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

[SydSim]

I don't have a senior this year, but I have lots of experience with the college application process and can give general help:



I am not a big fan of Early Admission. It's like saying, "I will do anything to attend your school. Don't even consider me for scholarships -- save them for someone who's on the fence about attending your school." Instead, apply by the first deadline and trust that your high school grades will serve you well.

I think with Early Decision, I can see that way of thinking (which is why many families that are full pay and not concerned with any aid at all - merit or need- take advantage of that.) If they are positive that this is their school of choice and if accepted, they will definitely attend, then ED lets the school know that they aren't still searching. It makes their yield higher.

With Early Action, I don't see that attitude. I view it more as "I've got all my ducks in a row already and would appreciate an answer ASAP, so I can get this whole process over already!" Nice to have decisions made early so that there's less stress in the spring and senior year can be more enjoyable at the end!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

My daughter is going for a Pre-Senior Instant Decision Day next week and I'm looking forward to it. If they like her and she qualifies, she'll leave with an acceptance letter and, possibly, a merit award. This is in the in-state school and I'm hoping it goes well. Would be nice to know the pressure is off, that she has somewhere to go (that we both like) and, best of all, it's non-binding on the student.

 

[JeannieNM]

Excellent post! I totally agree. This thread has been so wonderful, and I am fascinated by the incredible range of both experiences and situations of everyone here. We and our kids and their choices are all so different, and that is an awesome thing!! I can't speak for anyone else, but I have learned lots of stuff from y'all, even when the situation is completely different.

In a way, I'm kinda jealous of those of you going to see all these different campuses and have these bonding trips with your '14ers... Not that I could afford it, but it sounds like such great memories being made! And I would love to see some of these campuses. But it is what it is, and my DS is just extremely sure what he wants to do and where he wants to do it. It's not about motivation, believe me, LOL -- he put off writing those essays until right at the last moment. I had to keep reminding him that he was the one who wanted in that new dorm, and so needed to get his app in the day it opened.

So while in one way I'm glad the whole process is done, in another I'm also kinda sad... in the same way that anticipation and planning and research for a trip is half the fun for me. I would love these "final" bonding times with my DS that a lot of you are getting, and I would love the research.

Bottom line is, as Jeannie put it so well, we are all in this together even if the circumstances and situations and challenges and triumphs for each of us are different. I'm just really glad I started this thread -- I was afraid when I did that no one would join it.


My most recent triumph? When we were on campus last weekend I found a t-shirt with Mickey AND Texas A&M on it!! I am quite sure that everyone else in the bookstore did not understand my excitement at ALL... but I figure at least a few of you will.

Thank you for your kind words. Most of all I know I am very thankful you started this thread!!! It is a real help to see what others are doing. Congrats to your son and also on finding the T shirt. The process is not over until they are in thier new dorm. I hope you keep posting. Congrats to your son on being done with his app, etc.

I think with Early Decision, I can see that way of thinking (which is why many families that are full pay and not concerned with any aid at all - merit or need- take advantage of that.) If they are positive that this is their school of choice and if accepted, they will definitely attend, then ED lets the school know that they aren't still searching. It makes their yield higher.

With Early Action, I don't see that attitude. I view it more as "I've got all my ducks in a row already and would appreciate an answer ASAP, so I can get this whole process over already!" Nice to have decisions made early so that there's less stress in the spring and senior year can be more enjoyable at the end!

DD is applying Early Action for the very reasons you mentioned. Only a few of the schools she is applying to offer this. It also serves to get the apps done and out the door so she can focus on other things.

My daughter is going for a Pre-Senior Instant Decision Day next week and I'm looking forward to it. If they like her and she qualifies, she'll leave with an acceptance letter and, possibly, a merit award. This is in the in-state school and I'm hoping it goes well. Would be nice to know the pressure is off, that she has somewhere to go (that we both like) and, best of all, it's non-binding on the student.

Good Luck!!! I hope she gets all she is looking for from this including a merit award. Let us know how it goes

DD starts school tomorrow....

 

[pammypooh]

My DH and DD visited a state school today. I had to work. It was a good bonding road trip for them, and I just got my DD's de-briefing. Seems it was OK, but not her dream school. We still have 3 more visits to do in the next 4 weeks, and we will decide from there if we need to add a couple more on to compare. She already has visited 2 other schools.

Our next two visits are back to back to two small Catholic schools. I am hoping I am able to go with her on this visit.

I think she should go into planning, as she seems to like schools that are laid out in a very well planned and organized manner, instead of throwing up buildings here and there, that are not logically related to what is next door.

Funny what you think is important, and what others (including offspring) think important can be different, but it is all good...that's what makes us each an individual, with a mind of our own.

 

[runwad]

I've been filling out a lot of these recently and my question pertains to the Estimated Self Help section on the results page. It says Student Work and a $ amount. Is that just a regular old job that they need to get their selves or is it the Federal Work Study Program?

I'm thinking it's not the Federal Work Study or it would've been put under the Estimated Grant/Gift Aid section, but not sure. Thanks for any help.

 

[sk!mom]

I've got to tell you, I don't like it! I've seen top students choose to apply to only one school, and, yes, it usually works out. However, I've also seen it turn ugly, usually at the last minute:

Occasionally as the senior year rolls by, that perfect school starts to seem less than appealing. Sometimes the shoe-in scholarship doesn't materialize and the financial aid fairies are unkind, and the school's just a little too expensive. And every now and then the student just plain balks at the last minute and decides he's not ready to leave home. That happened to a friend of mine's son. He'd done all the visiting, etc. and was very excited about college. He went to orientation, registered for classes, and purchased dorm items. But the weekend before he was to move into school, when his mom said, "You should start packing," he announced, "I AM NOT GOING, AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" This was not a boy whom you would've expected to have last minute fears. They scurried around and were able to enroll him in community college for the fall semester, then a university within commuting range for the spring semester.

Incidentally, if you have a daughter, you can count on her having a 2-3 day freak-out in late April or early May (right around the last-day-to-accept-date). For a couple days, she will reconsider every plan she's made, sometimes even to the point of considering not going to college at all. This is totally normal. If you don't feed the flames, if you just remind her that she's made good choices and now it's time to see them through, this will pass quickly. I'd say 90% of my daughter's friends' moms report their daughter went through this phase as high school graduation started to appear real to them.

But back to the OP's comment, I strongly suggest that she apply to at least one more school. Things sometimes change radically during senior year, and you don't want her to be left with only one path ahead of her.

Thanks for your input. Believe me, I've had the same thoughts. DD's second choice is a private school- Baylor. While her first choice is a state school. It is unlikely that finances would work out better at Baylor and possible that she wouldn't even be accepted. We will be visiting Her top choice again this fall.

DD completed the Texas common app yesterday and submitted it to UNT. She's back and forth on whether she will go ahead and apply to Baylor- "just to see."

If the complete freak out you mentioned we're to occur and she refused to go away at all, then I suppose she would stay home and go to the local community college or the local mid level University. Both of these accept students as late as Summer for the coming Fall.

Bottom line, I'm very proud of her and the initiative she has taken to get things done.

 

[TLuvsD]

For the Net Price Calculator, they generally mean any old job the student will have during the summer, etc.

Hope this helps...

 

[JeannieNM]

My DH and DD visited a state school today. I had to work. It was a good bonding road trip for them, and I just got my DD's de-briefing. Seems it was OK, but not her dream school. We still have 3 more visits to do in the next 4 weeks, and we will decide from there if we need to add a couple more on to compare. She already has visited 2 other schools.

Our next two visits are back to back to two small Catholic schools. I am hoping I am able to go with her on this visit.

I think she should go into planning, as she seems to like schools that are laid out in a very well planned and organized manner, instead of throwing up buildings here and there, that are not logically related to what is next door.

Funny what you think is important, and what others (including offspring) think important can be different, but it is all good...that's what makes us each an individual, with a mind of our own.

Glad DD and DH had a good trip. We need to squeeze a couple more visits in too. The geography is killing us though. Looks like we will be flying back to Los Angeles, we flew in and out of there several times this summer but only managed to see one school, Loyola Marymount, which DD is applying too.

For those of us who started senior year this week, I hope it all went well!!!!

 

[Gina]

Hi all, just checking in to say hi and see how everyone's '14ers are doing! Apps going well? Any noteworthy school visits? Any acceptances yet?

Mine is getting pretty nostalgic at this point... a couple of days ago he said, "Wow, this is the last week of my last summer as a high schooler!" And to think he was the one teasing me a few months ago for being sentimental about this upcoming school year...

Tonight is the first band booster meeting of the year, and the parent preview night where we finally get to see the marching show for this year and see the fruits of their labors for the past month. School starts Monday for him, first football game is next Friday, and thus ends relaxed life as we know it as marching season officially begins, lol. My last marching season!!

Hope y'all and your offspring are well... here's to a GREAT Senior year for all of them!!


-gina-

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Went for Instant Decision Day yesterday. Loved it! She got her acceptance letter and a $5k scholarship. They also leave the scholarship open so when she takes the SAT again in October, if she moves up another level (20 points), they'll raise her scholarship to $7k. If she somehow, miraculously moves up 120 points, they'll raise to scholarship to $11k! Non-binding, she has until May 2014 to send in her acceptance response and deposit. Wow, this is definitely the way to go if it's offered.

She still wants to see Coastal Carolina in SC but she really was happy with yesterday and said she'd be happy going to school there.

Band camp was this week. The band looks great; color guard not so much. They're far behind learning their work. Still working on the first song while the band is already on their third song. They also gave a duet to one co-captain and a girl who won't be in band camp all week; her spot during the first song is also on the 50 yard line. That ought to be a train wreck when she gets back.

All that aside, DD is loving being back with her band friends and doesn't mind the long days of band camp. She had me bring her there as soon as we got home from the college yesterday. Didn't want to miss a moment of it.

School starts for us on September 4. I feel like I'm approaching the steepest hill on a rollercoaster. Once September 4 gets here, the ride will begin.

 

[elgerber]

My dd is only applying to one school, and she has been trying since late June, but they still don't have fall 2014 open on their website.
I am having such a hard time wtih the thought of her leaving I sob several times a week. I know it's not rational, but I just can't help it, the thought of not seeing her face every day is making me crazy!!
We just did a trip to Disney, all 4 of us went, me,dh, dd and ds 20. That last night, and the morning we left for home, I was such a mess!
I am so excited for her, but it's going to be the death of me .
She starts school on the 3rd, I"m sure that will make me cry too, first last day of high school LOL. At least she has her own car now, so I won't have to try to keep it together all the way to school.

 

[madge]

Hi all, just checking in to say hi and see how everyone's '14ers are doing!

we're 2 weeks into the school year .... so far, so good. DS still has a 4.0 Grades haven't posted from yesterday's Physics test, though ... so, we'll see how things are after that

Signed up for the Sept 21 ACT. DS would like to add a point or two to his score, but if he doesn't, I don't think it will be the end of the world.

No applications sent yet. Have 2 visits (University of Louisville & Bellarmine) next month.

 

[PrincessNancy96]

This is day #6 of SENIOR year!

We got DS17's acceptance letter July 25th! So before his senior year officially started; we already knew where he will be attending college... Next up is to put his housing deposit down! He can do online orientation and then we will go register for classes hopefully in April...

Senior photos are done and back.. They are great!!! Just need to do some soccer photos in his away uniform but the coaches have misplaced his away uniform top...they were all together at the end of the year.. Mom is going to go search the shed tomorrow and find it myself w/ DS17 of course.

We have paid all expenses for fall 2013 except for Graduation items (announcements/cap-n- gown/ stole), need to pay for Senior ad in yearbook when we get that email shortly... Looks like the only out of pocket expense left after January will be spring 2013 college ACP classes (dual credit thru the HS) and prom!

Hope everyone has a great SENIOR year and enjoy every moment!! This is our 4th SENIOR year.. (third in a row) and we are just as excited now as we were with the other 3! Also helps that we have a party in WDW scheduled for after graduation!

 

[JeannieNM]

How is everyone doing?

DD is working on apps and essays but none are complete yet.

I went through a bit of a panic over four of her five choices being highly competitive schools but now she is considering a few safety schools so I feel better.

Lots of EC stuff going on and it is fun. It's only been 3 weeks of school but it seems like a lot longer as so much was packed into those 3 weeks.

She is doing senior photos next week. Hopefully, by then at least one app will be done.

PrincessNancy- 4 in a row that is a lot. Congrats on your DS acceptance and being done with the process.

 

[Bluestars]

All my son has been thinking about is college. He's been working on applications for hours and hours over the past month.

He has already visited a school in Washington, DC and one in the state we live in. We are flying to New York this month and then Texas the first weekend of October. Then he will visit another in-state school in October and I think that will do it for college visits. He has a list of the ones he likes, but will know more after the visits.

He is taking the ACT test again in Sept and I signed him up for the Oct one too. That will probably be his last ACT test. He already has a good score, but it doesn't hurt to try for a better one. Some schools super score, so taking it more often is beneficial.

He gets his senior pictures taken tomorrow. I have a feeling this year will fly by.

 

[elgerber]

First day of school here. First day driving to school. Yeah, I was a wreck this morning LOL. And we are having computer issues trying to get her online AP calc class going on a laptop. Oy. Hopefully I will sleep better tonight now that day one is out of the way.
She has submitted her application for the only school she is interested in. I don't know how long it takes to get the acceptance. Do they ever email or only mail them out? Pictures are done, I already have the prints back, so that is out of the way. I don't want this year to fly by but I know it will.

 

[madge]

Lets see ... invites to Saturday "get acquainted" events from 2 schools on this list. These appear to be targeted to honors program eligible students & more involved than the general campus walk-throughs I'm familiar with. Started working on one app that can be turned in before the end of the semester, but it doesn't seem to be a priority (fine by me)

Extra curricular activities & homework are the focus ... which is as it should be.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

Went for Instant Decision Day yesterday. Loved it! She got her acceptance letter and a $5k scholarship. They also leave the scholarship open so when she takes the SAT again in October, if she moves up another level (20 points), they'll raise her scholarship to $7k. If she somehow, miraculously moves up 120 points, they'll raise to scholarship to $11k! Non-binding, she has until May 2014 to send in her acceptance response and deposit. Wow, this is definitely the way to go if it's offered.

Congratulations on your DD's acceptance! The Instant Decision Day sounds like a great program - and such stress reliever! Unfortunately none of the schools DS is looking at have anything like that. Which school was this?

My dd is only applying to one school, and she has been trying since late June, but they still don't have fall 2014 open on their website.
I am having such a hard time wtih the thought of her leaving I sob several times a week. I know it's not rational, but I just can't help it, the thought of not seeing her face every day is making me crazy!!
We just did a trip to Disney, all 4 of us went, me,dh, dd and ds 20. That last night, and the morning we left for home, I was such a mess!
I am so excited for her, but it's going to be the death of me .
She starts school on the 3rd, I"m sure that will make me cry too, first last day of high school LOL. At least she has her own car now, so I won't have to try to keep it together all the way to school.

We just got back from Disney too, and I can relate! I was crying so much in those last few days as I realized I couldn't book a BB because for the first time in forever I had no clue what next year's schedule will be like, which led to the panic that this is our last family trip to the World, and he would be leaving, etc. etc. etc. Yes, I know I was being overly dramatic, but it's just so hard to think about him not being here all the time.

This is day #6 of SENIOR year!

We got DS17's acceptance letter July 25th! So before his senior year officially started; we already knew where he will be attending college... Next up is to put his housing deposit down! He can do online orientation and then we will go register for classes hopefully in April...

Hope everyone has a great SENIOR year and enjoy every moment!! This is our 4th SENIOR year.. (third in a row) and we are just as excited now as we were with the other 3! Also helps that we have a party in WDW scheduled for after graduation!

Congratulations to your son! Where will he be going? I have a question about applying that early. My DS has pretty much finished his applications except for the parts that are required by his school, which doesn't even begin until tomorrow (well, today is orientation). How did he have his transcript and letters of recommendation, etc. all set to go?

All my son has been thinking about is college. He's been working on applications for hours and hours over the past month.

He has already visited a school in Washington, DC and one in the state we live in. We are flying to New York this month and then Texas the first weekend of October. Then he will visit another in-state school in October and I think that will do it for college visits. He has a list of the ones he likes, but will know more after the visits.

He is taking the ACT test again in Sept and I signed him up for the Oct one too. That will probably be his last ACT test. He already has a good score, but it doesn't hurt to try for a better one. Some schools super score, so taking it more often is beneficial.

He gets his senior pictures taken tomorrow. I have a feeling this year will fly by.

Where in NY will you be looking? We are on Long Island near NYC if I can answer any questions!

First day of school here. First day driving to school. Yeah, I was a wreck this morning LOL. And we are having computer issues trying to get her online AP calc class going on a laptop. Oy. Hopefully I will sleep better tonight now that day one is out of the way.
She has submitted her application for the only school she is interested in. I don't know how long it takes to get the acceptance. Do they ever email or only mail them out? Pictures are done, I already have the prints back, so that is out of the way. I don't want this year to fly by but I know it will.

I hope you hear back soon! And I'm going to ask you the same question I asked a few posts up....how was she able to have the school parts of her app ready to go before school opens up?

*************************************************

Today is DS's orientation for an hour and then school starts tomorrow. I'm so excited for this year, and so worried it will fly by too quickly! He is my oldest so this is all new to us, and I just can't believe we are here already!

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Congratulations to your son! Where will he be going? I have a question about applying that early. My DS has pretty much finished his applications except for the parts that are required by his school, which doesn't even begin until tomorrow (well, today is orientation). How did he have his transcript and letters of recommendation, etc. all set to go?

As for applying; USI did not require references. His transcript was ready through Parchment (it's a program the school utilizes that is all electronic).. We also had previously submitted SAT and ACTs directly to his top choices. So everything was there with in a matter of a day or two.

We did have references ready to go. We, I should say HE, had already contacted teachers, friends, coaches and all he had to do was email or call them so that they could submit.

 

[elgerber]

I hope you hear back soon! And I'm going to ask you the same question I asked a few posts up....how was she able to have the school parts of her app ready to go before school opens up?

*************************************************

Sorry, I totally missed that. They have an online app, and part of that app is selecting the term you are applying for. You can save the app and come back later. So, she saved it in June and kept checking back to see if they had added fall of 2014 yet.