@SnowflakeDogMom Thanks for sharing your story. :x
D was notified today that she got into the honors program at the full-tuition-plus uni that we’re visiting tomorrow. :D/
@MACmiracle @SnowflakeDogMom Thanks for both your perspectives on FA reps. I guess they are doing their jobs - pushing loans and private schollys
The stress of waiting the Spring is trying. This is last week for schools, but still several more weeks for scholarships and financial aid offers.
Our problem is DD’s grades dropped with a couple of C’s for the quarter. This is a real bummer, endangering lots of dream schools and exciting opportunities. The problem arose partially as she missed so much school with flu for a week, three days for USC scholarship interview, a day for a non-financial awards ceremony, and now four days to travel across the country to process for a maybe big scholarship. Since quarter grades are not reported out of school, a lot of hard work can resolve these back up to B’s. But its just more stress added to the stress of waiting.
The only thing keeping us from cracking up totally is the safety of knowing she won’t fall past UTD, as she has acceptance and NMF already in hand. A comfortable fall back if every thing else goes to pot.
For those next year, make sure you get a solid safety in hand early in the process. The stress at the end of the waiting is pretty overwhelming.
@yugefamily I think the rep really was trying to help D be able to attend her college. Her intentions were good. But every family is different and we all need to know what we realistically can pay back given our own circumstances.
We are also debt averse in general, and think it has served us well seeing what friends are going through with credit card debt, etc.
I’ve told the story before of my friend who is still paying back her parent plus loans for her older kids. They are in their thirties and the parents are now retired and very low income. She says she doesn’t think she will be able to pay the loans back before she dies. And she still has a much younger child who is hitting college age now.
Another friend’s son has loan payments of nearly $1,500 a month for his degree in the arts. He’s in his late twenties. I think he’d like to move out and get married, but the loans are holding him back.
Another friend has D, a son in law, and grandbaby living with them while they pay back loans. My friend loves her family but space is tight with seven of them living in a modest townhouse.
They are all good, responsible people who did what they thought was best, but seeing how education debt has impacted their lives has influenced my own thinking a lot.
@yugefamily I think the rep really was trying to help D be able to attend her college. Her intentions were good.
What? No No No Its irresponsible at the least, and predatory lending if you want to take it that far.
It doesn’t matter if the kid/rep doesn’t understand the harm excessive loans do to a family. Whoever put him in front of the phone with a list of phone numbers certainly does.
It prays of the emotions of family
@JerseyParents The person who called me was a financial aid counselor who was contacting me at the request of the director of admissions who I had spoken to the day before, because she thought a financial aid specialist would be able to help us due to our somewhat unusual financial situation and D not being awarded a full tuition scholarship. It wasn’t a cold call.
Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be much she could offer except explain the additional loan options and suggest making an appeal for more aid after I balked at the loans.
So I don’t think it was predatory but it could lead more inexperienced parents down a dangerous path.
Paging the UTD families - someone was asking about Clark research a few pages back and I think they might have gotten overlooked. Anyone want to chime in?
@DiotimaDM I think I answered that here
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21335064/#Comment_21335064
Oops, sorry I missed that, @3scoutsmom.
I was the one asking for UTD Clark summer research, still waiting for answer. My son said the result should be the end of March.
Almost done. D will be going to a couple of overnights. And the big question: what kind of sleeping bag to take? Apparently what was cool in 7th grade is now embarrassing. Any recommendations? And inside use only —no campers here.
Worry Mom - look at the second post above yours and click the link.
@SC Anteater I hear you about this process and reaction to schools. My S got into several UCs with honors and seems a little meh about them. Those and the others he has applied and been accepted to are all great schools. Guess we’ll have to see what he decides after the last few decisions come in. Like you, USC is one we are waiting on.
S has not bought much at any of the colleges we have visited, but he did buy a yellow banana slug made of white chocolate at UCSC. :))
My daughter is also waiting on USC tonight. She also hasn’t heard from UCB or Vanderbilt, She doesn’t think she will be getting in and knows that we would need financial aid if she did. Luckily, she is super excited about UCLA and I’m feeling that will be her choice. I’m super proud of her, and how hard she has worked throughout high school!. Like we all are proud of our great kids. Just a reminder, wherever they end up they will be okay. My older daughter did not get into any of her dream schools, but found a great OOS gem, WWU. She’s so happy there! It will all work out!
@klbmom18 Columbia has some good basic sleeping bags in solid colors. LOL - I was laughing thinking about sending S18 on an overnight with his old Power Rangers sleeping bag!
Syracuse did round two of torture. (Round 3 if you count the late February one they did for top merit and international students).
Had plans with D20 and her friend and friends mom for dinner and a movie last night. Had D18 come because I did not want her home alone when/if SU email came. We had a nice night and the movie “Love, Simon” was great. on the way home she started checking emails.Seemed like a smaller wave but crickets in the house. The melt down was much more contained but still just wants to know so she can make her decision and go on. She said she thinks she knows her decision but I did not ask.
We are going to Ithaca for an accepted student day next Friday and have scheduled a revisit to SU on Thursday because if she gets in she will not be able to go in April due to her rehearsal schedule. Would be nice to know if we need to go to SU. Worse case we tour it and find out that afternoon or the next morning she is denied.
Once again I was unable to watch my alma mater in March Madness because no way we could have the game on while D18 and I were talking. My husband watched downstairs and they lost. Can’t say I was very sad this time.
On the other side she has three friends who applied to William and Mary. Last night one was waitlisted, one denied and one accepted. The denied and accepted are twins. Think their parents had a tougher night than I did.
She is off to a full day of rehearsal so we will not have moody 17 year old to deal with. Have an appointment with tax accountant this afternoon so I might be the moody one.
Oh and MickeyFan and I are going to D20’s school fundraiser last night so I was dress shopping yesterday. Not only a great dress from Talbot’s for tonight for $39 but also found one for D18’s graduation for $39. Was very happy. Came out of the shop and saw three young mom’s with little ones in strollers who had spent the afternoon together expressing how much fun it had been. Reminded me of the group I was in when D18 was an infant and I had a moment. Maybe this dragged on college thing is good because I am too occupied to realize the end of an era is near.
@MinnieFan , your post above (#14578) was so interesting and tugged at my heartstrings. End of an era. 
Glad you found some dresses. Maybe I’ll check Talbots.
@Momma2018 thanks!! I think polka dots is probably not as bad as power rangers but same class
@kbmom18, could she bring a yoga mat/camping mat and a fleece blanket?