High School class of 2011

[geffric]

We're the same here. My son just ordered his tux today, prom isn't until May. It's going to be a very short summer--move in day at USC is 13 August (hoping they will offer early move in to out-of-state again so we can move in the day before).

wow that is so far for you... are you gonna fly??

Prom is June 3, and graduation is June 5, he works most of the summer with a lot of parties inbetween.. then we leave for the Wonder cruise to Alaska on 8/6 return 8/17 and he needs to be at school on 8/18..but no long goodbyes to gf.. she is going to the same school and living in the same dorm.. insert smilie that goes..well since she may be picking my nursing home i need to be very nice to her..

 

[kbeverina]

wow that is so far for you... are you gonna fly??

Prom is June 3, and graduation is June 5, he works most of the summer with a lot of parties inbetween.. then we leave for the Wonder cruise to Alaska on 8/6 return 8/17 and he needs to be at school on 8/18..but no long goodbyes to gf.. she is going to the same school and living in the same dorm.. insert smilie that goes..well since she may be picking my nursing home i need to be very nice to her..

He's going to the other USC--South Carolina. It's a bit of a drive, about 7 hours, but not too bad.

We're going on a cruise before he leaves as well--a Bermuda/Caribbean on Explorer of the Seas out of NY. He's bringing a friend and we'll probably never see him. So between that and late graduation/early move in, we have about 6 weeks over the summer.

His girlfriend has decided on the Journalism school at Missouri--I should look at what the drive is between those two schools. He won't have a car, but I don't know if she will. He said they're going to be just friends when they go off to school, but we'll see.

 

[Nancy]

Okay, I'll tell him to do that. There was one school he had almost full tuition and he let that one go as soon as he ruled it out. I hope they were able to award it to someone else.



We're the same here. My son just ordered his tux today, prom isn't until May. It's going to be a very short summer--move in day at USC is 13 August (hoping they will offer early move in to out-of-state again so we can move in the day before).

Luckily OSU has a late start so we have a long summer. They don't start until September.

 

[minkydog]

Well, some good news here. DD18 got her PE grade up to a C, from a 62. Not too bad. Some of her other grades dipped last week, but not below a C. I talked with her this morning and told her she needs to really work to get those grades up to Bs before finals. She only has 4 wks left before graduation so this is not the time to slack off!

Yay! Prom is Friday. DD isn't dating anyone since the big breakup at Christmas, so she is going to be escorted by one of her gay theater friends. He's a very nice boy and he can dance(the main criteria ) She has worn, reworn, and borrowed dresses for every formal event for the last 3 years, so this year I'm letting her splurge. She bought her dress on sale last fall and borrowed the shoes and jewelry. So I'm taking her to a salon for a lovely updo and makeup. She has that heavy, thick Greek hair down to her waist, so I'm sure that will be a 2-hour ordeal. But she will look MAH-velous.

 

[bellemeeko1]

what are your plans for the empty nest?? Ours are a DCL Dream cruise and WDW..

actually part of this upcoming trip is to hopefully get things started on possible employment with Shades of Green...the military resort on Disney property. DH is a retired AF MstrSgt (served 23yrs) and can retire from our local Sheriffs Dept any time (deputy sheriff for 24yrs) so we are looking to move to Orlando area and maybe just work p.t. for the resort :0)

 

[geffric]

actually part of this upcoming trip is to hopefully get things started on possible employment with Shades of Green...the military resort on Disney property. DH is a retired AF MstrSgt (served 23yrs) and can retire from our local Sheriffs Dept any time (deputy sheriff for 24yrs) so we are looking to move to Orlando area and maybe just work p.t. for the resort :0)

good luck on the job and move..

BTW DH is retired military too.. so we have been to Shades of Green..

 

[ctinct]

Well, decision day is tomorrow. I assume most of our kids have made their decisions. I think I posted earlier that my daughter was very fortunate to be able to accept her #1 choice, because they gave us a great financial aid pkg. and she won a hefty scholarship. This is a private school in PA.

AP tests begin next week. After that, I think there will be a lot of coasting in class, just waiting until graduation day. I noticed some of your kids are graduating very soon. I wonder what the earliest date is; I also wonder if we have the latest. June 27 here.

 

[bethbuchall]

Well, some good news here. DD18 got her PE grade up to a C, from a 62. Not too bad. Some of her other grades dipped last week, but not below a C. I talked with her this morning and told her she needs to really work to get those grades up to Bs before finals. She only has 4 wks left before graduation so this is not the time to slack off!

Yay! Prom is Friday. DD isn't dating anyone since the big breakup at Christmas, so she is going to be escorted by one of her gay theater friends. He's a very nice boy and he can dance(the main criteria ) She has worn, reworn, and borrowed dresses for every formal event for the last 3 years, so this year I'm letting her splurge. She bought her dress on sale last fall and borrowed the shoes and jewelry. So I'm taking her to a salon for a lovely updo and makeup. She has that heavy, thick Greek hair down to her waist, so I'm sure that will be a 2-hour ordeal. But she will look MAH-velous.

I can't wait to see the pictures!

 

[bethbuchall]

Well, decision day is tomorrow. I assume most of our kids have made their decisions. I think I posted earlier that my daughter was very fortunate to be able to accept her #1 choice, because they gave us a great financial aid pkg. and she won a hefty scholarship. This is a private school in PA.

AP tests begin next week. After that, I think there will be a lot of coasting in class, just waiting until graduation day. I noticed some of your kids are graduating very soon. I wonder what the earliest date is; I also wonder if we have the latest. June 27 here.

Ours is June 25th, so you have us beat by 2 days.

 

[minkydog]

Got our financial aid letter today and I'm puzzled. DD18 got the Pell Grant and FSEOG grant,totallly about $6000, and is eligible for both subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans, and of course, they are pushing the Parent Plus loan(not gonna happen). But no mention of work-study. I would have thought that work-study would have been part of the package, given how low our income is. I'm going to call the school Monday and find out about this. There is NO WAY we can take out $10,000 worth of parent loans for college. No way. DD has been trying to find a job, but it's been hard. She hasn't had a single bite and she's getting demoralized. But she's going to have to do something because school starts in August and the bill has to be paid before she moves in.

 

[cruisnfamily]

So DD is at Grad Bash(Universal Studios) right now! Guess who's going to pick her up at 4am? (They take a charter bus to and from Orlando from the high school parking lot and it would only be a 15 min drive home from there for her but I said I'd come get her instead)

2 weeks until prom.

2 weeks after that graduation. Ours is June 3rd.

 

[golfgal]

Got our financial aid letter today and I'm puzzled. DD18 got the Pell Grant and FSEOG grant,totallly about $6000, and is eligible for both subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans, and of course, they are pushing the Parent Plus loan(not gonna happen). But no mention of work-study. I would have thought that work-study would have been part of the package, given how low our income is. I'm going to call the school Monday and find out about this. There is NO WAY we can take out $10,000 worth of parent loans for college. No way. DD has been trying to find a job, but it's been hard. She hasn't had a single bite and she's getting demoralized. But she's going to have to do something because school starts in August and the bill has to be paid before she moves in.

Are you positive you selected that you would accept work/study on the Fin Aid form when you submitted it? I would think she would have gotten work study as well. Do you have any amusement parks around you? DS18 and most of his friends had good luck with jobs there last summer. UPS is another good place that hires kids going to college-several of DS18's friends worked there last summer (and could work over Christmas if they wanted to).

Most schools DO have payment plans available. I know that DS just had to pay equal installments monthly and he was fine-even though the letter said it all had to be paid in full by whatever date. As long as you have a payment plan set up you were fine. Have her talk to the finance office. Then she can get an on campus job (hopefully) to help with costs.

 

[armomof3lvsdisney]

Graduation is May 22, 3 weeks from tomorrow.

 

[minkydog]

Are you positive you selected that you would accept work/study on the Fin Aid form when you submitted it? I would think she would have gotten work study as well. Do you have any amusement parks around you? DS18 and most of his friends had good luck with jobs there last summer. UPS is another good place that hires kids going to college-several of DS18's friends worked there last summer (and could work over Christmas if they wanted to).

Most schools DO have payment plans available. I know that DS just had to pay equal installments monthly and he was fine-even though the letter said it all had to be paid in full by whatever date. As long as you have a payment plan set up you were fine. Have her talk to the finance office. Then she can get an on campus job (hopefully) to help with costs.

Yes, I'm positive that I selected "accept" on the FAFSA. DH & I went through college on work-study ourselves. I'm just shocked that she didn't get it. I have to call them Monday and find out what the deal is. I really had hoped she would get a little more aid. I know she'll be getting a small scholarship from her chorus, but it's just for one semester. Bless her heart, she has applied for dozens of scholarships since last fall and hasn't heard anything from any of them.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

DS graduates on May 19. Getting really close now!

 

[ctinct]

Got our financial aid letter today and I'm puzzled. DD18 got the Pell Grant and FSEOG grant,totallly about $6000, and is eligible for both subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans, and of course, they are pushing the Parent Plus loan(not gonna happen). But no mention of work-study. I would have thought that work-study would have been part of the package, given how low our income is. I'm going to call the school Monday and find out about this. There is NO WAY we can take out $10,000 worth of parent loans for college. No way. DD has been trying to find a job, but it's been hard. She hasn't had a single bite and she's getting demoralized. But she's going to have to do something because school starts in August and the bill has to be paid before she moves in.

Holy cow. She just got her financial aid letter? When do you have to let the school know by?

I know she needs the work-study, but one thing to remember about it is that although she will be earning the money throughout the year, it still has to be paid to the school upfront. If she is awarded work study of say $2000, that $2000 will have to be paid before she starts earning anything. In reality, most college students use their work-study funds as pocket money. The pkg. for my daughter's school actually had the lowest work-study amount of all the schools that accepted her, and I saw it as a good thing.

One other thought---sometimes schools have other jobs the students can pursue that are not work-study. She might try calling to see if this is a possibility.

Ok, two thoughts---this whole "expected summer earnings thing" kind of gets me, too. I don't think my daughter will have a job this summer, either. She did have a short term job last summer, but funding for that position has been eliminated. There are just not that many summer jobs available, plus we only have one car, which I need to use. She does not have her license yet, either, so her driving me to work and picking me up so she could use the car would not work , even if she could find a job within my work hours.

Oh, dang, I so lied. Three thoughts. Did she apply kind of late for this particular school? Sometimes work-study funds are doled out before everyone who wants work-study is awarded it. Maybe enough people will change their minds and it will become available. Also, the jobs themselves are not guaranteed. Once on campus, the student has to find a job that fits their schedule. The school usually helps with this, but no one is guaranteed a job.

I hope it works out for your daughter. As I recall, she and her friends really like this school.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I hope the work study will be available for her. Summer jobs are pretty hard to find right now too.

What do you guys think I can say that would be helpful for this situation? DS didn't get the dorm he wanted! I know it will be ok but in his world it pretty much stinks! And I really do understand his feeling that way. His friends going are all in the other Dorm - the one they all requested. He sent an e-mail asking for a change but knows it is a long shot that they will actually change him. while everyone else is having a fun night he is really bummed. I don't really have any words to make him see the bright side. I can't think of anything better about the one he got - it is older, smaller. It is supposed to have nicer bathrooms but boys don't care! Any ideas? Thanks

 

[Cinderella94]

I hope the work study will be available for her. Summer jobs are pretty hard to find right now too.

What do you guys think I can say that would be helpful for this situation? DS didn't get the dorm he wanted! I know it will be ok but in his world it pretty much stinks! And I really do understand his feeling that way. His friends going are all in the other Dorm - the one they all requested. He sent an e-mail asking for a change but knows it is a long shot that they will actually change him. while everyone else is having a fun night he is really bummed. I don't really have any words to make him see the bright side. I can't think of anything better about the one he got - it is older, smaller. It is supposed to have nicer bathrooms but boys don't care! Any ideas? Thanks

I'm a senior in HS, like your son, so I can share his anxiety about dorms (I don't know where I'll be on my campus, though). Well, he can go over and hang out with his friends whenever he wants, and it'll be easier for him to meet new people since they'll be living with him! Maybe that'd help?

 

[disykat]

I'm a senior in HS, like your son, so I can share his anxiety about dorms (I don't know where I'll be on my campus, though). Well, he can go over and hang out with his friends whenever he wants, and it'll be easier for him to meet new people since they'll be living with him! Maybe that'd help?

Not only will he meet more people, he'll be the place his other friends come to escape!

There were a few people from my high school at my college, but none in my dorm. It was nice to be able to call them and meet for lunch, or go to their dorms to get away from my own. Meanwhile, we each had our own sets of friends - drastically widening our circles pretty quickly in terms of networking etc. They ate in a different cafeteria as well, giving me an excuse to visit there. A chance for variety can become pretty important, especially as your world narrows as you get involved in a specific major etc.

My son is going to a huge school, he applies for dorms later this week. I'm encouraging to be on the same side of campus as his friends, but not necessarily the same dorm.

 

[minkydog]

Holy cow. She just got her financial aid letter? When do you have to let the school know by?

I know she needs the work-study, but one thing to remember about it is that although she will be earning the money throughout the year, it still has to be paid to the school upfront. If she is awarded work study of say $2000, that $2000 will have to be paid before she starts earning anything. In reality, most college students use their work-study funds as pocket money. The pkg. for my daughter's school actually had the lowest work-study amount of all the schools that accepted her, and I saw it as a good thing.

One other thought---sometimes schools have other jobs the students can pursue that are not work-study. She might try calling to see if this is a possibility.

Ok, two thoughts---this whole "expected summer earnings thing" kind of gets me, too. I don't think my daughter will have a job this summer, either. She did have a short term job last summer, but funding for that position has been eliminated. There are just not that many summer jobs available, plus we only have one car, which I need to use. She does not have her license yet, either, so her driving me to work and picking me up so she could use the car would not work , even if she could find a job within my work hours.

Oh, dang, I so lied. Three thoughts. Did she apply kind of late for this particular school? Sometimes work-study funds are doled out before everyone who wants work-study is awarded it. Maybe enough people will change their minds and it will become available. Also, the jobs themselves are not guaranteed. Once on campus, the student has to find a job that fits their schedule. The school usually helps with this, but no one is guaranteed a job.

I hope it works out for your daughter. As I recall, she and her friends really like this school.

DD applied and was accepted last fall. We got our FAFSA done Feb2. This is a state school, one of the less expensive ones in the state. I called the school today to ask about the work-study. The guy told me that they have very limited WS positions--120 jobs for the 5,000 students who qualified. I just laid my cards on the table--DD needs as much financial aid as humanly possible. He put her on a waiting list--she's #9--so that's a hopeful sign. If someone drops out, she might get on.

I took another look at the package today(i was making myself sick over it all weekend.) It looks like the estimated tuition, fees, books, housing, and meal plan is going to run about $7200/semester. Her award--Pell grant, SEOG grant, Subsidized & Unsubsidized Stafford loans--come to about $5,725. So, it's looking better. I think she can come up with the $1300+ that she needs to start. DD has some money saved and she will be getting her SSDI until Apr 2012. So I'm feeling a lot better about it all. I'm hoping she can get a job at our local water park--her friend works there as a life guard and she's hoping that DF can get her on. Crossing my fingers.