Shouldn’t CSS be a bit easier this year because the 2015 tax information is already completed?
@vandyeyes – absolutely every high end chocolate should be put through appropriate quality assurance testing!
D is very stressed - took a day off of school to visit a college with H and arrived home very late at night - came back to 3 tests scheduled for the next morning. She did her best but then burst into tears while on the phone with me in the school parking lot stressing about grades. We are prepared for a senior dip in grades that has nothing to do with senioritis. ECs are in full swing. She can’t take the day of an EC event off of school or she can’t participate – that includes any Friday b/c that eliminates the entire weekend. She did a great job on her CA essay - only to have the english teacher rip it apart so she has that hanging over her head this weekend. She wants final 4 aps in by 11/1.
She is applying to 8-9 schools. She is already into 4 with merit to make them affordable. We are worried about the decision time stress that will come as she is weighing different choices. All along we wanted her to have options come the spring in the very likely event that she changes her focus throughout the winter as graduation looms. Now it seems like she will have too many choices. Chasing merit so no real reaches - although if she has any motivation left that 9th school will be a super reach.
D is not telling anyone about her school choices/aps/or acceptances. She has asked us not to share beyond grandparents. She has expressed that she really doesn’t want tons of opinions about her choices. She wants to make the best decision for her without the outside voices cluttering her mind. I am having a hard time not sharing - everyone keeps asking as it the #1 topic of conversation every time I run into anyone (store, fields, theater, work, etc…)
http://manderson.cba.ua.edu/academics/departments/mba_program/stem_path_to_the_mba
@MassDaD68 U Alabama has a unique STEM to MBA program, you might be able to look into.
@MassDaD68 – My older son wanted business and I recall a handful of schools offering engineering majors the option to minor in business. Of course, this would not be an easy path. Lehigh was one. RPI perhaps? Engineering is the stronger and larger major there, but business was growing. Good luck!
@novicemom23kids I’m beginning to wonder about the stress of choices in the spring a little bit, too. D has decided to go with ‘our’ list, for the most part, and then decide after all acceptances are in. At the time I thought that was a good idea, but now I wonder a little bit. We’ll probably be closer to what @itsgettingreal17 is going to be faced with in terms of shear numbers.
There is no free lunch!
@novicemom23kids —yep, it’s the hot topic when you run into the classmates moms at the grocery store and around town. My response is “oh I WISH I could say there was one school in particular but that girl has a LIST! I’ll let you know when we know.” They usually nod in commiseration and then they cough up the specific schools on their kids list. It’s like magic lol!
@MassDaD68 He could definitely do a minor in Business at WPI.
@carachel2 I love that! I usually do a quick run through of the schools on her list, most of which have absolutely no name recognition and the person seizes upon the one school they’ve heard something about.
As for spreading the news, it will be her news to tell as she wishes to tell it. Although I might spill the beans with a close friend after she’s made any acceptances public. And I’ll shamelessly announce here, because, why not?
Thanks all. I agree that the engineering to business is a great option. I am just not sure if my son really really enjoys the deep math that much. The AP Cal (BC) he is taking is going well but that is nothing compared to the math he will encounter sophomore year in engineering school. That is the problem. You start out fine in engineering until the weeder classes hit, then you get weeded out. No shame there. But you have spent over $80K on a failed attempt. Some classes will transfer out but the math portion of a business curriculum will be handled with 3-4 math classes. The other math is basically wasted. Many other STEM classes will not either. They might get transfer credit but they do not go towards the degree. So you might be able to fully satisfy a freshman year but maybe a lost year. So your looking at a min of a five year plan plus a grad degree.
I do not envy these kids. That have such tough choices now. Our generation could spend a year finding ourselves but now it is almost too expensive for that. At $40K+ a year, it is too expensive to find yourself.
@MassDaD68 …yep, and those are EXACTLY the reasons we have gone around and around and asked the tough tough questions. We are on a state school budget, but our two main state flagships (University of Texas and Texas A&M) that are very strong in engineering are also quite clear about how difficult it is to transfer to a different program.
Honestly, it is a game we/she just don’t care to engage in and pour our money into. She might hate engineering, she might want to change to a different major. I’m fine with both of those scenarios but I’m not fine with PAYING a school that doesn’t allow her those options. When did it stop being a business where the people who are the paying customers don’t get much of a say??
SMH as the kids say these days…SMH.
@massdad68 If your son has a 32 or 1400 old/1450 new test score, he could attend Bama with free tuition plus and additional $2500 per yr. That is less than $10,000/yr. They are generous with AP credit, so if he has taken many APs, he could have a lot of wiggle room for exploring what he wants to do.
ETA: It’s easy to change majors at Bama.
^^^ agreed with @Mom2aphysicsgeek …we were wonderfully surprised with how much Bama has to offer and the relative flexibility within the program and wiggle room for moving around if you change your mind. ABET accredited, great facilities and an engaged group of Honors kids.
I have a kid whose stats qualify her for auto admission into two higher ranked schools (but not necessarily into their engineering programs) and Bama moved up past those schools. She likes knowing there can be a bit of a back up plan.
@MassDaD68 I agree, it can be a costly proposition. I would just say have plenty of options for spring, so you can go one way or the other. Maybe you can find some cheaper options? The two majors are so different, maybe your son will have settled even more strongly on one come spring.
I graduated with an engineering degree. I never got my MBA, but the engineers I know who did worked for several (5+) years before earning their MBAs, usually part-time at night. That’s the way it used to be done, because you needed real-life experience for some of the group projects they did. I’m not sure what classes they take in the STEM MBA programs. It would be interesting, and if my kid were more into business I would have researched. With my little knowledge, I almost (people are gonna hate me 
) put them in a category with 3-2 programs. But, I have zero experience with the program. I’ve never yet met someone who’s done it, but I think it’s pretty popular now.
I worry about changing majors too, in my day everyone did it! My daughter is set on math/statistics, but I have a sneaking suspicion accounting may be a better path for her, an opinion she doesn’t want to hear.
@MassDaD68 I think Clarkson also offers some sort of engineering/biz combo if I remember correctly.
Business Idea: Online College App Portal aggregator. Input your info into one safe and secure portal aggregator with one password and have access to all of your application’s data on one screen. Get alerts to updates etc.
There is nothing like this now? Seems like a need for this.
Really stupid QOTD: Regarding electronic signatures on common app when you apply to a school. My wife was helping my son submit another app last night. She got to the end where they require the student to sign, and my wife was about to sign her name. My son stopped her, and put his name on it. Then my wife freaked out, and thought maybe she had actually signed her name on a couple of apps by accident, but was not sure. Is there any way you can check this? I really don’t want to contact the schools and basically say " we’re boobs, we don’t know who actuallly signed the common app", lol. What should I do? Suggestions,tips appreciated. I don’t want to learn after the fact that son’s app were dismissed because my wife accidentally signed her name. Totally stupid, right?
I looked around the Common App site today but didn’t find any answers.
@RightCoaster It’s ok. We like boobs here. I didn’t think you could sign it incorrectly. I’ll have to look next time. Hopefully this weekend!!!
@hadmeathello I submitted most of the apps with my son and I know I did it the right way. My wife was unsure of a couple she helped with. If I remember there was just a box and you type in the students name. Maybe it red flags you if you input the wrong name? I don’t know. Like I said, total boob move. My wife got confused because she had her credit card out to pay for the app, and then realized she might have typed her name in the electronic signature box by accident.
http://news.eng.ua.edu/2016/06/a-path-to-success/
^some info on the first cohort of Stem to MBA students at UA who graduated in 2016.
He seems to be settling into a conservative view by going into business. He is very confident he will not be weeded out in that major. I just hope it does not turn into regret. Will it be an itch he did not scratch? Will he always wonder if he could handle engineering?
The funny thing is it seems like engineers do not NEED a masters to make a decent living of $100K +. Business majors generally do. A CPA basically needs one just to qualify to sit for the CPA exam. One can get scholarships for the engineering degree and are done in four years. Not true with business. That masters alone will cost $50+
He is looking at only New England schools. He would like to be within a car drive.
UAlabama is a wonderful program with the free tuition. Amazing they are able to do that. A true leadership role on how to run a university.
Thank you all for the wonderful comments.