<p>The plan was DS would apply to school within a 5 to 6 hour drive or direct flights on Southwest. Unfortunately, plan did not work out. Small schools with good merit aid tend to be hard to get to, add to that DS wants a cold weather climate and very few of his schools are easy to get to. He does realize this will probably mean he is coming home less often.</p>
<p>I would drive an hour plus for dinner and will do day trips with 4 or 5 hrs driving each way, so maybe its in his genes.</p>
<p>Closest school D looked at was 3.5 hours drive. Farthest was 9 hour drive and is 3 hours from relatives so it didn’t seem like a bad drive since we broke it up. Thankfully she dropped that one from her list after visiting. Right now she is at 5-1/2, 7-1/2 and 8-1/2 hours from home in her choices. My S’13 is 5 hours from home and I’ve been there so many times I could do the drive in my sleep (and almost have a few times, lol) so this driving thing is nothing I’m worrying about. Now if we had to get on a plane for any of these…different story!</p>
<p>D’s closest is 3.5 hours and the farthest is 24 hours away by car. The chances of us getting direct flights is pretty slim to most. She would only go that far away in the direction of family.</p>
<p>Access to Southwest Airlines isn’t a must have, but I will vouch that it is very helpful when it works out. DC#1 is at a school that is a direct flight away and unless we need to move stuff, it is usually cheaper to fly him home than drive down to get him. </p>
<p>My kids list runs from a 15 minute drive (too close!) to a full day of plane travel, on the opposite coast (too far!). I am hopeful that she will land at one of her many other options, most of which are on the Amtrak line up and down the east coast.</p>
<p>Thanks cd. We will hold them for now. </p>
<p>All my kids are or will be within a 2 1/2 hour drive. It’s beyond convenient for it be be a day trip, although it’s easier to find a wide array of good college choices in the Northeast than in some other places. We have never had to book a room for events such as parents weekend–although could happen with the 2 1/2 drive if we will be attending events over more than one day. My daughter is less than one hour away, so yesterday we drove out to move out the big items–she is spending next semester abroad—and we will return tomorrow to pick up her, and her clothes–not exactly a wardrobe that will fit in a compact car’s trunk though. She’s insisting she needs TWO checked bags for study abroad. Doesn’t seem to make an impression when I tell I’ve read that Europeans wear the same sweater for days in a row. </p>
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<p>I was an exchange student in Paris in 11th grade. The first thing I noticed was that the girls in my host HS had incredible, stylish, totally put-together outfits…and repeated them through the week, at minimum 3 days. That was in the 80s, maybe things have changed.</p>
<p>My D will be attending college on the oooosite coast next year. Not ideal for me, but it’s the school she most wanted. At least it’s a direct flight and not far from a major airport. I was concerned about colleges that far away that were 2 flight plus a train or bus ride away. The logistics make this tough but we will work it out. </p>
<p>D has one school on her list that is both far away and not in or near a major city. It is, however, the sort of very generous school that would include travel in its financial aid calculations, so it stays. </p>
<p>D had 3 not-so-easy to get to schools that did end up on her list. They are wonderful LACs that offered enough of a fit that they stayed there despite the logistical hardship. After all, they only travel a few times a year, but they have to live at the college for 9 months – I’d rather take the right fit and deal with the flights.</p>
<p>Just want to say CONGTRATS to all who have heard good news. I wasn’t able to get on CC this weekend because iit was S17s birthday! A lot of good news was shared.</p>
<p>D is also looking at schools not so easy to get to. Currently her top contender (due to the generous aid) is 3 airplane rides away to a location not serviced by SWA. The closest are only an hours flight away. She is (im)patiently waiting to hear from one of her top EA schools. We are hoping that word comes today because I don’t want her to become too neurotic during finals week! @-) </p>
<p>Ginormous State is about 12 minutes from home (and is where I sit as I type this). The next closest is a 12 hour drive or 1.5 hour flight + likely 1.5 hour shuttle, the rest are a few to several hour flights but all are SW cities. I didn’t encourage applying to places that were too hard to get to. I remember the very first college fair we went to, he fell in love with a small LAC in Maine. I remarked that it would be hard to get there and the rep assured me that it’s only 1.5 hours on the bus to Portland, then 1.5 hours on the bus to Logan Int’l and then a 6 hour flight home. That convinced him to cross Maine off his list. Not sure why he couldn’t find a college in California to apply to though.</p>
<p>I want to add my congratulations to those who have heard good news: @BunHeadMom and @Mom24boys, yay! Forgive me if I’m missing anyone. Congrats to all who have had good interviews and/or have gotten applications in!!</p>
<p>@VSGPeanut101, good for your D’s resolve. It will be fine no matter what the decision. I think the waiting is the hardest part. At least once you know either way, you can start to move forward.</p>
<p>@MuggleMom, sorry for the deferral but hang in there. It’s not over and spring will bring many great choices.</p>
<p>@PhxRising, you have my daughter! That is no fun. (Limoncello sounds like a good idea 
)</p>
<p>@3girls3cats: Is your daughter class of '17 per chance? We could commiserate on the parents of the class of 2017 site when the time comes! I haven’t even checked it out since we’re just trying to make it through this semester at the moment.</p>
<p>On top of all that is going on with college apps, finals, Christmas and travel plans, D’s 18th birthday is coming very soon. She doesn’t have a specific thing she wants to do. She toyed with some ideas but dropped them. I do feel some sort of pressure to do or get something special for her for her 18th. I want it to be special for her. I thought about some piece of jewelry, but I’m not sure that is really ‘her’. It’s just such a transition time, and we don’t know where she will go to college, so I’m not sure about getting her something for college…and there is also Christmas, and then graduation…and just for fun…for some of that stuff. Ideas?</p>
<p>shoboemom… we just did that. Bought him a fancy backpack so he can hopefully go on a backpacking trip next summer. And went out for a really nice dinner to a place we would never otherwise go. But it is so hard because we feel like we are in limbo… where will he be coming home from this time next year???</p>
<p>Sorry @PhxRising, it’s the 2015er. I’ll be happy to tell you it gets better, it gets better as you go through though. :)</p>
<p>My girl’s birthday is also coming up and I don’t have any ideas either. </p>
<p>Congratulations to those who have received good news so far; finger crossed for those who are waiting and hugs to those who had their dear children redirected.<br>
D turned 18 right before school started so no big party but a family car was purchased for her and her brother. Her biggest wish was for car insurance and that is what she received 
.
For those who have ones that are turning 18 don’t forget that they are now the one’s who will be signing forms…especially for health care.
D is in the final week of semester…good luck this week to those who will be receiving news.</p>
<p>YAY! D just received official word of full tuition NMSF scholarship to Fordham! We will still be on the SS INDECISION for a while but as ship’s running coach I have scheduled a nice long/slow run around the Lido Deck for tomorrow morning, instead of the brutal interval workout I had planned. Enjoy!</p>