@eandesmom Yikes, sorry to hear about the shot reaction!
Busy Halloween weekend of parties for my 2 girls. D23 is going as Mettaton EX (the goth robot TV host character from the game Undertale) which has been quite an elaborate construction project! D17 likes doing special effects makeup, so she’s going as the Headless Horseman. At least this one doesn’t involve creepy contact lenses like last year when she made herself up like a cracked china doll. :))
@snoozn Love the old west analogy - I’m kind kind of a standoff with my D over her CA essay right now. What she has is quite good as a standalone piece of writing, but it’s only about 80% of the way there as an essay that will represent her well to schools. She’s related something that happened when she was 8 to how she is now, but she spends too much of it on a vivid description of the past event and doesn’t give enough sense of her current self. She knows she needs to tweak it, but keeps procrastinating. I think she feels afraid to reveal too much of herself and have that possibly get rejected. Boy, you know, there are parts of this process I really wish were over already!
(I just re-read my last post. The editing window has passed, so all I can say is, I typoed “minutes” for “years”? I think I may need to lie down or something.)
We finally have some progress on apps. S submitted all 3 of his apps that are due on 11/1 yesterday. His chemistry teacher still hasn’t finished his recommendation, so we ended up replacing him with someone else who had already completed a recommendation on those apps, because S just wanted it done. Plus the chemistry teacher never responded to his email from a week ago asking about the recommendation progress, so S is not feeling confident that it will get done.
He has an app due 11/15 to our state flagship. He was planning to submit that but realized there was an honors essay that he hadn’t noticed before. So that is on hold, probably for a week since S signed up for the 11/5 SAT II and studying for that is higher priority.
He has a Halloween party tomorrow, and then just lots of homework and studying. He did get his acceptance from Michigan State yesterday, which is not a surprise, but still nice to see acceptances from safeties.
@VickiSoCal Cal Poly SLO status page has a “To Do” section. If it is blank, then they have everything - your app is complete. If they are still waiting for your test scores it will say “ACT or SAT scores”
@dfbdfb No worries about the purple here. S is colorblind He can see some colors but can’t tell purple from blue, orange from red, green from yellow, etc. depending on the shade/intensity. Plus H and my alma mater is purple, D attends another college with purple, and H is a Vikings fan from way back. So we like purple – no new wardrobe required! If your notes are buried too deep, don’t worry about it – we plan to visit anyway and it’s low on S’s list.
@snoozn I love the Shoot-out at the OK Corral analogy.
We regularly bounce things off each other as a family (e.g., sensitive emails that need to have just the right tone, parental and offspring’s academic writings – articles and essays, respectively).
Each of us has his/her own voice, but all of us learn and benefit from one another’s suggestions – sometimes with a bit of defensiveness, but generally without too much hostility. There is a lot of metaphoric red pen use (both Google Drive and Microsoft Word’s track changes function serve us well; I especially enjoy when all three of us can be on the same document at the same time.)
While we might not always compliment each other in our writing, we do generally complement one another; each of us has his/her strengths and weaknesses: D17 is probably the best and most creative writer, I am probably the best editor, and DH is probably the best at seeing the big picture and setting the tone. And we all enjoy word play and language use, so when we’re not pulling our own and each other’s hair out, we work well together.
Hi. I’m not new to the forum:) but new this year for the class of 2017. My DS is applying to 15 schools. Already accepted early action to University of Kentucky and is excited and relieved to at least have one choice!. Trying to get him to not apply to Washington Sate University because at this time I think it’s overkill. That would bring him down to 14 schools. He is also competing for the AROTC scholarships and has applied to USMA. Looking forward to checking in, sharing and learning with all of you. Have yet to do the FAFSA this year. Our DD is a sophomore at OCU (Oklahoma City University as a musical theatre major pursuing a BM). We live in Los Angeles. He has applied to two Cal States and on Nov 1 his apps will go in for two UCs. His interest is in politics, government and foreign affairs.
@mommdc and @VickiSoCal no, shingles is one and done. Or at least it is right now. Recommended age is 60+ but some say 50+ is fine and I know a 40 year old who had it badly last year. Still, the fact that the pharmacist asked if I wanted it in the first place well…almost as not cool as seeing that first AARP mailing.
But, insurance covered it (starting at 50 I assume) and having watched my mother go through a horrendous bout of it, I took it now.
Reading the link @Ynotgo posted, some of my reaction may be standard, though mine definitely is beyond itching and I am sure related to the allergy.
@thshadow S17had the exact same experience after his on campus interview at WashU a few months ago. So perhaps it’s an expectation by the school for its student interviewers to do this, or perhaps less likely, our 2 kids had the same person who just happens to make this part of their particular routine. In any event, it was a nice touch by the school. S17 did not end of sending a thanks in return…just seemed a bit sappy. Plus I felt like going all the way to St. Louis and making the arrangements for the interview communicated sincere meaningful interest for the school already.
D had a quick turnaround, poor thing, from Pitt trip to UT recruiting event. She is at UT v. Baylor game today. They get back early tomorrow. After a nap, she is catching up on school work and hopefully finishing a couple of scholarship apps (this will be like pulling teeth).
(If anyone wants details about Pitt visit, PM me.)
@snoozn, hope you have better luck in the Escape Room. Last time we did it as a family, we would have been killed by the serial killer!
D and I went apple picking yesterday and met with family friend for a nice lunch today. She is watching school production of “Dracula” with her friends tonight.
QQTD: any kids going trick-treat on Monday night? Mine is going with her friends and she loves to plot strategy and routes beforehand.
QOTD: D18 is walking around the neighborhood dressed up with her friends, but not actually going for candy. D17 may do the same thing, or may go for candy, she hasn’t decided.
@IABooks have you seen the new glasses that correct colorblindness? They are supposed to be amazing!
I finished my senior presentation powerpoint! Yay! Now I just have to do the actual presentation in front of three professors this week, who tell me if my idea is good enough to take it to a senior show next semester, which means I can graduate next semester. No pressure. @-)
Love all the kids going trick/treating for Halloween. Before I became the mom of a teenager it used to irk me a tiny smidge but now I love those teenagers— they are holding on to childhood one more season and I load them up on candy as much as I can!
D has to work Halloween night. I think she is secretly glad since its kind of stressful figuring out friend groups and costumes.
@CT1417 As @payn4ward surmised, I was referring to the college’s status portal. @payn4ward So true about power and internet. Taking no chances on the deadlines. All apps will be submitted at least 48 hours before the deadline in case we need to make alternate arrangements. A friend was without internet for 4 days last month and that was a week after the hurricane. Having a senior with no internet for 4 days is one of those moments that push you over the edge. Taking no chances. Nov 1 deadline is tomorrow in our house.
He can see some colors but can’t tell purple from blue, orange from red, green from yellow, etc. depending on the shade/intensity. Plus H and my alma mater is purple, D attends another college with purple, and H is a Vikings fan from way back. So we like purple – no new wardrobe required! If your notes are buried too deep, don’t worry about it – we plan to visit anyway and it’s low on S’s list.