCB, which we don’t know if she’s even accepted at, let alone whether she will get the scholarship. And we won’t know on that scholarship until late April – last year I think it was around the 22nd-25th of April before they notified recipients. So if she gets accepted tomorrow, we will still be waiting weeks.</p>
<p>The third school should notify her in early April about the scholarship there --it’s full tuition, but may be more expensive to attend unless she also gets some grant funds above Pell and Cal A, or is awarded any other scholarships. But, more of her CC units will transfer there, so she would be closer to graduation – Junior status once her units are transferred after first semester. </p>
<p>Hoping all this FA info will come soon, as I’m ready for a clear picture for my D to work with for her decision. </p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom – so sorry to hear about the bad news for your son – I hope he is able to move forward and still enjoy the anticipation of going off to college. Will keep my fingers crossed that the remaining news is better than you expect!</p>
<p>And son just received his denial from W&M. Stings a bit but he has options that he is excited about. </p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom - It stings, no doubt about that. But most kids I know who didn’t get ‘the dream’ still go off to school and have a great experience. Admissions can be a funky thing, and no one here will give up until the fat lady sings. </p>
<p>I remember way back when we applied for my 4 yo son to go to this fancy private school. I couldn’t believe they rejected him and boy was I po’d. A couple years later I looked back - he was at another private school - and I realized it was actually a blessing he wasn’t in that other school. Their curriculum and philosophy really didn’t mesh with mine, though I was too uninformed to know that at the time. </p>
<p>All that to say - sometimes what seems like horrible, painful news ends up being a blessing in disguise.</p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom - I’m so sorry to hear about Oberlin! Keeping my fingers crossed for Brown for your DS!</p>
<p>We are in Michigan visiting two of DS’ accepted schools. One of his favorites (which is not talked about much on CC) is Kettering University (formerly General Motors Institute) in Flint. He is interested in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in automotive - which Kettering is very strong in. Kettering is also a school where 100% of their students participate in the Co-Op program beginning their freshman year. We scheduled our tours for both Kettering & UMich during the week of his spring break and lucky for us Kettering just happened to be holding their Spring job fair today while we’re in the area. Over 100 companies recruiting for co-op students! DS made a list of the companies he may want to work for and headed off for the job fair. Came out 3 hours later with two interviews scheduled for later in the day!! So exciting! Just hoping the financial aid works itself out because as it stands it is still out of our price range. 
Our actual tour along with a meeting with financial aid is tomorrow.</p>
<p>UMich tour is scheduled for Friday which is an accepted students day. We arrived in Ann Arbor Monday evening and have been enjoying our vacation … just wish it was just a little warmer and the snow would stay away! </p>
<p>S accepted to Lafayette today. Had a difficult conversation but he agrees it’s not worth twice the cost of Phila U. Which, to be honest, has grown into a tie with Lafayette. It’s just he ( I?)was so invested in that app it is hard to let go of it even though the final decision is the right one we all agree. Switching from passenger to crew member on the SS Indecision.</p>
<p>@BeadyMom - Kettering sounds like a solid fit for your son. Hopefully the money comes through! </p>
<p>Congrats on the Lafayette admit @Quagmiro. It’s a bummer when the numbers don’t add up. Seems as if he has a great option, though. I’ll look for you on the cruise. I’ll be the one deciding between a margarita and a mojito. </p>
<p>We will be passengers on the 2014 USS Indecision cruise for sure. The final college decision for Spygirl has landed. She was accepted to Whitman! Unfortunately, Whitman is not known for their generous merit aid. No actual dollar amount yet as packets are being mailed.</p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom- I am sorry that your son is dealing with disappointment as decisions come in. </p>
<p>As we near the end of the decision process the realitiies of finances and final choices are sobering.
Good luck to all in this final round. Share the good and the bad with us all. This group really “gets it” unlike our friends and family in the “real world.”</p>
<p>@spritle - sorry about W & M. Glad he has lots of other options. This has been a wild and wooly experience for us all.
And yes, @Minnymom, I am so grateful to have all of you to bounce ideas off of and to have somewhere to share our successes and disappointments. </p>
<p>Mention of margaritas reminded me of this alarming news I read yesterday. Lime prices are surging. Hopefully the captain is fully hedged. And, truly, a drop in the bucket compared to COA.
<a href=“http://www.cnbc.com/id/101519731”>http://www.cnbc.com/id/101519731</a></p>
<p>^ This explains the teeny tiny lime on my plate at a restaurant yesterday. Time to stock up.</p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom: Sorry about the Oberlin waitlist. Will he stay on the list? Do they give aid to students they take off the list? Good luck with the Brown decision tomorrow!</p>
<p>D14 was waitlisted at American yesterday. It sounds like their admissions were pretty wacky this year. D14 applied because of one of their 3 year BA programs, but later found out that it’s 3 calendar years, but still 8 semesters - not the bargain that she had originally thought.</p>
<p>Clearly today has been a day of high and lows all around…my S got wait listed at Conn. College and redirected at Skidmore - both were a surprise - his test scores were above the 75% …he is not upset but I really liked Conn. College. They spent a lot of time recruiting him so I thought he would get in…oh well… a couple more to go then we’ll decide how to proceed . He is now 6,1, 2 (acceptance, WL, redirection). What time do the IVYs post the decisions ? </p>