Parents of the HS Class of 2017 - 3.0 to 3.4 GPA

Parents Forum
2281

Gah–CALCULUS!! Today is the last day before break, and there was a take home test due. S17 still had work to do on it this morning, so he was late for school. SIGH… There’s another big packet of homework to do over break. I normally let him do his thing, but I think there may be some nagging involved this time to make sure we don’t have a repeat of this morning on Jan. 3…

At least he has a few days to catch his breath and enjoy Christmas before jumping into scholarship apps and the craziness of college decisions again.

I hope ALL our 17kids have some time to rest and recharge this break, even though there is more work to be done and decisions to be made.

2282

@MSU88CHEng , that calculus just don’t take a hint, will it? Sorry it’s hovering over the start of break. I haven’t asked TacoSon what homework he has yet, as I am enjoying a healthy dose of ignorance at the moment.

2283

Hey gang! Checking in on outcomes. I’m updating the doc and want to make sure I don’t miss folks.

Here is who I have stats on, and acceptances so far. I don’t have the financial offers for all though but can post what I have.

[ul]@smakl70 's S: Carthage College, Elmhurst College, Hope College, North Central College, Valpariso
@snoozn 's D: Colorado State, Michigan Tech, Western Washington University, Rose Hulman, UVM, Oregon State
@stlarenas 's D: Drury University, Pittsburgh State, Truman State, Westminster College
@“Queen’s Mom” 's D: Eckerd College, Wofford, Ithaca College, St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
@curiositycat333 's S:Humboldt State, University of Oregon
@CoyoteMom 's S: Juniata, UVM, Allegheny
@kt1969 's D: Knox, Goucher, Lewis and Clark College, University of Redlands, McDaniel College, St. Michael’s College, UVM
@MomStudent2017 's S: Ohio University, Old Dominion University, West Virginia University, Whittier College, Christopher Newport
@klinska 's D: Susquehanna, UNH, UVM, College of Wooster, Siena College
eandesmom’s S: Ithaca College, Ursinus College, UVM, Western Washington University[/ul]

Of these there may be some deferrals and denials I didn’t track but I would like to get them on there if folks don’t mind. And I think we have at least one ED in there that is DONE!

I also know many of our regular posters have acceptances, deferrals, denials and ED’s so if any of you want to be added to the list please let me know either by PM or tag me in a post.

@93pilots
@mackatarinasmom
@CAtransplant
@RightCoaster
@techmom99
@tacocat333
@Fishnlines29
@brindlegreyhound
@mamaedefamilia
@jmek15
@cameo43
@MSU88CHEng

And anyone else I forgot (or who mostly lurks). I truly didn’t mean to leave anyone out so if I did, I am super sorry!

2284

@MSU88CHEng My son also has a few calc packets to work through over break. Apparently the class is falling behind so instead of having an actual test for the final it was only a quiz. They are having the test (which will just be a regular test not count as the final) when they return from break. So much for relaxing and only have 1 scholarship essay to work on.

2285

Huge calc packet here. His only (alleged) homework over break. Other than scholarships lol.

No mail here today, including missing gift shipments. Wah!

2286

@eandesmom, great list, but I have a correction…we haven’t heard anything yet from wofford. Also, applied rolling to Pitt, but they want to see her first semester grades, so that’s sort of a deferral. No rejections yet, but the reaches don’t come in until much later. BTW, I am ecstatic with the results so far. She has some great choices and some oth them may even be affordable when the financial aid comes in. So far, only Eckerd offered financial aid.

2287

@eandesmom … correction … replace Whittier College with Appalachian State U.
Christopher Newport U acceptance was ED. Also, deferred @ U of South Carolina.

…MomStudent2017 's S: Ohio University, Old Dominion University, West Virginia University, Whittier College, Christopher Newport…

2288

@eandesmom -

Techson99 was accepted to Adelphi University’s theater tech BFA program. We haven’t heard about money yet, but he did get a letter telling him that he was put in for a talent scholarship (they go up to $10K/year). His GPA is 3.43 and his ACT composites are 27 and 25. He worked so hard the second time to get his math up to 24 that everything else went down. The first time, he had a 32 in reading and 29 in science - can’t remember the rest off hand.

2289

Have any of you noticed recently that your child is receiving lots of college emails? Techson99 got a dozen emails today, as well as snail mailers, none of which were from schools he ever showed interest in and most of which seemed to be schools that wouldn’t take him. Some examples are Skidmore, Stony Brook and Gettysburg. My take is that they are looking to increase the number of applicants so they can reject them, keep their money and announce that they are more selective.

2290

Hi everyone -
Whew - so much for me to catch up on, after being in minnesota for a few days. We went because Macalester is one of the few schools that is a match (instead of a “likely” or a reach), and I know CoyoteSon does far better on the essays if he sees the school in person. Then, we saw St Olaf’s and Carleton while we were in the area. I knew,St Olaf’s was not going to appeal to my son - too religious and definitely too musical/artsy --So we just drove through the campus, which is absolutely gorgeous, with lots of stone buildings set on a hill. For Macalester and Carleton, we took the tour, info session,;and interviews with real AdComs. So, Macalester is off the list (great, compact campus, great off campus food - we had Mediterranean, Afghan, and a fantastic breakfast place) - despite great amenities, the science/nerdy vibe just didn’t seem to be there - emphasis was definitely on Internationalism and social justice - didn’t feel like a fit. On the other hand, he connected with the student tour guide and seemed to have a great interview. Got his computer out and started answering the Carleton essays – so now we have one more big reach, but no matches that fit his personality. Sigh. We had a blast on our trip though - built in time to see the Science Museum (3 hours not long enough), and wound up at mall of America (had extra time in St Paul, waiting for my passport to be FedEx ed by CoyoteHusband, as my driver’s license got lost in the xray machine in VA airport…TSA did find my license in said infernal machine, so I got it back from.lost and found today, but had to scrap the rental car without a license. Great exercise in back-up planning :smiley:

2291

@coyotemom glad he liked at least on of the school for that long of a trip. Sounds like it was an adventure.

@eandesmom you misspelled Valparaiso, pretty sure that’s why the school usually just calls itself Valpo.

2292

@techmom99 - Your observation about schools trying to gin up applications is correct. This is also an incentive for schools to go test-options, as it also increases the pool from which applicants can be accepted and rejected (hence, more selectivity). My U plays this game too. Sadly, it sets up kids for disappointment.

2293

@suburbancat @techmom99 —it’s such a sad and pervasive practice among just about every Higher Ed institution (some more grievous than others obviously). The “selectivity” arms race has really gotten out of control and it’s only going to get worse as the universe of college-aged kids continues to shrink. The disappointment continues to grow every year at my D’s private school where more and more bright, talented kids continue to shoot for the ED Moon only to be disappointed. Very very sad…I really hope at some point schools (mostly the larger universities) come clean and say “listen–unless we see this and this and this on the first page of your app, we are not reading beyond that so even if you’re the next Shakespeare, we will never know.”

2294

But the clients (parents and students) love the selectivity arms race! We love to say our kids go to school number #16 on the rankings, we would never consider a #67 over a #52. When you read on CC that people are applying to 15 or 20 schools, you know the schools have won the race. :wink:

My kids go to schools ranked higher than 150. Both love their schools and both applied to only that one school because we did all the research up front. We really don’t care about rankings, because if we did one would be going to Smith and the other could have found a school 50 positions higher in the rankings. If we had believed the marketing material which arrived by the ton at our house, one would have applied to WUSTL as it was ‘the perfect school for her.’ She got an email, text, or glossy catalog every day from WUSTL and had never expressed any interest in the school or even that type of school.

2295

TacoSon set up his inbox so anything that says “college” or “university” comes to me as well, so I can verify he has been inundated with fresh emails from colleges wishing him happy holidays, reminding him of deadlines and offering no-fee applications. The ones that get me are the ones saying, “Our ED deadline is tomorrow!” Or “We’re extending our ED deadline just for you!”

I just tossed out the big pile o’ marketing materials, keeping only communications from the schools he’s applied to. I had visions of a bonfire but I don’t think any of us are feeling it at this point. Made me reflect on some regrettable marketing ploys and a few disappointing campus visits/tours. I know many schools heavily vet their tour guides/ambassadors but several of ours were so bad we ducked out partway.

2296

@eandesmom My D17 3.1 unweighted, 3.6 weighted 29 ACT (English and reading high, math and science not), 7 AP’s results:

Western Washington accepted with zero merit. Total “award” on the financial aid letter is 37,000 of loans. Absurd. Why even suggest 37,000 a year of loans? Why not just say we can see from the FAFSA that you have money set aside so use that. Application to the honors college is pending. Still her #1.
.

Portland State University accepted

University of Portland sort of deferred without saying deferred. Initially they offered an early admission decision, now they say we’ll know by April.

Augustana College accepted with 21,000 a year merit, 750 early filers award. They are trying hard with regular email and paper mail.

Southern Illinois Carbondale accepted

Southern Illinois Edwardsville accepted with 4,000 a year merit

2297

OK. Worst fears realized. D17 got the big envelope from American–she’s in. No mention of any aid other than the loan she qualifies for from FAFSA, though. Offices are closed until Jan. 3 so we have to wait until then to confirm/appeal. Definitely doesn’t match NPC. Does anyone know if merit appeals go through the office of admissions or through the office of financial aid, or is that school dependent?

ETA: All may not be lost, just read the freshman merit scholarship page on the school website (for the 15th time) and saw that students are notified of merit awards at the time of admission or shortly thereafter. Riding this roller coaster a little longer…

2298

@klinska !!! Congrats to your D!!! So awesome! She must be over the moon. Here’s hoping the merit that you need comes through. She has a bunch of other good options if it doesn’t, of course, but awesome to get in to her #1. :slight_smile:

2299

Thank you, @kt1969–I actually am so very happy for her, and I have hope that we will see something (hopefully enough that we could stretch to make it work–and this is a school where we would stretch). Didn’t mean to be all doom and gloom. Maybe thus is like insurance where they deny your claim as a matter of process, but will come through if you push a little.

She’s got a houseful of friends over for cookie baking and Christmas movies, and they were all here when the mail came. Really glad she’s having a great day. :slight_smile:

2300

@klinska big congratulations, that is fantastic!!!