@carolinamom2boys D19 liked idea of rainboots as well. Not sure what type though. Anyone have suggestions? Also thinking snow boots but not sure what kind are “in” ?
Hunter boots are popular with girls and you can get liners to make them warm enough for snow boots. Sperry Duckboots are popular here too @EENYMum
We got a Columbia rain jacket for DS16 that was waterproof with sealed seams instead of a water resistant rain coat. He likes it.
We got a powerstrip with a 15 foot cord from Bed Bath and Beyond. That’s the longest one that we found .
LLBean boots have been perennially popular for boys and girls on campuses since forever. They come in a variety of insulation levels and can usually be found at 25% off this time of year.
FWIW, my S lives in his waterproof Timberlands all winter. He does have a pair of “real” snow boots but only uses them for when he is shoveling snow, snow blowing, raking the roof, etc. He doesn’t use snow boots for normal everyday wear. I doubt he’ll take them to college with him.
A pop up hamper, shower tote and shoes (for guys, a set of hangers, New Timberlands, LL Bean Boots and an LL Bean rain jacket…kind of a going away theme, but it is what it is! 
Thank you for the great post acceptance strategies! I didn’t realize accepted student day might be used for registration too.
Guys are so hard to buy for. Definitely waterproof boots b/c it rains on every campus. Movie passes and Starbucks cards are good for stockings. A nice rain jacket. NFL team thermal bottle/mug, gift card to Game Stop.
We got over 10 inches of snow with potential for two more tomorrow. I’m thinking mail will resume Wednesday. DH is from Pennsylvania and obsessively clearing back deck for the dogs. LOL.
Hi y’all -my first post here so bear with me! My son really wants to go back down south (we are from Atlanta) for college and has been accepted to Alabama, Mississippi State University, and Georgia Southern so far. We are currently living in the great state of Massachusetts. He will be our 1st of 3 kids in college. We, like many of us, do not qualify for much, if any financial aid but cannot afford 30k plus for college. Is there any hope? He really wants a big football school and wants to major in business/sports management. We have completed the FAFSA. How long does it usually take to find out if there is any additional merit aid from schools? He has a 25 on the ACT and 1160 on SAT so pretty middle of the road from what I can gleam. He is a trumpet player and a high school athlete (football and ski team) but will not be playing major sports in college.
I appreciate all the posts and information I have read so far. We are in very unfamiliar territory and just trying to understand this process!
@ga19tex
Congrats to your son on the acceptances. If I were you, I would encourage him to apply to some private schools that give merit where his numbers would make him a stronger student.
Not a big football school but James Madison is very reasonable for OOS. Not sure of exact admissions difficulty on these but maybe: College of Charleston, Florida International (sure others have other ideas). Alabama can be generous with merit so maybe that will be a good choice.
Welcome btw!!!
@JBSeattle no football at CofC. It’s a public school and has limited merit opportunities. Ole Miss may offer merit for those stats @ga19tex
@carolinamom2boys
True on CofC just trying to come up with possibilities. I always think basketball first ?. Maybe Florida Atlantic? Maybe you have some other ideas since that is your neck of the woods?
I know of kids from GA getting IS tuition in FL as long as residency is established prior to the start of classes (in one case the parents legally emancipated the student once he turned 18). I also think it is possible to attend community colleges in FL (inexpensively) for a year, establish residency and transfer to a State University. This strategy may work in other states as well.
@JBSeattle CofC has an excellent basketball team. Football is the one thing that my son gave up to go there. Trying to think of football schools in the South with good merit. Auburn? UT Knoxville? Ole Miss? App State in NC? Another issue is merit deadlines have passed for many schools.
https://www.flbog.edu/forstudents/ati/resrequirements.php
It’s not that easy to establish Florida residency but can be done.
UCF has good scholarships (and big football). There are ways to get instate tuition at FSU, including spending the first semester (year?) at one of its international campuses.
Very helpful @twoinanddone . I forgot to mention that the student also took a gap year to establish residency. That can be a creative path to IS tuition as well.
Miss State should be a great option. I have a co-worker whose son is doing great there, turning down Georgia’s Hope $$ at Kennesaw. Thought the merit + low cost made it pretty reasonable. Not sure about his ACT score.
Congratulations to your son on his acceptances. Getting that ACT up to 26 could increase the scholarship amount to $12,000 at Miss State and he would also automatically qualify for the additional $1,000 Covard Leadership scholarship. This may put cost at or close to your instate cost. He will probably get the best offer from MSU based on current stats. They have decentf football, great school spirit and a women’s basketball team that has been to the national finals two years in row.
MSU scholarship money is automatic with the required stats. The letter will come soon if you don’t have the letter in hand already.
S19s were both accepted to Susquehanna with Presidential scholarships. Yay! first acceptance 
@Britmom5
Congrats to your Sons!!