D has made her final decision known! I think she had decided several weeks ago, she just wanted to make me wait for it. She picked Cornell College in Iowa. I’m very happy and pleased with her decision. Costwise, the school is very affordable. Distancewise - it’s a bit far but manageable. Best of all, I like the system there and it fits her learning style very well.
SlackerMomMD - I think your daughter will be happy there. I went to U of Iowa and never heard a bad thing about Cornell College - though some may think your D is going to an Ivy 
She will find Iowans are friendly. It’s a nice state. One thing to note - college-aged (and younger) Iowans tend to drink more than those from more urban places. It was a shock to me how much a part of their lifestyle it was. I was 18 and most people I knew already had a lengthy and comfortable relationship with alcohol. Bit of an adjustment coming from Chicago.
But don’t let that scare you. These were accepting, nice kids. Iowa is a good academic state with a sound educational system at all levels. It’s a nice place to live and study. Congrats!
Thanks @kmanshouse! I think a major reason D picked Cornell was the friendlliness, kindness of almost everyone she encountered.She even liked the kids on the Facebook group. The funny thing is most students are from out of state. I think Cornell (or is it Iowa) must draw only nice kids.
The biggest hurdle to her decision was the concept of the Midwest. She pictured herself on either coast. She was okay with the South. She was okay with the NW. She wanted to be near water. This was her sole Midwest school…
We’ve run into that other Cornell thing already when people ask where did she apply/get in. The response people give is pretty telling. Anyway I went to a Ivy that I was forever explaining it was NOT a football powerhouse, so I understand.
So excited to announce that DS will be attending San Jose State Univ as an animation/illustration major.
@YoHoYoHo Congrats…I think kids who get to go to school in California are SOOOOOO lucky! What a cool majoar, too.
Mine will be attending IUPUI, living at home his first year. His goal is IU-bloomington, and he unfortunately did make the cut. However, he is one determined young man. His plan is to live at home undistracted and keep his grades up and transfer in Sophomore year. Not what he really wants to do as he sees all his friends move forward with their freshman adventure, but a year goes quickly…he’ll see. He’s has a positive personality, so that helps.
Congrats to all on their DC’s college decisions!! We’re compiling a list of decisions (by student and by school) at the link below, so please add all the good news there as well. It’s great to see the wide variety of choices our kids have made and where they’ll be starting their paths to adulthood. 
Update: My son was just notified yesterday that he has been pulled from the wait list for the Hoosier Link program! At IUB. We truly had put that behind us and were bravely moving forward. I cannot even express the happiness he is feeling, and that we are feeling.
YEAH!!! So happy for your Son and you. D graduated this past weekend and received her housing assignment and roommate…it looks like this really is going to happen. OUR S and D are going to college. Again, congrats to this group of 3.0-3.3 students, well done everyone
Thanks @Hoosier96 ! It has been quite the sad semester for him…waiting and hoping since early September, and then the waitlist and more waiting…and then denials. Ugh. Glad that is behind us. As his Pre-Calc tutor said to me “he deserves some Happy”. He knows one classmate that is going, but I think this classmate has already found a roommate. Personally, I’m glad…i would like to see him branch out and meet someone new.
@conmama Congratulations to your son and best wishes to him for a great 4 years in Bloomington.
Awesome @conmama, what a journey! Our twins had their orientations. We had two in three days. Talk about overwhelming and emotional. BGSU did a phenomenal job with theirs - that son is ready to rock and roll. Got his housing, knows who his roommate is going to be (doesn’t know the kid, but has his name), happy with his classes, etc. UWSP had some glitches in theirs. We went on their first orientation date, and their college of natural resources was expecting 30 kids, had 50 there, and were down an advisor. Class selection took hours. It was kind of a mess, but we really liked Stevens Point, WI. Beautiful area.
As we’ve been to several accepted student/summer orientation type events, I am getting seriously tired of the GPA comparison question. I cannot believe how many people have not just insinuated, but outright told me that my daughter doesn’t deserve to be there.
Has anyone else heard from people who seem to think anyone with less than a 3.6 GPA should get a ticket to the nearest Walmart for employment?
They’ve not just been rude, they’ve been mean about it!
Please explain this more. Are these parents or students comparing HS GPAs? Why are they talking about it they’re already admitted? Are these schools with cultures that consider themselves super-elite academically? What are they afraid of, do you think? How on Earth could someone think another admitted student doesn’t deserve to be there? What could even be an appropriate come-back to such a comment?
@LadyArwyn - I’m sorry that people have been rude and mean about your D’s acceptance. Honestly, I don’t even understand why this would come up in the first place. They were all accepted, and they get a fresh start. It’s nobody’s business if your D had a 2.0 or an 8.0 at this point. I think I would just choose not to engage in this type of conversation. I’m not sure who these people are, but I’d stay clear of them if possible. I hope things are very different when she moves in and classes begin.
A lot of those parents seemed to have younger kids, and were trying to compare notes to figure out where their accepted kid fell in the grand scheme, to determine their younger ones’ chances for the colleges of choice. And seemed to view anything less than a 3.8 as some kind of failure.
Sigh.
Seems backward to me. If I have a younger child and somehow know that another kid got in with “average” grades, I’d look at it as encouragement that a kid can stand out in ways other than GPA and still get into a great school.
It’s proof that holistic admissions works. My D (3.25 at time of college applications) is doing much much better in college - just made the Dean’s List for the 3rd time (out of 4 semesters)!
@LadyArwyn, don’t let anyone diminish your D’s accomplishments. She deserves to be there as much as anyone else, and she’s going to do great things too.
@mamaduck Congrats for your daughter…that gives many of us great feelings of hope. I know DS is very nervouse about college, even CC. He is in a program where there is a guaranteed admit to the flagship school if they meet benchmarks at the CC that is located next to it.
@conmama Just convince your DS to meet with all his advisors early and often. Plot all requirements in sequence through his last expected semester. Meet with each instructor at least three times throughout the semester (early, just prior to mid-term, and just before finals). These two practices tend to result in higher grades and avoiding missteps. Really.
We just got the final transcript. Ugh, she fell below 3.0 with her final GPA - a 2.95. However, that’s not weighted (her school doesn’t weight anything), and the majority of of her classes were either honors, AP or actual college classes. One of these days I will find one of those grading websites to see what her weighted GPA would be.