<p>@Overtheedge Another thing about the B12. I don’t know exactly what is going on with your D, but I do not absorb B12 from eating foods or taking pills because my intestines are a mess, but I use sublingual liquids or pills for B12 every day. You hold them under the tongue and they absorb directly into the blood stream. I get these over the counter at any drug store and they are pretty cheap. </p>
<p>@3tallblonds Common Data Set is a list of data that (I believe) the federal government requires all colleges to make public each year. You can find out things like the SAT scores and GPA of accepted students, the number of applicants and accepted students for EA, RD, waitlist, demographics, and FA info. I am pretty sure that is where sites like the College Board’s Big Future get their information (That site, BTW, also lists the average FA package for each college.) You can find the CDS by googling “Common Data Set, XYZ University”. </p>
<p>@AvonHSDad – was this Lehigh’s package that was so stingy? I am surprised, as they have a solid endowment. Also, I have not known Catholic schools to have large endowments so am further surprised that Villanova’s COA would come in lower than Lehigh’s. </p>
<p>@3tallblondes the Common Data Set is essentially a compendium of very specific statistics specifically for that institution…for instance…want to know what the freshman retention rate is at Grinnell versus William & Mary…its there.
if you Google “common data set for X”, it should come up.
hope that helps </p>
<p>@3tallblondes Most schools have their Common Data Set on their website, but there are many that do not make it publicly available.</p>
<p>@3tallblonds – After what you’ve done for your twins by the time D3 comes around you’ll be qualified to be a</p>
<p>So have been feeling pretty down about the FA package we got from UCSC, especially since D14 has really opened up her heart and mind to the school. It is about $4500 more than UCSD, although $1500 of that would be offset by her Campus Merit Scholarship, and if she gets a triple room, instead of a double, that will save $1700 (and that’s with an upgrade from 5 days of meals to 7 days, cuz she does like to eat on the weekends). So that leaves it at $1300 more than the higher ranked UCSD. We are still waiting to hear on scholarship notifications from her CCC, and there is a good chance she will be awarded something from that foundation, as kids from her HS do well with it, and she is close to the top of her class. That should be sometime next week – keeping fingers crossed. I was feeling so proud of her, that she was really paying more attention to the fit, than the prestige – so to have the more prestigious school come in with a lower cost and debt amount, but not be as good of a fit is making me nuts and the tiniest bit depressed. It’s supposed to be the other way around!! We were supposed to be celebrating this week, not stressing. </p>
<p>If my budget wasn’t sooooo tight (and I didn’t have the wonderful news about D19 needing braces in 6 months because she has 4 permanent teeth that never formed) this would be nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, my budget sucks. We are already functioning about as tightly as we can. Maybe her summer job will have enough hours to allow her to build up a reasonable amount for the personal expense part of the equation. </p>
<p>And I feel horrible worrying about all this, what is really not a huge deal, when so many families have just lost their kids in the bus crash up in Nor Cal. Students on their way to visit a college campus. Heartbreaking, and far too close to home.</p>
<p>^ @PetraElise I can so totally relate to this post. So sorry and I commiserate. I do not know how we are going to pay for the relatively (compared to other parents on CC) small gap between the “full need met” COA and what we can actually afford. Even with D maxing out federal loans, it’s not really do-able. I was actually just down in the basement sorting through the deep storage trying to find things we might sell to raise a few thousand dollars. Like your braces example, I just found out I need major surgery, which means borrowing $7,000 and lost work time, on TOP of college expenses! It is stressful, I agree. But like your final paragraph I am also trying to keep it in perspective: D is healthy and lucky to have been accepted at a college she loves. We’ll make it work somehow, even if it means H and I are working until we’re 90 :)</p>
<p>Thanks Stacey – I wish you didn’t understand so well because then things would be less stressed at your house, but it also helps to feel not alone, or ridiculous for sweating a relatively small amount. I, too, know we will make it work. Somehow we always do. </p>
<p>I have a weird job (which I should be doing now, so as to earn more money, lol) in which I make 1/6 scale doll clothes for adult collectors (think Barbie, but more couture, and the dolls that I design for are not so bubble gum sweet, although they are similar size). Anyhow, I have way too many of the dolls that I use as models, and there is a solid secondary market for them (with a nice profit), so I will just sell off a few more than I just did to pay for all the campus visits. </p>
<p>Hang in there – we will be celebrating soon, I just know it!</p>
<p><a href=“and%20I%20didn’t%20have%20the%20wonderful%20news%20about%20D19%20needing%20braces%20in%206%20months%20because%20she%20has%204%20permanent%20teeth%20that%20never%20formed”>quote=@PetraElise</a>
[/quote]
I can relate to this. My D had 2 that never formed so she was missing 2 permanent teeth. She had dental screw implanted when she had her braces. Between expander/screw/braces, we probably spent close to 10K. Sometimes I wonder that these orthodontists/oral surgeons conspire to each other and just make up things like this to milk us some money. Hope it all work out for your D.</p>
<p>@staceyneil
So sorry about your coming surgery. Look at the bright side, things will only get better.</p>
<p>
CT - Yes, it was Lehigh that was “light” with their package. Their grant was approximately 50% of what Villanova offered. In addition, Nova gave a $6K merit scholarship and Lehigh hasn’t awarded anything. The odd thing is that Lehigh included a small Perkins loan and I thought those loans were for low income families. I certainly don’t think of us as low income but we are not upper income wealthy either. Just comfortable middle-class. No other school either this year or with S-2011 three years of FA packages has given a Perkins, just the standard Stafford that everyone seems to receive… The Nova package is very close to what S-2011 has received the past three years at Georgetown. The Lehigh FA office has been called and a message left for their Assistant Director who responded to our original email. I expected the schools to be similar but not thousands apart. The only thing I can think of is that we had high out of pocket medical and dental expenses the past two years and they may have discounted those by assuming they were over and done with. I wish they were all paid off but they are not so that may be one possible explanation. I will report the outcome of this FA saga.</p>
<p>I should add that Nova is now back on D’s radar due to her acceptance into their Honors program which only takes 8 to 9% of the entering freshman class.</p>
<p>Ship’s announcement - There will be extra port calls this weekend as there are many accepted student functions being held at ports across the country.</p>
<p>Saturday evening dinner onboard will feature surf and turf in addition to the regular entree selections. Sunday will feature a Chanpagne Brunch. Join us for a glass of bubbly or enjoy it in a Mimosa or a Bellinni. Whatever your taste preference, our professional staff of bartenders and servers will meet your needs. If you have a personal special drink recipe, please give your sever the recipe and the staff will have it for you in no time. Note to parent vonlunteer servers - this Sunday is reserved for all parents. Volunteers get the day off and get to be pampered and catered to by the ship’s staff. At the end of brunch there will be several giveaways for special spa treatments that can be redeemed over the next week. Enjoy your weekend!!!</p>
<p>S14’s play is this weekend. I saw it last night and will probably go tonight AND tomorrow night. It was very funny! He had his first singing solo and held his own pretty well. His character has some very funny lines and he did a great job with delivery. Fun times 
</p>
<p>Thanks @AvonHSDad - D has promised us that we will disembark tomorrow following her “pro/con party” with her friends. Hope the ship is nimble enough that it can chug up the Delaware River toward Philly, but if needed make a quick detour to Long Beach, CA. </p>
<p>Everyone needs to stop disembarking except for ports of call visits! You don’t have to leave once a decision is made - just help serve drinks! Pretty soon we’ll all just be serving ourselves and have one big floating shindig!
I am currently offering barbecued shrimp skewers and a local signature cocktail known as a Southsider. It is a lemon, ginger liqueur and tonic concoction. It even has a touch of real absinthe to make you feel naughty and decadent!</p>
<p>Okay - I will stay aboard to serve drinks!</p>
<p>DS son’s ASD visit is this weekend, but he cancelled, so we can save the airfare. He said he will just go in August. Also - he got a prom date this afternoon, so that is cool.</p>
<p>Alright, we’ll get off just long enough to pay the deposit, pick out housing & buy a T-shirt & car sticker. Then we’ll be ready to party!</p>
<p>@glido - fun news on the prom date! Something to focus on besides the college stuff!</p>
<p>I just got a letter from my college’s President congratulating me on completing my Master’s of Science in Information Assurance. I knew I was done, but it is nice to have something official since my graduation isn’t until June! </p>
<p>Hooray, @2016BarnardMom! Have a Southsider!</p>