Parents of the HS Class of 2024 (Part 1)

Parents of HS Class of 20xx
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S24 was deferred at CWRU (from EA). He did not get one of the “switch to ED2 and we’ll let you in” offers. The deadline for letting them know if he wants to go into the RD pool, switch to ED2, or drop from consideration is very soon.

At first he was leaning toward dropping them, but after considering it more he wants to stay in the RD pool. There are quite a few things he really likes about CWRU, and he could see himself choosing it over his current acceptances.

I have some reservations, but it is his time & effort so I’m just supporting his decision. My question:

They want a “why CWRU” essay (which won’t be a problem) AND they want updates on academics and extracurriculars. :face_with_diagonal_mouth: He has nothing to update. He is doing all the same ECs he was doing in October when he applied. No extra award or accomplishments. For academics, he finished his semester with all As (4 DE classes and AP Lit) but that is on his mid year report send by the GC (:raising_hand_woman:t2: since he is officially homeschooled).

Should he leave those questions blank? Say “no change”? Say he finished first semester with As and he continues to participate in (list ECs)?something else?

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I would go with option 2 - because worst case is, it doesn’t hurt.

Finished first semester with As and continue to participate in activity A, B, and C. If there is anything quantifiable to add from the activities - something he accomplished - you can put that in too.

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All buttons are grayed out on fafsa portal for my daughter. Anyone has similar experience?

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OK, I realized I could safely do half-cocktails (with one exception) with enough popcorn. So as S24 would say, LET’S GOOOOOOO

I was working with a buttery movie-theater-style microwave popcorn, so I knew I should go bold. But I did them from least spicy to most to preserve my palate.

Round One: Unusual Negroni (Hendrick’s, Lillet Blanc, and Aperol) with Parmesan-Herb (rosemary, oregano, and savory) popcorn.

Verdict: Promising, but not quite right. Loved this light version of a Negroni with the herbs and dusting of parmesan, but it was definitely the wrong popcorn. I think it needed one of those refined popcorns mentioned above.

Round Two: Paddy’s Highball (Paddy’s Irish whiskey, Vernors ginger ale, homemade Lemon-Basil bitters) with Turmeric popcorn.

Verdict: Even more promising, the ginger and turmeric with lemon and basil notes played together exactly as I hoped, but again too buttery. I’m thinking this might work with a Kettle Corn, although that might be a little sweet–unless maybe I swap a ginger beer for the ginger ale.

Round Three: Almond Pisco Sour (pisco, lime, orgeat, egg white, and homemade Pumpkin bitters–full size because of the egg white) with Mango Habanero popcorn.

Verdict: My favorite! All the flavors played well together, and the buttery popcorn worked great with mango. This is ready for prime time.

Round Four: House Margarita (añejo tequila, lime juice, limoncello, and Bauchant) with Cayenne-Chili popcorn.

Verdict: Solid idea, less than solid execution. Got a little heavy-handed with the cayenne (how dare you blame that full size Pisco Sour), so a bit too spicy for this relatively nuanced margarita. Probably would swap in plata tequila and dial down the cayenne.

Overall verdict: Where have you been all my (adult) life? This is such a fun idea for a (relatively) light snack to go along with cocktails, and all these combinations were very promising, albeit with some adjustments.

Only problem? I am out of the Mango Habanero wing sauce I used for #3. Oh, and I guess it matters S24’s apps are still not submitted . . . .

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They were “open” from 8am-8pm EST today.

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By the way, you are probably asking yourself, how could you have run out of Mango Habanero sauce, how wet was that popcorn?

Well, you have to flash back to a spousal conversation a while back, something like, “This bottle is empty, why is it still in the fridge?” “It is not empty, there is still a little left.” “What are you talking about, it is clearly empty!” “No, look at the bottom, there is still a little left.” “OK, when EXACTLY are you planning to use that?” “I don’t know, leave me alone!”

So my glowing review of #3 might have just a little something to do with the sweet, sweet vindication.

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Finally we are done with most applications in common app and I am just celebrating the weekend before my school reopens!

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Are they grayed out within the FAFSA application (that is, can she access the application)?

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I really want to make up a little gift basket with the ingredients for Round 3 for a friend’s upcoming bday. If I give it to her as a basket, I won’t have to make the cocktail–I suspect she’ll do it better than I can. Where do I get the Mango Habanero wing sauce (if I may?)

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It was G Hughes Sugar Free Mango Habanero Wing Sauce. I just got it in our regular supermarket. A quick googling suggested it is carried in a lot of stores and also on Amazon.

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And both of S24’s apps for today are in fact submitted (he is up to 12 of 15), so it might be time for the second halves of some of those cocktails . . . .

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I’m so sorry to hear this. My nephew/godson died at 20 from rare form of cancer just 17 days after his diagnosis. It certainly changed my perspective of my life as a parent/sister and learn to be so very thankful for my own child. My deepest sympathy to you.

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The flavors … the drinks… the application anticipation …. !!!
I think I could definitely go for a #1 or a #4… don’t know that my palate is sophisticated enough for a #3!
Did you share with your spouse (or any popcorn with The Applicant?) did they also like #3?

Fun idea and thanks for playing the “Application Anticipation Drinking & Popcorn Challenge!”

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D24 got another $4500 off/yr at NMSU. That makes tuition, room, & board only $15k/yr. That’s hard to pass up. But she doesn’t want to attend there. Boo! Maybe I can convince D26 when the time comes? Hope springs eternal. :joy: :money_mouth_face: It’s a very tempting offer.

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So not to sound like a fanatic, but I think #3 is totally approachable, and can be done a little more simply and I think would still be excellent. Like, you could do the simpler Chilean-style Pisco Sour (just Pisco, lemon or lime juice, and a sweetener like simple syrup or powdered sugar), and it would still pair great.

And I am totally getting, like today, more of that Mango Habanero sauce to drizzle on my microwave popcorn. It isn’t too spicy as these things go. But I think you could do just a light touch with any sort of Mango sauce, and that combination with the buttery popcorn and citrusy Pisco Sour would still be a winner.

So my wife is mostly a wine drinker, although there are also a couple specific sorts of beer she likes. So I usually have to wait for friends or my siblings (who live out of town) to visit before I can try out my various potions and elixirs on others.

Meanwhile, S24, and really the whole household with one notable exception, is totally skeptical of what I cook for myself. Too spicy, too strange, the whole house smelled for three days, and other such petty complaints. So I am constantly doing simple dishes for them–searing a fish or such to combine with some rice, say–all of which is healthy and fine but not the sort of living on the culinary edge that I crave.

But I do have one partner in crime–the dog. She was a rescue dog, living off trash on the mean streets of Georgia, and has, shall we say, a welcoming sense of taste. In fact, early on she was chewing on the dog gates (necessary to keep her from chewing on the cat), and so we found an online tip to put hot sauce on the gates. She happily licked it right off.

OK, so the dog now always follows me into the kitchen, follows me with my bowl or plate of whatever, drools patiently with her head on my leg, all just waiting for a few precious licks of spicy goodness when I am done.

So SHE liked all the popcorn creations (each had to have its own bowl, of course). But she may be my only customer indefinitely for at least #2-#4.

However, I think I can sell the parmesan and herb. In fact, I am really not sure what took so long, but with the right popcorn that seems like a great addition to our list of easy house-party snacks to scatter around.

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S24 has an interview for a full-ride with stipend scholars program in 90 minutes and I now realize he’s been hiding from me all morning. I guess he’s not interested in all my last minute tips and wisdom. Message received.

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Good luck to him!

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Someone please remind me to stay away from Instagram. Just saw a post about a student who got into Harvard EA this year…she’s an astronaut. Not kidding. She’s literally already an astronaut. Amazing young woman but the level of achievements these colleges are expecting at 14-17 years old?

And then I saw a valedictorian, 4.0, 1510., student body president of 2k+. get in nowhere. His only acceptance was to his state school.

And this is why shotgunning applications is the new norm in this generation.

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My son has an interview with Harvard, I told him just look at it as an opportunity for building your interview skills. There’s zero chance of him getting in.

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I hope he rocks that interview!! We need real kids in college. That’s what they’re there for, to learn.

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