How about something funny to pass the time while we wait for Ivies? (Apologies if this was already posted above, I am not caught up) From the New York Times Opinion Page:
College Admissions Shocker!
PALO ALTO, California — Cementing its standing as the most selective institution of higher education in the country, Stanford University announced this week that it had once again received a record-setting number of applications and that its acceptance rate — which had dropped to a previously uncharted low of 5 percent last year — plummeted all the way to its inevitable conclusion of 0 percent.
With no one admitted to the class of 2020, Stanford is assured that no other school can match its desirability in the near future.
“We had exceptional applicants, yes, but not a single student we couldn’t live without,” said a Stanford administrator who requested anonymity. “In the stack of applications that I reviewed, I didn’t see any gold medalists from the last Olympics — Summer or Winter Games — and while there was a 17-year-old who’d performed surgery, it wasn’t open-heart or a transplant or anything like that. She’ll thrive at Yale.” …
S just got good news that he was awarded a College Fellows scholarship at UNC Chapel Hill. It’s not a ton of money, but since we are full pay there(In state) it makes it his most affordable option by a decent bit. Excited for him, but don’t know if will accept/attend. Makes for some tough decisions!
Waiting for a couple of decisions today. Couple came in yesterday - one was a waitlist (Tufts syndrome perhaps?) and another was an acceptance. S was very low key - the acceptance doesn’t affect his list much since it is without any merit aid. I know a lot of other kids waiting anxiously for today…
My parents are all that the kids have left. So grateful for that. Unfortunately, dad had a stroke a couple of years ago and then another two months ago - so his grasp of the situation that S is in is a little tenuous. Sad to see - he would have been so thrilled that S is tentatively thinking of following in his footsteps and go to law school
Another mom missing her mom. As others have said, I know she would be so proud. I just wish I would have her to talk to each day. Especially during these tumultuous teen years. Though, as all stages of parenting have their ups and downs, I know that getting our babies off to college as ‘adults’ doesn’t mean our jobs will be done…or any easier. Hugs all around.
@Ballerina016 Sounds like your DD comes from a couple generations of good stock. No doubt your D will thrive at whichever school is lucky enough to have her as part of its community.
@Mysonsdad
Your comment of “Last night S and I had a long talk about his childhood and him growing up and everything he did that led up to decisions today.” got me reminiscing about the time DD16 was just learning to walk so she was just about 12 months old. I had her in a Chicago Bears cheerleading outfit and wearing an orange headband. I was holding her hand since she was still pretty unsteady at the time when we were walking at Hopkins. I was doing the first year my residency there and I was joking at the time that she needed to breathe in the “Hopkins air” (frankly it’s nothing special- just typical hospital smell) so maybe she could go to the school one day. DD won’t be going to Hopkins but I am sure as heck proud of what’s she’s done so far and delighted at her choice of school. She never applied to Hopkins since she got into her dream school early on.
All my CC colleagues who may have kids waiting for decisions today and further on down the line, I am hoping for good news for you and your family. We’re almost at the end.
Per my last post, I’m not stressed, but I do have a ritual I won’t break. On decision day I wear a shirt with the school colors. Like my 13-year-old son says about wearing his lucky socks on game day, “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work!”
Reviewing D16’s vaccinations for college. Does anyone know anything about the Serogroup B Vaccine? necessary or not? ACIP decided in June 2015 that it may be recommended for 16 - 23 years old.
She has had Menactra 11/5/10 and Menveo 7/22/14 the same Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine.
All 11 to 12 year olds should be vaccinated with a single dose of a quadrivalent (protects against serogroups A, C, W, and Y) meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra® or Menveo®). Since protection decreases over time, a booster dose is recommended at age 16 so teens continue to have protection during the years when they are at highest risk of meningococcal disease.
Serogroup B Meningococcal Vaccine
Teens and young adults (16 through 23 year olds) may also be vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine (Bexsero® or Trumenba®), preferably at 16 through 18 years old. Two or three doses are needed depending on the brand.
Preteens, teens, and young adults should be vaccinated with a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine if they are identified as being at increased risk of meningococcal disease.
We are waiting for 1 ivy today; D is sure she won’t get in. She’s probably right, but I’m also probably more nervous than her. Unless things happen very differently than we expect, we won’t be able to afford it anyway, so it really is just a “let’s see” situation. I am more optimistic than the rest of my family–I keep thinking that MAYBE she will get in with good FA.
Oh and she absolutely hates missing school. She is missing tomorrow for an admitted students day, and it is extremely stressful for her to not be there. I’m not too worried about her attendance in college.
on the vaccine front… ask about a booster for pertussis. Apparently the booster typically given around age 12 can lose effectiveness as D found out last year. Not fun.
We’re not waiting on any more schools but hoping for good results for those of you waiting on the Ivies.
As the grandparent issue - I could have written @Mom2jl 's post. I lost my father over 30 years ago, before I was married but he had met my husband. He never got to know that I passed my bar exam, attend my wedding or met my kids. My S is like him in a number of ways and I know they would have had a very special relationship. My mom was just talking to me last night about my Dad and my S. It still hurts all these years later as my dad was the glue of our family. My mom has been a doting grandmother, although she lives far away. She is going through some rough health things since last summer and hearing all about the college stuff has given her something happy to focus on.
My daughter texted with a sense of anxiety after other accepted students relayed that the university had offered to pay for their flights and accommodations to visit for admitted student’s weekend, when no such offer had been extended to her.
She asked what made me pay for non-refundable airline tickets, and book accommodations a full month ahead of notifications being released when there was such a high chance of not being admitted.
I told her we acted preemptively, and put it out into the universe that she would be headed that way, and the universe responded with a “Come On!”
I told her to let it go. It’s done. She calmed down and carried on after that.
I feel pretty sure today’s Ivy release will register on her scale, one way or the other, but I’m pretty sure she’s in a really good place inside of herself right now.
We’re not waiting on any decisions, but I’m keeping a good thought for everyone today!
D does have an “adopted Nana” who is 91 and has been like family to my SIL. She moved to CA last year to be with her D so we don’t see her weekly like we used to, but she was a great influence in D’s life. Sadly, she has dementia and can’t really make phone calls anymore, but D writes to her and sends pictures-she loves her pictures.
We were just discussing shots-will need to get those lined up.
As for Dorm Mountain, D is going to create registries at her favorite stores (Target and the Container Store, for example) and hopefully there will be a place in the notes where she can ask people to “ship to store” so we can pick things up on location once we get to her college. But for those ready to buy-Dormify.com is having a HUGE sale today-30% off their already marked-down clearance items. We got some cotton sheets for $10 a few weeks back-D loves them. New patterns are coming out in April, that’s why the sale.There are also several duvet covers and shams for $10 each. Just thought I would give you a tip if you’re looking. Mostly girly stuff, but some of it is neutral.
I have a ridiculously detailed and long list that I made for Dorm Mountain with my first S. I must have been out of my mind. But… having the list made me feel I had a little “control” as life was about to change dramatically with S leaving home, so it was good for something. And S had everything at his fingertips - he called when a button came off of something - sewing kit in one of the plastic drawers. Feel sick - vitamin C in one of the plastic drawers. Need to put up more posters - command adhesive poster hooks in one of the plastic drawers. Move in day - need to prop the door open - door stop in one of the plastic drawers. (He had a 2 1/2 foot tall plastic thing with 6 drawers I think.)
My daughter took less from the list but had more clothes.
This S will be a true minimalist. He doesn’t have much stuff nor want much.
I don’t know who that is, @texaspg, Nana is the kind of person I could only aspire to be. She could command a room just by walking in, and always had a kind thing to say to me. She treated D as though she was a blood relative, and I am so sad that she won’t be able to see her graduate, because she always said that nothing could stop her from coming to the graduation if she were still living. Of course, being ill did exactly that.
Good luck to you all on Ivy Day! Both of my grandmothers have died, one 15 years ago and the other 5. Both my grandfathers are still alive but I wish my grandmothers were here. I know they would be proud. My summer orientation date is on my grandmother’s birthday and I like to think that’s a sign from her
@sseamom - uh oh. James Patterson has entire series of books about this police profiler/shrink named Dr. Alex Cross who has a bunch of kids but they get taken care of by his 90 year old nana. If I remember right, she retired as a school principal.
Ah-I have read a couple of those! “Our” Nana was not a teacher, but her mother was, and I believe handed down similar traits to her. Nana was often the landing place for assorted grandchildren and great-grandchildren who may not have been actually related to her.
