<p>This thread seems a little like a place to brag about how much better CC posters are than the general riff-raff. There are lots of people who think they know more than they do about lots of things. It’s almost always best to follow Thumper’s mother’s advice: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”</p>
<p>My dad has lots of online friends who are huge UT-Austin fans. He occasionally gets them tickets to games or invites them to banquets, closed football practices, etc. One couple he knows is in Maine right now, so Dad asked if I would have dinner with them this week. I’d never met them, so I was a little nervous (I’m an introvert!). But they were lovely people. They left Texas on EASTER and have been travelling up this direction in their RV since then! They have traveled extensively all over the United States.</p>
<p>I have to admit I was surprised when my dad told me this man had never attended ANY college, but just loves Longhorn sports! He worked on oil rigs and obviously did very well for himself. I’ve been telling our 19-year-old stories like this - we are NOT insisting that he go to college! There are many other fine paths to take.</p>
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Not including how to spell it, though . . . . (Sorry, couldn’t resist. I make typos, too. Lots of 'em. More as I get older; it’s pretty upsetting.)</p>
<p>Sseamom, let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone - didn’t you just made a broad assumption about the folks posting in here? ;)</p>
<p>Mine has to do with the local school rivalry. I was buying flowers for a graduation event at the local big research school. After carefully picking a bunch of purple and yellow flowers, I took them to the counter and asked the lady to wrap them for me. She asked what the flowers were for, and after getting the answer, she grabbed a - gasp! - red paper and proceeded with the wrapping! I politely pointed out to her that her paper choice was waaaay off. You just don’t show up at a UW graduation wearing colors of their biggest rival! ;)</p>
<p>Well, the fact of the matter is that those of us who have spent a lot of time reading, researching some of these things on the CC board will know more than most people. I admit it fully that I probably do know more than most people about most college things. I don’t know it all, none of us do, and there can be many exceptions to general rules. That is a problem with those who think they are “know it alls”. There really are no such things.</p>
<p>It’s not a problem knowing more, it’s a problem thinking that others who might be perfectly decent people are “less” because they DON’T. And I’m still trying to figure out why the grandma up above should NOT be proud that her grandchild is at a technical college. I know a lot more about HBCU’s than many of CC’s denizens, because I have a kid planning to attend one. I DO try to correct misconceptions about them here, sometimes, But I don’t think less of those who don’t know because I don’t expect they would have any reason to know more than they do. I do get a little testy about people’s assumptions that HBCU’s are all “less than” and that it’s not possible to get a good education at any of them.</p>
<p>BunsenBurner - your story about the flowers is hilarious!</p>
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<p>@TonyK that’s not at all what I meant-- speaking as someone who did receive a grant at an Ivy and probably wouldn’t be able to afford it otherwise, of course it’s an amazing opportunity. It’s just based on finances. I was referring to people who use phrases like “full ride to Harvard” as if that makes the person more impressive than the people who didn’t get any money from Harvard. It doesn’t mean that person is more academically qualified than the other admitted students, or Harvard really, really wanted them more than a person who could afford to be full pay.</p>
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Same thought ran across my mind, @sseamom.</p>
<p>My H’s aunt, who never finished high school, has a son who returned to school as an adult for a nursing degree. He has an ASN from the local CC, but she insists he has a masters degree. </p>
<p>^^^^Awww. </p>
<p>I will say that the exam taken to be a RN is the same exam, whether you have an Associates Degree or a Bachelor’s. Much controversy within the profession over this.</p>
<p>A few years ago, I was talking to a friend from another country. She asked about the kids, and I told her that baby kiddo was looking at colleges. Her response was total shock, “Your daughter is so smart! Why doesn’t she wants to go to a university, like her sister?” In her culture, “college” used to mean a trade school that did not award a college degree, and “university” was where you you would go to get a Bachelors. 
Had to explain that nope, in the US, things were done a bit differently.</p>
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<p>Ignorance abounds. It’s not going to change. </p>
<p>rebeccar:</p>
<p>Thank you for letting us know you attended an Ivy League school and received a partial need-based grant. Was it another student there who bragged about receiving a full-ride, or do you know of a parent who brags that their kid received the full-ride? I never hear this come up where I live.</p>
<p>As more and more top schools besides Ivies adopt the need-based financial aid system, what do you think is the politically correct response from parents or students who receive one of these grants?</p>
<p>As far as what to tell a HS guidance counselor for graduation ceremonies I’d recommend a student attach a copy of their financial aid award letter, or write down the exact words of the award. If someone is miffed because their student cannot report they received a scholarship to an Ivy League school, then they are free to select a school that offered them a merit scholarship. I’ll repeat it again…most of these receivers of need-based aid awards could have gone to a number of other schools and received merit scholarships.</p>
<p>One thing that bugs me is seeing colleges under a friends’s name on social media sites (particularly Facebook). I can think of several friends who list a college they attended even though they either flunked out, got kicked out, never earned a degree, or who only took a course or two. It looks impressive to everyone who ventures to their page and assumes they graduated from that college. Is there a way to add you graduated from the college? I also know of a few high school dropouts who list attending community colleges on their pages. No idea why they did it unless they received their GED at the cc.</p>
<p>AFAIK, Tony, Facebook asks you questions and then lists the stuff. Not many people think about editing what shows. I don’t even know how to do it. And with the newsfeed, I don’t look at my own page. </p>
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<p>Whatever happened to the “just smile and nod” thread? Must be around somewhere…</p>
<p>I, for one, have told people that my son received “almost a full ride” at his school - a very expensive, top-100 (but not top 50) private uni that gave him a decent merit scholarship plus met his full need (which is substantial, we are Pell-eligible). I am expressing my feeling of luck, skill at locating such a school (our GC helped), extreme gratitude, and relief - not any kind of pride of his achievement. I wonder if others who say things like this are being misunderstood? After reading on here, and experiencing, the more typical “gapping,” and hearing about folks whose CSS-need was found to be so much higher than their FAFSA EFC, I feel like a “full ride” (or darn near) is something to “crow” about, regardless of whether it is merit or need-based aid. For those who have need, the money is just as green (and the opportunity is just as real).</p>
<p>I always make the details clear if anyone asks, but most people don’t really care whether it is merit aid or not.</p>
<p>@TonyK I won’t be a student there for another four days, but thanks for the passive-aggressive response 
I’m not referring to anyone at my own [future] school and am also not sure why you’re so irritated at what I said. I don’t usually hear it from parents, more like people who have a friend of a friend or some relative and therefore doesn’t know all the details. They latched onto the phrase “full ride to Harvard,” and believe it means this person is superior to the rest of the class or Harvard reaaaaally, really wanted to attract them. Lemme know if there’s anything else you’re not understanding.</p>
<p>My question to you was what do you feel is a proper response when someone asks you if you received a scholarship? </p>