Parents of College Class of 2018 (A.K.A., "Is this the line to the poor house?")

[scrapquitler]

So here I am reading about everyone's college visits, and I'm totally feeling like my daughter has dropped the ball...I can't even get her to look at the mail the colleges are sending her, much less get her interested in visiting any campus or thinking about what she wants to major in. I'm getting frustrated with her lack of ambition, but I'll be just as happy with her going to school locally and living at home and I think that she wants that as well.

On the bright side, she has decided that she wants to take a class at the local community college over this summer, so we are working on getting her admitted and registered for that. Her plan is to take Calculus this summer so that she doens't have to take AP Calculus next year. I'm good with that, since I know that most realistically she is either going to go to CC for a year or two or go to one of the state schools, and the state schools all accept the CC credits without any problems...so a class at CC is as good as taking it at UCONN later or taking it as an early college experience class at the high school next year. She has been 'accepted' (meaning I paid the application fee ) for the summer term, now I need to get her there to take the placement test.

And of course, I still need to register her for the June SAT. The registration deadline is next week, and I haven't been able to get her to give me the logon information for the college board site. The school musical is this weekend (opening night was tonight) so on Sunday I'll get that taken care of for sure.

 

[kacaju]

So here I am reading about everyone's college visits, and I'm totally feeling like my daughter has dropped the ball...I can't even get her to look at the mail the colleges are sending her, much less get her interested in visiting any campus or thinking about what she wants to major in. I'm getting frustrated with her lack of ambition, but I'll be just as happy with her going to school locally and living at home and I think that she wants that as well.

On the bright side, she has decided that she wants to take a class at the local community college over this summer, so we are working on getting her admitted and registered for that. Her plan is to take Calculus this summer so that she doens't have to take AP Calculus next year. I'm good with that, since I know that most realistically she is either going to go to CC for a year or two or go to one of the state schools, and the state schools all accept the CC credits without any problems...so a class at CC is as good as taking it at UCONN later or taking it as an early college experience class at the high school next year. She has been 'accepted' (meaning I paid the application fee ) for the summer term, now I need to get her there to take the placement test.

And of course, I still need to register her for the June SAT. The registration deadline is next week, and I haven't been able to get her to give me the logon information for the college board site. The school musical is this weekend (opening night was tonight) so on Sunday I'll get that taken care of for sure.

you didnt drop the ball, every kid is different and you dd sounds like my dd. My dd id tsking the SAT in June (we only just signed her up) she will be going to cc too.

 

[Chelley00]

So here I am reading about everyone's college visits, and I'm totally feeling like my daughter has dropped the ball...I can't even get her to look at the mail the colleges are sending her, much less get her interested in visiting any campus or thinking about what she wants to major in. I'm getting frustrated with her lack of ambition, but I'll be just as happy with her going to school locally and living at home and I think that she wants that as well. .

My DS is like that. It's hard for us because our first son knew exactly what school he wanted to go to, knew his major and everything before he even started his junior year of high school. We did no school visits and he applied to the one school.

What's funny is that he left that school in December, moved out of state, is going to a community college and is changing his major and is 100 times happier than he was at the big college

 

[Gina]

I keep wondering if my DS will end up being like that... He has been so sure for at least a year now of the school and the major, and while I do think that both will be an absolute perfect fit for him, you just never know what will happen in life to change your perception of things or open up new vistas to you.

I don't think anyone should feel bad at all if their child is still unsure what they might like to do, or where they want to go to college... I honestly think I'd be able to relate to one of those better! This early-age committment thing is foreign to me. I wish I had known at 17 what I wanted to do!! Heck, I'm 46 and still haven't decided.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I keep wondering if my DS will end up being like that... He has been so sure for at least a year now of the school and the major, and while I do think that both will be an absolute perfect fit for him, you just never know what will happen in life to change your perception of things or open up new vistas to you.

I don't think anyone should feel bad at all if their child is still unsure what they might like to do, or where they want to go to college... I honestly think I'd be able to relate to one of those better! This early-age committment thing is foreign to me. I wish I had known at 17 what I wanted to do!! Heck, I'm 46 and still haven't decided.

My daughter says marine science. I say make sure the school is offering plenty of other options because I think one or two semesters in and she's going to want to change majors ASAP. So while using marine science as our basis for looking at schools, we're making sure there are plenty of other viable options.

And Scrapquilter, I left nothing up to my DD because she was very laidback in the process too. I scheduled her SAT, I researched the colleges and gave her what I thought were viable options, then checked the open house/visit schedule and said "on this day we're going to see "x" college". Done. And she was fine with that. With school, ECs, trips, prom, etc. she really just had too much on her plate to worry about "the future" when the present was getting a little overwhelming.

 

[TLuvsD]

We have a college freshman, so I've been there, done that. She's very happy at USC, with a double major (Philosophy, Politics and Law and English).

This is mostly for JeanieNM:
USC admission is increasingly selective. The admit rate for next year was around 19%. It's brutal. Financial aid tends to be very fair, and the new dance school is exciting. USC encourages students to explore, to take classes across disciplines and to double major or major/minor. Our D is happy, her roommate is in the Fine Arts, the audtion is critical.
The Cal State System and the UC system have very specific admission requirements. And in the case of the UC schools, a very specific GPA calculation. Make sure your student has all the needed courses, and know how to calculate the GPA. Most Cal State schools have very limited dorms (if any). They are really designed to be commuter schools. It is increasingly difficult to graduate in 4 years (multiple family members caught in the 5 year plan).
D attended programs at UCI multiple summers--the dorms are what they are...but they are comfortable, it's a great campus (and it's really close to Disneyland).
CSUFullteron has some dorms, its' not all that much further from Disneyland (different direction). Several family members have not been able to graduate in 4 years, so plan for five, just in case.
CSU Long Beach, much more impacted than Fullerton. No other information.
Occidential is a good school, with a strong Alumni Base
Loyola Marymount is lovely, good school.

Hope this helps!

Hope this helps!

 

[Chelley00]

Anyone else have an SAT taker today? DS sent me this text at 1:30 today:

I hate you for making me take that

 

[powellrj]

Anyone else have an SAT taker today? DS sent me this text at 1:30 today:

I hate you for making me take that

My DD took it today, she said it was the longest morning of her life, I told her to suck it up!!

 

[Gina]

Anyone else have an SAT taker today? DS sent me this text at 1:30 today:

I hate you for making me take that

LOL!! Love it. And good luck to your DS!


I thought it might be helpful to share scholarship info we come across, general scholarships that anyone can apply for. This is a cool one -- kids can have fun and be creative:

Zinch's Weird World of Wonderful Scholarships

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!


-gina-

 

[madge]

DS has not made one visit, nor has he given much thought to where he really wants to go ... so you're not alone!

honestly, it's going to be a combination of where he likes & what kind of scholarship money he qualifies for, which means he won't be narrowing things down for a while.

So here I am reading about everyone's college visits, and I'm totally feeling like my daughter has dropped the ball...I can't even get her to look at the mail the colleges are sending her, much less get her interested in visiting any campus or thinking about what she wants to major in. I'm getting frustrated with her lack of ambition, but I'll be just as happy with her going to school locally and living at home and I think that she wants that as well.

 

[Gina]

Just wanted to bump this up, see how everyone's '14-ers are doing... How are y'alls kids handling AP tests so far? Mine's only taking English Lang. & Comp. this time around, and that one's Friday morning. He's just happy that due to standardized testing this week for 9th & maybe 10th graders, he doesn't have to go in until noon. I was very jealous of him still asleep when I left work this morning, lol. But between the AP test, finals coming up, then the ACT on June 8th, I think the little break right now is good.

Now to just manage to keep him focused on this last home stretch of Junior year!! Between the Band Banquet (affectionately known as Band Prom among them) this Friday night, and actual Prom next Saturday, studying for the abovementioned tests is faaaaarr down the priority list in his mind, lol. But that's where we come in, right?

Hope everyone is doing well!



-gina-

 

[klj27]

Our college preparations have been put ahold temporarily. It is just not a focus right now. One of my daughter's best friends attempted suicide in school last Monday and is still in critical condition. It has been heartbreaking. She and many other of her friends were scheduled to take the SAT this past Saturday, but they all postponed it. There was no way they could sit in that school and focus. THey are going to try again in June.

 

[Gina]

Our college preparations have been put ahold temporarily. It is just not a focus right now. One of my daughter's best friends attempted suicide in school last Monday and is still in critical condition. It has been heartbreaking. She and many other of her friends were scheduled to take the SAT this past Saturday, but they all postponed it. There was no way they could sit in that school and focus. THey are going to try again in June.

Oh my gosh, that is awful... I hope the girl recovers and is able to get some help, and this becomes an inspirational story for others down the road. Good thoughts to her, her family, and all her friends!

 

[TLuvsD]

Thoughts and prayers are with the girls, the families and the friends involved. Such a sad story. Good Luck to all involved.

 

[scrapquitler]

DS has not made one visit, nor has he given much thought to where he really wants to go ... so you're not alone!

honestly, it's going to be a combination of where he likes & what kind of scholarship money he qualifies for, which means he won't be narrowing things down for a while.

I'm glad it's not just me! I feel a need to push her, but I'm trying not to go psycho on her...I've almost completely decided to let it go and let things play out as they will...

In the meantime, spring musical was last weekend and she's studying for her AP Government exam next week. Once that's over, we'll be able to breathe and revisit the idea of campus visits, etc.

 

[scrapquitler]

Our college preparations have been put ahold temporarily. It is just not a focus right now. One of my daughter's best friends attempted suicide in school last Monday and is still in critical condition. It has been heartbreaking. She and many other of her friends were scheduled to take the SAT this past Saturday, but they all postponed it. There was no way they could sit in that school and focus. THey are going to try again in June.

I hope that the friend recovers soon. I can't imagine how hard this must be on the girl, her family and friends. I don't blame you for putting the SATs etc. on hold temporarily. Sometimes you need to let things go and regroup.

 

[JeannieNM]

We have a college freshman, so I've been there, done that. She's very happy at USC, with a double major (Philosophy, Politics and Law and English)...

Thank you very much. It does help. I am hoping DD will expand her school list beyond LA. It seems the schools there are all very competative. DD is a good student and talented etc. but I think she needs some safety schools and some interest outside of LA. She has some connections there and she wants to build on them and I get that but it just maybe too hard to go to college there. We shall see. Until finals are over there is little college discussion around here. DD is off on another camping trip for 3 days with middle schoolers then a week of classes and a week of finals. So we will get back to college focus then.

Our college preparations have been put ahold temporarily. It is just not a focus right now. One of my daughter's best friends attempted suicide in school last Monday and is still in critical condition. It has been heartbreaking. She and many other of her friends were scheduled to take the SAT this past Saturday, but they all postponed it. There was no way they could sit in that school and focus. THey are going to try again in June.

Please keep us updated. This is so tragic, I wish your daughter strength during this difficult time and prayers and good thoughts to her friend as she fights for recovery.

 

[Gina]

Just wanted to wish all my fellow '14 moms a very happy Mother's Day!!

 

[JeannieNM]

Thank you and a Happy Mother's Day to you and all the other moms too!

 

[Gina]

DS got his letter jacket for marching band yesterday... It's 85 degrees + here, and he won't take it off, lol. I'm surprised he didn't sleep in it.

It was kind of poignant, though... first he said, "Wow, I really feel like a Senior now!" Then he said, "It's crazy... it feels like yesterday that I was a Freshman, looking at those Seniors in their letter jackets and thinking how cool they were and how much older they seemed than me... and now I'm there."