<p>Thanks everyone for your support for my son’s running. It has been so difficult watching this. If he were just having an average season, okay, we do nothing. But this is not average. He has finally developed into the type of runner that his previous high school coach said he could be (three years ago) if he continued to work, run, lift and watch his diet. At the same time, he’s juggled 11 APs, volunteering for all sorts of things and a part-time job. After his performance the other night, the paper interviewed one of his teammates who won several events, but not with record-setting times or showings. He’s also just a little full of himself – not going into details but let’s say the kid has some character flaws, too. Several teammates were just appalled, but did not know what course of action to take. Maybe dropping a note to the AD will help Son '14’s cause. Or one of our assistant principals, who is an avid runner and one of Son '14’s biggest fans.</p>
<p>BTW, Son '14 ran eight miles last night after spending the day volunteering at Special Olympics. He’ll probably do eight miles this morning before heading to work. Wonder when that government paper will get done…</p>
<p>@MathmomVT Thank you! This is such great news!!! I’m very happy to hear about the American Opportunity tax Credit. This will be a big help to us if it works out. We definitely meet the income guidelines easily ;)</p>
<p>Does anyone know how it works when the student is attending a meets-full-need school where the grant offered is just slightly more than “tuition and fees”? In other words, how do colleges allocate their grant money between tuition and room/board? — Clearly, it would be a bummer if the college paid the tuition and charged us for r/b, since there’s no tax credit for that! Anyone been in this situation before?</p>
<p>Today we’re dropping d off at a meetup of future students from the area at a local restaurant. Or not that local it’s an hour and a half from here. We’ll go furniture shopping while she meets these kids. She’s debating now what she wants her outfit to say about her - lol </p>
<p>@staceyneil if it’s a need-based grant, usually the school doesn’t allocate it at all, they just apply it to your student’s bursar account against all the stuff you owe them for. I think <em>you</em> can “allocate” $4k of it to room and board and have your student pay tax on the $4k. You don’t have to go through the school to allocate it, just keep good records on paper and be sure to have your student file the tax return for the $4K even if it’s the student’s only income, just to have proof that you allocated the grant in that way. I think the IRS publication even offers an example of choosing how to treat grant money. I haven’t been in that particular situation, but if you search on the financial aid board here, you will find several people who have been in that situation and have worked out all the details. It’s trickier when it’s a scholarship because those often are specified for specific expenses, so I can’t allocate that money however I like.</p>
<p>@Calla1 - I’m so sorry to hear about your H’s job loss. I know through a friend’s experience how difficult it can be to find a new job in this economy for someone over 60. I hope that everything works out for you with FA and that H finds a job quickly! </p>
<p>@momreads - congratulations on S’s record setting performance! It’s a shame that the paper didn’t run a story on him. It’s nice when our kids are publicly acknowledged for their hard work and dedication. I know I relished all of the newspaper articles mentioning my S when he was Division 4A All-State soccer player. We were lucky to get a lot of press coverage because his school has a nationally ranked team and is the area powerhouse in soccer. I agree with Classof2015 that you should drop a line to the paper. </p>
<p>So D and BF had decided to forego prom. D wasn’t feeling up to it, and she was trying to focus on make-up work. BF is an only child, however, and BF’s mom was distraught over their decision. So Friday afternoon, while D was studying at BF’s house, BF’s mom suggests a study break and takes D shopping for a prom dress and shoes. D and BF ended up getting dressed up and joining their friends for prom dinner, even though they didn’t continue on to prom. This appeased BF’s mom and gave her the prom pictures she wanted. D looked absolutely beautiful and I think the break did her good given the stress she has been under lately. But, I feel conflicted about BF’s mom actions. On one hand, it was sweet and very generous of her to buy D a prom dress (it was expensive), and I am glad D had a lovely evening. On the other hand, I feel a bit resentful that BF’s mom went prom dress shopping with D instead of me. I know I’m probably being silly.</p>
<p>@calla1 - just so very sorry that this had to happen right now. I work in an industry where this is a frequent occurrence, and I’ve been through it, but not at such a high stakes time. Sending best wishes your way that all will work out. Actually, I’m sure it WILL work out, but may take a lot of effort and angst to make it to the “other side”. Keep us posted.</p>
<p>@overtheedge - I agree, it’s generous but a bit hinky. As the D’s mom, you should have been consulted before the shopping trip. Also “BF’s mom was distraught over their decision” - the kids had made a decision based on sound logic and that did not get respected. </p>
<p>@Overtheedge – nope, you aren’t being silly at all. That was a bit much, kinda creepy in a way, and would have upset me. Although, I’m sure my D’s BF’s mom thinks the same of me, since he lives with us on his school breaks. But he doesn’t talk to her at all, with good reason, and he’s also 19.</p>
<p>@overtheedge I don’t blame you for feeling uncomfortable with that scenario. That was pretty underhanded and she should have consulted with you. Not just because of buying the dress but what if your D wasn’t really up to doing all that? It isn’t like they chose to forego prom because of money and she decided to pay for everything. This is your D’s health. So having pictures of the kids all dressed up is more important than your Ds health to this woman? If she wanted to surprise your D and checked with you first, that would have been cool and fun and you could have been included in the prom dress shopping excursion. </p>
<p>@overtheedge – It’s not rocket science to figure this one out, but I agree with all the others who think this was all a bit weird. I’m biased, because I think that the whole prom thing is overdone anyway. But it’s striking that for BF’s mom it was SO important to have pictures of her son’s prom event, even if the pictures don’t actually reflect reality. Living off of memories re-constructed to reflect fantasy as opposed to reality can lead down a slippery slope. </p>
<p>And risking repetition, your daughter (and you) are heroic in the face of all this.</p>
<p>While I don’t condone for a moment what overtheedge’s D’s BF’s mom did, I think it would be okay to give her a little bit of slack. Right now I’m seeing so many kids and their parents fraught with post-college acceptance/oh-my-gosh-I’m/he’s-graduating-leaving-home-anxiety that while one right of passage may seem inconsequential to one person, it has a lot of meaning to another. If this is her only child, it’s her only prom. I think she actually came up with a pretty good solution with the exception of not including overtheedge in the plans. It sounds like both of the kids enjoyed getting dressed up and joining their friends at dinner. </p>
<p>Beyond proud of S14 today. Woke up to learn he was awarded $10 k renewable Dean’s Scholarship, went to an awards luncheon where we were surprised to learn he earned a $500 local scholarship, then he forwarded an email to me just this evening that he earned $1200 from another local scholarship. $11700 in one day… Is this real? I think his first year of college is now fully paid for! </p>
<p>The athletic conference our high school is in has a dinner for the students who are in the top 10 for each of the schools in the conference and their family members. When my D attended, the students sat at a table with the other students from their school. This year, they were seated with the other kids who shared the same class rank as them. So S sat with the 3s. Each high school principal calls each of their students up and they receive a certificate from the superintendent. It’s a nice meal and a nice way to recognize these kids. We sat with some great parents we didn’t know before. </p>
<p>Afterward, they take a picture of the whole group for the local newspaper. Once they finished the picture, S came back to our table and said he had to get a table picture and asked if I would take it. So their table of 3s took a bunch of pictures. I asked him where the other kids at his table were going to school and several were going to Michigan but there was also a Harvard in the group. S14 is VERY social and while we were walking out he said “I made some new friends today but I didn’t get any digits”…LOL. He organized the table so they would cheer loudly when each of their names were called and they were quite proud of being 3s. I told him “THIS is why I’m not worried about you at Michigan. You’re going to make friends like that very quickly.” He bonded with this group in the course of an hour and a half. He’s going to be just fine at Michigan. </p>
<p>@2016BarnardMom - sounds like a fun event. Your son is a neat kid!</p>
<p>We have Top Ten Academic Awards tomorrow evening. It starts with a dinner for the top ten students, their parents, and a favorite teacher for each student in our school library. Then we go to the Award Ceremony for the Top Ten from each of 9 schools in our district. Should be very nice.</p>
<p>As I recall from taxes this year, your student will receive a form from their college or university that is similar to a 1099 (but not a 1099) that provides the scholarship and grant numbers along with the cost of the school for the year. Sorry, I would be more specific but the forms and all the tax paperwork is boxed and in the basement. I know I used the figures on that document to calculate the education credit. Or should I say, my tax prep software asked me for all the figures and then determined which of the three educaiton credits was the best deal for us.</p>
<p>The scholarships, grants and loans for S-11 just get listed as credits on the bursur’s account against the charges (tuition, R & B, fees, rec center, etc.) and the charges and credis just offset each other and I get to pay the difference.</p>
<p>Good weekend here. One D opened her show playing Fiona in “Shrek, the Musical.” Girl knows comedy. This right on the heels of her twin playing the sassy Reno Sweeney in “Anything Goes;” both of these roles recently played by the tall but brunette Sutton Foster on Broadway. Girls will be leaving this city, rich in theater, with a bang! They have been cast in A Chorus Line which will go live in July. Oh my, I’m going to miss these 2 songbirds when they leave in August. Fortunately, D3 is also a songbird (same look and they often get mistaken for triplets, but she is in a different sport- the one thing that separates the 3). </p>
<p>One D got a 2nd job this wknd in order to save more for college. Yeah! She will work the 2 jobs, vol at hospital, and rehearse for her 2 shows. Kids these days, not afraid of hard work. The future is bright for this generation. </p>
<p>@calla1, let us know how the call to FA works. A coworker lost his job a mo ago. He called the school who told him once he was no longer receiving a paycheck, to then send in the last one. And only then would they work with him. This was from an in state public. </p>
<p>D had a great time at her DC, MD, VA meet up yesterday. She said she liked going to a school where kids would get together on their own. They all chose the same dorm area which was neat. It got her even more excited for school and she realizes how fun it will be to meet new friends. She’s like very definition of extrovert - lol Now she friended them all and feels good having contacts before she even gets there. </p>
<p>A scholarship or fellowship is tax free only to the extent:</p>
<p>It does not exceed your expenses;</p>
<p>It is not designated or earmarked for other purposes (such as room and board), and does not require (by its terms) that it cannot be used for qualified education expenses; and</p>
<p>It does not represent payment for teaching, research, or other services required as a condition for receiving the scholarship. (But for exceptions, see Payment for services,later.</p>
</p>