High School Class of 2016/College Class 2020

[magsmum]

DS is anxiously awaiting the next round of acceptances. He applied to 11 schools (many with waived admissions fees). In December he was notified that he got into all four schools that he applied to early action- all with merit money. Less than stellar financial aid packages that have us contributing well over the FAFSA EFC. Financial aid is important to us- DH is now working a second job to help cover costs. DS and I did a quick trip to one of the schools for an interview as the admission counselor contacted us about wanting to advocate for DS for the honors program/top merit scholarship and requested the interview- it went extremely well so looking forward to hearing back from that school, but I anticipate there will be rejections in the next round. DS' top school will meet 100% of need but it is a reach. I have reminded him to keep his grades high as if he lands on the waitlist for that school, he can submit his third quarter grades. April will be brutal as we travel to accepted students days and DS, who does not have an easy time making decisions, has to choose his school. There are school I'm pretty sure he won't go to, but he's not ready to take them off the list at this point.

No prom for DS- his school does a Junior Prom and he went last year. However, DD, a sophomore, has been invited to the Junior Prom. She is very artistic and is going with a group of artsy kids. She is planning to design her dress and have a good friend make it. Her friend is already making a bunch of dresses for other kids and has a nice side business going. DD's plan for her own Junior Prom next year is to design another dress, have this friend make it, and then DD will hand paint it. Could be spectacularly gorgeous if they can pull it off and possibly would be considered as part of her art portfolio.

DS has ordered his cap and gown. Graduation will be here before we know it.

 

[punkin]

April is brutal for us too....accepted student trips for DD and college trip for junior Niece.

 

[MomofKatie]

Found out today that DS was awarded a Presidential Scholarship at one of his top-choice schools!!! It's for full tuition ($40,000 per year) plus an enrichment stipend! We are sooooo excited!!!

He still has not heard from his other top-choice school...but I know that he will NOT be given that kind of package there, lol. Yesterday they sent an email saying their acceptance letters would be mailed starting next week....after months of waiting, it's pretty scary to think that all is about to be revealed.

Big decisions in the next few weeks! .

Congratulations to your DS and you- that is a big accomplishment!!!

DD is still waiting to hear from 4 schools, including her #1 pick (it is a reach, and she understands that, but it would be pretty awesome to get in). She got a full tuition scholarship plus extra $$ for majoring in engineering at her #2 school- great for us, financially!!

Only 2 more weeks or so, then we will start the final decision making process.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I have a question about transfer credits. My daughter decided on a college down south. Another friend of hers was accepted, but declined, because he found out the school only had a regional transfer policy. I'm concerned that if my daughter doesn't like it after a year and wants to transfer, she will lose her credits. How do I find this out on a school's website?

 

[Mom2DDs]

Found out today that DS was awarded a Presidential Scholarship at one of his top-choice schools!!! It's for full tuition ($40,000 per year) plus an enrichment stipend! We are sooooo excited!!!

He still has not heard from his other top-choice school...but I know that he will NOT be given that kind of package there, lol. Yesterday they sent an email saying their acceptance letters would be mailed starting next week....after months of waiting, it's pretty scary to think that all is about to be revealed.

Big decisions in the next few weeks!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! That's fantastic!

 

[MomofKatie]

I think it would be more up to the college your DD would transfer TO, rather than the one she is transferring FROM what credits they will accept or not. You should be able to find out how credits transfer on the school's site under the "applications for transfer students" section.

 

[punkin]

I have a question about transfer credits. My daughter decided on a college down south. Another friend of hers was accepted, but declined, because he found out the school only had a regional transfer policy. I'm concerned that if my daughter doesn't like it after a year and wants to transfer, she will lose her credits. How do I find this out on a school's website?

It depends on the school she would transfer into.

 

[coneeny4]

Found out today that DS was awarded a Presidential Scholarship at one of his top-choice schools!!! It's for full tuition ($40,000 per year) plus an enrichment stipend! We are sooooo excited!!!

He still has not heard from his other top-choice school...but I know that he will NOT be given that kind of package there, lol. Yesterday they sent an email saying their acceptance letters would be mailed starting next week....after months of waiting, it's pretty scary to think that all is about to be revealed.

Big decisions in the next few weeks!

Great news!! Congrats!!

 

[jetskigrl]

Found out today that DS was awarded a Presidential Scholarship at one of his top-choice schools!!! It's for full tuition ($40,000 per year) plus an enrichment stipend! We are sooooo excited!!!

He still has not heard from his other top-choice school...but I know that he will NOT be given that kind of package there, lol. Yesterday they sent an email saying their acceptance letters would be mailed starting next week....after months of waiting, it's pretty scary to think that all is about to be revealed.

Big decisions in the next few weeks!

Congratulations!!!! That is awesome!

 

[Ariel Wanna-be]

Congratulations to your DS and you- that is a big accomplishment!!!

DD is still waiting to hear from 4 schools, including her #1 pick (it is a reach, and she understands that, but it would be pretty awesome to get in). She got a full tuition scholarship plus extra $$ for majoring in engineering at her #2 school- great for us, financially!!

Only 2 more weeks or so, then we will start the final decision making process.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! That's fantastic!

Great news!! Congrats!!

Congratulations!!!! That is awesome!

Thank you...we are very excited!

Now I just have to prepare for the fact that he will be so far away.

I would never, ever, ever let him know, but it is tearing my heart out!!

Is anyone else trying to "keep it together"? I know that it is for the best, and that should make it easier, but it doesn't, lol!

 

[MomofKatie]

Small update- DD got her financial aid offer from our large state university (they are one of only a small handful of public state universities that cover 100% of demonstrated need- apparently, they have a large private endowment). She got a small grant and a small loan. Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised she got as much as she did- I really wasn't expecting anything!

 

[punkin]

I'm not keeping it together at all. DD tried on her cap and gown and sent me a selfie. I cried so hard...

 

[MomofKatie]

I'm not keeping it together at all. DD tried on her cap and gown and sent me a selfie. I cried so hard...

OMG, I did the same thing! It is so hard seeing them grow into capable, amazing adults, even though that is what we raised them to be.

 

[punkin]

DD's number 1 choice (and my alma mater) wait-listed her. I'm not sure how to deal with it. I guess it was always a long-shot, but I really thought she had a chance. DD on the other hand is ecstatic. She was positive she could never get in at all, so a wait list is a huge achievement in her eyes and she still has a chance to get in. On the bright side, she was invited to audition for a small music scholarship at her current top choice she already got into. More money is good. We are still waiting for several schools and it looks like we will be making decisions well past May when the wait-list stuff happens. Sigh!

 

[PlutoPony]

DD's number 1 choice (and my alma mater) wait-listed her. I'm not sure how to deal with it. I guess it was always a long-shot, but I really thought she had a chance.

You should be able to get a sense of whether they actually take students from the wait list or not. The information is in Common Data Set if the school participates in that (section C - First time First Year Freshman Admission, section C2 gives very specific info on wait lists) and looking at the last couple year's info on this is helpful. If CDS isn't used, try College Confidential. My son was put on a waitlist for a specific very competitive major but was accepted to the school in his 2nd choice major. The school hasn't taken someone from the major's wait list in 3 years so we knew not to even consider that a possibility and decide up front whether he wanted to start out there in his 2nd choice.

Good luck!

 

[punkin]

You should be able to get a sense of whether they actually take students from the wait list or not. The information is in Common Data Set if the school participates in that (section C - First time First Year Freshman Admission, section C2 gives very specific info on wait lists) and looking at the last couple year's info on this is helpful. If CDS isn't used, try College Confidential. My son was put on a waitlist for a specific very competitive major but was accepted to the school in his 2nd choice major. The school hasn't taken someone from the major's wait list in 3 years so we knew not to even consider that a possibility and decide up front whether he wanted to start out there in his 2nd choice.

Good luck!

Last year this school had over 2000 kids on the wait-list and ultimately offered admission to a 100. Not good odds.

 

[Monykalyn]

Congrats on those who have made a decision and got money to help
DD got her financial aid package from Mines-not good-even with scholarship will be $15k/semester(out of state tuition). Soooo-looking like that is out. She is still waiting to hear about other choice-but it will still be much more affordable. Her science teacher (who encouraged her to apply to Mines) even told her to go to an affordable school-she can still do grad work at Mines (with a job hopefully paying for the schooling). On the plus side-her other choice is closer to home AND she will have more study abroad opportunities which she really wants to do. She has been on chat boards with potential roommates so she is feeling better about it

She still hasn't got her grad announcements from Jostens yet-anyone else order from them?

 

[punkin]

Congrats on those who have made a decision and got money to help
DD got her financial aid package from Mines-not good-even with scholarship will be $15k/semester(out of state tuition). Soooo-looking like that is out.

I'm confused...did she get 15K or will it cost you 15k? Either way, I'm glad she has other good choices.

My DD now has another wait list (now 2 altogether), another acceptance with money (it's one of her top choices-now 5 altogether) and 4 rejections. We are still waiting for more schools to come in with 2 if her top choices still out.

 

[Monykalyn]

I'm confused...did she get 15K or will it cost you 15k? Either way, I'm glad she has other good choices.

My DD now has another wait list (now 2 altogether), another acceptance with money (it's one of her top choices-now 5 altogether) and 4 rejections. We are still waiting for more schools to come in with 2 if her top choices still out.

Yay for money!! Hopefully other schools come through for her

it is Cost $15k per semester (she got a $12k per year scholarship)-so $30k a year out of pocket....

 

[punkin]

$30k out of pocket is the range we are looking at...the lowest right now is $25k with a high of $36k. I'm in shock.