What a productive evening! Congratulations <:-P <:-P <:-P
@twoforone99 @CT1417 @BusyNapping @LoveTheBard =D> =D> :D/
Grabbing a post here on my college graduation year page, since I missed my HS graduation year this morning!
Congrats to those with a final decision! <:-P
Congrats on new MAC of varying sizes! <:-P
Congrats to @ACT2017 & @jedwards70 on UT Austin. <:-P
@twoforone99 Congrats on W&M! <:-P
@BusyNapping Congrats on the NMF $$! <:-P
Congrats to folks with happy USC(al) news! <:-P @Dave_N how does the GIF posting code work? =D>
Congrats to everyone I missed!
@CT1417, Once they are undergrads, summer research should be paid in STEM fields. It’s not paid great, but I think in most cases they get a few thousand dollars. They might break even with housing/food, though.
I’d like to see a summary thread. I’m also thinking that a lessons-learned thread would be valuable to younger families. Or maybe “things I kept myself awake at night worrying about that turned out not to matter so much.”
I think we should start a thread when admission decision is made. List simple stats, where going, where accepted, where rejected. Could list MAC where appropriate. Copy and paste priors and then add your own. Begin when committed…
@ct1417, @rolshan, @BusyNapping - The pictures my daughter showed me were all facilities issues. She showed me pictures of a flooded laundry room, gross toilets and showers, broken blue light system, broken doors, backward signs, keycard system to dorm that didn’t work,… She has lived in the dorms at both Swathmore and Yale so she has some experience with college campuses. I was telling my husband about her reaction to the pictures over dinner last night and we both agree that facilities should not be a deciding factor in picking a college.
I am a Georgetown alum so I am obviously biased but realistically those pictures were not all taken in one day.
@BigPapiofthree - I am sorry but I have no clue how to use instagram.
@CT1417 - It is May 1 and I expect to be hanging out with you until late at night.
Congrats @CT1417 @Dolemite @Dave_N and @LoveTheBard on Trustees at USC!
Congrats to all others with great acceptances and Mac awards!
No NMF award here.
One of son’s top choices gives $2K/yr, so we still have a chance to benefit, which would be nice. Still have to visit…
Congrats @CT1417 @Dolemite @Dave_N and @LoveTheBard on the big scholarships at USC! Great news!!
Dd has made her decision. USCar it is. She listed USC on the NM website a few days ago and the Lieber scholarship has already been posted to her acct. Done deal. No turning back now!
Congratulations on the final decision @Mom2aphysicsgeek!
Congrats to @Mom2aphysicsgeek, I think that’s a great choice!
Great news @CT1417 , @Dolemite , @Dave_N , @LoveTheBard !! Wooo hoooooo!
@twoforone99, nice results, congrats!
@testingearly Thanks. I was pretty sure it was the decision she was going to make. I think the full tuition and HC at Fordham gave her pause for around 48 hrs. But unlike so many of you amazing families, just room and board costs are financial stretch for us, and she knows it. We have some pretty awesome kids who are aware of how individual decisions impact our entire family.
She is thrilled with the opportunities offered through Top Scholars. She is so over the college application process and has definitely mentally moved on. She took another CLEP exam yesterday, got above the score USC requires, and is taking another one next week. (Advantage of USC, CLEP is accepted. 
)
So my son will be visiting NEU tomorrow. Going to tour the business school and get more info. My wife plans to visit, she has not been there in ages.
There is a high probability at this point that son will be heading over to London to study in the fall, a result that I would have never dreamed of 2 weeks ago. Very interesting turn of events.
We’ll see how it plays out, but if he decides on London, he’s going to need to make a decision this weekend I think.
@RightCoaster — can’t wait to hear about the visit. Will he get to meet up with any of the London cohort?
@twoforone99 congrats on W&M and UVA! Can’t wait to hear where they decide!
@Mom2aphysicsgeek congrats on the decision, it sounds like a terrific choice for your daughter! Congrats!
@RightCoaster Can’t wait to hear about the NU experience this weekend! You certainly don’t have to decide until May 1st though, no need to rush it I don’t think. I lived in London and took my D to visit two years ago - I’m going back early Sept as well after dropping D off in Paris - So I’m happy to provide any advice you might need or if you end up planning a trip to drop him off, maybe we can grab some “high tea” if we’re there at the same time!!
@Ynotgo --“Once they are undergrads, summer research should be paid in STEM fields. It’s not paid great, but I think in most cases they get a few thousand dollars. They might break even with housing/food, though.”
The young lady I know at USC on the Presidential Scholarship had a research gig in DC last summer that covered housing + $5K stipend. I was pleasantly surprised by that, especially for a freshman. I have no idea if that is the top of the pay range, but still nice.
And this made me laugh! Except that I don’t know if we can keep anyone from worrying. In hindsight, I guess my son applied to too many safeties, and even the safeties required attention so as to not fall into the ‘Tufts Syndrome’. I don’t know what he could have done differently, but will ponder that one.
"I’d like to see a summary thread. I’m also thinking that a lessons-learned thread would be valuable to younger families. Or maybe “things I kept myself awake at night worrying about that turned out not to matter so much.”
@RightCoaster --why would he need to decide in two weeks? These first semester abroad programs are becoming increasingly popular. I have known students from Brown, NYU & Hamilton who all spent their first semester in Europe and have all loved it.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek – congrats on the final-final…if I haven’t said that already. You could write your own book!
@Testingearly --thanks for the intel on G-town. It’s a fine line…I worry when schools spend too much on say rock climbing walls but then you do not want to see flooded laundry rooms either. The elevator in my son’s mid-rise freshman year dorm was sketchy and he was stuck in it one evening for nearly an hour, making him late for an evening class. The bathroom looks original to the dorm (early 70’s I wold guess), but then across the quad, there are brand new dorms. I felt they should discount the room charge for the old dorms, but no such thing!
@CT1417 Really? You bought the whole “stuck in an elevator” excuse? HAHA totally kidding. I would prefer priority be given to proper clean dorms for our kids and all equipment in working order.
I would love to hear more about any kids you know who spend their first semester abroad!!!
@CT1417 @Fishnlines29 because the programs are getting more popular, the ideal locations can fill up fast, so to get a spot you need to reserve asap. @carachel2 I don’t think he will meet specifically with any overseas kids. I think there is a separate day/webinar thing for them. Maybe? My son has an adventurous spirit, but is cautious. I think going with a group of people he knows into some sort of established routine will work best for him anyways. I don’t think I’d send him by himself. He would welcome the assistance I think. The more he has thought about it, the more enthused he has become, and I think he pictures himself doing it. it’s kind of a big change for him, and it’s come fast, but I think he’s OK with it all. We’ll see.
@RightCoaster honestly I think it sounds great. Something new and different to look forward to, an adventure and a group to do it with. My kid would be all in.
DD received a Likely Letter from Duke yesterday!!! There was no email - just a thin envelope resembling one of the mass mailings we received over the past year from various colleges. DD almost tossed it into the recycle bin but, thankfully, she opened and read it. In addition to the “Admissions Committee’s enthusiastically expects” admission, it mentioned that this includes being a member of the inaugural class of Duke Provost Scholars.
Read your mail :-B
@CT1417 $5000 + housing + travel expenses and/or some sort of food stipend is pretty normal for summer UG research. The housing situation, otoh, is far from equal. Last yr ds had a small single dorm room. This summer he will be sharing a 2 bedroom apt.