Thinking of you @Booajo. I know it’s been a rough road. Hoping for some clarity, soon!
We are well past the college decision struggle but I’m really feeling pinched with the dorm supplies thing. We are flying to Montreal, and our luggage will be full enough with D’s winter gear she’s been slowly accumulating. No way we can buy towels and bedding ahead of time. I’m hoping that Montreal is a big enough city to handle all of the incoming students and their dorm shopping needs!
I did figure out that there’s a Costco 2 miles from D’s dorm (thank you for the mattress topper info, @Cheeringsection. I’ve made note of it), plus there are two Walmarts within ten miles. We won’t have a car, so yay for Uber!
I’m wondering how much reserving-stuff-ahead-of-time I should do. (I can do that at Costco and/or Walmart, right? ) To make it even more complicated, D’s dorm is apartment style, and we don’t know for sure what will already be in the kitchen. Kitchen items likely won’t sell out before move-in weekend, though, I’m guessing.
Bed Bath and Beyond has a dorm registry. We signed up and she had fun scanning items. It will certainly make it easier for me and her grandparents to get her exactly what she wants. I see Target offers one as well but we haven’t done that one.
I’m not sure that Costco reserves, but you can ship to the Walmart store and pick up when there.
Many schools (residence hall services at least domestic ones) also have a service that you buy from directly and everything will be delivered to the room.(mattress topper, sheets, rug, small furniture). By the time we received dorm info, I had already bought most of my son’s stuff. BTW–Kohls and Costco wound up being cheaper than BBB
Glido - my son has a friend (also a girl) that is headed to AF Academy next year. She is a fencer and will be on the team there. Will your daughter be running for them??
In other news, S18 has hit the accept button and will be headed to Dartmouth next fall!
For those shopping locally not ordering/picking up, we’ve had great luck with Tuesday Morning for towels/bath mats. Superior quality, same price as Target.
@booajo and @lovespink and other undecided parents out there…hang in there! We are ONE WEEK out from Decision Day 2018. We are all waiting here to celebrate with you!
Long time lurker on this particular thread, but I had to post to just say how hard this is! My D is SO conflicted between 2 choices, I really feel for her. May 1 is going to be hard either way.
Congrats to all who have decided.
I feel for my kid. Really, he has a strong top choice, but it is SO MUCH MORE MONEY than his other options. He would need some loans, and he isn’t sure it is worth it. I’m not sure either, but at the same time, it isn’t quite high enough cost for us to say NO WAY.
I know if I posted on the financial aid forum, they would say “follow the money”, but it isn’t quite that simple.
Well, “following the money” can mean different things. You could pay more short term for a school with a very strong alumni network that opens more doors career-wise, leading to more money long term. It really is hard to know what to do, and there is no legitimate one size fits all strategy.
Right @ShrimpBurrito
Every place has strong arguments for, and against. And us parents are no help because we are equally torn, and for very similar reasons
@booajo would all of the extra cost be on him alone? Is so much more money double what the other schools are? If so consider how long it would take him to pay the loans off and what @ShrimpBurrito said there could be more money later. It is so hard when they really want something and have worked so hard to achieve it. It’s hard to say no to that even if it makes sense. Sometimes it is hard to follow the heart and the wallet at the same time. Wishing you much luck in your decision
