@Cheeringsection I am so sorry that your son is feeling like he has to justify a very personal decision. Believe me , it’s very hard to be a cougar in a jungle full of tigers . Some answers he may want to give are " I felt like my needs will be better met there" " Have you ever visited? If not, make a visit , and you’ll understand " " I wanted to stay closer to home " " I’m saving money for grad school" "It’s about more than just the football ( insert any sport here) I think it’s hard when its peers ask, but even harder when adults ask. They don’t want to be disrespectful , but also don’t want to be interrogated either. I told my son to be polite and respectful for the first several questions , after that if the person continues to interrogate , feel free to say what is necessary to shut the conversation down. For example “I think I’ve explained my personal reasons for my choice , I’m not sure why you continue to ask for more justification” Sure the person may be a little uncomfortable , but why should your son be made to feel uncomfortable for a decision that has no effect on the person questioning him and a huge effect on your son. Just my 2 cents. Also, I think having a little question or doubt is perfectly normal when one has made a significant choice .
Thanks @carolinamom2boys. I totally agree but like him, just wish people would get it. I did get a laugh and a smile from him with my suggestion of “some follow, others lead”.
I do believe that we have the same son @Cheeringsection
Even responses about the personal choice of college attendance is personalized. I will chat with anybody for hours about our unique situation and personal choice. It’s a professional hazard, I suppose. My D16 really has not been made to feel any awkwardness about her choice, but that likely has a lot to do with her circumstances in life and the circles in which she lives. She is very willing to discuss her process and choice with whomever.
@me29034, I see. Thanks for explaining the new class registration process. Last year my D did an online orientation about a week before Pittstart and they were to make a list of 10 possible courses to bring with them. Then at Pittstart each school had a separate group session and then they had individual advising appointments. They went to the computer lab to put courses in their shopping cart, but couldn’t register for them until after their advising appointments.
@Booajo, maybe your D is overwhelmed with choosing her classes? Have her think of classes she definitely wants to take and start from there.
I remember those wall charts and index cards for choosing classes! I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been in a huge state U like mine. I remember one semester I got to the front of the line three times only to find out my elective was full. I ended up with a fitness conditioning class-at 8 a.m.!
I just wanted to throw out this travel tip in case anyone is looking to save money on hotels. I know we can’t be the only ones booking our drop-off trip. I always take a look at prices through Kayak or at least Orbitz and Travelocity, but also make a point of looking at the hotel site itself. I’ve always heard that you should call the hotel directly, but hadn’t done that in years. In this case, we had a specific hotel in mind, and Orbitz was asking the most. Calling directly was only slightly less expensive (by $5/night) but using the hotel’s booking site AND AARP, I ended up saving $12/night. Since we’re going for 6 days so we can do some sight-seeing and of course, dorm shopping, that savings will really add up.
Is Expedia not as good as the above sites to do an initial screening of prices? I noticed Expedia wasn’t mentioned.
Thanks for the tip!
I have the best luck with Booking.com. You may also want to check the school’s website to see if any hotels offer discounts.
I think Travelocity and Expedia are owned by the same company now? When I booked our Scholars’ Weekend trip they gave me the same results. @carolinamom2boys I forgot to mention booking.com. They matched the hotel’s own price. We used them extensively on our vacation 2 years ago-it’s a great site. The college does have some deals, but this hotel was cheaper and in the same area as their discounted ones-near the airport but not TOO near, also.
Anyone who has a military ID may also ask about military discounts. Some hotels offer them.
Also government ID’s, though in some cases, it’s only federal, others it’s ANY. H works for county government, but usually AAA or AARP trump that discount.
I usually try to get a hotel on priceline based on certain star level amenities available in a general area if I am driving in town. They have a section called express deals and if something is at 2.5 stars or above, free parking and free wifi (sometimes free breakfast) and shows a discount of 30-50%, I take it.
For someone who remembers me and who did not join facebook group, DD decided to attend Columbia. Another final school in her list was UChicago and she was weighing equally except financial aid.
Somehow UChicago FA was not responding fast enough for us. Our bad luck I think. UChicago was 10K expensive than Columbia when they sent us first FA package in early April. DD appealed immediately and Chicago sent back an e-mail asking letter with signature for appealing 4 days later. I sent an appeal letter with signature via e-mail and received acknowledgement 4 days later. I have to call them April 29th to make sure, we would get FA result before decision day and a FA officer said we were going to have one at the same day, which did not happen. And DD committed to Columbia the next day and we received FA package about a half day later with 3K lower than Columbia. When NMF combined, we have much better FA. Well… she thought she already committed and decided to go with Columbia.
She will have a gap year in Korea with department of states money. So we are happy now.
@happydad2112 - Glad to see she went from “don’t want to set foot in Columbia” a year ago to a matriculant! 
Although both our Ds seem to be the only ones going there from this thread they wont really be classmates.
@texaspg: Didn’t realize you had a daughter going to Columbia. Think I didn’t say Congrats to you: Congrats to you, @texaspg.
I think both your daughters, yours and @happydad2112, will have wonderful, stimulating times at Columbia.
Booking hotels: When I booked at UC Berkeley, I found the on-campus Faculty Club to be a great option, and without the taxes (City occupancy and transient and whatnot taxes), the nightly rate was great! All it takes is an affiliation, such as a child who is a student. I wonder if other universities have university-owned hotel facilities?
@texaspg It’s unbelievable how she changed her mind. Columbia was the last school she added while crossing out Dartmouth. I never expected her to add Columbia but she’s going to matriculate. DD has many friends who will attend Columbia this fall and she sometimes feels sad she cannot share the experience at the same time.
@Waiting2exhale Thanks a lot. All the schools are fantastic and as a parent, I am fully devote myself to Columbia.
@waitingtoexhale - thanks. It has been public on the google doc for a long time I guess.
@dyiu13 : “That’s 12 weekends. I live my life with D16 measured in weekends.”
That should be structured into one of the Haiku forms. How absolutely quieting. Cue Issa.
Checking in between writing AP practice essays to say I hope everyone’s kids have done well on any exams so far!