@suzy100 Four years ago UMich was in the running for my daughter. I took her to visit it in mid-February. It was -4 degrees–she ended up at Tulane 
Dear California,
Please stop with the fires already!!
DH’s elderly parents had to postpone their move for a full month because of mandatory evacuations / heavy smoke from the Thomas Fire. The evacuations were all lifted today, but MIL has breathing problems, so she has to wait for all of the smoke and residue to clear, too.
Today around lunch time, firefighters pounded on their door some 100 miles from the Thomas fire because the hillside behind them was on fire.
They and the house are currently safe, but geez, can we please get a break out here?
In other news, our leader board remains unchanged, and I still thank my lucky stars that S fell in love with UNM, which was both a financial and admit safety.
We’re waiting for news on the Elks MVS. First round of results should come the week after New Year’s. He will probably apply for one or two more local scholarships, but we’re pretty much done, here.
Kitten is 4 weeks old and able to scamper around the LR. The days of her getting into everything / causing general mayhem are not far off. 
@DiotimaDM, I hope you inlaws remain safe. I can’t imagine what it’s like dealing with the fires.
@njparent2022, I love Tulane! I hope you got to visit often.
@njparent2022 :)) That’s an awesome story!
@labegg I have a son who often has a vasovagal response to needles. He throws up and passes out. Had a seizure once, even. Not fun for anyone!
@DiotimaDM Our family was affected by massive CA wildfires several years ago. I had two kids with asthma. They were okay until about two weeks after the fires died down, then their symptoms got pretty bad. We had heard somewhere (the news? Our pediatrician? I don’t remember) that this could happen. So, continue to be aware with your MIL. Scary stuff.
When S18 was doing the Midwest tour last year we made him go in Feb as well so he would know what he was getting himself into.
He visited
University of Michigan
University of Wisconsin
Purdue
UIUC
Northwestern
He took Purdue off because he “just couldn’t picture” himself there for four years. He said the buildings were depressing.
Northwestern they didn’t even stay for the engineering tour. He knew after the regular tour/info session it just wasn’t a good fit.
UIUC he kept on his list until he thought about it more and just wasn’t up for the brown, flat landscape all around.
UMich and UWisc he really liked. Wisconsin more than Michigan, but we’ll see. He got into both.
He has lived in six states across the US with lots of different types of weather so he knows what he can handle. He has lived in VT, NC, MA, upstate NY (near Syracuse), southern CA (Orange County), and Seattle.
It’s also nice because he knows how to go into new places and make friends/find his people. So we’re not worried about him going fast away to school.
@labegg, I wish I had your sense of a right school for all, especially for my S18!!! As the hard RD deadlines approach, I am having serious FOMO for him. I think having high stats that have somehow leaked around his school, causing people to inquire why he isn’t applying to XYZ expensive reach (we are full pay) is causing me to second guess our calm merit- and fit-based approach (other than an ED reach, from which he was rejected).
@1822mom, we also haven’t heard from SDSU - kind of annoying!
Acceptances so far: Pitt with full tuition, UMN with $10k, DU with $28k, Puget Sound with around $25k. There are a few others but they are off the list due to location (not urban enough or too Southern now that he is solidifying his thinking). With the exception of Pitt, most will end up costing us roughly the same as our in-state UCs when you factor in housing cost differentials. Waiting on UCs, SDSU, American, Northeastern, and maybe GW. Denied at Columbia.
He prefers an urban environment, smart kids, doesn’t drink but is social and likes going to parties and would not want to move somewhere with strict laws against smoking marijuana, goes to a fair number of live music (alt/rap/folk) performances, loves “ethnic” food, wants an LGBTQ tolerant environment, and could definitely benefit from access to internships/work experience as he decides what to do down the road.
Possible majors: political science, communications, minors: business, design? Unweighted GPA 3.95, weighted 4.5, 7 APs, 2 DEs, 2 Honors, (most rigorous), top 5%, 1590 SAT. He has a mix of 3s and 4s on AP tests and doesn’t have SAT II scores to submit. Average ECs, captain of a varsity sport, part-time job, and some long-term dedicated volunteering. He goes to a large public school with little help from the overworked GCs, whose primary goal regarding college is that eligible kids know they have the option of going somewhere.
I am really impressed with Pitt and would be happy if he chose it, but there are not direct flights, the culture seems a bit sports-oriented for him, and the weather might be tough.
He is playing his cards pretty close to the vest and/or truly doesn’t know what he prefers, which adds to my confusion on his behalf!
Add me to the evolutionary freak list: never had wisdom teeth. Unfortunately, D18 didn’t inherit that mutation and so she had to get her wisdom teeth cut out a year ago (over Thanksgiving). Had multiple dry sockets! I read once that there’s a tribe in Central or South America that doesn’t have wisdom teeth. We’ll see what 23andme has to say about that…
@njparent2022 Yes, Ann Arbor is cold, especially when compared to CA. But when was the last tIme Ann Arbor had a hurricane? 
@Pickleginger…I am always a fan of Pitt (that is where I thought my DD2016 was going to pick) and full tuition would make it a slam dunk for me, lol. I have a soft spot for Puget Sound.
My cat died due to the Wine Country fires’ smoke down here in the East Bay. She went into respiratory distress and no matter what we threw at her she couldn’t recover. 
For those chasing merit that includes any scholarships for room and board, you might want to check out this thread
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/2042587-new-tax-law-on-taxable-scholarships.html#latest
@pickledginger my older child D16 is a sophomore at Pitt. She loves it. She never goes to sports events (went to a few football games her freshman year I think) and that is not an issue at all. I feel like it would fit your kid well from your description. She got a fair number of questions about the choice, but all we had to say was “full tuition” to silence that. Good luck! Interesting that Columbia was also my D16’s one super reach option. My S18 would not even consider applying–he needs to have his own place I guess.
@pickledginger yeah a full tuition at Pitt and my daughter would do a backflick and commit on the landing haha. Your son has so many great options, I’m sure it will all fall into place for him!
So she got into Miami OH tonight and Honors (I’m not sure if that’s a big deal or not?). Waiting on merit now from 3 really solid colleges. Hoping everything is on the table in January so she can decide where to visit for Accepted Student Days aside from Pitt :). Still holding onto that very thin sliver of hope that she’ll get a Chancellor interview but the sun seems to be setting on that.
@SC Anteater, I’m sorry about your cat. So much suffering all around from the fires.
@AmyBeth68, fingers crossed!!
@Booajo, thanks for the info about your daughter at Pitt. I was laughing because I looked at some of your other posts and saw that she was not into hills, at least at one point. I hesitate to admit it, but neither is my son! The Pitt Honors housing gives him pause for that reason. . .
We are on day three of chipmunk cheeks here (she had it done Tuesday) but this morning she does look better. I’m hoping there is a dramatic decrease in puffiness. She’s been a good patient and taking and doing everything they said to do. And, they squeezed us in for stitch removal the day before school goes back.
I had a phone conversation with the admissions officer at current #1 pick - they send out financial aid and then explain it to you. And, at orientation, they explain it to you AGAIN. I kind of like that hand-holding, especially this first time around. Anyway, the guy said to send any financial aid offers to him and he will see what they can do to match or top it. I didn’t even ask about that, he volunteered the information.
About the only question he needs to get back to me on is FAFSA verification. The first time I did it the DRT would not work for me; two days later, I went and did a correction and used it. They obviously got the original one, but before I send a tax transcript I want to know if they got the corrected one and if that suffices. I have the transcripts and don’t mind sending them, I just don’t want to waste anyone’s effort (especially my own!).
This school’s honors program gives a nice merit offer to those who make it - she could get another $5,000 in merit. If she wins one of the presidential scholarships that’s full tuition, not to mention better housing options. Not holding my breath on that one but that would be awesome.
Congrats on all the acceptances and honors invites!
I am so sorry about the troubles caused by the wildfires
So much great advice on this thread! I agree with @suzy100 that I try to only give an opinion when asked. I kept my mouth zipped on every college tour. (Frankly, knowing my S18, if I said I liked something, he would go in opposite direction!) We visited one school where he pretty much said “no way” when we pulled into the parking lot. I was surprised but we took it off the list.
I do like to ask him questions about why he likes/dislikes a school - just to make sure he is thinking about all of the angles. Happiest moment of my life when I asked him a question and he said “huh, that’s a good one, I need to look at that.” (Yes, son, I actually went to college too and I am not that useless.)
On break since last Friday and he just started back on essays yesterday. Swears they will be done by tomorrow (where have I heard that before). Luckily, these are mostly the 200-300 word “why X university” supplements. Not sure why they bother since every admissions tour told me the same thing - they are all collegial, diverse, dedicated to their students, and have a strong alumni network. I swear he could probably use the same essay and substitute college name!
We found out a few years ago that D doesn’t have wisdom teeth. We are thrilled for her. Now that she has seen some friends go through having them removed she is also thrilled.
@SC Anteater I am so sorry about your cat. Sorry for everyone having to deal with the fires. So awful.
@labegg lol with predictions about where everyone else’s kid is going. I don’t even play the odds game here because I have no clue. If you hit many correctly maybe you should hang out a shingle for psychic readings
Pitt sports and party scene, like many other aspects of student life, are take it or leave it, my D went to a few football games because of friends in the Pitt band, but it is not a major part of her life.
The main reason she wanted to live in honors housing, was the suite style rooms. Bruce Hall, where the freshmen business LLC is housed, also has suite style rooms.
But there are other choices, Towers and Nordenberg.
My D liked Sutherland and didn’t mind the walk much and it kept her fit.
There is a “shortcut” through the Pete and also there are shuttles that go up the hill.
It was nice to have a gym and cafeteria right in Sutherland, especially on the weekends and in the winter.
While honors housing can make it easier finding other serious students and form study groups, some students do party.
@labegg I think I can tell where the posting parents expect the kid to go, but that doesn’t always correlate well with the actual choices.
My S18 is playing it very close to the vest. Of his two current acceptances, he won’t even say which he prefers! So huge B1G school vs LAC–50/50 I guess. I assume he’s also been accepted to Miami OH, but since he never checks portals, he doesn’t know yet.
@AmyBeth68 hopefully by the end of January you will hear one way or the other about the interview invite. Keeping fingers crossed for your D.