@MSU88CHEng since your son actually completed his tasks can you come light a fire under mine? The calculus packets are still sitting where he dropped them when he came home from school on the last day and he also has a scholarship essay to write. It’s not a big scholarship but he has a really good shot at it so the least he could do is try. The scholarship application isn’t actually due until March but this kid is the KING of procrastination - he’ll even admit to it.
TacoSon came home with calculus homework but over the course of the break he determined the packet isn’t actually due until a week after the break. I have interrogated him repeatedly over this like a TV detective in shirtsleeves, believe me. He works today and tomorrow so I am bracing myself for that battle when all of us least want to battle.
@eandesmom , sorry about the potential of taking Ursinus off the list. Does it help at all that it’s one of the least pronounceable schools? We have yet to crunch all of our numbers, probably because we still have the luxury of TacoSon’s top choice being by far the most affordable.
I had intended to work with TacoSon on looking up outside scholarships but this never actually happened. You now have the genetic component of the Struggling Calculus Sons’ makeup!
@smakl70 and @tacocat333 While S17 finished the scholarship app, I’m pretty sure there’s still homework that will be a rush to finish tomorrow. He MIGHT have the HOTA essay done, but I doubt he’s touched the Psych paper or the calculus packet. SIGH…
My son works all of this week (except Monday) 8-3:30 and then has training 3 days from 4:30-6. I think he’s counting on the calculus fairy doing his packets? I’ve brought it up numerous times and supposedly hes going to work on it today - just as soon as he gets out of bed… Worst case scenario his older brother gives him the crash course on whatever he’s supposed to have learned. Unfortunately for him, his older brother is way stricter and tougher than his actual teacher (silly engineering majors think advanced math is fun)
@smak170 But math is fun. 
@eandesmom It can be hard to drop a school. I found for DD it was very hard at the end of the college season to say no to a few of the schools that accepted her. A few of those were hard won private schools, that just didn’t win out in the end. It was just so flattering that they wanted her.
Happy New Year <:-P
We had a great trip and I enjoyed hearing others’ happy memories of Germany! Now I can hopefully keep up. I love poring over the list, so yet another big thanks to @eandesmom!
D came home to an acceptance from Gonzaga which was especially welcomed after the two deferrals. Her merit offer was included in the acceptance packet (wish all schools would do that!) and the COA comes out to $37,000. That’s do-able at a stretch, but does make Gonzaga less likely.
The more exciting news was actually her merit offer from Michigan Tech which gives her a COA of $28,000. She’s up to three definitely affordable schools. After a good bit of on-line research, she’ll almost certainly attend their accepted students day in mid-March.
Now that we have some acceptances and numbers, I’m fixated on the cost comparison spreadsheet. If you feel a need to “rest your eyes” while I share my excitement, I do understand.
Schools definitely in play:
CSU - $23,000
WWU - $24,000
MTU - $28,000
Pretty unlikely unless we come into some unexpected money (ha!):
OR State U - $34,000 (not a bad COA, but not worth it over the above three)
Gonzaga - $37,000
UVM - $40,000
NPC COA (mostly not accepted yet, so who knows?):
VA Tech - NPC COA $34,000 (may visit if accepted)
Clarkson U: NPC COA: $36,000 (too much at that price)
RIT - merit not included in NPC, so complete mystery (please be accepted with nice merit as #1 choice!)
Rose-Hulman - accepted, but merit not included in NPC (hope info comes soon)
Smith - Another mystery, but realization setting in that even if accepted it will not be affordable at all. (Bragging rights school if accepted!)
I guess the RD deferrals are still technically possible, but I’m pretty sure deferred RD admits don’t get very juicy merit packages. I’m actually glad the choices are narrowing down a bit. Now I’m digging into further research, looking at AP/DE credits (could shave off a semester in some cases), disability services, dorms, towns, etc.
@tacocat333 that’s hysterical about Ursinus. I do admit I don’t love the idea of saying that for 4 years and hearing a lot of “what???” lol. H and S19 can’t stand the name. Honestly if I pushed an iota I think S17 would take it off the list and if pressed might well admit he’s only keeping it as an excuse to visit Philly.
Welcome back @snoozn! congrats on Gonzaga and even larger ones for Michigan Tech. I am jealous of your COA list although I know full well it’s completely S17’s fault that there aren’t prettier numbers and we knew it going into it. I’ve been massively fixated on the numbers as well. I would tend to agree that RD likely bumps the merit $ down but who really knows.
Schools in play
WWU - $21,828 (17-18 tuition rates)
Allegheny - $34,920 (expect it to be more like $36K once we get the 17-18 tuition rates) 1-2K possible music scholarship
UVM - $41,896 (17-18 tuition rates). Looking at a $2500 scholarship app (probably a long shot and might not be the best thing for him to do commitment wise) and hoping to get the early FAFSA 2k
Barely hanging on (waiting to see FA offer as the NPC painted a much prettier picture)
Ursinus $41,522 (expect it to be more like $43k once we get the 17-18 tuition rates). NPC shows 31-34K so a pretty huge difference but does imply FA/grant.
Off the list
Ithaca - $44,414 (17-18 tuition rates)
NPC COA (not accepted yet)
Goucher $35,346
UPS $42,250 (est $44k at 17-18 rates). Up to $5500 possible music/theater scholarships.
He may be able to leverage the Allegheny offer with the other LAC’s as they are definitely peers. I don’t expect it would get him anywhere with Ithaca or UVM. It may be a tough call if he really falls in love with UVM and that is certainly possible. Comparing UVM to Allegheny is an apples to oranges comparison (which S hates as an analogy…he doesn’t think it makes any sense since both are fruits lol) but UVM to WWU less so but I guess we will know more on that scale once we visit. It’s a bit tough to justify that cost difference soooooo I dunno.
It will be interesting to see just how much skin he wants to have in the game $$ wise once we tour and all offers are in. The no debt and work only required for extra spending money option of WWU may win over the romance of going away when push comes to shove but at the moment that’s not where his head is at.
Over 4 years there is a variance with how far his AP and DE credits go, I did pay to send his DE transcript to 3 schools last week.
Congrats on Gonzaga and merit money, @snoozn !
I love the “schools in play” wording. I’ll evaluate once I get my act together about numbers.
We just hit SUBMIT on William & Mary, due tonight. It was the itch that needed to be scratched! We went ahead and did the music resume (banged out that sucker in 5 minutes) and Slideroom portfolio (with 3 solo clips he did for IB Music last year) for an additional $10. It’s a reach we won’t be upset about if the answer is no.
Vent of the day. Schools that have a mandatory orientation session in the spring for fall enrollment. Ugh. Another cost to add to the spreadsheet!
How “mandatory” is mandatory, though? Is the orientation after May 1?
I know TacoSon would be very worried about missing school right when IB and AP exams are administered.
@eandesmom I was surprised how early orientation is for some schools. Used to be orientation was a week prior to school starting. My D12’s orientation she had 3 choices, during her finals (not an option), immediately after her graduation, or a few days before school started. We got out of school very late in June.
While they had that fall orientation, it means you would be one of the last to choose classes and not necessarily get a good selection. Mostly that was foreign students. In addition there was a parent orientation along side, so we both flew out in June. (I had just sent her in April) And then we both few back in Sept to move her in. Quite a bit of upfront flights & hotels.
There better not be spring orientation for my son. I’m hoping large state schools don’t do this. He has plans to be unavailable for 8-10 weeks over the summer. (Depends on what school he chooses – the last two weeks are optional but not the first two.). And if he gets this job will only have 36 hours between graduation and when he has to start.
YIKES I just looked at UofO Orientation and while they don’t have 2017 dates yet… (The only serious contender that’s he’s accepted too.) Their orientation is 2 day sessions during the middle of the summer. You have to petition to take the 2 day program right before semester starts program.
What are these schools thinking. The kids are laying about all summer??? Now my son will get 2-3 day breaks over the summer, and if everything was perfect maybe those dates would align. And then someone would have to pick him up & drive him up there & back. (Camp would be closer to UofO than home…) It never occurred to me.
I need to put this on the pile of things to not worry about until March. Application for this job doesn’t come out till Feb. He won’t know about several top school choices till March.
UVM has a required summer orientation.
Yep. UVM has required June orientation. Which is NOT summer for us, S is still in school! His options would be the weekend before finals, the week of graduation or dates that are right before a camp he always goes to.
Ursinus is in May but is not required just strongly encouraged and yes, I fear you’d have schedule issues if you don’t go. WWU is in August but there are lots of dates and it is local.
UGH. Oh and registration for the sessions open 3/4 and “fill up”. Double ugh.
I made the mistake of looking at UCSC, they have dates for 2017 already and they completely won’t work. We do have dates for the camp. I have decided I am not going to worry about it, yet. I’m not going to mention it to him. I’m not going to let when a 1-2 day orientation is scheduled affect where he chooses to go to school. At this point he’d choose camp over almost anywhere.
I’m just going to believe they MUST have other options for when a student simply can’t attend… such as foreign students. Or those who disappear into the wilderness for the summer. 
There are students who won’t even be accepted until after the ‘mandatory’ orientations have happened. The schedule that worked best for us was second to the last session in late June. I saw all the courses she ‘needed’ were filling up as the early session were held, but honestly there are so many core classes and fun classes she wanted to take I knew it wouldn’t be an issue. Turns out the major puts a hold on all the required classes and the classes were full because the departments had pulled all the slots for the freshmen majors coming in.
There was also one orientation session held right before school started for those who couldn’t go in June. Not a problem.
Other daughter’s school holds the orientation for all students the week before classes start. They have too many international students to demand everyone come in June and then again in Aug.
That makes me feel slightly better @twoinanddone. One of son’s schools, where he’ll probably end up, is starting registrations sessions in January but only for those who have deposited. I’m tempted to deposit but since son hasn’t stated 100% that’s it I’m holding back. I am worried about classes filling up though so hopefully this school does something similar and puts holds on classes.
If S goes to Albany, I’ll try to get him into one of the orientations in early July, and hope he can get a couple of days off work (assuming he has a summer job by then…). It’s reasonably close, so DH & I may let him drive on his own.
If he goes MSU, we’ll have to think about his orientation options. We’re more than 200 mi away, so he can do the late orientation right before classes start in the Fall–he’d move into his dorm a few days early, and then do his orientation. I did that, back in the day, and easily got my classes–but I was honors college, and he may or may not be… Otherwise, we’ll have to see if we can get away for a July orientation session…
@eandesmom - I am so grateful that you are on top of everything, and sharing with us ^:)^ I had no idea that I need to look for early orientation sessions, I thought freshmen just showed up a few days early. Ugh indeed - one more variable to track, not to mention the cost of an extra visit.
@tacocat333 - we also submitted an app to W&M for CoyoteSon, particularly since his stats are probably OK for an in-State male.
Being honest – we’d have to tour if he gets in, but at least William and Mary has a bit more name recognition than Juniata, Allegheny, or Beloit (though all are a bit easier to say than Ursinus (ha ha). I have fingers crossed that he gets in, if only to take the sting out of the rejections from 3 or even all 4 of his other reaches; of course, he wants to major in History, so W&M should be a great fit, though I worry about its pressure cooker reputation.
@eandesmom - did I ever answer your question about getting around Minnesota without my driver’s license and thus no rental car? I checked Carleton and St Olaf’s websites, and found a $15 per person each way bus from the airport to both colleges…in the end, between the $60 round trip bus fares and a few Uber rides in St Paul while visiting Macalester, I think I saved money by avoiding the rental car!
If you are thinking of Goucher and Ursinus - there may be easy transportation from BWI to Goucher (that’s a pretty easy ride around the Baltimore Beltway - maybe 30-45 minutes from airport)…not sure how far Ursinus is from the Philly airport. There’s way less snow here than you might expect, but also way worse traffic.
Welcome to all new posters, and congrats on new acceptances (some with merit!!)
@eandesmom - thanks for all the hard work on our giant acceptance thread. I have added CoyoteSon’s results to the big 2017 thread - here’s a quick summary (with a note to all new readers that CoyoteSon, at time of early apps, had a 3.8 GPA, though he is currently carrying 2 Cs and 2 B-minus grades to go with a lone A, which is why I feel comfortable on this thread :)>-
CoyoteSon Accepted:
Allegheny EA, $28K actual merit
Beloit EA, $27K actual merit
GMU Honors College EA, no merit
Juniata, RD, $25K actual merit
U Vermont, EA, $18K actual merit