Wow and congrats to all the Vandy award winners! That’s quite the accomplishment. <:-P
I guess these scholarship kids are smarter than mine. Missing a week of school would kill her. Missing a week of swim practice would be bad too.
Woo, congrats @srk2017 @crazym0m and @LoveTheBard ! That’s amazing news! :D/
At D17’s school, they put up a gallery of 8x10 portraits of the top 10% of the class (with the Val & Sal in the center.) Apparently there were some surprises as to kids who didn’t “make the wall” - D says a couple of kids everyone expected to be there had very rough 1st semesters this year and another one took a very “easy” course schedule and got passed by kids who took a heavier AP and DE load.
Congrats to @srk2017 @crazym0m and @LoveTheBard on Vandy, what an amazing option!
@LoveTheBard 4 days is excessive for anything though I do agree, it’s a BIG prize and I understand the college’s point of view as well. I agree, I hope that everyone gets a fabulous package out of spending those 4 days, even if it isn’t the top award.
@thermom that’s horrible, I really wish schools wouldn’t do that. I do understand celebrating achievement but it just reinforces some of the wrong behaviours that we don’t need kids learning now!
@VickiSoCal I hear you. S missed a full week for our tours as there really wasn’t (in my mind anyway) a good alternative. And it’s very likely he will not end up at any of the ones visited. My justification was that it was the beginning of 2nd semester senior year…he should be able to recover but we will see. I don’t regret it though.
@Cubanmom3 my DC is being considered for Fry. How disappointing. I am looking at IU in very different light.
@linsweet this information came directly from Colleen in the Fry program " we have made offers to first tier candidates and they have until 4/1 to accept. After this we will select 2 tier applicants."
I questioned why this is not clearly stated on the Fry website where they state " apply by 1/15 for early consideration." I have no problem with my D being an alternate. I have a huge issue with IU stringing kids along and not being 100% transparent!
Highly disappointed I expected so much more from IU.
It’s a Fry issue, not directly an IU issue. Does any of the Fry money come from IU? IU should be informed of the issue if some money comes from the university.
My d is an alternate for a different IU fullride-plus scholarship. All the students were told up front how many would receive the scholarship and that named alternates could be notified of acceptance in the spring. Decisions were made within a week of the interview “weekend” in December.
@srk2017 @crazym0m @LoveTheBard Huge congrats!!!
@RightCoaster I’ve never been skiing up that far. We’ve given up going in the Poconos - it’s always icy and the mountains are small. I haven’t been in several years at this point, last trips for us were out to Park City, Utah and Big Sky, Montana. both fabulous for skiing/boarding.
@Cubanmom3 Way to go on calling IU out.
@LoveTheBard - are the Emory folks living in La La land? How do they not understand how stressful it is for kids to miss school! I guess they’re just hoping the additional time makes the sale. On another note: I’m jealous of your plans to meet up with @Dolemite and @Cubanmom3 8-> I hope you all have a blast!
@thermom That is an outdated strategy. I also wish schools wouldn’t do that. Not good for the psyche of everyone who busts their -ss but can’t quite get there.
@thermom Our school does an honors night and only those being honored are invited and you have no idea about it if you aren’t. Putting up pictures seems a little harsh especially for those who are on the cusp of the 10% and frankly the other 90% of the class. 
@WhereIsMyKindle I totally agree it is a Fry scholarship issue I should have been more specific. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
Fry is a donor supported scholarship that in combination with other IU scholarships covers COA. I don’t believe IU is aware of the selection process but I don’t know this for sure…
I can totally accept how your D was informed that makes sense and is totally transparent.
That is all I want from the Fry selection committee tell us yes, no or alternate not this " still evaluating your application" junk!
Our school has different colored graduation robes for the top students, talk about making a spectacle of it. Imagine falling out of colored robe first semester of senior year? Happened to many. My daughter made it by the skin of her teeth. Had she not made it she said she wouldn’t go to graduation!
Yeah, I think the schools mean well but it just winds up putting more pressure on the kids. Achievement and hard work are measured on such an individual scale, and singling out just the “top-whatever” doesn’t honor kids who are doing their own personal best.
Individual distinction should be based on individual achievement - not on relative performance. In other words, if you achieved an unweighted GPA of 3.9 or higher, you get to wear the special robe. Granted, the whole school might show in special robes, but so what??? Good grades are good grades!
Ours is by weighted GPA, over a weighted 4.0 wears red and is graduated by rank, the other 700 or so students wear black and are alphabetized. Had my daughter not been in red she says she wouldn’t have gone. If you’re close it’s horribly embarrassing to be in black.
I find that horrifying. I get honoring kids, I do, but this truly is at the expense of others and frankly teaches a lot of things I do not find attractive in people. Announce them, list them in the program but what happened to being humble? Not all kids want that kind of attention and for others, it feeds egos in a very unhealthy way.
Very grateful our HS does none of that.
IB diploma candidates wear white, every one else wears blue. IB is a really big deal.
I’ve never really thought about it, but that’s how it’s always been done at our school, different color robes for 4.0 and higher and arranged by rank. It wasn’t an issue to me until my daughter was on the cusp, thank God she made it or she swears she wouldn’t have attended. I have to say I do notice other kids robe color when the parents post picture on Facebook and such… oh, they’re great students or they’re not. S15 was definitely in black robe, not even close for him.
i don’t get all the pearl clutching over how high schools honor their top students. It’s really a recognition that has been fairly earned, and those that fell short, well,that’s just the way it goes. I have a feeling that there would be equal consternation if schools that have this tradition suddenly dropped it and these outstanding students got no recognition. Sorry, not a part of “everybody gets a trophy” club.
I don’t think everyone needs a trophy. I also think that honor cords and program notation, verbal acknowledgement during the ceremony sitting in the front row etc are all fine and appropriate things. But to literally make a black and white color statement is a far more visible and prominent thing to do and I think insensitive to those on the cusp.
It also doesn’t teach kids an ounce of humility but instead screams look at me. Just my personal opinion. I’ve no skin in the game and neither of our HS’s did this but I am grateful they did not. Academic superstars were recognized at graduation as well as at 2 separate ceremonies, it just wasn’t in your face.
I agree with @eandesmom I think different color robes is too much. What about different tassels or a distinction of some sort? So if you have a 3.9 you aren’t a good student? Maybe you too much harder classes than someone with a 4.0. At my sons school they decorate their cap with the college they are going to and that is about it. Though this year some people are up in arms about that because not everyone is will be going to their first choice so they might not be happy. The kids work so hard even those that don’t have a 4.0.