D16’s phone was stolen over the weekend from a place at school that probably should have been secure but wasn’t. We’ve faced the fact today that it’s gone for good. Amazing how much of life is in a device that didn’t exist when we went to college a generation ago. I feel sorry for D. We’ve just had a very long discussion about being responsible for yourself and your things, especially important when you’re in college.
Congratulations @Mysonsdad and @Dragonflygarden what an excellent way to start a week.
Sorry for scholarships news. Hopefully more good news in the future.
@EastGrad DD lost her phone twice this summer while biking to her lab during her summer program. Her lab was 1.5 miles away from her dorm. She was able to trace her steps back and find her iPhone. I am thinking maybe to buy protection plan on her phone next year.
@Cheeringsection I am with you on this AP dilemma. With her acceptances at this point it does not make any sense to take more AP exams. If she gets into her reach school, they probably will not give any credits for AP. Only if she gets into UCs, she will be able to use it.
@happymochi Not sure if anyone answered your question. S11 (who had to wait until late March for most of his decisions) found that those “late to notify” schools sent FA letters with their acceptances. It seems that those schools have enough time to make an admission decision as well as do a complete evaluation of financial aid before notifying students - at least that was our experience a few years ago.
Filed our FAFSA with the last year tax info and from what I am reading here I am not looking forward to the updating. Several schools have contacted us about please send in the new tax info and it is strange the differences from school to school about what additional forms and verifications each wants.
Scheduled a last minute college visit to Marquette, this weekend (got an amazing deal on airfare), so the whole family is headed to Chicago/Milwaukee. D16 seems genuinely excited about this school which so out of left field. Unfortunately when I went to schedule the campus visit online the tours were filled, so hoping I can convince them tomorrow to squeeze at least D16 into a tour group for Monday. Also hoping to squeeze in a campus visit in for D18 while we are in Chicago (or at least a stroll across campus).
@labegg Where do you live? The Marquette offer sounds great. My son received a lot of mail from them. I think WI winters would be a huge shock for him. We live in VA.
@happymochi- What @4kidstograduate said…you should get awards with acceptances in March. That is the reason for all of the financial aid fun now-to have those packages ready to go with admission offers. They’d better keep up their end of the bargain after what they put the parents through in the winter!
On another note, anyone else’s guidance counselor get a phone call from an admissions office? S '16’s counselor told him at an honor society meeting today that he had fielded a call from an upper-end school. That always meant admission when it happened in his brother’s case, so the suspense builds. And his counselor is actually getting a bit blase. Three years ago he was so nervous and so out of his element that he would not answer the calls but would run down and find S '13 to find out what to say before he called them back! This time he said he would also make sure he wrote a great semester update note without too much obvious schmoozing. Not sure how that will work out, haha!
He also got a very nice email from the admissions office at a school where he received a likely but has not been able to visit. Oddly it was from the actual director of admissions. And another competitive college sent a very unexpected, detailed email in response to an update S '16 sent in, congratulating him on his application so apparently no update necessary? It looks like those offices are hard at it at this point!
Enjoy your trip @labegg! I am so glad the airfare was a deal. Surely they can fit one more on a tour–especially an admitted student. You may even get a personal tour.
Got into a similar situation ssseamom, when my D tried to submit an application and was told that the school had already submitted a nominated student but failed to all all the students who applied that. Then the counseling office told her that they try to spread the scholarships around. It was pretty disheartening for her to hear.
Congrats to all on acceptances and scholarships.
D now frantically writing scholarship apps and just became a state qualifier for debate (in her first year of debating). Very proud of her.
Also trying to figure out what to do with AP exams. Found out that her current school won’t give credit for them, and her HS told her if that’s the case, then she did not need to take them (and we can get our $500 back). I’m leaning towards getting the $500 back…
@sseamom My D is also applying for a scholarship that requires the college name. We decided that she will wait until the last day to submit it and then put in her most likely college at the time. If she does win and has changed her mind then we will try to get them to change it. If they won’t she is no worse off than if she didn’t apply.
on the AP front-- there was one AP exam that D’s top choice will only give credit for a score of 5; but interestingly they also accept CLEP with a much lower cut score- she took the CLEP last month and aced it. So-- look to see if your kids’ choices accept CLEP-- even if they take a non-AP level course, they can try the CLEP (psych, econ, history… etc)
S and I were looking at his financial aid offer from Northeastern last night. According to the net price calculator we were to pay about $10,000/year before any scholarship offers. Yesterday S got the $15,000 in scholarships and with grants, loans and work study we are now being asked to pay over $23,000/ year. Although NE wasn’t a top choice for S, it now looks like they have priced us out of attendance. Oh well, at least if S has to make a decision later on this will be one less school to worry about and at least he got an acceptance to a top school so overall, at least yesterday was still a good day for him.
