@paveyourpath Here it is. I am looking for interesting stories of people who have experience of being rejected because of a missing piece of their application. Couple of responses so far but mostly people being helpful telling me how to avoid missing pieces.
For those applying to UT Dallas has the “commuter” aspect of the school improved recently. S17 is unhappy with how UTAustin and TAMU are handling engineering and computer science enrollment but does want that"college" experience. UT Dallas is hovering on/off the list because of that commuter reputation. Texas Tech is still on the list.
@pokerqueen …re: UT Dallas— some will say their kids are there and enjoying it. Some will say there is still a decidedly commuter feel.
Agreed wholeheartedly about TAMU and UT and engineering admissions. We are looking OOS but aware it may not happen.
Greetings this am from U of Alabama… I’m an Aggie so I just can’t make myself say RT.
We were Fl residents(huge Gator fans)until recently so RT is hard for us as well but Bama with their Presidential and auto admission to engineering remains number one choice although still looking at other options. UT Dallas if it had less of that commuter “feel” would definitely be on the list. May still apply but S17 unsure since Alabama has much more of what he desires and he loves the campus and people he met there.
UT Dallas and UNC Charlotte fall into the same category for my son…
-Solid engineering program
-Beautiful campus
-Very welcoming to “above average” students
-Easy acceptance, but solid students
-Easy transportation (near large airport)
-Near a metropolitan area
-Good price + Big MAC
-COMMUTER SCHOOL! Off the list
What a shame
I’m an Auburn grad but UA is giving my eldest a lot of money to go there (she is a sophomore) so RT! It’s amazing how easy that has become to say.
How do you define “commuter school”? Seems like kids have lot of requirements to pick schools. Ds’s only restrictions are not too small (Cal Tech), not too urban (Columbia) and top schools in his interested majors (computational biology and biochemistry). His mom’s requirement is safe neighborhood. My requirement is no significant grade deflation . I am responsible for coming up the list 
Commuter school is when a large part of the school’s population leave campus and go home at the end of each day, maybe to their parents house or maybe to a distant apartment.
Suitcase school is when a large part of the school’s population leave campus on the weekends and holidays.
In both cases, the students who do not leave are left behind with a relatively empty and boring campus.
Happy Wisdom Teeth Day! D17 and D19 both get them removed this morning. Also, did finally get an email confirmation from GC that D17 is a NM Semifinalist. Yay!
D received her summer program evaluation letter. In the last paragraph, it says she would be a great fit for the university and the school would be lucky to have her. Does this mean anything? Can we attach this to the application as a point of reference?
QOTD: Were we really this picky back in the day?
It’s mostly a rhetorical question - I believe the answer is “no.” Reading @STEM2017 's comment about good schools being crossed off the list, I feel like a cranky old curmudgeon - “Back when I went to school, we walked uphill in six feet of snow both ways and were grateful for the opportunity to go to college, any college…” 
I know the stakes are higher because the costs are higher and we all want to get it right for our kids the first time. Back then, you could attend State U on summer and part time earnings. But I look back with some nostalgia on the days when seniors applied to just a few schools and picked the one that was the cheapest and most convenient.
@mamaedefamilia Agree with you 110%
QOTD: No way, no chance. We went where we were told to go.
QOTD: I went as far away as my parents would pay for, sight unseen. I had literally seen one photograph before we drove up on move-in day.
Its partly different now because we have access to so much more information. Videos, CDS, websites, dozens of different rankings, FB and message boards. People can easily form an opinion from afar, and compare/contrast easier.
QOTD: Yes. I went to one of the specialized high schools in NYC. All the strong students aimed for Top 20ish universities or LACs and almost all ended up enrolling at one. We all applied to 10-15 schools. I remember how shocked a lot of us were when my BFF turned down Columbia and Cornell for a full ride+ at Villanova. He’s now in the same place career-wise as those who went the elite school route. That was my first of many lessons that an elite school isn’t the end all and be all.
Congrats on the official word @TimEnchanter !
@mamaedefamilia I think that it still true for most kids in the country. It’s just the those of us on CC are unique bunch However I am beginning to realize that the college search those of you in condensed cities on the east coast surrounded by small states and tons of great schools is very different than for those of us in vast states in the middle of the country surrounded by farms.
Anyone applying to SDSU honors college? Think that may be our safety
We also got the news today that S made NMSF! Whoot <:-P
QOTD - “Back in the day…” I went to the UC that I liked best. Tuition was so low that I could work over the summer and pay most of it. The competition to get in was minimal of you met the UC requirements. Housing (UCSC) was less affordable than tuition. I never thought of going elsewhere because California had such a great and affordable system.
@stlarenas Unfortunately for us we live in the Northeast but ds won’t consider any schools in the NE. I understand his reasons but it sure makes visits, etc. a challenge.
@stlarenas We are not on a coast and visiting college campuses requires a lengthy drive or air travel or both. I am a bit jealous of the mid Atlantic/New England folks who have so many choices within an easy distance. This summer, D and I traveled in the midwest and zigzagged our way from Columbus to Cleveland to Chicago to St Louis to Minneapolis/St. Paul. We covered a lot of ground and saw a lot of beautiful country.
Congrats to @mtrosemom It looks like D is commended only but she has a friend who has a chance of NMSF and we are all eagerly waiting for confirmation.