I am so upset for you. I know it rings hollow to say I’m sorry, but I am. My heart breaks for your D, it just enrages me how these young adults are being treated.
5 Likes
Awful for your D too. As the mom of a stem loving research loving kiddo it makes me rage. As someone who has spent my entire career doing research, I can’t even put in words how mad I am.
3 Likes
Thank you all for your kind words. Thankfully my D has accepted her “plan b”, but we are still heartbroken for her lost opportunity as a Fulbright and for the many students who are scrambling now (including some of her closest friends). I won’t say more at this time because I’m so frustrated and I don’t want to get political. Just know my heart is reaching out to anyone affected by unexpected funding cuts.
8 Likes
My S21 did not make it into the final stages for the Fulbright ETA, but that may have been for the best.
Now he has a Teach for America offer in his first choice region. That is mostly privately funded (except that federal funding via Americorps helps pay for the required part time graduate classes for teaching certification.)
9 Likes
I’m a huge fan of Teach for America (and Americorps). I know you are proud of your S! Please thank him for his giving spirit.
6 Likes
My D is a ETA Semi-finalist and did NOT receive anything from Fulbright today. Did your D say if the 30 at her school included the ETA Semi-finalists, or just the research ones? Interestingly, the ETA web page still says that “applications will open in Spring 2025 for 2026-7”. (I mean, I still think there’s a 99.9% chance it’s gonna be cancelled, but I’m not quite ready to give up on that 0.01% sliver yet). THIS.SUCKS.
4 Likes
The cohort of 30-ish at her school includes all semi-finalists, the majority are ETA. (She’s at an LAC with under 2k students.) They were all given the same information to my knowledge. The verbiage was along the lines of funding remains “on-hold and uncertain so students are encouraged to pursue other opportunities”. It was not definitive.
We also checked the Fulbright web page and it does not reflect any concerns or updates about this year’s scholars. It is “business as usual”. Ugh. I assume it is under federal control so I don’t feel we can rely on any information there, unfortunately.
Yes. The situation just sucks. This generation has experienced so many challenges between covid and now this… I hate it. I truly hate it and want to scream. Maybe it will make them more resilient, but not the way I would want that to happen. It is so upsetting.
6 Likes
Yeah, I’m usually all for silver linings, but this cohort of kids doesn’t need any more character-building. They lost their whole damn senior year of HS (at least mine did in a locked-down blue state) and how they’re graduating into this sh*tshow. Poor kids.
7 Likes
These kids really don’t need any more resiliency, that’s for sure. You can only bend so many times before you break.
6 Likes
On a positive note, my D25 found a full-time Medical Assistant job at a local dermatologist’s office and will be starting next week. Hopefully, this experience will strengthen her application when she applies to medical school in June.
8 Likes
My D19 is currently working as a medical assistant at a dermatology office and loves it. She was just accepted to medical school for the Fall. Good luck to your D!
7 Likes
Thank you, and congratulations to your daughter as well!
I truly admire the dedication and commitment these kids have when choosing this path. It definitely requires a lot of hard work and perseverance.
3 Likes
How topical: look what just came out today! (Gift link for those without the NYT) Wow, it was exactly 5 years ago that their (and everyone’s) world shut down: it seems simultaneously like yesterday and a million years ago. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/well/covid-pandemic-oakland-high-school-students-2021.html?unlocked_article_code=1.304.lq2A.TZiOhQrWJgjw&smid=url-share
6 Likes
D in the air right now, landing in about 20 minutes to attend her Admitted Students Day tomorrow for her next Big Thing. I just made a comment on a thread about D’s college experience to a parent considering Ds college for their child.
I’m getting choked up thinking about it all….the sadness and nostalgia that these magical four years are wrapping up, the happiness that it was just so darned good …and that everything that I hoped for, for her college experience came to pass. Now, taking into account the very tumultuous economic and political times that all our kids are graduating into (having come out of the pandemic of their high school years) I am sending thoughts on a wing and a prayer that tomorrow will be just the GREATEST DAY EVER for her, as she views the next chapter… spread out before her on a new campus with a new community of friends and mentors, a new challenge. As I hope the same for EACH of our kids , whatever their greatest day might be.
8 Likes
It is wonderful to read all of the 2021 updates! 4 years went so fast. DD has enjoyed her time at Duke and wrapping it all up with a busy few weeks left. She has committed to an ivy for grad school (TA/stipend funding), is presenting her honors thesis to the department soon, & then has opening/launch of sorts in NYC for different undergrad research (with professors). And then graduation weekend will be here.
Keep the updates coming!
10 Likes
wow congrats!
1 Like
Hello all! Happy to report D is graduating from JMU in a couple weeks and starts her job 6/9! She had a number of internships over the years, and this offer is where she interned after sophomore year. In marketing, so she’s happy! Less happy to be moving home, but she’ll do that for a year then move to Philly to work in the office there so she’s excited for that as well! Four years have definitely flown by!
14 Likes
Since my last few posts here were lamenting the funding cuts and hold/canceling of Fulbrights, I’m back with a positive and fun update. 
My D is spending Maymester with a group organized by the Outing Club. It is just for fun and for seniors who have met graduation requirements. The next three weeks will be filled with hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, paddling, camping, skydiving, hang gliding, scuba diving… and probably a few more things I’ve forgotten. I’m thrilled that she can finish her undergrad in such a fun and adventurous manner, and it is precious to me hearing the excitement in her voice when she talks about it.
Today kicked off with skydiving (her 2nd time) and she had a blast. Their group was large enough they needed to take the plane up twice so she asked if she could ride shotgun/“copilot” the other flight and the pilot let her. She nows says her backup plan to med school is airline pilot. hahaha
ETA: I’ve been following the Class of 2025 thread the past week or so as parents are announcing their kid’s decisions… It seems just like yesterday we were doing that here. 
I appreciate everyone who is returning to share their kid’s post grad plans. It is so fun reading where they all are now.
16 Likes
Hello everyone!! Nice to see some activity here once again! Back with another update on S21!
He graduated in December from Texas Tech and came home confused and mildly depressed. With no job lined up he was questioning everything…major (Finance)…school choice..etc. We tried explaining to him that what you get your degree in doesn’t define you and most people end up doing something that they didn’t “major” in. After lots of tears, dead end leads and failed interviews we landed him an unpaid internship with a close friend’s company who is also my husband’s ex-boss. He’s been shadowing/working directly under him learning the ins and outs of reverse logistics in the cell phone industry and seems to really like it. He found out a couple of days ago that he’s going to Dubai to observe and train at a project the company is launching there and if they get the contract he wants to bring S21 on full time. It would be a work from home + international travel situation, the same thing he grew up watching Dad do for 13 years lol.
The funny thing is when S21 was a senior in high school applying to colleges I told him to think about Supply Chain as his major within business schools because I didn’t really see him as a financial analyst but what does Mom know lol.
Happy to see him excited about something and working hard. He has applied to a Masters program at UTD as well for Fall 25, depending on this job situation he can change that to the online or Flex track if needed.
14 Likes
I hope your D is over the Fulbright fiasco. Mine pretty much is. She got the Spain teaching gig (which was initally her Plan B) and had only three days to decide, so took the ‘bird in the hand’ and is now really excited about that.
At this point, she wouldn’t accept the Fulbright even if it were belatedly offered: just too much uncertainty about the funding and safety in the country she initally chose. She would still love to be named a Finalists just so she can put in on her resume, but mentally she’s totally moved on. ¡Viva España!
7 Likes