Oh I forgot to add the Dossier of Destiny (a small segment of the Binder of Destiny) went along with D today on her trip. She almost forgot it-she was like, I thought that was for all the colleges, I didn’t know I was supposed to bring it, and I was like, ha ha, no, this is just for the four you’re visiting.
D’s first day at ND - the kids are all sizing each other up and comparing college lists. To this D rolls her eyes as she’s not applying to any elite schools and the other kids are focused on those schools. And the food is great.
@itsgettingreal17 I have been doing the same thing, except in the homeschool community. (And going back even further to planning high school.)
Yeah, the entire FA system makes no sense. As I have written before, having our kids spread out vs close together increases our expected contributions by almost 3 times the amt.
Son told me at start of summer that his essay was complete. Told me he wrote during the fourth quarter in English class. Told me his teacher said it was excellent. This was a huge relief as I know many kids spend the entire summer working on it.
We just discussed the essay.
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it’s only 250 words
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it doesn’t fit into any of the Common App prompts.
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it’s not really even an essay, just musings about his daily life.
AAARRGHH!!!
What a setback for us. Starting from scratch. Can only blame myself for not pushing him to let me read it TWO MONTHS AGO!!!
D17 announced that the first draft of her common app essay was done, at just shy of 630 words. However, it’s not yet ready to be revealed to well-meaning parents. Time to tuck that helicopter blade away.
We’re way behind on the CA essay too. Hard to push her when her favorite 3 schools aren’t on the CA!
@stem2017 - I think one reason my DS17 has Ole Miss 3rd is that he has to write those 2 essays for the scholarships…
@STEM2017 @mamaedefamilia Pretty sure that even when S finishes his essays I would never be allowed to see them. Luckily they are supposed to work on them when school starts so he should get feedback from someone… I hope.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek @itsgettingreal17 running FA with single vs multiple is just weird. Our EFC went from “haha$” with 1 kid to “haha-10k” with two kids. On one hand, wtf. On the other hand, its helpful that we still have an unreachable EFC, because it removes that temptation to let it influence college decisions. EFCs with multiple kids in school should come with big warning messages “even if you can afford this EFC this year, don’t forget it is going to skyrocket when that other kid graduates.”
@MichiganGeorgia So I can thank Ole Miss for helping me find out my sons essay is no where near complete. He wrote the 250 personal statement for the scholarship section of the app and then I suggested he use his “completed” essay for the second prompt. That’s when he showed me his “completed” essay and I almost lost my ----!
@flatKansas I did know they swore in Kansas! =))
S has a draft of his CA essay complete! ~600 words total. <:-P It is in the “needs work” category, but it is a viable essay. i just reviewed it and gave him some feedback. His college counselor just e-mailed him feedback and a request to get the revised draft to her by this coming Friday. He needs deadlines. I gave him this weekend off, and the,n starting tomorrow, that will be his main job. That and walking the poor, deprived dog.
Only day 2 and I get an excited text from D stating that she’s going to be in school forever because she HAS TO study peace studies and political science (this is in addition to the triple major double minor). Umm ok then. lol Not sure who’s going to pay for her to be a professional student. lol
I’m taking suggestions for scholarships for the professional student. Must be renewable for at least 10 years. lol
totally weird random question: Metamorphisis by Kafka.
??? how long is this book supposed to be???
notmyboyfriends copy was several hundred pages long. our copy is 44 pages long…so short that i thought i accidently ordered the cliff notes, but no, its the novella.
after googling it seems there are multiple versions of differing length (bizarre).
if someone has the “long” version could you please tell me what is in the other 150 pages or so…like is it that actual story or weird bios and factoids or what. i dont want to have my kid read the wrong “version” and be underprepared.
thanks in advance!
@kac45 Metamorphasis is a short book (more like a short story, imo). Sometimes you’ll get a copy with related essays or other short stories.
@snoozn WOW! Congratulations! Yes it is going to be a super exciting year in your household!
@2muchquan In my defense, I’m originally from CA 
@kac425 its very short. there are copies in public domain that you could compare to what you have? but I assume any longer “versions” just have background or discussion or are story collections.
@itsgettingreal17 --I can empathize about the being in school forever.
Was at bank with son converting his custodial account to a joint account. Bank rep commented that he could keep this account as long as he was a full-time student. I responded that would be the next five years. Son responds ‘at least five years’. This was my opportunity to remind him that beyond the four years of U/G, he would be on his own, and that if he truly thinks he will be in school beyond U/G, then perhaps he should consider one of these scholarships that will be available to him.
ZERO movement on college application front. Rapid fire typing for the C programming course he is teaching at the library (creating lesson plan, I guess), and endless time spent teaching himself linear algebra but no recognition that these college apps will require a lot of time. Frustrated…
@flatKansas , @itsgettingreal17
thank you both…i think a call to notmyboyfriend might be in order before he accidentally reads the full annoted works of kafka :))
(i almost read the whole thing myself yesterday to make sure it wasnt the cliff notes!)
@STEM2017 Ouch! BUT, there is still plenty of time. I’d suggest giving him a schedule.
(The Ole Miss app is long and involved!)
@snoozn CONGRATULATIONS!!! I love weddings!!! My MIL works at the coolest flower shop in Denver, they do the neatest stuff.
I love the idea of a girls trip before the big day but wow what a year you have coming up.
@2muchquan the only non chilling about the rigor box is fully driven by how it might or might not impact merit money!
Great update on MSU, I suspect it would be too big for my S but it sounds like it was a huge hit! I’ve heard nothing but good things over the years about it.
@flatKansas I am with you. We will have 2 years of overlap and while it’s helpful to know the potential impact, I’m not letting it influence things. It needs to be affordable without that as a consideration.
@STEM2017 ugh on the essay. I know that my S would not have started were it not for the counselor giving him due dates. Since he’s helping her he feels obligated and I do think I’ve beat it into his head that he has to apply early for best chances of merit money.
I confess. I did go in and peek at it just to see where we were at one the first draft and was pleasantly surprised. 603 words and needs work but strong concept, opening and closing. It made me chill if nothing else lol.
@itsgettingreal17 that didn’t occur to me, kids comparing lists.
I wonder if S will even remember what is on his list if asked next week at his class. Lol! Not really but if grilled he really won’t remember as for ones he’s not visited (which is most) they haven’t quite stuck yet and likely won’t until he is deep into apps.
@dfbdfb congrats on the early acceptance! Nice to have one in the bag