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

[IDoDis]

After months of applications, essays, arts supplements, and auditions DD selected a school and we put down a deposit last night for the school. We can now breath a sigh of relief!!!.

Yay! That's great news! Congratulations on a decision made. Now you can start planning the fun stuff!

We drive up next week for a day long orientation and to register for classes! Yikes!!!
Her school offered a new Facebook program called roomsync, that shows you kids with the same likes you have. She didn't want to try it, because she is going to live in the film studies learning community, so she figured with only a small group of kids in the community she wouldn't find a roommate that way. I suggested she at least sign up and maybe just meet some kids, and by the next day she had a roommate LOL. They have all the same interests, both theater kids, love all the same shows, they both played Lucy in Charlie Brown last year. So just like that, instant roomate.
She also found two girls in the film program from Germany and Atlanta! Go figure that people would come up here for Film. The Atlanta girl is going to be in for a rude awakening come next winter though LOL.

What a great story! It sounds like they will be a great match for each other. Is roomsync on Facebook? I think that's the program that DD will be using. We filled out the dorm application and paid a deposit, but haven't heard anything back about how to sign up for the roommate selection. I will have to call and find out. I suppose we need to go in and sign a lease. The dorm application didn't say anything about next steps.

We are winding down also. She has a pretty easy semester this time, 3 college classes and band. We went to an accepted student day at OU and found out by her second semester next year she will be considered a sophomore And she may be eligible to work in a lab and make $10/hr Prom dress and grad dress bought, party almost planned, roommates selected, room assigning starts next week ( she is the first round ). She just signed up for her 2 day college orientation in June. Whew!

And congrats to all our kids!

It sounds like everything is right on track. That's awesome that she has such a great head start with her credits. DD is taking her first dual enrollment class this last semester. She says now she wishes she had taken more of them instead of all of the AP classes because the college class is easier and she wouldn't be having cram for AP tests after she's already done with school in May.

I haven't updated about our progress in getting to graduation and off to college in a while because of some family issues that have come up in the past couple of weeks (my Mom passed away suddenly two weeks ago). But here I am with a lot of BIG updates

We put the deposit down for the in state school that offered the free tutuion scholarship that DD kept saying she would NOT go to because it was a school 'for losers and stoners'. We told her that if she found a full tuition scholarship to her first school she could go there instead (she still has not filled out a SINGLE scholarship application). I knew that eventually she would come around and realize that the full tuition scholarship school was a GOOD solid option for her.

So one day, out of the blue she came home from school and was super excited about the school because she found out that she could major in Theater with a concentration on the technical stuff (she loves the backstage stuff!!) in addition to the chemistry major she was considering. So now she's all gung ho about the school and her double major. Whatever, as long as she has an academic major, I'm good with that.

She also found out that the dorm for the 'living learning community' (for the honors program) is one of few dorms that has air conditioning, and she can opt for a suite instead of a regular double room. Hopefully she will get a suite (they have 4 single rooms and a common area plus a bathroom), but we haven't gotten confirmation on that yet.

Furthermore, she announced to me (on that same day) that she has decided to go to the prom with her group of friends, despite her earlier insistence that she was not going to go. So now I need to take her shopping for a prom dress. But she says she's NOT going to wear a dress...so I don't know what she thinks she's going to wear....that might be very interesting... Does anyone know of any girls that haven't worn a dress to a prom??

On top of that, our local Board Of Ed has decided to shorten our local school calendar from our normal 184 days to the state mandated 180 days, so we have 4 less days to make up. That means that the last day of school will now be earlier, only June 24th instead of June 30. So now we know for sure that graduation will be on June 24th.

We have also scheduled college orientation. All the public schools in our state end in mid-June, yet the state college she is attending have two day orientations in late may/june. So she's going to have to miss two days of school to attend the orientation. That seems so weird to me because when I had my college orientation (back in the days when the dinosaurs roamed the earth), orientation was the week before classes started. Anyway, we had a conflict with all but one of the orientation dates...they all either interfered with senior outing, graduation, or finals, except for ONE of them. So that's the one she's going to.

Tomorrow she's going to accepted students day. I just hope she enjoys it.

That's great that she decided to go with the full tuition scholarship. It's strange that orientation is so early when seniors are still in school. Maybe the schools in your area get out later than most schools in your state. How did the "accepted students day" go? We never had orientation back in my dinosaur days of college. If we did, I never knew about it. I just used a campus map and figured out where I needed to be. Now college orientations seem to be a requirement for all incoming freshmen.

I have been battling a bad virus and am now at the stage where I don't have a voice. Good thing it's a weekend and I don't have to teach! Today is the first day that I've felt like I'm getting my energy back.

I have a question about spending money. Will everyone give their kid a certain amount of money each month? DH and I don't want DD to work her first year so that she can focus on being a student. She's been saving half of each paycheck so that she'll have a nest egg for spending money, but she also wants to save up for a different car because the one she has probably won't last her through the next 8 years of school. When she asked me if we'd be giving her any money each month, I said, "Have you ever heard of the phrase 'poor starving college student?' Well, you're going to be one!"

Of course I know we'll end up helping her, but I'm not sure how much, so I'm wondering what everyone else is doing. I guess the more income one has, the more they can give, but just getting a general idea would help.

 

[scrapquitler]

As it turns out, the accepted students day today was more of another tour with q&a sessions and a student life expo that my DD said seemed more like a "we are trying to convince anyone who hasn't decided yet" kind of thing. She did like that she got to meet the director of the theater program and talk to her for a while and DD clarified some of her questions about the honors program with that office, so it wasn't a waste of time. She was disappointed to find out that even though the building she will be in has suites, she can't be in one, she will have to be in a double. I do think it will be a good experience for her, and it is less expensive.

 

[scrapquitler]

My dd doesn't have a job now, and won't while she is at school. She is pretty low maintenance as far as clothes go, and she doesn't wear makeup, so I don't think she will need that much cash during the semester. She will be on a meal plan that includes unlimited meals in the dining hall, an allowance for something like 6 meals/snacks per week at the campus fast food places outside of the cafeteria and $150 credit per semester toward laundry, vending machines and off campus area restaurants. And she will only be 20 minutes from home, so I can keep her supplied with toiletries, snacks, etc easily. So I don't anticipate her needing much extra cash at all. I'll probably give her something like $150 at the beginning of the semester and hope for the best, but of course I'll probably still give her $10 or $20 once in a while if she needs it.

 

[Bluestars]

I have a question about spending money. Will everyone give their kid a certain amount of money each month? DH and I don't want DD to work her first year so that she can focus on being a student. She's been saving half of each paycheck so that she'll have a nest egg for spending money, but she also wants to save up for a different car because the one she has probably won't last her through the next 8 years of school. When she asked me if we'd be giving her any money each month, I said, "Have you ever heard of the phrase 'poor starving college student?' Well, you're going to be one!"

Of course I know we'll end up helping her, but I'm not sure how much, so I'm wondering what everyone else is doing. I guess the more income one has, the more they can give, but just getting a general idea would help.

I believe with my son's ROTC scholarship he will get something monthly from them beginning with $250 per month his freshman year and increasing each year. If that is the case, then I don't think I will need to give him additional money. He will be on a meal plan and his laundry fee will be included in his tuition. I definitely don't want him to work because he will be very busy between keeping up with the cadet program, school, and other activities.

If he does not get money from the ROTC scholarship, then we will give him a monthly allowance. He has to keep up his GPA to keep his scholarship, which saves us a ton of money, so I want him to concentrate on his school work.

 

[elgerber]

Yes, the Roomsync is a Facebook app, really cool actually.

I am not sure on spending money. She does not have a job now, because she is in rehearsal daily from November through mid May, with another week in June. I don't think anyone will hire her for the summer with our week long vacation and her moving in mid August. I know my DH wants her to work, but being first year, I am not so sure. She also has to apprentice 5 hours a week for her scholarship, so adding a job on top of that seems like not the greatest idea to me.

 

[sk!mom]

My DD is insistent that she will be getting a job at school. She can't imagine why she wouldn't. Her frame of reference is a high school experience of an AP class heavy load along with 15 hours a week of ballet study and compared to that she thinks a 15 hour course load sounds easy. If she works then we will let her cover spending money. If she doesn't, we'll continue her allowance. We will continue to cover all other expenses.

She did decide to quit ballet at the first of March. She won't be pursuing dance in college and with 4 AP tests looming it just didn't make sense to her to dance 15 hours a week anymore. Her teachers were fairly upset but she let them know before rehearsals for the final ballet of the season had started although she had already been cast. I have to say that at first I was disappointed that she wouldn't be in the final ballet but when all is said and done and she is leaving soon, I have loved having her home more. No doubt that it was the right decision for her.

Her college doesn't start orientation until June and she is signed up for the first one.

 

[Pembo]

DS has had a job for 2 years and saves EVERY $. He barely spends $20/week. The plan has always been for him NOT to work at college. He will continue to be responsible for his own spending money and we'll help with what he needs.

scrap - congrats to you and your dd for picking the full tuition school

elgerber - the Roomsync app sounds very cool, ds's school is small and
freshman all go in one of 2 dorms. DS picked to be in an academic cluster.

Sk! - sad about not seeing the final ballet but glad you are enjoying more time with your dd

Blue- the ROTC thing scares me personally but what a great experience for your ds

 

[Bluestars]

Blue- the ROTC thing scares me personally but what a great experience for your ds

I am embarrassed to say that I have tried to talk him out of it over 50 times. It's what he wants to do though. As long as it's his dream, I am happy that he won the scholarship to cover all of his tuition all four years.

I admire all of the young men and women who choose this path. It's not an easy one. But yeah, if he changed his mind I wouldn't be upset.

 

[IDoDis]

Hmmm...Okay so maybe enough to go see a movie, go off campus to eat with friends once in a while, get Starbucks, or needs something from Target. Anything over that would have to come out of her own savings which would include clothes. We'll still pay for her gas, but she won't need to use much gas. Her car will pretty much be parked. She'll probably come home a couple of weekends a month since it's only a 30 min. drive.

The dorm she chose currently charges for laundry, but there's rumors that laundry may be included next year because the other dorms have free laundry, but they don't have their own workout gym in the same building and her dorm does. So, I will be able to cancel her current gym membership which will save $35 a month.

Does everyone have to pay for orientation? DD's was $175. I don't know if that's included in the yearly tuition/fees or if it's an extra fee. We didn't pay and just said to take it out of her scholarship $$. There was no mention of it until DD signed up online. She wanted to go to the first session to get the best class schedule, but we are going to be on vacation that week. and will be returning the following week on the same day the next orientation starts, so those first two weeks would not work for her. She'll be going in mid-June.

 

[Pembo]

I am embarrassed to say that I have tried to talk him out of it over 50 times. It's what he wants to do though. As long as it's his dream, I am happy that he won the scholarship to cover all of his tuition all four years.

I admire all of the young men and women who choose this path. It's not an easy one. But yeah, if he changed his mind I wouldn't be upset.

Don't be embarrassed! I honestly don't want my boys anywhere near anything military and my bf's hubs is an officer in the Marines. I respect what your ds wants to do but I would try and talk him out of it too.

IDoDis - Orientation is free and we get lunch.

 

[IDoDis]

IDoDis - Orientation is free and we get lunch.

Nice!! I wasn't expecting the extra $$. DD's is 2 days with meals and an overnight stay. I found it interesting though that there was never a mention of this "mandatory" event with the extra fee for freshmen in any of the literature. The two mailers DD received just gave the starting date when she could go online to sign up along with the web address.

There was a family choice which added more $$ and included activities for parents, but since DH and I both attended there and I worked there a few years ago, we felt there was no need for us to go through the orientation, too. A friend of DD's is going the same weekend, so they are hoping they can room together.

 

[elgerber]

Nice!! I wasn't expecting the extra $$. DD's is 2 days with meals and an overnight stay. I found it interesting though that there was never a mention of this "mandatory" event with the extra fee for freshmen in any of the literature. The two mailers DD received just gave the starting date when she could go online to sign up along with the web address.

There was a family choice which added more $$ and included activities for parents, but since DH and I both attended there and I worked there a few years ago, we felt there was no need for us to go through the orientation, too. A friend of DD's is going the same weekend, so they are hoping they can room together.

If it's mandatory, you'd think they would just slip it into the tuition and fees.
Ours is free, but there is no overnight or anything. Just a full day of registration, lectures, lunch, tours etc. Of course it's a two night hotel stay for us LOL, since we are 3 hours away and it starts at 8 am Friday morning.

I have to say the ROTC would scare the beejesus out of me, but I have the utmost respect for kids that can do that!!! My husbands cousins dd, who graduated last year, just graduated from basic training in the air force this week. My kids would never go for anything like that, they wouldn't make it an hour.

 

[bittybabygrower]

Ours is free too...if you want to consider it free for the price of our tuition lol It is a day and a half, they put them in a dorm and they eat in the dining hall. They meet with their advisor, set up classes, they can open a bank account with the campus credit union and get settled with financial for their student accounts for laundry etc. I am taking DD and her BFF, they are meeting the other two roomies down there. I will be in a nice hotel for 2 nights as it is a 4 hour drive down.

My DD is considering ROTC. She is going to speak to the campus rep about the airforce.

 

[Bluestars]

My DD is considering ROTC. She is going to speak to the campus rep about the airforce.

If your daughter is still interested after speaking to the campus rep, then it may be possible for her to eventually get a scholarship at the school. It is too late to apply for the national scholarships, but I heard that schools may give out 2, 3, 3 1/2, and even 4 year scholarships. Of course it all depends on how much money their ROTC has available, but I've read about many kids getting these types of scholarships.

My son's new student conference is for the students and parents. It lasts two days, so we have three nights at a hotel. They have events all day long for both days. There are even pre-conference events the day before, but we aren't going to be able to attend that part. The kids get their student IDs, sign up for a mailbox if they want, sign up for classes, reserve books, and learn about everything else they need to know about the school.

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I have a DD in college now.. we give her 50 every 2 weeks to live on...and she survives with extra... (she also has some extra saved from work during the summer/breaks too)..

We plan to give 50 every 2 weeks to DS next year too... (he will also have some extra money from working this summer/breaks)...

The kids do not work during the school year as we have told them their job is their education...

Orientation is free (we do have to pay for a hotel for 1 night because we are 3 hours away) but they get us with a matriculation fee (100.00) for "welcome week" activities that comes in on the tuition bill. (it is also a 1 time fee just your freshman year).


ETA: It's funny.. my kids made fun of me using coupons as they grew up... but now my DD won't buy a thing unless it is on sale or has a coupon! She is Miss Bargain shopper.. her friends take her with them because she can find the best sales.. She got 75.00 shirts last weekend for 3.00! She said she would never have paid the regular prices but $3.00 was do-able!

 

[madge]

It's strange that orientation is so early when seniors are still in school.

the University of Kentucky & Western Kentucky University have already started advising sessions for admitted students -- Summer O at Murray State University (also in Kentucky) for honors students is next Friday. Those are just the ones I know of ... I'm sure other schools in-state have similar schedules.

The way it seems to work here is advising/scheduling in the spring, and then a freshman orientation type event over the summer.

 

[Gina]

I know that for my son's best friend, heading to Sam Houston State University, he has already registered for classes. Registration for my son will be at the two-day New Student Conference in June, like Bluestars talked about. It's pretty cool, really -- they have lots of "together" stuff for the students and parents, but lots of separate stuff too like seminars on transitioning us parents into this new world of having a college student, introductions to the Aggie Moms Club, etc. We're both looking forward to it. I think it was $100 for my son, and $45 for me.

Re jobs: DS has worked 20-30 hours/week for a good year and a half already, and is aiming for a work study job there on campus. A WS job would allow more flexibility with his class schedule and won't hit his finaid the same way.
His big Terry Foundation interview, the final step, was Monday. He felt it went well, so fingers crossed! It was in front of a panel that consisted of 5 alumni of the program, plus the Foundation President. They said they would let everyone know, yay or nay, in about 2 weeks.

I wish I could sleep until then -- I have about chewed all my fingernails off over this. I know it's a very competitive scholarship, but we can't help but hope. The weight off my shoulders if he somehow got it would be beyond words. Fingers and toes crossed!

 

[Bluestars]

Gina, good luck to your son. I hope he gets the scholarship.

My son had prom last night and had a wonderful time. I think all that's left is a senior breakfast, senior banquet, and then graduation. Gosh, it's hard to believe that he graduates five weeks from yesterday.

His graduation announcements came in and were handed out at school, but he forgot to bring them home.

 

[Pembo]

Prom last night here too. DS took a friend and said it very underwhelming. Two band concerts and we're done.

 

[Gina]

Ohmygod, he got it! HE GOT THE SCHOLARSHIP!!! He's officially a Terry Scholar!! He said he almost cried at work when he got the email... I just had to share it with you guys. We still can't believe it!! *dancedance*