<p>Me too. I don’t think you can “accept” at more than one school! This is typical ex hubby thinking though - it has plagued us this entire time. Truth is, we are sooooooo ready for this to be over…why would we want to drag it out???</p>
<p>And lose deposit money, too.</p>
<p>He sounds like the kind of guy who likes to throw away your money. Boo!</p>
<p>KitKat - Is there any chance he’s stringing you along (manipulating) and then may actually “spring” for the dream school? Not sure if ExH is that creative or not, but it sounds like that with the “pay all deposits” idea. ~Thinking good thoughts for you to get pos news from the school on offer of more $.</p>
<p>To the idea of schools sending out where their students are going (as in identifying specifically what student is going where, as opposed to “we have x students going to school A, x students going to school B”).</p>
<p>Am I the only one who thinks that’s it’s not the school’s information to give out in the first place, other than on an aggregated basis?</p>
<p>It’s a tradition in our town and our town if VERY entrenched and tradition oriented. I spoke to each successive principal about it, but to no avail.</p>
<p>Both my kids were very proud of their schools, so it was not my personal issue. However, when a kid is going to work at the supermarket it is embarrassing when announced when his classmate is going to Princeton. (This happened at S’s graduation.)</p>
<p>And with only 80+ people really remember where each person is going and has an opinion about it.</p>
<p>And everyone knows threw the grapevine where everyone else has been accepted. I got questioned about “Why in the world would S have gone to Williams when he could have gone to UofC?”</p>
<p>But no one complains. Or at least that’s what the administration tells me. It’s always, “But Dr. --------, you’re the only one lodging a complaint.”</p>
<p>The most odious behavior IMO is the presence of the Veterans of Foreign Wars presenting medals at both middle school and high school graduations and basically recruiting for the armed forced. </p>
<p>We have to say a moment of silence for all “fallen veterans.” </p>
<p>I don’t think this is appropriate at all, particularly for an eighth grade graduation.</p>
<p>But as everyone oh so sweetly tells me, “But Dr. X you’re the only one to complain.”</p>
<p>On the program given out at graduation ceremony the school lists all scholarships the students received. This is based on the information (with proof) the student turns in to the counselor, so if they don’t turn it in it doesn’t get published.</p>
<p>The school also publishes a “senior” newspaper that lists what the students are doing after graduation - college, military, work, etc. But again this is from info the students turn in to the newspaper and a lot of students don’t turn it in.</p>
<p>We’re finally done!!! For better or for worse, school choice #2 reviewed their merit offer and didn’t come back with much of anything. And, in addition to the scholarship school # 1 offered, they give more for the NM scholarship than school #2. So, lets see which should DS choose?? …$5,1000/yr or $38,500+/yr?? When he heard shcool #2’s latest response, his comment was “well, that made it easy”. Ther deposit was paid yesterday, the National Merit postcard college selection was faxed in to NM , and he plans to put the window decal on his car today or tomorrow!! The fact that he wore a tshirt from the school he chose when we went out last Fri night was a sign as well. Hard to believe it is all over but the shouting, as they say…</p>
<p>mythmom, first of all, I doubt you are the only one who feels the way you do, but maybe you are the only one gutsy enough to stand up for what’s right. And even if you ARE the only one, that certainly doesn’t mean you are wrong. Somewhere there is a manual where administors are taught ways to stonewall parents. Number one has to be: “Tell them they are the only one who feels this way.” Never did deter me, and over time, many of my suggestions were eventually implemented.</p>
<p>I am perceived by the administration as a gadfly at my kids’ schools, and tenacious when I know I am in the right. Tradition be damned if it makes no sense! Since when does doing something many times render it correct? If that were the case we would still be burning witches.</p>
<p>Give 'em hell, mythmom!</p>
<p>Attended meeting for 9th/10th parents last night and a parent asked the headmaster (principal, really–it’s a giant public school!) to elaborate on the exciting news that this year’s senior class had a lot of great acceptances. I thought to myself, “Oh, here we go again,” because there was a senior meeting several weeks ago when the director of guidance gushed to the hundreds of stone-faced parents of the 98.6% who didn’t get into Ivy League schools that “OMG, we got 10 into Princeton, OMG!” But bless the headmaster, he said the greatest thing about this year was that while he didn’t want to single out any schools in particular, he was really pleased that more and more kids applied to schools that really fit them and got in. Thank goodness he has a level head on his shoulders.</p>
<p>Our HS newspaper lists senior plans if seniors choose to put them in. I think that fully half do not choose to do so (700 kids in class, so…) and some put in funny stuff, like llama-herding in the Andes. I love kids who do that. Thank goodness nothing is in the town papers, although sports articles often say, “Princeton-bound Egbert Smyth scored a career-high 5,000 points on…”</p>
<p>Congratulations, jym!!!</p>
<p>:: hoists a powerfully-brewed cuppa joe in honor of jym’s S ::</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, I’m sure it’s not the school’s information, and I think the way to change the tradition is a complaint (or thousand) to the Board of Ed about a violation of student’s privacy policies. Surely the school district has a policy governing privacy.</p>
<p>mythmom, yeah, smack 'em around! They need it!!! Were I there, I’d do it right along with you!</p>
<p>Llama-herding in the Andes; that sounds good right about now. Bet they don’t have the same pollens there as here.</p>
<p>Pass the tissues, please!</p>
<p>Congratulations, jym!!! It’s good when the choice suddenly becomes clear, but it sounds like he must have been leaning in that direction anyway.</p>
<p>CountingDown & mountains, we’re here with you! I can’t wait to see which schools they choose either.</p>
<p>I think my D is starting to get more settled with her decision. She set-up her college email account last night!</p>
<p>Thanks owlice and 2forcollege!
It is hard to believe it’s about over. New focus is dorm selection, finding a roommate, registration, etc. It does make this part easier having been through it before, (though the roommate/housing process is very different) but itis still weird. I still instinctively get excited looking at the mail, and we are still getting junk mailings from some colleges!! Waste of trees.</p>
<p>mythmom–
You go girl! I understand and agree. I confess to being curious about who is going where, but this hould be a celebratory time, not a competitive time.</p>
<p>At my s’s HS, they announce what college the student will be attending and what scholarships they got when they go up to get their diploma. Someone one year wrote down the school selection under each kids name on their program as the names were called. I liked that idea,so did it too, and it has come in handy putting some friends kids together who are both attending the same small school out of state.</p>
<p>Our HS does something interesting at graduation- it almost got changed a few yrs back but the FACULTY pushed administration to keep it. The faculty feel that the athletes get a lot of notoriety, and that the academic skills should as well. So, at graduation, instead of being called up alphabetically, they are called up by summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude and general graduation, alphabetically within each category. The NHS kids wear white things on their robes too. I think this is nice, not showy. It acknowledges the hard work of the students and makes it “ok” to work hard and do well, IMO. Sorta like a “revenge of the nerds” maybe?? THe varsity kids get to wear their letter jackets all year. This is a nice time for the academics to be acknowledged.</p>
<p>Owlice - I’m sorry you’re suffering with annoying allergies. Here’s another box of tissues.</p>
<p>I really like how our hs does things. The principal lists the number of students going to “X” for each college, ex. 2 attending Julliard, 2 Princeton, 22 UF. Then she aggregates the total scholarships earned, $8 million. She goes through this list at all major school events and meetings…it’s very inspiring for the entering freshmen to hear it at orientation every year and creates a real feeling of pride among the whole school to look at the big picture of how well the graduating seniors did. She does also encourage kids to turn in their acceptance letters and reads them during Friday afternoon announcements, but it’s not mandatory and many don’t do it, even if they did get into a prestigous college.</p>
<p>Next year they are finally getting rid of class rankings and kids will graduate summa cum laude, magna cum laude and general. For our overly competitive HS, this will be a very welcome change…the top 25% has over 4.0 weighted and the competition for val & sal is just out of control. Last year’s val had taken 22 college level courses dual enrollment just to elbow her competition out of the way…crazy!</p>
<p>It is rather amazing to me what are these very best colleges are doing to secure their yield. We are getting hand written notes, postcards, and phone calls. </p>
<p>I guess we should have done the same when we are applying. Other than application forms, we shoudl keep sending postcards, small notes and call the school once in a while.</p>
<p>Spring has sprung, the grass has riz,
I wonder where the Kleenex is.</p>
<p>Oh, look! Right here! Thanks, LIMOMOF2; I appreciate it!</p>
<p>Time to start setting up the lunch buffet, yes?</p>
<p>:: slices fresh oatmeal and whole wheat breads ::</p>
<p>:: makes chicken salad ::</p>
<p>:: checks the baked ziti ::</p>
<p>:: gets the fruit and veggie platters out of the refrig ::</p>
<p>:: arranges cheeses and meats ::</p>
<p>Okay, where the heck are the Kaiser rolls?!</p>
<p>:: rummages through the pantry ::</p>
<p>Never mind! Found them, and some poppy seed rolls, too!</p>
<p>:: arranges rolls in baskets ::</p>
<p>:: puts out condiments ::</p>
<p>:: tosses the baby greens salad ::</p>
<p>I think the buffet will be ready just before noon. </p>
<p>You know, we should do some redecorating here in the Vigil Lounge, add some things to honor the schools smart enough to attract Lounger Ss and Ds. What say you?</p>
<p>owlice, thanks for the lovely lunch spread - everything sounds incredibly yummy and you are making me hungry! I think we might want to include some matzo for our friends who are still observing Passover though. D’s friend just came over to work on a project and brought her own lunch, just in case…lol.</p>
<p>Thanks for remembering Passover, LIMOM! My stomach was grumbling reading the yummy repast described by owlice :)</p>
<p>My dad used to say that little poem! Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is. Thanks for the flashback, owlice. I hadn’t thought about that in years! An extra box of ultra-soft tissues for you!!</p>
<p>While you all munch on the lovely, yummy spread provided by owlice, I was wondering what any of you thought about making a reality show out of the college admissions process? I think it would be fascinating viewing, with all kinds of interesting effects. Kids and parents would see how it really works, admissions officers would see the effect their decisions have on kids, etc. I’d especially love to watch the admissions officers evaluate the candidates. Any ideas for a title? “Who’s In, Who’s Out” or “What’s with all the HYP” or “Are You Fat or Skinny?” I am not a BIT creative, but the idea intrigues me. Maybe the subject matter is more suitable for a documentary :)</p>
<p>Interesting idea, jnsq - it’s just that the college admissions process goes on for such a long period of time. It would be sort of like putting the books The Overachievers or The Gatekeepers into tv format.</p>
<p>BTW, does anyone remember a reality show from a few years ago where they had a group of high-achieving high school seniors competing for a full-ride scholarship to the college of their choice? I can’t remember the name of the show - sorry.</p>