@SincererLove IMO It doesn’t seem to be too bad right around USC, but it’s an urban school so appropriate care should be taken. People have to be aware and take basic precautions, e.g., not looking at their phones. The most common incident is bicycle theft. Campus is open to visitors during the day, but in the evening you need a student ID to be on campus/in the libraries. And they do check ID’s. Dorm security seems good with a fingerprint recognition system so no one could use a stolen ID to get into housing.
I attended a presentation by their head of security and was pretty impressed with their system. They have three or four levels of security that patrol on and around campus - they are a very visible presence. These include LAPD officers specifically assigned to USC, USC police officers (who go through LAPD training), and security guards on foot and on bikes. Kids can uber for free even for short distances. Two minute drive - no problem. They also have a license recognition camera at one location so police are immediately informed if a vehicle reported stolen is in the area.
You should check out some of their online videos of campus - it’s really beautiful.
I’ve realized that I’m personally getting senioritis. S17 is my youngest, he is very independent and wants me to let him take care of things. I’m also basically gone back to work this past year (I’m working mostly from home so it’s strange I’m home but my brain isn’t) but I’m putting it over 50 hours work weeks right now. S17 needed syllabus’s signed by a parent last night.
After signing syllabus’s, writing him a yet more checks (band pictures this time - between pictures & donations I write a lot of checks this season.), and skimming PTA voluneering emails. I realize I’m done… If it weren’t for wanting to see one teacher, I wouldn’t even care about back-to-school night. I guess that’s why it was so sparsely attended when my DD was a senior.
I’ve already checked out and don’t feel like investing more time & energy in the school & district. I’ve put a lot of time in the past. I’m not sure if it’s that I’m more busy, or emotionally distancing myself in preparation for June. There are some big changes at the school & district this year and I find I don’t have the emotional energy to care. Supervising S17 to get through those college apps is the extent of where my energy lies. On the other hand I’ll be happy to answer any Java questions he wants but probably will ask very little.
Anyone else feeling this way, or are other more nostalgic and trying get the most out of this last year?
@curiositycat333 I’m right there with you. I went to B2S night just because I felt like S is investing a lot in this year so I should pretend to be involved. (#momoftheyear) I’m ignoring all the PTO senior event sign-ups and sticking to band things.
@SincereLove Yes USC is in a sketchy area. But t’s much better than it was 20 years ago, and the area right around USC the security staff help keep an eye on. UCLA is in a much nicer area. Los Angeles area is patchy, you can be in a really nice area like the west side or Beverly Hills. Cross one street and there are bars on the windows of all the houses.
We toured Lehigh this afternoon. D17 said she likes it (not love) so it will stay on the list. There are surely lots of lots of stairs and D’s concern is that might make her stay in her dorm too much. Several interesting things heard at the info session,
They have 10% international students (doesn’t this sound a little high?) 2. For the pre-med program, they have 200+ applicants but only admit 12 (or maybe 10) students. This is not D’s interest area. 3. They are need blind but they do give out (very little) merit money. 4. They admitted half their class via ED process this year up from 47ish% the previous year. 5. There are Lehigh sponsored (paid) summer programs that can be abroad or on campus. 6. On campus living is mandatory for the first 2 years, then it is a lottery system. 7. AO said the required LOR is 2. But if you really want to send more, they are willing to read them. She thrown a number 4 and said if you decide to send more than the required 2, send from non-academic related, such as boss, coach etc. who can tell them different aspects of you.
The tour was nice. The campus was clean/neat looking and D liked that. The hills and stairs made the tour an exercise. We visited a dorm (a double). A pretty unattractive building and the room appeared small (there were students’ belongings in the room so I assumed it’s occupied. Maybe that was why it appeared small). The common area had a kitchen (appeared not utilized by anyone), sitting area with TV and a pingpong table. But appeared very un-inviting. We were not shown other dorms (some looked really cool from outside) because they were far up the hill.
@whataboutcollege – my older son loved Lehigh. I was not as excited, but was happy he loved a school. I did not love how it seemed that cars took precedence over pedestrians on the upper part of campus. Our tour group all had to walk single file up this narrow sidewalk b/c there were cars parked all along the road up the hill. (Perhaps this was on the way to the dorms…do not recall after three & a half years.)
I do not think 10% international is all that high. 15% is where I start to wonder. I think UIUC has 30%, but don’t quote me on that.
They post a LOT of data on their website if you poke around, so you may be able to parse the admission data further, if interested.
Do they still offer the free 5th year to students with a 3.7 GPA?
@whataboutcollege — I don’t recall hearing about merit money at Lehigh. Did you look at Lafayette while in the area? They offer Marquis Scholarship and maybe one other? I do not know how many they offer (I think I linked it hundreds of posts ago), but I do know of two boys who were awarded half tuition there. (Two different years and neither ended up attending. Both would have been full pay.)
Lafayette is very pretty, very flat, but fairly preppy. And half (or less) the size of Lehigh.
@CT1417 Lehigh does have merit money. They range from half tuition to full tuition. AO also mentioned 12k per year. So I think these are 3 levels. We didn’t see Lafayette. D had pre season practice in the morning so we were only able to go in the afternoon and she didn’t want to think about Lafayette yet. She doesn’t want to add anything to her essay list any more. Secondly she doesn’t like preppy. I think that is an excuse of item 1.
@curiositycat333, I don’t have senioritis but I have college-admissions-process-itis. Now when I read distressing things on CC suggesting where I’ve gone wrong, I have only a brief moment of panic and then shrug my shoulders. The only big thing left for D is finishing the essay (and supplementals, but hers don’t seem too bad). And then just the chore of actually applying (especially to non-CA schools). But I’ve started the college list for S18. Round and round she goes…
@MotherOfDragons, we had a similar but opposite situation with D’s GC. I’d never met the original GC, who went on maternity leave last spring. I met the sub GC at D’s IEP meeting and she was OK, but not great and didn’t seem to know D very well. Now original GC is back and we met when fixing up D’s confusing concurrent enrollment schedule. I was very impressed by her. She seemed enthusiastic and supportive of D.
@stlarenas, I don’t think it would be dishonest to pick “Catholic” if it is just a matter of her being an “inactive Catholic.” But if she’s outright rejected the faith, I wouldn’t put it down.
Chicago, Yale, GT & USC have recently changed their essay prompts. I guess I would not have expected that after August 1st, but they all have. I have now suggested to my son that he go back in to verify before he proceeds much further with writing.
@Ynotgo That’s what we’re hoping regarding Regents, although if it just provides a greater chance of admission to his top school that will be fine too.
@curiositycat333 oddly enough while to some extent I feel the same, I am also feeling a bit of latent guilt. As in, crap, I really should volunteer for xyz thing that I’ve avoided for 3-5 years. I did a LOT in Elementary and then honestly have limited myself to band related items and FL class stuff for most of MS/HS.
I confess. A huge part of me has been very much in the camp of let the stay at home moms do it, I’m working. Which I know isn’t cool but man, only so many hours in the day.
Feeling like slacker mom has apparently led me to offer to work at least one concession stand shift for senior spree fundraising and a shift at my alma mater for rush support. Which has nothing to do with S and his senior year yet is oddly related to me somehow.
@eandesmom I want to use the excuse that I’m “working” for why I’m not volunteering as much anymore. Except I do know the band volunteer president is a single working woman. And my job is very flexible. (Although maybe not so true in the next few months… we will see.) So if she can find time, I could couldn’t I? I will still volunteer for band games/competitions, and driving thats needed for winter season. It’s partly my excuse to go see the shows. And if I volunteer for the right activity on games, I can get in and not need to pay for a game ticket when all I want to see is the band at half time and leave.
@curiositycat333 and that is exactly my concession stand hope! Lol. Not sure it’s possible but I’ve not seen the shift options yet.
I will say honesty it was easier to volunteer for a lot when I was a single working mom then now. Some people juggle it better than others. And others well, they helicopter. It’s a fine line.
Extreme slacker mom here - I do homecoming, after prom, and will judge debate when they get desperate enough to take lay judges. There is a long list of things I don’t do - PTO, pre-game pasta parties, etc. I do feel pretty guilty about it.
D missed NMSF by one point. Texas is the one state that seemed to stay the same (220). She was bummed at first but has gotten over it already. Congrats to all those who made it and best of luck to those still waiting!!!
(I can finally go back to being a productive member of society. :)))
So, we can finally move on and finalize D’s apps for submission. Her final list has 14 schools. Her safety school is Ole Miss, which she really liked and is a great fit (top 10 accounting school, top 10 Arabic program, strong honors college, residential college, great school spirit and D1 sports, pretty campus, great college town). The one thing neither of us is thrilled about is the transportation situation, as it isn’t very close to a local airport and I wouldn’t want D driving back and forth on her own (7 hours). Ole Miss is actually not only a safety, but is currently in the top 1/3 of her list. D will be shooting for a full ride at her other 13 schools. She has already submitted 1 app and will submit 9 more over the long weekend. The remaining 4 she will submit on 9/18. So that’s the plan!
