<p>My son (just finished junior year) received an academic scholarship of about $5,500 last year, and I fully expect he will get that again this year. It was a nice surprise.</p>
<p>Once core was finished and he got into his engineering program, his grades for last semester and this one have gone steadily up - he is now at about a 3.4 overall, and a 3.8 in his engineering classes. I think once you start doing what you really want to do (for him it was no Biology-no Chemistry) you start doing better in classes.</p>
<p>I think it is normal to stress about our very smart kids and how they are being taken down a peg, but if the match is right (and I think most kids realize whether it is or not when they attend the Admitted Students w/e) they start to love it with a passion. You kind of learn to be not offended when they make plans during the precious time you have with them to travel to meet up with their friends from Mudd.</p>