<p>I’ve really appreciated the college visit reports others have posted, so here’s my attempt to return the favor. We’re just back from a college tour and I want to give a shout-out to University of Oklahoma. They put together an outstanding personalized visit. We were going to be at Tulsa for their Senior Visit Day and wanted to see OU during the same trip. I emailed the OU scholars office about 10 days ahead of time and got a call back a few days later asking about D’s specific interests. A few days prior to our requested visit day we received a detailed itinerary. </p>
<p>We met privately with the scholars office, a study abroad advisor, and three faculty members in D’s areas of interest. We joined two other prospective NMFs for an hour with the representative of the honors college and lunch with the scholars office contacts. We also took the standard group tour and private tours of the engineering buildings and honors dorm. Every experience was positive. The campus was beautiful, the students bright and friendly, and the faculty and administrators enthusiastic, inspiring and helpful. Our scholars office contact explained every detail of the NMF package, which is even better (unlimited study abroad tuition!) than we knew.</p>
<p>We were extremely impressed with the amount of time each of these people spent with us, from 30-90 minutes each, and with how passionate every one of them was about their respective areas. D is very excited about the prospect of taking a semester of aerospace engineering classes in Germany (she plans to double-major in German); other study abroad programs we’ve investigated don’t mesh with a structured engineering curriculum, meaning that study abroad opportunities are limited to summers if you want to finish in four years. And the hour that really captivated D was the session with the representative of the honors college; everything she said resonated with D, from the reading groups to the faculty’s open-door policy to the smaller core classes and specialized opportunities.</p>
<p>OU is now at the top of our list should D decide to use her NMF funding, which is very likely. The only drawback for us is the distance from home.</p>
<p>@rockiesfan - Thanks for the report on OU. I think we will try to schedule a visit there at some point, but not sure when yet. A few students from DS’s school are taking advantage of their generous NMF packages starting in the fall.</p>
<p>Bigboss asked me to share our gonzaga experience so here it is: overall we were underwhelmed. The college was right in the middle of the city and unlike university of portland, the campus isn’t well divided from the city. There are many buildings along the streets lining the main campus that really didn’t give it that college-like feel. They said that they had a great program but the facilities weren’t that great. It didn’t help that there were no students on campus. D&d said that several of the buildings we entered reminded him more of high school than college. Very institutional. I will admit that the faculty we met from the electrical engineering dept talked more about the other colleges we are going to (two of which he had attended) then about his own. Admissions advisor was nice. </p>
<p>This one has been crossed off his list, while out other visit of the day (washington state university) was more successful. Da especially liked the honors program there and I liked that there was no additional cost for the honors program (there is at oregon state, where he will also be applying). </p>
<p>2 colleges and 2 states down. 4 colleges and 4 states to go!</p>
<p>@rockiesfan, thanks for the OU visit report. I’ve heard such good things about their NMS program. </p>
<p>DS is right on the bubble for our state, but I suspect he’s going to miss the cut-off and we can’t see investing time in a visit when it’s doubtful he’d qualify for the program. I have no idea if it’s any closer for you, but The University of Nebraska is also supposed to have a very good program for NMS. I only know this because the DD of a good friend is considering UN-Lincoln (because she will definitely make the cut-off for our state). This is the same DD who’s also looking at The University of Tulsa for their NMS award - and I wrote a second-hand trip report on Univ of Tulsa many pages back (maybe in April). My friend & her DD are very intelligent, particular people, so I trust my friend’s judgement a lot. She was extremely impressed w/ UN-L and Tulsa, as well. The DD is also considering Wash U and other similar schools that do not award merit (or hardly any merit for NMS).</p>
<p>@planner03, I <em>hear</em> you on the crazy senior pictures these days - and people can say I’ve become my mother…but REALLY. I’ve seen girls posing spread-eagle (literally) on top of restored 1950s pink Cadillacs (or similar). I’ve seen so many provocative poses that I can’t imagine what parents would allow such pictures to be taken, let alone published in yearbooks, sent to grandparents, etc. I’ve seen girls in prom dresses down by the railroad tracks, or in front of barns…because it’s quite common to put on a fancy dress and head down to the rail yard or visit a farm! The boy poses aren’t much better - lots of muscles flexing, etc., but the girls’ pics seem to be more over-the-top. </p>
<p>For DS, we will not be doing that. I’m going to find somebody (relatively inexpensive) who can take some nice pics of him from the chest up, wearing a blue polo-type shirt (though he hates those shirts, so even that’s a stretch on my part) and we are gonna Call It A Day.</p>
<p>Along those same lines, DS had his high school yearbook picture today - jacket encouraged, tie virtually required. We considered borrowing a jacket but then DH found one in his closet - from the 1990s, no less - and it fit DS (pretty much), so off he went. At least the jacket was not double-breasted, but it was definitely older than DS is. And the picture guy complimented DS on how nice his jacket looked! :)) I wasn’t sure if the guy was serious, or if he felt sorry for DS, but the kid looked fine and nobody will notice the jacket because it can barely be seen in the pic.</p>
<p>So that is my Senior Picture Rant. I’m steeling myself to see a lot of crazy, revealing pictures this year, so thanks to everyone for letting me vent here!</p>
<p>When my 2012’er had his picture taken, I was out of town. He called before the session and asked about a tie. I sent him to my husband’s closet to get a tie there. I suggested a specific one. Imagine my surprise when we received the pictures a few weeks later and I saw my son wearing a Christmas tie with little snowmen all over it! </p>
<p>@VMT: Perhaps that was your son’s way of suggesting that he’d like to graduate a semester early. </p>
<p>We’re going to start off your day with a dose of Goth-pop from Siouxsie and the Banshees. This song comes from their 1987 all-covers album “Through the Looking Glass,” and I think they basically stole it away from Iggy Pop for good. Enjoy!</p>
<p>@GoAskDad, I think the “prom dress in front of barn” theme is the photographer and subject trying to be artsy. We see that a lot here. We also see some rather inappropriate stuff but nothing like the 50s Cadillac! My daughter and I looked through all of this year’s senior pictures and found some that were hysterical…mostly guys, all on purpose. One kid was holding a large gourd as if it was his firstborn child. Others had imaginative outfits such as @VMT’s son’s tie. I guess if you want your personality to be remembered long after high school, that’s the way to do it!</p>
<p>@twogirls, at FSU they specifically said you can send the test scores in whenever you want and they will have them on file. Then you can update them if you take more tests. She said some students retest even after being accepted in order to qualify for higher merit scholarships. </p>
<p>I have also been shocked at some of the senior photos. Even the pics on the flyer for the official school photographer seemed suggestive to me. Not the poses really, but the expressions on the girls… Reminded me of looks you’d see on late night ads for certain 800 numbers. </p>
<p>New Orleans! I am waiting for D to get ready for the day. I forgot about the time change so I keep thinking we are late!
Driving in from Florida…there is a whole lot of nothing on I10, and I mean a whole lot! I knew it would be a long drive, but yuck. When we got as far as Pensacola ( we live in the east coast) I thought " not so bad" but then we kept going, and going … So at that point I’d pretty much decided that Tulane would have to be pretty darn amazing for us to make this trip often. Then we got off 10 one exit too soon and went thru a section I now think is called central city to get into town. It was not a pretty section. Then we turned a corner and found the hotel. (Hampton on St Charles) it looked nice enough, but we had JUST turned that corner, so I was wary. Checked in, hotel is nice. They said we could just walk down st Charles to find food ( it’s starting to get dark. This is NOT happening. ) got in the car and drove a few blocks down st Charles. Oh my goodness! What a difference a block makes! Beautiful mansions line the street, and Tulane is just right there mixed in with the mansions. Loyola is right next door. It would be hard to tell where Tulane ends and Loyola begins if they didn’t have different architecture ( well and signs lol). We found a place to eat, D got a shrimp po boy and we both got beignets. :). D says, “I know you won’t want to hear this mom, but so far I love it here!” To be continued after the tour!</p>
<p>DS does not want any senior pictures. He thinks the best option is to get a year book without his picture. We are working on this, but no fancy photo shoots here even though they are the norm in this area.</p>
<p>I just spent $100 on summer reading books for AP classes. I know its a drop in the bucket, but I also know its the start of the endless extra costs of senior year to be followed by college tuition. School ends tomorrow - I can’t wait!</p>
