@infinitewaves That’s great that your S19 loved Penn State and found a 2+2 option that he likes! I haven’t seen the PSU campus since I graduated, uh, 23 years ago. I bet I wouldn’t recognize it now. OOS tuition and lack of merit aid puts it off the table for my kids, but I think my S19 would like it.
@liska21 I’m having similar issues with my S19 trying to find a safety for music. Most of his list will be matches, low matches and safeties in terms of stats anyway. However, suggestions that he apply to at least one school either undecided or with a non-audition music program are met with a “you don’t believe in me” which is not entirely false, I guess. I still have no idea where he stands and just want to make sure he has a couple of options for next fall.
My goal for the weekend is to hit “send” on some ACT score reports to make it feel like something is happening in terms of college applications since that’s the only part I can really do something about. I think 5 schools are set and I’m encouraging S19 to apply to a total of 8 or so.
@mommdc We started off down the LAC route. Didn’t look at Lafayette. The only LAC that has remained on his now-very-short-list is Susquehanna. And while he thinks Pitt sounds great, Pittsburgh is just too far away from our part of PA for him.
@gallentjill The ROTC thing took us by surprise as well. I’m nervous like any parent would be but incredibly proud of him for wanting to pursue it.
@eh1234 I was intimidated by the mere idea of PSU. It’s so big! Having now spent a day at University Park, I have to say that it doesn’t feel all that overwhelming. With summer session in full swing and about 3,000 people there for the open house, things were very lively. Yet, the central part of campus was easy to navigate. And the downtown area is amazing. The Altoona branch campus is lovely as well. He would also have the option of 2+2ing from a branch near home that also has ROTC.
@carolinamom2boys Congrats to your son on becoming an Eagle Scout! My son got Eagle in March. I had no idea how much work it was before he did this. So proud of your son!
@collegeandi We thought Clemson was rural/small town. My son loved it. He wants a smart public school with big sports, and he thought Clemson is a perfect fit for what he wants. He did not love USC, but I thought the campus was really charming.
Thanks @brentwoodmom . Congrats to your son as well. And yes, I don’t think a lot of people realize the work or commitment involved to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
@cakeisgreat Thanks for the info on your tours. We are visiting VA Tech on Wednesday. Sounds like it might be a great fit for my S. His top choices right now are Clemson and Alabama.
We’re visiting VA Tech and our state flagship next week and then we’re done. (Knock on wood). If he decides to apply to the schools we visit this week, he’ll apply to 5 total. He’s already been accepted to Alabama, so that’s a nice start to the process, esp with their guaranteed merit.
Looks like our school is in the middle on summer homework.
S19 has to read/annotate 2 books and one poem. And write an essay that could be used for college apps.
D20 has to read and annotate 2 books.
Both have to complete a personal finance class through BYU and take the final exam at our school by July 31st.
Our school starts back on August 10, so I feel like their summer is basically ovee. They have both been gone four weeks this summer, so they are just now getting started on the summer homework and personal finance class. We did get to have a wonderful two week family trip, and they’ve each gone on a fun trip with friends and a mission trip, so it has been a really lovely summer. I just hate that it feels like we are now steamrolling towards a new school year.
Senior pictures are ridiculously expensive here. Everyone is required to have a tux or drape picture done in a studio for the yearbook. And then parents hire their own photographer for the “real” senior pictures. The most popular senior photographer here charges $1600 and books up a year in advance. Her pictures are amazing but we will not be using her. Still trying to decide who we’re going to use for my son’s pictures.
$1600 for senior pictures! Wow. For D16, I used a friend who is a professional photographer. $150 for a set of nice digital photos down by the local lake. The pictures are in not required (or recommended or expected) however by the school. We just did it to have a nice photos of D.
For my first D14 senior pictures, I bought a $600 package with lots of poses and pictures that just sit in a box now. For D16 I pushed it down to about $370, and this year for S19 I did awesome at $190 and bought what was useful! We’ll see how D20 goes.
@liska21 we’ve had a hard time finding safeties as well. Seems like most people accept their state school (maybe with an honors program) as their safety but S19 would be miserable at UIUC. He’s been twice for camps and it’s just too big. In fact, all state schools are just out for safeties. We’ve tried to find LACs with higher acceptance rates that he likes and found a few but he still has a little bit of your son’s attitude.
In theory he understands why I’m insisting on a few safeties but he’s feeling confident that he won’t go to them. I try to explain that I’m just feeling very superstitious and don’t want to count any chickens before they hatch. Let’s assume the worst results and celebrate if something different happens.
He has four matches that most people wouldn’t consider matches since their acceptance rates are in the mid-twenties (or lower) but they look like fairly sure bets according to our Naviance. He’s assuming he’s in at those places and I have to keep reminding him of the overall acceptance rates.
I’m really hoping he’s going to be done with apps by the end of October and then we will just be waiting. I’m nervous but he’s presenting himself the best he can and we will see what happens.
our senior pictures are done by a studio here, and the cheapest option is 30$. yes that is the route we are going with S19 who couldnt give a crap. We did the same with D17, though she cared a bit more. we bought a few to give to family members, and mainly have one that is side by side her preschool graduation picture. Probably will do same with S19.
We are done with touring, unless something pops up on the list last minute. Well maybe one of the in state options. he has visited for science olympiad but never officially toured. I feel like our list of 4/5 schools is small, but 2 of the 5 would be auto admits and safeties and one we might even go ED.
S19 returns today after a month of being a CIT in a camp in the northeast. I have barely heard from him, and have no idea how things went without talking to the camp myself. He was in ZERO pictures. My D17 is a counselor at a camp and she shows up in pictures. You would have never known he was there. yesterday was “cabin” pictures and he was not there. This morning I asked him about that, and it turns out that on his hour off he overslept by accident and was late and missed the pictures. How this month ended up going, will say a lot about how I think he will do going away next year.
D has reaches and safeties but no matches. Its a natural function of her “requirements” and finances. I suppose there is nothing really wrong with it, but it occasionally worries me. I think there is a high probability she will be denied at all the reaches. We will just have to make sure that the safeties really do have everything she needs.
Today is the final performance of kiddo’s play. He has been a lot more involved with the actors in this one than the last professional show - going to the after-parties and before-brunches. It’s nice that he’s making adult friends, but every now and then helicopter mom peeks out and I worry that they could lead him into things he’s not yet emotionally equipped to handle.
But last night one of the actors had a bottle of booze backstage and was taking nips in between scenes and the director read them all the riot act after the show. Kiddo’s main reaction was, “how stupid could you be?” So, he’s developing a good character on his own and I shouldn’t need to worry quite so much. But I’m still allowed to worry because that’s my privilege.
@sdl0625 My DD is working away at camp this year too and I think it has been the very best thing for her. She did 2 weeks of work, 2 weeks off, now is working on 3 weeks of work plus we’ll have a family week up there before she gets to come home so she’ll be away from home a month this time. She’s learned she can get over homesickness, make new friends, drive by herself for three hours, wash 1000+ dishes in a day, and try new foods because that’s all there is. She’s gained a BFF (and a boyfriend!) and spent time away from her not-so-good friends at home. She also has 2 older male cousins there with her and has gotten to know the oldest, that she wasn’t close with before. Plus she gets paid!
I don’t hear from her much which is better than the time she spent 1.5 hours on the phone crying. By the time her first two weeks were up she almost hated to leave. I always get a daily Snapchat streak at least.
@gallentjill sitting in on classes has been a terrific way for S19 to see if he fits. So far, he’s had nothing but positive experiences going to class. Even the philosophy class at Davidson (where he could barely follow what was going on) was inspiring and he loved seeing the students so engaged. We saw Kenyon last summer so he didn’t get into a class. We will revisit in the fall because he really wants to see students on campus and he will interview as well. Especially for these smaller schools, I think it’s best to see as much as you can and talk to as many people as possible - eat the dining hall, go to class, talk to students. Each of these LACs have a little different flavor yet S19 has so far found many where he thinks he could fit.
@gallentjill Add two more cents to the pot; we’re headed down the same path with reaches and safeties. Depending on the day and my level of nervousness, I want to add a few more schools to the mix, but it’s difficult to find better than what is already on the list (which will make it worthwhile to add more work for supplements). The strategy is to apply early everywhere, so there may be a mad scramble to add some RD at deadline time.
Well, kiddo’s status for the July ACT has changed from ‘registered’ to ‘tested’, which means that this time tomorrow I’ll know whether he reached his goal score or not. He was making noises about trying again if he didn’t score high enough on this round, but I’m really hoping he changes his mind and stays with whatever he has. But it’s his call.
Fingers crossed, anyhow.
I say that I will know because he will still be comatose - my child is fully in summer ‘sleep until noon’ mode.
