Ha @labegg, S and I both independently picked up a distinct penitentiary vibe during our A&M visit! S didn’t have any preconceived notions but I went to PSU and was expecting a similar mix of gorgeous old buildings, beautiful modern buildings, and ugly concrete behemoths from the 1950s. A&M’s ratio seemed very skewed toward concrete behemoths and even some of the well-preserved old buildings felt a bit utilitarian to me. Sure, there are enough pretty areas of the A&M campus that it would be fine and of course it’s an excellent school. I didn’t say anything until after S broke the ice by commenting that multiple buildings looked like prisons minus the razor wire, but once he said that we did share a good laugh about some of the unfortunate architecture.
It’s funny though, because S doesn’t mind the multiple ugly concrete behemoths at UTD. Not so much a prison look, but very “fallout shelter chic”. Also no truly old buildings at UTD because it’s such a young school, so no opportunities for expecting wonderful old architecture although it does have some really nice new structures. A&M in general wasn’t a fit for S, and the aesthetic was just one minor piece.
It’s a shame that Tamiflu isn’t an OTC. No one with the flu wants to get out of bed to go to the Drs, and no one isn’t the Drs’ waiting room wants to be stuck in the same room with the person with the flu.
Re: GT, it became apparent to me in conversation with one of the program directors that yield is something they are focused on, or at least were focused on a couple years ago. I don’t think they do very well with cross admits to MIT/Stanford/Ivies with strong engineering, even when the Stamps program (which is amazing there) is in play (and this is likely more so when a prospective student is faced with paying full freight.) I got the impression that they wanted to change that. It’s possible that they are declining to admit some that seem unlikely to attend given other strong options.
@mstomper I hope you feel better soon and the rest of the family stays healthy. I’m sorry about Ithaca’s stinginess. I hope your S finds a nice fit at McDaniel or…
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: For those of you new to this process, if you prep your kid for one answer and one answer only for their interviews, make sure they are schooled in the “Why XX?” question. Schools these days care about yield. They do not want to accept a kid that will turn them down. Many alumni interviews are first and foremost about presenting a good face for the school and determining if the applicant really wants to attend. Make sure your student spends 20 minutes (or more) on the school wedsite or on a search engnine creating their narrative as to why XX school is perfect for them. Tell them not to answer “because USNews” or “because Bill Gates” or “my mom saiys it a good school.” Make sure they have a good, specific, authentic answer that applies to them uniquely. End of announcement.
I’m going to brag on my daughter a bit so please indulge me.
Today I attended the local Martin Luther King Unity Breakfast as a result of my daughter being chosen to receive a $1,000 scholarship. She was selected for the award based on her working with under advantaged elementary students including starting a program to raise money and buy these children various school supplies. The superintendent of our large school district was there and told my daughter that this is the first time in a very long time that the recipient was from her large high school.
She was presented the award and made a short speech. It is amazing for me to see what a poised and impressive young lady she has turned into seemingly almost overnight. Needless to say mom and I were so proud of her. As my wife said to her as we were leaving the house this morning, she was more proud of daughter getting this award than anything else she has done.
OK bragging parent done…thank you for your indulgence…
@mstomper I just got over the same thing. Felt like a bad cold. Doc would not give me Tamiflu b/c he thought it was just a sinus infection but in hindsight it was both SI and a mild flu. Felt terrible 4 days, sore throat, body aches, congestion, mild fever - then it was gone. Just rest and wait it out. LOTS of fluids!
@burghdad Wow that’s wonderful, you have much to be proud of and I LOVE hearing parent brags, it makes me feel so good about this generation of kids we’re raising and sending out into the world. Many congratulations to her and a huge thank you for her efforts to make the world a better place.
Since we were off for the MLK Holiday we visited our family doctor to review my D18s vaccinations so that we’re not surprised by anything when she needs to report to school and supply her medical docs. She just needed her 2nd Menigitis B vaccine so that’s good news. Just a gentle reminder that it may not be a required vaccination but my Doctor reiterated how important it is for the kids to have the Men B if they plan to live in a dormitory or be in a large population. It’s a two shot protocol and I believe there’s a minimum of 6 months between jabs so if your child hasn’t received it now is a good time to take them in and get shot #1.
Much better news at our house today. S18 accepted to Purdue! He was leaving to go on a bike ride and I said Don’t you want to check Purdue first? He calmly says, I already did, they said yes. Go figure! Congratulations to those also hearing good news about schools and scholarships, etc. BIG thanks for all the support when we had bad news about GT. This group is great!
Well, we toured Franciscan today. Very thorough tour, from New Semester Mass, to lunch, to dorms, classes, chapels. S18 and I loved the small size, the beauty, the conservative aspect Then S18 and I both had separate interviews with our admission counselor (whom we’ve been in regular contact with since August). After all that, S18 told me that Franciscan is where he definitely wants to go. There is too much nudging us this way to ignore (personal spiritual opinion).
So I paid the housing deposit. The choice is made.