@CT_mom_2027 Great that you’re starting the process now. One thing that helped us tremendously is understanding what likelies, safeties, targets, and reaches truly mean. They pertain to not just academically (CDS data on GPA, SATs) but also financially. The financial part of the equation is often left out a lot in building a list. I suggest talking with your kid first about distance from home, suburban vs urban, for example, “I prefer urban campuses and to be no more than 6 hours away from home.” Then look for schools within that radius with your kid’s major. After, check out each school’s CDS, note what’s important to the school (demonstrated interest, interview, etc). Then run the NPCs. From all the information, sort the schools into likelies, safeties, targets, etc. For example, academically, UVA is a reach for my son even though his stats fall within their middle range, just because UVA has been unpredictable, BUT UVA is a target for us financially (we are in-state for UVA). All this info, however, placed UVA in my son’s reach school list. Hope that makes sense! Check out my Chance Me Post here for more info on my son’s journey !
@CT_mom-2027 was banned from the site for spamming. You are all so helpful but please don’t waste your time responding to them. I’m going to leave up the replies though as they could be helpful to real parents.
Okay -we have all 4 of her college trips planned (2 in one trip because those are both in MN). I also checked the flight for TSA issues - and none of the airports we are going to use TSA agents.
I’m pretty excited - I hope she is too!
On a side note – from your past experience with other kids (or friend’s kids) – did any of your kids actually get off WL at LAC? We did some research and it seems that it’s pretty uncommon - probably due to the small size of the schools in general. My daughter still wrote a few LOCIs (Scripps, Colby, Northeastern, Wellesley) but we think the chances are extremely low.
ETA: I know Northeastern isn’t a LAC -they have a unique program in Marine Biology that she liked so it stayed on the LOCI list.
My understanding of LAC waitlists along with LAC admissions is that there’s quite a lot of class “shaping” going on. Making sure that they’ve got enough revenue, they’ve got enough people interested in certain majors, etc. So, it feels even more random than regular admissions because it’s just one-offs of students that they think will help them fill the class AND that are actually still interested.
But I have no first hand insight. Just what I’ve been reading/seeing online about it.
I’m in the heart of LAC country (hence why my children refused to apply to any…sigh) and yes we see movement. We had a friend get off the Williams waitlist last year. Same for Skidmore and Hamilton.
That’s my impression too - I told her they would need a ‘research kid from Kansas’ to get selected. But she wanted to take a shot and I’ll all for that.
Pretty thrilled with her current options though -especially the more we read about them! Hoping she falls in love when we visit.
I didn’t look at the others, but according to Scripps common data set 70 of 319 kids who accepted waitlist spots for fall 2025 got in. See Section C2. While lower than the standard admissions rate, seems a decent number got in off the wait list last year. Of course, each year and school is different, but figured I’d share. https://www.scrippscollege.edu/assessir/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/CDS_2025-2026_FINAL.pdf
We started brainstorming what D26 wants to get out of her visits last night. For the two on the east coast, she wants to find out what the experience for California kids is like. Cultural adjustments, weather (the cold for one, and for us the hot/humid for the other). Also, do they mostly stay local after graduation or move back to CA. If they want to come back how are the network/job/internship connections for doing so.
I could see D26 settling in either of those east coast cities after college if she likes it. 
But, glad she is thinking about some big picture things she wants to know.
Global entry is also free for kids under 18, so if a parent applies (many credit cards provide free GE), all kids under 18 can get GE (& precheck) for free - even if the child applies right before 18th birthday it will still be valid after they turn 18.
Has that changed? Pretty sure we paid for our kids. GE was super easy for us because my husband’s work organized CBP to come into the office one day and enroll any employees who wanted (company paid for their employees, family could come but pay for themselves). Kids got re-enrollment without interview, my husband and I got online interviews which took about a minute each. But I am pretty sure that we paid for the kids both times. I think our re-enrollment was about 2 years ago.
Edit: yes, it’s changed.
Effective October 1, 2024, the Global Entry program application fee is increasing from $100 to $120 and the application fee for minors under the age of 18 will change from $100 to $0 if their application is submitted concurrently with a parent or legal guardian or the parent or legal guardian is already a Trusted Traveler member.
School has sent out a senior attendance policy change - apparently too many seniors (more than usual) not showing up for school ! - have to be at “90% of classes” between now and senior week to attend senior week events. I did note with some satisfaction that the list of “permissible” reasons for absence includes college visits - you may recall I was annoyed before because these aren’t listed as “excused absences” at our school. I guess they’re keeping a parallel list of reasons for seniors for this!
D26’s cap and gown came in today. The school is keeping the cap until commencement because the kids are not allowed to decorate them, and they want to make sure no one does. 
But she brought the gown home, and she had listed her height as 6’1” – not knowing they come in two-inch increments. So they gave her a gown that is for someone 6’1” to 6’2”. It looks a little goofy and long on her – not dragging on the ground or anything, but definitely more maxi dress length than midi. She’s technically about 6’ and .5” or so.
Should I make a fuss about trying to exchange it? She tried it on at school, and her grade chair said it was fine…but I think it looks a bit silly. 
ETA – kid could hem it herself, but it’s that weird almost-plastic fabric, lol. I doubt hemming tape would even stick to it. 
I might just take it to have hemmed at the dry cleaner.
Incidentally, they tell you not to iron these things because they might melt – plastic, I tell you – but I did iron both D22’s and S25’s on low heat and putting a protective cloth in-between. Worked fine. No amount of tumbling in the dryer with a wet washcloth or using a steamer was working!
For everybody flying to college visits in the next month, just wanted to give a report on what’s been happening at our local airport. D24 flew out early yesterday morning and had no issues with long delays at security.
BUT this morning, that same terminal had mega long lines and long waits.
Don’t assume that because somebody you know had no issues a week ago will mean that you won’t as well.
On a positive note, D26 has officially found a roommate! Has a lot in common with my kid. Introverted, night owl, loves the same movies, isn’t ok with a significant other spending the night, doesn’t want to go to parties.
They’ve already been chatting a lot on Instagram. Roommate is a light sleeper like D24 is…D26 suggested that roommate use the free White Noise app to drown out background noise at night.
White noise was D22’s number one thing when trying to match with a roommate. All five of us in our family swear by it – but she was traveling with two friends last week who prefer it totally silent while sleeping, and both hate white noise. I can’t imagine.
Glad your kiddo has found a potential roomie!
Has anyone rented a car through Costco? If so, how does that process work? I have the executive membership if that matters. Did you feel like there was significant savings? Thinking about it for orientation visit in June after a ridiculously $$ 3 days rental over the weekend at ATL ($350!!!).
FWIW, my kid who must have white noise to sleep and has lived with roommates three years who can’t sleep with noise swears by these headphones. They are kind of cheap pieces of crap, and fall apart in a year or so if you wear them every night. But they are comfortable enough to easily sleep in (he’s a light sleeper who has a hard time getting comfortable and falling asleep) and they’ve worked well when he had to have something with noise and the roommate couldn’t - he just sets a timer on his phone to play some white noise for like an hour or so, and goes to bed. It works well for him.
https://www.amazon.com/Perytong-Headphones-Bluetooth-Christmas-Valentines/dp/B0DBPNBM1V/ref=ast_sto_dp_puis?th=1
This is a good tip – thank you! I might have to try these myself, too – the headphones + sleep mask combo is really a bonus.
I know people swear by Costco car rentals, but every time I’ve looked it up, it isn’t really cheaper than what I’ve found elsewhere.
I usually rent through Priceline – or sometimes I do a search through Priceline and see what the cheapest company is, and then book that one directly through the company’s website so I’m not dealing with a third party. Usually the price will match.
I feel you, though – the number of times we’ve rented a minivan to drive from Atlanta to Houston one way (or vice versa) is TOO many, lol. And it’s so crazy expensive.
We always book rental car through Costco. It is 10-20% cheaper than booking directly, and the second driver is included (additional savings).