High School class of 2011

[geffric]

agnes and others,

Here's a link to my post about my niece. She was accepted to University of Delaware and then ..................... Those of you who are going through this can probably understand what a nightmare this has been!



http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2678485

i just read your thread.. i am so sorry for your niece.. what a nightmare..
hope she can adjust to a different school..

 

[kbeverina]

Anybody interested in a drawing for $1,000?

Very cool--thanks!

My son found out last Monday (after an awesome Admitted Students Day at his number 2 school) that he did not get into Penn State's Schreyer's Honors College. He was pretty disappointed, after being wooed and courted by #2 the day before, the rejection stung badly... so #2 is now #1, and Penn State is now down a few notches on his list.

Awww, your poor son. My dd has that punched in the gut feeling today, too. She just got a "no" from an extra scholarship at one of her top choices. I really thought she had a chance at it. It was a leadership scholarship, and she is a class officer, an officer in another club, was head of a prom committee, organized a blood drive, tutored, etc.... She is very down on herself today. I'm trying to put a positive spin on it (when one door closes, another opens....but it's h#ll waiting in the hallway). It hurts to see our babies hurting, doesn't it?

We got disappointing news on Friday. 2 weeks ago, DS went to a Scholars Weekend at his #1 choice to compete for their full scholarship. He found out Friday that he did not get it.

He was very disappointed. He got their Presidential scholarship, but it's a private school and it is just not enough. He has said all along if he got it he would go there and if he did not he would go to school #2. I love school #2 and I think he will be very happy there, but it hurts when your child has worked so hard their whole life and they don't get what they really want. He has a good scholarship to school #2 and he really likes the Physics department there. He also went to Boys State there so he is already very familiar with the campus.

On the bright side we know for sure where he is going and that is a good feeling. The not knowing was making me alittle crazy. Hope everyone is doing well. Two months from Sunday is DS's Graduation, I'm not ready!!

Sorry I know how you feel about being ready to be done. I'm looking forward to my son coming back from his visit to South Carolina because I think that's when his final decision will be made. He's now saying he would choose USC over Tech because he can minor in Sports Management at USC and Tech doesn't have Sports Management. But I'm not sure I totally believe that, we'll see.

Have you seen this article? It says that only 0.3% get enough scholarship money to cover the full cost of attendance.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/12/AR2011031204262.html

I read that this past weekend, reminded me of the other thread regarding scholarships. Definitely reflects what we've observed here.

I got great new Friday....DS (through my work) won a full 4 year scholarship to the University of Florida or Santa Fe College. If I figured out the cost correctly it's worth about 14,000.00 dollars.

I am an employee of UF and every year they give away 50 scholarships to a select # of employees that meet the criteria. I can't tell you what a relief this is now all I have to do is pay for books, any lab fees and so on.

DS17 is excited about it too. He actually couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear when I told him.

Congrats!

agnes and others,

Here's a link to my post about my niece. She was accepted to University of Delaware and then ..................... Those of you who are going through this can probably understand what a nightmare this has been!
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2678485

I heard about that--it's terrible. Several weeks ago a bunch of my son's friends were posting on facebook that they'd gotten emails they were accepted to Christopher Newport University. A few hours later they were all posting that they'd received emails telling them there'd been a computer glitch and they weren't accepted. It was so sad, but at least they only had a few hours and not much time to start spreading the good news.

It's kind of weird to me to think that after this season, sports will be done for me. He has played at least one sport since he was 5, at times several, and year around since he was 10. I'm not really feeling sad about high school ending or graduation or any of that. Just really excited about what's next.

 

[agnes!]

... Re: graduation... Am I the only parent who can't wait for high school to be over? I am so sad about her childhood being left behind, but high school has been such an excruciating ordeal. All these milestones that people refer to...the last concert, the last play, senior trip, prom, a graduation party...heck, I'm not even sure that DD will go to the all-night official school grad nite celebration or to prom or to anything that seems to celebrate her time at school.

agnes!

I am going to be sad when HS is over for DS#2.. he has been so involved and I have loved being with the parents.. some I have know for years others i met more recently, track meets and dinners, football games, wrestling matches, band stuff - his and HS.... so the lasts are hard for me..

agnes - my older son never went to ANYTHING - no dances, no events nothing.. so HS wasnt a big milestone for him.. now college is definitely different..

It's not that she doesn't care though or is a homebody or whatever...that's the thing...it's just that high school has been one disappointment after another - with the one teacher who almost obscenely played favorites her freshman and sophomore years, with other teachers who say one thing and do another, with people she thought were her friends. And she's even said that she doesn't expect much better from college, just that she'll finally be able to study what she wants to learn, will be with people who are interested in the things she wants to do too and hopefully won't have to put up with as much high-school crap.
It doesn't help that right now we're going through probably the worst time of her school career. Even though DD felt she was doing the right thing one girl isn't speaking to her and this girl's family isn't speaking to us. It had to do with choosing people to be on a team that DD is(was) the captain of. DD went about it thinking what was 'right' and who deserved to be there, but unbeknownst to her, the coach had promised a spot to this other girl. DD had a meeting with the coach about the roster before a team meeting, he approved the roster and then at the team meeting the proverbial manure hit the fan - he said later that he forgot he promised a spot to this other girl.
The coach then wanted the captains to ask someone who had already been placed on the team to leave so this other girl could then be on the team... And DD, because she didn't think it was fair to ask someone else to quit to accommodate this other girl (when other team-members had contributed more) decided to take one for the team and DD resigned. And sometimes it just *sucks* to have principles, it would have been so much easier if DD had just placed this girl on the team at the beginning, she knew there would probably be trouble, but she wanted to do what was right. Oh, and this other girl?...initially she wasn't comepletely "off" the team...she was named as an alternate, but she didn't want that, she wanted to be on the team.
And all that has cast a pall over her college-choosing and the rest of senior year...I agree with the gist of DD's choosing, maybe the way she did it could have been a little more finessed but selfishly? DH & I will be living with the repercussions with this girl's parents for a long time. I keep on thinking "How much worse can it get for DD?" (I am no longer thinking that, at this point I'm just trying to get through the day.)
Once she has actually graduated, I am going to the school and calmly telling a certain teacher what I think of them. I've never done that before, but what this teacher did...they were fine with the kids making all the decisions and running the team and doing all the administrative work but they basically threw DD under the bus when things got a little unpleasant.

agnes!

 

[kbeverina]

I feel so bad for her. Not a lot of kids would give up their own spots, especially as a captain, to resolve the conflict.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

I shudder to think ahead, but I can't help myself.

I know a few of you have older one's in college already, so I'm calling on your expert knowledge.

I'm getting ready to pack up my son's heaviest sweaters, ski jacket, winter gear, etc for the summer, and it occurred to me that I should pack them in a way that they will be ready to make the trip to his college in the fall.

So, how do kids today get all their stuff to college? Cardboard boxes? Rubbermaid totes? Suitcases? Trunks?
When I went away to school, we used to cram as much as we could into a trunk, which could be used as secure (locked) storage after unpacked- then put a cloth over it and call it a table We also used to pack stuff into stackable crates- which got stacked on their sides to form "bookshelves" in our dormrooms.
I'm just wondering what kids today do? and if they multipurpose their packing cases into shelves and tables like we did back in the 80s/90s?

 

[geffric]

I shudder to think ahead, but I can't help myself.

I know a few of you have older one's in college already, so I'm calling on your expert knowledge.

I'm getting ready to pack up my son's heaviest sweaters, ski jacket, winter gear, etc for the summer, and it occurred to me that I should pack them in a way that they will be ready to make the trip to his college in the fall.

So, how do kids today get all their stuff to college? Cardboard boxes? Rubbermaid totes? Suitcases? Trunks?
When I went away to school, we used to cram as much as we could into a trunk, which could be used as secure (locked) storage after unpacked- then put a cloth over it and call it a table We also used to pack stuff into stackable crates- which got stacked on their sides to form "bookshelves" in our dormrooms.
I'm just wondering what kids today do? and if they multipurpose their packing cases into shelves and tables like we did back in the 80s/90s?

DS#1 used rubermaid totes and his Jambo bag ( big duffle).. as he was coming home for Thanksgiving, he didnt take much wintery stuff..he took it later..he came home for thanksgiving in flip flops, tshirt and shorts.. ( and no he went to IA not FL)..

 

[linnylu]

DS has been checking the mailbox every day hoping to receive notification of a presidential scholarship from his 1st choice school. It is the only way that he'll be able to attend. They were suppose to go out last Thursday, but nothing in the mail today. The waiting is hard, especially when most of his friends already know where they are heading in the fall.

 

[geffric]

Can you call the school or search website for info?? Hope he hears soon..


DS#2 FINALLY made a decision.after he spent 3 times going to U of ILL and 3 times going to Indiana and .. drum roll please... he has finally decided to go to U of ILL..

GO ILLINI!!

 

[armomof3lvsdisney]

DS has been checking the mailbox every day hoping to receive notification of a presidential scholarship from his 1st choice school. It is the only way that he'll be able to attend. They were suppose to go out last Thursday, but nothing in the mail today. The waiting is hard, especially when most of his friends already know where they are heading in the fall.

Sending Pixie Dust for you and your DS

geffric
DS#2 FINALLY made a decision.after he spent 3 times going to U of ILL and 3 times going to Indiana and .. drum roll please... he has finally decided to go to U of ILL..

GO ILLINI!![/QUOTE]

Congrats to you and your DS!! Isn't it great to finally know for sure where they'll be headed in the fall. To think two weeks ago we did not know where DS was going, it's such a relief just to know. We sent in DS housing forms last week and now we are waiting to hear which dorm he will be in.

 

[minkydog]

Sending Pixie Dust for you and your DS

DS#2 FINALLY made a decision.after he spent 3 times going to U of ILL and 3 times going to Indiana and .. drum roll please... he has finally decided to go to U of ILL..

GO ILLINI!!

Congrats to you and your DS!! Isn't it great to finally know for sure where they'll be headed in the fall. To think two weeks ago we did not know where DS was going, it's such a relief just to know. We sent in DS housing forms last week and now we are waiting to hear which dorm he will be in. [/QUOTE]

Congratulations! That's one more thing you can scratch off your list.

 

[ctinct]

YAAHOOOO!!!!!! We've been without internet for a few days, but I'm sure you heard the happy screams from our house on Monday. DD got into her top choice with their top scholarship and a very good grant. We are still going to wait to see what her other aid pkgs. look like, and my efc is pretty big,so it will be tight, but they pretty much met our full need up to our efc. It looks like 98% sure she will be heading to where she wants to be. Thank you, God!

 

[njsweetP]

ctinct - Congratulations!!!

I have been reading this thread with great interest over the last couple
of months. I have a DD who will be heading off to college in the fall, and
I have received great information from here. This whole experience is new
to me as DD is our first child heading off to college. She has applied to 4
schools, has been accepted to all of them. My quesiton is when do we
hear about the FAFSA information from the schools? Shouldn't it be soon?
I know each college is different, but will we hear by April 1?

 

[geffric]

YAAHOOOO!!!!!! We've been without internet for a few days, but I'm sure you heard the happy screams from our house on Monday. DD got into her top choice with their top scholarship and a very good grant. We are still going to wait to see what her other aid pkgs. look like, and my efc is pretty big,so it will be tight, but they pretty much met our full need up to our efc. It looks like 98% sure she will be heading to where she wants to be. Thank you, God!

Congrats..

 

[kbeverina]

ctinct - Congratulations!!!

I have been reading this thread with great interest over the last couple
of months. I have a DD who will be heading off to college in the fall, and
I have received great information from here. This whole experience is new
to me as DD is our first child heading off to college. She has applied to 4
schools, has been accepted to all of them. My quesiton is when do we
hear about the FAFSA information from the schools? Shouldn't it be soon?
I know each college is different, but will we hear by April 1?

I only sent our fafsa to two schools--the first sent back in under a week. The second took 3-4. I could be that it took longer because the second actually put together a package that offered loans and the first just sent a letter saying we qualified for nothing. So maybe it's a good sign when it takes longer.

YAAHOOOO!!!!!! We've been without internet for a few days, but I'm sure you heard the happy screams from our house on Monday. DD got into her top choice with their top scholarship and a very good grant. We are still going to wait to see what her other aid pkgs. look like, and my efc is pretty big,so it will be tight, but they pretty much met our full need up to our efc. It looks like 98% sure she will be heading to where she wants to be. Thank you, God!

Yea--congrats!

We've had some pretty good news in the past couple of weeks, too. My son got a scholarship at South Carolina that has a cash award, but, more importantly, offers in-state tuition. He's going down for Scholars Weekend this weekend and it's just nice to know that if he likes it, it's affordable. He was also accepted to Virginia Tech Friday, which was exciting for him, but he's still leaning toward USC because he can minor in Sports Management. I think he'll finally have a decision after this weekend.

 

[agnes!]

I think DD has narrowed it down to probably two schools (even though we are waiting to hear from the last place). *Somehow* we are going to have to carve out enough time for visits to each of these two best-candidates between now and Easter (at the latest). The one is only a couple of hours drive but the other one is a 12 hour drive or a plane trip.

agnes!

 

[DisneyNutMary]

YAAHOOOO!!!!!! We've been without internet for a few days, but I'm sure you heard the happy screams from our house on Monday. DD got into her top choice with their top scholarship and a very good grant. We are still going to wait to see what her other aid pkgs. look like, and my efc is pretty big,so it will be tight, but they pretty much met our full need up to our efc. It looks like 98% sure she will be heading to where she wants to be. Thank you, God!

We've had some pretty good news in the past couple of weeks, too. My son got a scholarship at South Carolina that has a cash award, but, more importantly, offers in-state tuition. He's going down for Scholars Weekend this weekend and it's just nice to know that if he likes it, it's affordable. He was also accepted to Virginia Tech Friday, which was exciting for him, but he's still leaning toward USC because he can minor in Sports Management. I think he'll finally have a decision after this weekend.

Congratulations to you both

We finally have a decision here!! My boy has chosen Hofstra University, and he couldn't be happier. The school is so personally interested in him, he hears from them on a weekly basis now. Tomorrow morning we are heading out there for a Scholar's Weekend... he's thrilled to be going to see Billy Elliot on Broadway with them, plus there will be two receptions, an overnight stay with a student in a dorm, a class visit and meeting with a faculty member, brunch, a lacrosse game...all culminating in a formal Honors College dinner on Saturday night...probably followed by a full day sleeping in on Sunday
It's such an exciting time!

Good luck to you all who are still waiting on a Financial Aid package, and a final decision. As you all get decisions, please share them, I feel like we've been through a long journey together, I'd love to know where your DDs and DSs finally decide on.

 

[armomof3lvsdisney]

Do any of your schools do Project Graduation? We are doing one for the first time this year. I would love to hear tips and suggestions. Since this is the first time, I'm afraid we are going to forget some key elements that we just have failed to think of. The school is not planning this, they have given us their blessing and said they would bus the kids to the location. So it's just a group of parents trying to pull this together. So any advice would be great!

 

[johnsontrio]

Do any of your schools do Project Graduation? We are doing one for the first time this year. I would love to hear tips and suggestions. Since this is the first time, I'm afraid we are going to forget some key elements that we just have failed to think of. The school is not planning this, they have given us their blessing and said they would bus the kids to the location. So it's just a group of parents trying to pull this together. So any advice would be great!

I haven't heard of Project graduation but I Googled it. Are you talking about an all night party for the grads? If so, most of the schools around here do them. I helped set up the food for last year's party so I can tell you what they planned for the girls.

They check in with the parents at the door and put all their belongings into a garment bag printed with the logo of the alumnae group that is given to them to take home in the morning. They are not allowed to bring any belongings into the school with them for obvious reasons. The activities available to them included: bounce houses and super slide in the gym, spa experience with massages, Build A Bear station with little bears that had a custom school shirt, photo booth, DJ, and probably a few more I don't remember. There was a ton of food, mostly donated, set up in the cafe, and a coffee station that included frozen and hot custom coffee drinks. They also receive a gift bag with many different items that have donated by parents and merchants.

The girls enjoy the All Night Party and I think most of them attend. They do not pay anything to attend as the parents are given a small budget from the school and solicit the rest from parents and merchants. The parents pick the theme and execute a design to rival Cecil B. DeMille. Last year's theme was Twilight (which I thought was a little past its' popularity) but they did a great job of decorating. It included life size character cutouts, huge lighted trees in the lobby and gorgeous centerpieces that included twigs, apples and other elements. Haven't heard anything about what they are using for this year's theme.

 

[golfgal]

I haven't heard of Project graduation but I Googled it. Are you talking about an all night party for the grads? If so, most of the schools around here do them. I helped set up the food for last year's party so I can tell you what they planned for the girls.

They check in with the parents at the door and put all their belongings into a garment bag printed with the logo of the alumnae group that is given to them to take home in the morning. They are not allowed to bring any belongings into the school with them for obvious reasons. The activities available to them included: bounce houses and super slide in the gym, spa experience with massages, Build A Bear station with little bears that had a custom school shirt, photo booth, DJ, and probably a few more I don't remember. There was a ton of food, mostly donated, set up in the cafe, and a coffee station that included frozen and hot custom coffee drinks. They also receive a gift bag with many different items that have donated by parents and merchants.

The girls enjoy the All Night Party and I think most of them attend. They do not pay anything to attend as the parents are given a small budget from the school and solicit the rest from parents and merchants. The parents pick the theme and execute a design to rival Cecil B. DeMille. Last year's theme was Twilight (which I thought was a little past its' popularity) but they did a great job of decorating. It included life size character cutouts, huge lighted trees in the lobby and gorgeous centerpieces that included twigs, apples and other elements. Haven't heard anything about what they are using for this year's theme.

Our high school does something like this as well. Parents spend the better part of a week transforming the high school into a "playland" for the kids. My high school did this as well. It was a blast and kept kids safe on grad night. Many schools do something like this for prom as well. I think DS18's ticket last year was $70 for everything.

 

[cruisnfamily]

We live in FL and instead of doing this, our seniors are going to "Grad Bash" at US/IOA. I wish they were doing "Grad Night" at Disney but oh well. Anyway, they leave from the high school by charter bus at 4 pm on a Saturday and return at 4am Sunday morning. The cost to the students is $90 each.