@BigPapiofthree - We’ve done CSS and FAFSA for “three” years now. Never have we had to submit bank statements. However, I could go back to “daily balance” and print later, I suppose.
It’s 10pm. Do you know where your children are?
Does anyone else remember that announcement before the 10pm news? Perhaps this was just the local NYC metro station.
Mine is STILL working on his GT app, both the main essay and the little GT prompts. I am suggesting edits to the activity page.
Calm, calm…
Made the scholarship deadline!
@CT1417 I remember that line ;
History repeats itself means your DS will have everything done beautifully on time! All good!
@CT1417 – I remember that PSA - “It’s 10pm - Do you know where your children are?” Your son will hopefully finish soon and submit before 12!! My fingers are crossed for you both on this.
Someone just now remembered a state level 1st place science award that needs to be added. Discussion about the 10th activity. I feel he should include one he participated in for three years, even though it did not take much time, and he is instead using a new math club he is co-founding. Whatever! Just finish…
Glad to know others remember that PSA.
Mine is on Naviance researching potential scholarships. “Mom, are you sure you aren’t Portuguese?”
And…first app submitted!!! Horns, confetti, fireworks, etc.
So I ask: do you have a lot of HW to do tomorrow? Do you think you could possibly start working on any of the three apps that are due Nov 1st?
Congrats @CT1417. That’s awesome to get that done!
Oh, and just so’s you’s knows: Cubs win!
The FAFSA is done (whew). Now he is committed to getting at least four apps in! I actually got agreement to work on the Western Washington app tomorrow. Fingers crossed… =))
@Mom2TwoDDs - FB group is CC2017. It is a secret group, so not visible unless you are a member. If you want to join please PM me.
D has a safety school she likes! #:-S
So, we actually visited CO State U last spring for one of their general welcome programs. She thought it was “okay,” but there was zero enthusiasm. This morning we went to a College of Engineering event and it was very well done. I tried and pretty much succeeded in staying quiet and waiting to see what she thought. This time there was a bit of enthusiasm and she said if her preferred schools don’t work out she will be happy to attend CSU. She was even picking out possible dorm rooms from the housing guide (they have very nice dorms). The only negatives at this point are the size (too big) and gen ed reqs (she likes the more open curriculum’s that smaller schools often have). Anyway, yay!
Sharing
H, D17 and I are all pretty non-social (different from oldest D and S18!), so there aren’t many people to share with. I haven’t been on fb for a couple of years, so social media isn’t an issue. D uses fb a little but doesn’t post much. She’ll probably just post wherever she ends up going. We will probably share more of the process with grandparents and my sister. I just drive H and the kids crazy with college talk.
Number and ranking of apps
D is applying to 14 schools (8 EA!) and I’m fine with that. She doesn’t has an absolute ranking but she does have four or five “clusters” of schools that she likes about equally (or thinks she would for ones we haven’t visited).
Overlapping kids
D17 and S18 will overlap for three years. I haven’t done the FAFSA yet (don’t judge me!), but NPC’s show a tiny amount of need-based aid from a couple of CSS profile schools. We’re moving forward with the assumption that we won’t get need-based aid even with two in college. If we do, that’s a bonus.
Grades
Well D is a slacker compared to others here since she’s only taking four classes plus teaching aide! The benefit is that she’s pulling all A’s and is finding AP Calc BC and AP Physics 1 fairly easy compared to AP Chem last year. She’s an oddball – taking the two AP’s and an engineering DE class and she says her “hardest” class is the DE LGBT Studies. In which they watch a movie every Friday. But there’s soooooo much reading! Good grief.
Spring stress
With 8 EA schools, I’m really hoping that a school in that top “cluster” (or at least the second cluster) comes through as doable. That would greatly diminish spring stress. If even the just-above-safety EA schools don’t work… Well, let’s not worry about that yet, eh?
I don’t know why, but for some reason I remember pretty vividly filling out my GT app. I was sitting in the bleachers at a school assembly and had the single page filled out before the end of the program. No prompts, no essays. I’m sorry the kids now have a “new and improved” version. Good luck to all the applicants!
@CT1417 – Congrats to your DS (and you)! Down to the wire for sure but you made it!! I realized we put the wrong year down for some activity but just fixed it for the future. Yeah now on to the other EA ones - 2 have no sups thankfully - might just go ahead and submit those.
@snoozn - great that your D has a safety she likes!!! That must feel so good.
Congrats to @mtrosemom on the FAFSA & getting some apps done soon!
I feel now that Common App essay is done, a bit easier to look at supps, help DS with research & at least some bullet points of what to consider writing about re why “this school/program”. Made the mistake of looking at Cal Tech - of course a huge “reach” / lottery – wow that is an intimidating amount of writing!!
I’m from NY and I definitely remember that! You made me chuckle. Also the after school specials were a fave too.
@CT1417 Yes! I remember that PSA! Now I feel really old. :)) Congrats on the app submission!
http://www.npr.org/2016/08/26/490625260/can-slowing-down-help-you-be-more-creative
@CT1417 and other parents whose kids progress maybe slower than expected, there are merits in procrastination. M. King did the “I have a dream” speech at the last minute. 
Hello my new friends. 
Wow does this thread move fast! I got tied up for a few days and feel so far behind.
Thanks to all who offered advice. My son is of the mindset that he would not like a massive school. He wishes to stay around the 5-7K student population size. So this effectively kicks out so many wonderful opportunities for him at state flagship schools. Believe me, it would be so much easier on my pocketbook to send him to our state Flagship school (UMASS Amherst). This process is so full of second guessing? Should he kick an application to the sate school just in case? Should he still pursue the engineering schools just in case? At this point he thinks he just wants to start business and stay there. A conservative view. But how does he know? The stat for people changing majors is like 80% of kids. It is asking too much of a sheltered 17/18 year old what he wants to do for the rest of his life. They just do not have that much life experience yet. They have been so focused on school and sports that they have not given ample thought to what career choice to make. Then it is thrown on them junior year in HS and they are expected to know what to do. So wish he could go to a local state school to test the waters a bit more. But the peer pressure is to get into a good school right off the bat and make everyone proud. I feel all this peer/teacher pressure is a disservice to some.
Sorry to rant and get off track. Maybe I just need more morning coffee.
@MassDaD68 Does your son have the stats to have a chance for the Honors Program at UMass-Amherst? If so, it does provide the feel of a smaller college within the university. The dedicated honors housing is gorgeous and on its own quad. There is also the 5 colleges consortium, if he wants to taste what the smaller schools are like. The food at UMass-Amherst is also great.
Absolutely, have him apply. His opinion might be very different by the spring.
@MassDaD68 Have you looked at Lehigh? Not in New England but fairly close, has a great engineering/business combo program, right size for your son. Also it is easy to change schools/majors at Lehigh if your son should change his mind. Not sure how they are with financial aid.
D17 is currently taking one IB course-IB Bio HL year two. I just went to sign her up for the end of the year test (next May), and it was $314. For one test.
Let me type that again: $314. For one test. For high school.
Tiptoed back out of that particular “pay now” window. She’ll already have her acceptances to colleges before she takes this test, she’s only taking one IB course, and from my perspective that is an offensive amount of money to pay for one course test. I talked to her about it and she said she doesn’t need to take it.
Unless anyone can tell me why I need to have her take a $300 test that matters not one whit in terms of getting into college, we’re going to leave that one alone.
Two cups of coffee, one Powerpoint down, one to go. Computer crashed again and I had to reset windows and re-install powerpoint. I am SuPeR dragony this morning-H is hiding at Crossfit because I’m “very loud”.
I’m getting a new computer before I throw this one out the window.
D17 had an interview yesterday, felt it went well. We had an animated discussion about the importance of followup being a necessary adulting skill versus “unnecessary”. Guess who won that discussion this morning (as sulfur floats from my nostrils).