@dyiu13 If you google the “name of the college + dorm furniture measurements” You might find measurements. I was just doing what you’re doing last night. I learned the beds at most schools can fit 28" beneath the beds. Some schools have captain’s beds though. Those custom headboards are made with cardboard, fiber fill and fabric. Very cheap to make. Since I’m sending off a son it’s best I don’t make him one.
@OspreyCV22 Yes, I even checked out the how-to videos on making cardboard-base headboards. Actually, I like hacks like that. D16, however, is decidedly uninterested in decorating. All she seems to care about is “Is it cheap?” So, I have to educate her on the sometimes high expense of being cheap. Like, with a desk lamp. My suggestion to her is to buy a high-quality, safe lamp (new or vintage) that she can continue to use after college. Ditto for some bedding and office tools. I’m not sure she “gets” that concept. (I’m convinced this is a version of the “nesting” I did right before she was born. It’s also a way to decompress from the college search parenting experience.)
I just looked at a “dorm room chic” page with a reference to bedskirts and Kate Spade design. Yikes! Soooo not the Petrichor kids.
@mom2one98, as fas I know the assets are reported as of the day the FAFSA is first submitted.
Bank balances are checking and savings, 529 and savings bonds, etc fall under investments I think.
In our case it just asked if our total assets were over $19,700 and the answer was no. So we did not have to list actual balances for parent assets. For D we listed her account balance as of the day FAFSA was submitted initially.
We just updated with the DRT.
Student signed in to FAFSA, then we clicked on making a correction, then financial info, it then asks if parent filed tax return, we changed will file to already filed. Then I think I had to put in parent username/password. Then we answered some questions and linked to the IRS. Then it asked if we wanted the tax information transferred to FAFSA. Said yes. Then we did the same with D’s return. Then pressed “submit”.
Oh if you live in PA and reported PA529 balance as part of assets on FAFSA and then fill out state grant form, you can list the amount of the PA529 balance and I think they deduct it for PHEAA consideration.
Flew with D14 across the country to help her move in freshman year:
Flew SWA, so 2 suitcases each were free - took the biggest allowed, just under weight limit (and I had my own stuff in my carry-on). D14 packed clothes mainly, and a few miscellaneous personal and sentimental items. We had gotten a new laptop and really decent backpack earlier in the summer because those purchases took a little more effort to make appropriate selections.
The day before move-in, we made a trip to Target and other bargain stores for bedding and a few handy things that would fit in trunk of rental car (shower caddy, big stash of toiletries to get her through the semester at least, a few big items for storage, organization, some office supplies including printer paper, notebooks, etc). We just got the basics and probably spent approx. 200-250. After that, D14 figured out what else she needed in first few weeks and either went on her university’s “walmart run” bus, or called me and I sent it off via Amazon Prime (LOVE that Amazon Prime for college student needs!).
D14 was (and still is) somewhat of a minimalist and could care less about decorative touches for the most part (I had to talk her into the brighter, fun colored comforter and sheets rather than the solid, institutional grey ones!).
My advice is get the basics, add to it later. BTW…there were desk lamps already in the dorm room!
@dyiu13, my D has one of the 3 drawer plastic units and it fits well under D’s bed. I think we roughly measured 2 1/2 feet that it can max be lofted. It is not easy to get up into that bed. The girls take a running start and jump, lol.
My D’s room has two twin XL beds, two desks with shelving, they have built in closets but some rooms have wardrobes. Her 3 drawer dresser also fits under D’s bed.
I brought what I could fit in the car and then we saw once we had everything in the room if we needed anything else and how much room there was left.
My D was concerned that she needed a bedskirt. First of all not easy or cheap finding a 20 plus inch bedskirt and also if you have storage drawers under bed kind of a hassle. I told her that the comforter will hang over side of bed anyway so no need for bedskirt. A lot of the things you think you need are really not needed.
Some do decorate more than others. D and roommate have some photos on string, some small string lights, some pictures on wall. Tapestries are popular. But nothing too elaborate.
D signed up for Amazon student prime and can get things shipped to dorm in two days her and roomie ordered a shower curtain and rug together from there.
Yes, I agree, getting D ready for college was kind of like getting the nursery ready before D was born, except she wanted to pick things out this time, lol.
To those of you who remember me, I’m back.
We went on vacation the first ten days of January. I followed the thread for the first couple of days, but stopped doing so once the weather cleared and we were out and active. Got home and had to pick up the pieces vis-a-vis work,etc. and then flew cross-country for a wedding over MLK weekend. Then came home to pick up more pieces. Soon I was over a thousand notes behind, and my OCD wouldn’t let me dive back in without reading those notes. But just like S14 who’s a major procrastinator, the longer I waited the greater the task of catching up. Well, I’ve finally caught up on over 2.5K notes (boy, did my lips get tired with all that reading!), generally while (theoretically) watching TV or a movie with Mrs. AsleepattheWheel.
Wow. There have been some spectacular acceptances, scholarships, etc. There’s also been quite a bit of angst, with deferrals, rejections, and interminable waiting (i.e., continued angst). There have been some interesting and unpredictable subjects that have worked their way through the thread. More than anything I’ve been struck with what an incredible group of parents are here (do these kids even have a clue how lucky they are? My guess is that many do) and what a similarly remarkable group of kids are represented by those parents.
This go-around has been SO easy for us. With S14 we sweated decisions through until the end of March – acceptances, waitlistings, and rejections – and then didn’t make a final decision until April 22nd. S16 filled out one ED application, had a reasonable basis on which to be optimistic (academics/coach support) during the wait, and was accepted in December. Channeling my inner Bill Clinton I really do feel the pain of the long drawn-out process that many of you have gone (and may still be going) through.
Obviously I can’t list all the congratulations and condolences, but there are two:
@dyiu13 – After all of the travails of the last year-plus, it was so heartwarming to read that your daughter’s (and family’s) story has a happy ending. I’m thrilled. She’s a star for being so accepting of her situation through this whole process, and no one deserves their success more than she does. Congratulations.
@Mysonsdad – Obviously there have been many pieces of this process that have been extremely discouraging. Hang in there. As others have posted, I am confident that this is going to end well for your son.
I’ve got a few updates (on stuff with us) and comments, etc. to post once I’m fully back in the swing of things.
Finally, it’s great to see so many new parents (and a kid or two) on the thread, all with great stories.
@asleepatthewheel - you must care a lot about the parents on this thread. Frankly, I would just move to last 2-3 pages if I was that far behind. 
Welcome back.
Whoa! Welcome back @asleepatthewheel! I admire your dedication.
Really glad to see you back, @AsleepAtTheWheel ! This group has formed into such an amazingly supportive community. I get as excited about a Fisk or U Florida acceptance, so many amazing scholarships, and finally getting word from a UC as I do about many of my kids’ friends’ triumphs-- and it’s so nice to have someone else with whom to angst and number-crunch! And it’s especially nice to have the company of those of you who’ve been through it all recently, and speak fluent College-ese.
Welcome back @AsleepAtTheWheel! I agree, this is a great group and as we are winding down the process here at ChezCalMidwest, I am very grateful for the camaraderie and support!
@AsleepAtTheWheel We have missed your witty and wise presence! I am SO glad you’re back!
Quick story of the morning. My S realized that he had forgotten to thank the lottery school interviewer after Thursday’s Skype session, so he sent off a brief email this morning. The interviewer replied saying, “Nicely done. That was the first thank you note I received this season.” He then went on to say how much he enjoyed their talk, and that S reminded him of his freshman year roommate, a guy who went on to become a CS professor at top colleges.
After his disappointment with the early UCB decisions, it is so nice to start off the week on an encouraging note!
Welcome back @AsleepAtTheWheel what @petrichor11 says is true I get as excited hearing about your kids getting accepted as when my own friends get accepted. We have definitely built a community here. @happymochi Thank you notes are so important and something my mom has forced my sister and I to do. After homecoming this year. Student Council had to write thank you notes to various people and businesses for their support and participation. I was appalled how many people had no clue how to write a thank you note.
@AsleepAtTheWheel welcome back…you know me, every once in a while I need to vent and so I do it here instead of kicking my imaginary dog.
Sounds like a busy few weeks, we missed your humorous insights.
Welcome back @AsleepAtTheWheel ! You’ve been missed.
@happymochi and @readingclaygirl I made my daughter write thank you notes too. She writes them now without being prodded.
I agree with @4kids2grauate Don’t buy too much ahead of time for the dorm room. BB&B has a registry for college students where you pick stuff out in your home town and pick it up near the college. I think in D’s case, she picked out two comforters then ended up with something different. You don’t pay ahead of time so when you get to the BB&B near the school you can look at it all and decide what you want. In D’s case, there was a Target right next door to the BB&B. So between the 2 stores, it was easy to get what she needed. Also, she worked out at the time of move in or maybe just before with her roommate that one would buy a mini-fridge and one would get a microwave. D’s school had student run shipping service so we paid to ship 3 boxes freshman year but otherwise took things out in our Southwest luggage, picked things up at BB&B and Target, and used Amazon Prime. I’m a HUGE fan of Amazon Prime and have been a member since they started it. It is great for all sorts of things for college students including books.
D’s bed did allow for making it higher with risers and we bought some cubed shelves at Target to go underneath. They were not expensive and managed to last for 4 years. I think D brought 2 of the 4 home with her. One she gave to a friend staying for grad school and one just kind of fell apart. I think I posted this before but one good suggestion I read on CC back then was to get D a small tool set. It came in handy when her roommates bed was stuck and would adjust to be made higher. The two dads used the tool set to get it set up. And over the year, she helped out several kids by sharing “her” tools. Don’t know how many times she actually used them herself.
I can already tell that S will take much less stuff than D. He is a minimalist. The difference in the stuff they each took to overnight camp (same camp back in the day) was telling. My S is definitely of the mindset “No, I don’t need that” even if its on the packing list. I tried to buy him some school supplies at the beginning of this school year and he would not let me. {sigh}
Thanks all, for the kind words.
Well, despite S16’s ED acceptance we are still playing an application/admission waiting game of sorts. S14, at Emory, has applied to their undergraduate business program (that grants a B.B.A. – a ‘business B.A.’ – a degree I didn’t know existed). As opposed to most undergraduate colleges where one applies to the business school/program as an entering freshman, at Emory one applies after three semesters, which for S14 is now. During his winter break it was deja-vu all over again, where I had to cajole, threaten, bribe, and beg him to write the 500-word essay and put a resume together (“Dad, it’s not due until February 15th”). Fortunately he got it done before we went on vacation, and he submitted his application this past week.
They don’t look at ANYTHING done in high school. The criteria are GPA at Emory (he’s got a 3.58, and the median for accepted students in the past has been a 3.6), GPA in the business pre-reqs taken at Emory (fortunately higher than his overall GPA), EC’s at Emory (he’s got a couple of things – nothing too spectacular), and two LOR’s (we think that one will be strong – from a professor whose course he took last semester who then asked him to TA that same course this semester). So he looks to be in pretty good shape, but who knows? His whole life’s plan revolves around being in the business school, so the stakes are high (although not high enough for him to have worked harder the prior three semesters). He gets the decision within the next four weeks. We’re trying to not talk about it.
It’s unfortunate that after finally finishing the college admissions rat race he was immediately thrust back into a competitive situation where he had to perform grade-wise, had to do some EC’s, etc. Fortunately he’s found the other pre-business kids to be a supportive and collaborative group. But still . . . .
S16 is basically carrying on. He had a decent first semester in terms of grades. He’s still up 4:45 am more mornings than not to swim or do his supervised ‘dry land’ workout. No girlfriend, which is just fine with us.
We have to pay $95 a shot for his AP tests. Amherst doesn’t give AP credit, but as was very astutely pointed out here (sorry, can’t remember by whom), life takes unexpected turns, so we think we’ll sign him up for four.
And regarding the prior discussion regarding prom wear, we bought him a Mens Wearhouse tuxedo last year. He went to two proms as a junior, and will go to at least one prom this year. Buying the tux was cheaper than three rentals. Moreover, he loves it as a gag. Wears it every opportunity that he can. With his hair that sticks out circumferentially about 4 to 5 inches (we call it a “Jewfro”) and a goatee, he puts forward a pretty striking and ?ridiculous appearance in a tux. Mrs. AsleepattheWheel is concerned that he’s inherited his father’s sense of humor.
Good luck to your son @AsleepAtTheWheel . We’ve decided that you can’t go missing for that long anymore.