@Dolemite We drove through Italy last summer so all those roundabouts are still quite fresh in my mind. Yes, lots of swearing, but I’m sure driving a stick for the first time in 25 years wasn’t helping at all! Lol
So, my D was accepted at McGill. It was a literal last minute app late at night on 1/15 when we were feeling a bit panicky about her RD apps. It’s a huge financial safety for us. I’m just curious why I haven’t seen McGill mentioned much on this forum; it doesn’t seem to get much love at all. Obviously I hope some of D’s reaches come through, but just in case, would love to hear your collective wisdom on McGill pros and cons.
We love McGill! But the OOC (out of country) cost, specifically for engineering, would have been very high. Otherwise it would have been one of his top choices.
@nocturne21 McGill was on my D’s list (engineering) until Nov 8th. Waiting on line at the poll, we were behind a woman whose son is there. She said it is a great school but students are very much on their own, from academics to off-campus housing, etc. So if your D is very independent and seeks out help, information, and opportunities, it sounds like a great place. The campus and Montreal are beautiful.
Cursing - Well, we were much better about it when the kids were young. Like @JenJenJenJen, I too have a story about my kid reporting usage of the “SH” word. When I asked what the word was, it was “Shut Up”. I remember once when my D15 was learning to read bigger books, I bought her Junie B Jones and she was sounding out the word “stupid”. I’m sure the word “hate” was in there too. I quickly stopped reading that series with her and gave away the 4 pack I had bought. We never again had that series in our house.
My kids heard A LOT of curse words during ND Football games on the TV. My FIL and DH would swear at the TV like truckers. Once, when my kids’ uncle was visiting, they announced that it’s $1 in the jar for each swear word. The Uncle promptly handed them a $20 bill and said that would cover him for the game. They thought that was hysterical.
When playing a board game with they grandma and she pulled a card she didn’t like, she exclaimed “F&^K”.
Almost all of the swear words my kids heard when they were young were at my in-laws house. My mom doesn’t swear… EVER.
My kids did know that what they heard were adult words. And, if they used them, they would have consequences.
Well, now they are adults (S17 almost) and the words fly out of their mouths much more. I wouldn’t say they have potty mouths (with their friends they probably do). I don’t expect that they’ll use these words in class or at a job… they know better. I’m surprised how many people on this forum say that their kids don’t swear. Guess we need to work on that a bit more.
@nocturne21, I second @Building’s thoughts on McGill. We visited 2 years ago, and it is an urban campus that works well for a truly independent kind of kid. No country club accoutrements there. You’re only promised housing for one year and then it’s up to you to find off campus housing. Also it snows from October through April, so there’s that to consider. D17 was accepted to the arts and sciences school (a safety for her) and if her choices came down to McGill and UCONN, she’d probably choose McGill. She’s already gotten into a couple of other preferred schools, so it’s pretty much off the table.
@BigPapiofthree huge congrats on Vandy, what an amazing school!!
@texasmissy sorry about CMC but she has a lot of great other choices and many more to come. I know it is so hard to see the disappointment these kids go through they work so hard. My DS got deferred from his ED school and was crushed for a day or so and then seemed to be over it. Lot’s of other kids were also deferred from his school so it made him feel better. The next day his first acceptance so that sure helped!! I agree that she should visit and hopefully that will get her excited about the other schools. Good Luck!!
At dinner one night with the kids when they were little we were talking about how we don’t use bad words. The older kid said he knew about the “S” word and the younger one, maybe 6-8 at the time, says “I know a word that starts with ‘F’ and ends with C K”. We all froze in horror and were thinking “please don’t say it, please don’t say it”. Then the little wiseacre blurts out “Firetruck!”
Thanks for the replies @Building and @chillkitty. She is independent, but not so much with asking for help so that could be a problem. I also think if choosing between UCONN and McGill, she would pick McGill. She has a couple of other safety/ low-match acceptances, but I want her to have a real choice if none of the reaches work out. She really doesn’t have a safety that she loves and her sights are set very high (and always have been). I want so much for her to be able to choose among her acceptances, rather than feeling like she has to go to her one safety option (which is why she applied to so many safety/low-matches).
@JenJenJenJen I may have to adopt flippin’ pancakes.
Congrats on the latest round of acceptances!
Aw, @texasmissy Been there! My D17 got denied ED from Swat back in December. She wasn’t that disappointed because she knew it was a long shot (unhooked NE suburban white girl, and all) but there was still some sting - it’s inevitable when you put yourself out there and get a ‘no’ for your efforts. So give her a big hug. And on and on we wait!
Swearing…well, D17 totally has a potty mouth. I did as well at her age, and the only reason I don’t as much is from trying to control it around my kids [I also have an 8 year old]. I do try to keep her from swearing around her little brother, and she knows not to in front of other relatives/adults etc, but I don’t mind if she does in front of me. When she was little, I remember that when we drove and people did dumb stuff, instead of swearing I would say something like ‘nice move, buddy’ but the “buddy” was said very venomously, to the point when talking about “bad words” when she was little, my D thought “buddy” was a bad word. Unfortunately the 8 year old knows most of the words already…heard the F word from a friend at school fairly recently. He is NOT allowed to use the words, other than asking what they mean when he first hears them. He does try once in a while.
Thanks for all the kind wishes.
My thoughts on Mcgill. Spent a lot of time in Montreal over the last few years. Montreal is one of the coolest cities in North America. It has Old Montreal that really feels like Europe, and a hipster part of town that is as cool as Brooklyn. The campus is old and beautiful. There is a ton of student housing in old cool houses surrounding the campus. They even have some greek life. Going to school there is more akin to going to NYU with a campus. You are going to school in a city. There is not school spirit like many American universities. It is a great school, and the kids I talked to and met were very impressive. The brightest of Canada, and Canadians are really nice. Much nicer than Americans. Tho a bit boring…It is well worth a look for the right kid. We considered it for S. They have a very good business program. Unfortunately, they know it. The tuition for US students in the business program is twice the cost of a liberal art’s education there. With exchange rate at approximately 70 cents on the dollar, McGill is a bargain for Americans…
Thanks, @BigPapiofthree. Your description of McGill and Montreal make it sound like D would be quite happy there. Depending on how the rest of RD season goes, we may just go and visit in April.
@nocturne21 My daughter is a junior at UConn, she chose it over University of Vermont and Union when she was denied by Boston University (which was her dream school.) She is very happy at UConn and has had a great experience there. She is an athlete so that has a big affect. My only complaint is that the classes in her major - Biology - are still really big, although they do break into much smaller labs. UConn is doing some great rebuilding, the new dorms are gorgeous and there will be a new fitness facility soon. It is obviously really different than McGill, but I just wanted you to know that we have been very happy with it.
Another vote for McGill if you have the right kind of kid and they want to study in a cool city. I love Montreal. Really neat place. My son mentioned that he might like to apply there at the last minute, because he heard McGill was a great school to go to, but we never followed thru on the idea. I don’t think he’d get it in ( close, but not quite), and he’s not the most independent or mature kid I know. He might be ready for something like that in a few years, but I 'm not sure right now. He’d probably do better in a small city environment like Burlington VT and UVM.
@nocturne21 that’s great your D got in, you should check it out if you can.
Unfortunately the 8 year old knows most of the words already…heard the F word from a friend at school fairly recently. He is NOT allowed to use the words, other than asking what they mean when he first hears them. He does try once in a while.