@eandesmom I actually am a little worried about all the East coast schools on Ds list. I just think that there may be a culture difference that could come off as rude/abrupt to a low/middle class suburban girl from MO. But so many of the schools that meet need are on the east coast - so I hate to rule them all out without visits (which would only happen if accepted…)
@HiToWaMom So sorry to hear about the troubles.
Hope H finds a better job soon.
What’s with the new wave of fancy mailings? In the last few days USC engineering, Northwestern (snazzy big book), SLU, UNT, Iowa. Save a tree and email some fee waivers instead.
Breaking news: Those special snowflake scholarships aren’t so special! :-?
Here’s what CU-Denver emailed D:
After verifying on their website that these all apply to the standard app as well, I wrote and asked what the “unique benefits” were, and they said
Ah, it’s a miscommunication, so I’m sure they’ll quit sending out those misleading emails as a “method of getting students to apply…”
I don’t like what are, to me, clearly under-handed marketing gimmicks. It makes me think the college (this is about the third one we’ve gotten similar “offers” from) views the student as some gullible shmoe whom they can dazzle with their BS.
Back to things that actually matter in the world – @HiToWaMom, I hope your H will bounce back quickly and the money owed you by that scoundrel will be paid as well.
@HiToWaMom I’m so sorry to hear of the troubles you’re facing and hope things improve soon. Sending good thoughts!
@snoozn …that is hilarious that you called to ask and basically the answer was “it’s not any different.”
@snoozn DS got the same email and wrote back asking if it included a fee waiver. Someone from admissions actually wrote back to say, “no” but he could apply for one…
@dfbdfb , @eandesmom , @payn4ward , @snoozn,
Thank you everyone. They closed the business about a year ago. The partner moved out of the state and my H cannot track him down anymore. He will negotiate the amounts down and ask for payment plan. Yes, we did bounce back in the past from layoffs, so I’m trying to be hopeful. Trying very hard. Thanks for your encouragement!!
@HiToWaMom Hugs and hopes that your H finds a great new job soon!
@whataboutcollege wrote
I know you are sort of kidding, but there is room enough in the world for all the stem kids that want to be there. Your kid will bring something nobody else can, just like my older D will. We may not know what it is yet, but that doesn’t matter. 
@lkg4answers D17 is eligible for the NHS but wasn’t interested. I don’t know if it’s important, but she didn’t feel like it was important to her, so, that is what it is.
@HiToWaMom I am so sorry. That really just sucks. 
@flatKansas we got a LOT in the mail today. Weirdest (by far!) was a VERY fancy brochure from University of North Texas. There is a North Texas? It has a University? We also got Babson (she likes Babson collaterally for being next to Olin, so she might actually open that one) and a few others that went right into the recycle bin without me registering their names. Oh, we did get one low key one from Yale yesterday. No interest, she tossed it in the recycle bin.
I bought this really cute leather backpack for school (on amazon, killer deal at $46 prime), and after coming back from shopping for supplies for my class, I’m returning it because I had to buy a $17 rolling duffel bag from Walmart to hold all of my stuff. It’s like, 50 lbs of paper and paint. Now I know why artists are all starving-their supplies cost too damn much!!!
@BusyNapping , @Ynotgo , @MotherOfDragons
Thank you all! I appreciate it!
@MotherOfDragons …yes there is a UNT!
Honestly…it’s a good fit for the right kid. It is located in Denton, TX which does have some sprawling suburbia but also a cool and funky downtown area. It has a liberal vibe and a well known music education program. LOTS of band directors and music profs get their BA from UNT. I’ve also heard good things about their art program as well. They have some solid merit aid.
D wouldn’t dream of it because it is where a lot of local kids go and is affectionately known here as “XHS 13th grade.” But honestly for a kid looking to stay in state, save some money and get a good education it could be a good fit.
We got DS17’s Senior picture proofs today. Both DH and I were a little teary. I can’t believe he’s all grown up…
The mail is definitely ramping up of course not a one to any place S has ever expressed interest at! Cracks me up. Special snowflake my patootie.
“Select Status” at College of Wooster. Did come with a fee waiver. 2nd mailing, first one (had never heard of the school until the first mailing) “told” S that the select status was coming. They don’t offer his program.
Selected for the “Crimson and Gold” Application at Coe College (never heard of, 2nd mailing). Also came with a fee waiver. Iowa (no offense) is not on S’s radar, nor is anything religiously affiliated.
“Pacific Scholar” at the University of the Pacific. Gee, no essay! “only a brief personal statement” . S is apparently vampire and would melt, he is stated CA averse. And it’s not affordable.
Reed is still winning the snail mail spam award at the moment. Followed closely by Idaho (as a state, all schools combined lol) and then one of our state schools that S has zero interest in. Lawrence had the lead for a while but is slacking. Boston U definitely wins Email spam, annoyed about honors invitations to a kid that would never get into their honors program, or into BU for that matter. Not that we could afford if he did but it’s still annoying. Need to go through and make sure S unsubs from this stuff.
We get some wacky ones where I cannot figure out the demographics for their targeted mailings at all. Certainly not be geo code!
@MichiganGeorgia it’s fun and sad and scary all at once. We got S’s on Friday and it didn’t make me teary but that may be because a few of them were a bit fear inducing. He climbed a really really tall tree for one and in another is laying down on the train tracks! They are stunning though.
@youcee I was listing those that needed a science test as well as math. (UCSB is on S17’s list and he has that subject test.) I took Math subject test as a given. Wow Riverside wants a Science Sat II for Engineering? I didn’t even look. Keep in mind mostly this is only for their Engineering majors. And just trying to keep track of what majors are in the school of Engineering is another headache.
At UCI Computer Science is it’s own Department but it’s part of Engineering at schools like UCLA. Just another headache to try and wade through to figure out of SAT Subject tests are required.
D said her English teacher said they are going to work on college essays in class. Yeah! But probably not till around fall break (Mid-Oct) Boo! But at least it’s something. And really as long as they do it before fall break starts she hopefully will have most completed so she can work on submitting apps during break. So I am really going to back off the essay nagging for now. ACT studying…that’s another story 
I’m waiting to have senior pictures taken until spring. So we can hopefully get a few with her wearing her new college swag 
Hey, fellow CASPer, same here!
We had our Back To School Night tonight. Last BTSN for DS17, sniff sniff. :((
DS’s AP Literature teacher said that they are drafting essays now and will write essays to all 5 CA prompts. (I hope I heard that right.)
There is hope!
The U of North Texas: @carachel2, I actually have a friend who’s faculty at UNT. If she’s anything at all like most of the faculty there, it’s got to be a good place to get an education.
Olin College: They’ve replaced WUSTL as my daughter’s stalker school, which would make total sense if she’d ever expressed any interest whatsoever in anything even remotely approaching engineering!
Stalker schools for my D are Fordham, Oberlin, Carnegie Mellon and BU. She isn’t interested in any of them.
She has been sent a scholarship booklet from Washington University in St Louis, and some mail that never made it into the house from other schools who offered lots of promises of money - but are nothing great. Makes me think that there would be A LOT more merit money if they stopped spending so much on these stupid mailings.
I am debating whether it’s worth taking her out to see Northwestern.
Her financial/academic safety is UConn. My oldest will be a junior there and is on an athletic scholarship. I love the school.
Total brag: Two more applications in!
My daughter got confirmation today from her primary recommender that she (the teacher) is still willing to write a letter, so two of the schools that require no additional essays and only one recommender (St Thomas and Kenyon) are done. Bonus: Neither of them have an application fee!
(By the way—Kenyon doesn’t require an additional essay?!? Of all the schools in the world to not require one, Kenyon?)
Muhlenberg also fits that, but that’s the only school where she’ll be submitting a LoR not actually required—her second recommender is her drama teacher, and she figures Muhlenberg has enough rhetoric swirling around about non-majors in the fine arts that it would be a worthwhile part of her packet.
ETA: That means three of the four **true/b safeties are done. (Earlham requires a short additional essay that she hasn’t written yet.)