Parents of the Class of 2019

[lovesdumbo]

My DD HS class of 2017 from MA is going to a school in upstate NY 360 miles from home, 7 hours 15 min right now with traffic. Her school is about 40 miles from nearby city. She can take a public bus or at school closings chartered school bus to the rail station or airport. If we book early enough can often get $64 non stop air fare. We can get her home pretty easily. BUT the one thing we didn't think of was that nothing leaves Boston early enough to get her to the city before last bus to school and 40 miles is just a bit far to ask a friend to get her. She would love to drive but I don't want her going that far alone. I don't want to send her further from home in the winter to get an connecting earlier flight. So last year for Thanksgiving, Christmas & Spring break we drove her to Albany to get a train that would get her back early enough. That's still 380 miles for us roundtrip to Albany in one day. This year she doesn't want the hassle of coming home for Thanksgiving. We'll miss her but I get it.

Her brother class of 2019 is looking at a different school in upstate NY 380 miles from home, 9 hours with traffic. 127 miles from DD's school. I don't even know where the nearest airport would be there. He's also looking at 2 FL schools. I'm thinking they might be easier to get to.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

We’re headed to Gunnison Halloweeen. DD wants to visit Western State CO U. Hope I can get over Monarch Pass without snow LOL

Given that Coloradans design their kids' Halloween costumes around their winter coats, and that we already have snow in the mountains, It doesn't look good!

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

DD isn't even looking at schools in Colorado beyond her "safety" school. But the schools she is looking at are in decent sized cities, (Nashville, Atlanta, Boston, St. Louis, etc.) that she'll be able to Uber or get a taxi to get to the airport to come home for holidays. To get her to school will depend on where she chooses to go, St. Louis, Nashville, etc. we can drive to, Boston is a bit far so we'd probably fly and get A LOT of stuff for her dorm. Then again, we may drive it all if it's cheaper in the long run.

 

[laughinplace199]

I have a DD in college in Maine, and she's only 2.5-3 hours drive from us in Boston. DS is looking at a lot of schools in the New England area, but also NY, Pennsylvania, and DC. Although they're further, they're all fairly easy to take a bus, train, or plane to Boston for breaks.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Given that Coloradans design their kids' Halloween costumes around their winter coats, and that we already have snow in the mountains, It doesn't look good!

Monarch is considered a year-round pass, so hopefully we won’t have issues somewhat early in the season. It did close for a day on me about that same time of year during a trip in ‘95 - luckily, I managed to get to the correct side about 60 minutes before the closure.

 

[bjscheel]

SEMO would not be terribly difficult to get a bus ride from STL since it’s a straight shot down I-55.

Thanks. I doubt we get there for a visit though. DH thinks our visits have been excessive already and we'd really just like her to accept the fact that NWMSU has everything she was wanting, under budget, and would be a breeze for her and us to travel. I'd like to see her theatre performances and it would be easy if she was there. (Still wish it had SEMO's merit- though she is competitive for more merit at NWMSU so we'll see.)

In other news, she's really enjoying her work with the town's Chamber of Commerce. She's organizing a teen Fall Festival along with managing the Instagram and Twitter accounts. She is strategically choosing kids from different circles to help with the Festival so they get their friends to come and they get a bigger crowd.

Girl drama seems to be settling down after Homecoming and DD has a budding romance at school so in general life is pretty good for her right now. The boy has already told her she should choose the school with the best COA (yay) and that he'd love to play football there. I am happy for any and all peer pressure to convince her it's a good choice.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Our school does do a senior lock-in overnight, but DS is not interested, so I’m not sure about expense details. I don’t think ours is anything too crazy as far as cost, though.

I have a common app question, if anyone knows - How do you link the teachers’ recommendations? DS said the guidance counselor helped him add them for the first school, but we’ve added more schools from home, and he doesn’t remember what she did. I’ve looked, and I don’t see anything to click for it.

 

[Eureka]

I have a common app question, if anyone knows - How do you link the teachers’ recommendations? DS said the guidance counselor helped him add them for the first school, but we’ve added more schools from home, and he doesn’t remember what she did. I’ve looked, and I don’t see anything to click for it.

I thought they have to invite the teacher for each school and have them upload it each time. That's what DS did anyway.

On a different note, today he has an interview to be a page in the state House and Senate this spring. They send three kids from each county and it's two non-consecutive weeks between January and April. He'd have to stay there during the week because we are over an hour away, and isn't loving the idea of missing school (though in April, he might be just so "done" that he doesn't care!) but of course it's all excused and would get his work ahead of time. He wants to major in government and politics so this would be an amazing experience if he gets it. I really hope he does.

 

[soccerdad72]

I have a common app question, if anyone knows - How do you link the teachers’ recommendations? DS said the guidance counselor helped him add them for the first school, but we’ve added more schools from home, and he doesn’t remember what she did. I’ve looked, and I don’t see anything to click for it.

Does your school use software like Naviance? That's what my son's school uses and you can link Common App to it so the recommendations come through the school web site into Common App.

 

[Eureka]

I have a DD in college in Maine, and she's only 2.5-3 hours drive from us in Boston. DS is looking at a lot of schools in the New England area, but also NY, Pennsylvania, and DC. Although they're further, they're all fairly easy to take a bus, train, or plane to Boston for breaks.

I guessing Bates, Bowdoin or Colby? Great schools but by then I was so ready to get out of Maine that I did the opposite and went to school in the Boston area. DS is applying to schools that are mostly within an hour or two from us. A couple are 3+ but they are lower down on his list of preference anyway. However, he is trying to make plans to sit in on classes at one that's an hour and a half away and I am nervous at the the thought of him driving up alone. He hasn't driven those roads at all and has not done much highway driving alone.

 

[mjkacmom]

Does your school use software like Naviance? That's what my son's school uses and you can link Common App to it so the recommendations come through the school web site into Common App.

Naviance here too, still waiting on teacher recommendations, FAFSA is done, she just emailed her track coach, dance teacher and REI director, for some schools she wants an out of school recommendation (and they all write outstanding letters). There are a couple of elections this week (NHS and something else), she wants to hold several club positions and add them to her resume.

 

[laughinplace199]

I guessing Bates, Bowdoin or Colby? Great schools but by then I was so ready to get out of Maine that I did the opposite and went to school in the Boston area. DS is applying to schools that are mostly within an hour or two from us. A couple are 3+ but they are lower down on his list of preference anyway. However, he is trying to make plans to sit in on classes at one that's an hour and a half away and I am nervous at the the thought of him driving up alone. He hasn't driven those roads at all and has not done much highway driving alone.

Good guess - she's at Bates. DS just interviewed there this weekend so we could have 2 kids there next year! I love that it's a super easy (and not too long) drive!

 

[tink1970]

Rare good news in our neck of the woods- the National Merit Finalist application was due yesterday. DD barely made it home from Boston before they closed the airport (Hurricane Michael) and the school was closed so I wasn't sure how the school's information would make it to the NMS people. I called and a very snarky man said that they would take that into consideration. I called the Senior Guidance Counsellor and she had the ability to track DD's application so as soon as it was submitted yesterday, the guidance counsellor submitted the school's letter of recommendation. Whew...talk about under the wire with potential for power outages and missed deadlines adding to the excitement .

Glad one more thing is done. Now to get her to commit to the final college applications list so her guidance counsellor can submit letters of recommendation and transcripts. She received letters in the mail with guaranteed scholarships to two schools she wasn't planning on applying to which muddies the waters a bit. I know I'm repeating myself but I will be so glad when this process is complete!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I thought they have to invite the teacher for each school and have them upload it each time. That's what DS did anyway.

Yes, it does have to be done separately for each school. They talk to their teachers and give them a form if they agree. So the letters are already written. It's the "inviting them to upload" part that I can't figure out exactly how to do.

Does your school use software like Naviance? That's what my son's school uses and you can link Common App to it so the recommendations come through the school web site into Common App.

I don't think so.

 

[Eureka]

Yes, it does have to be done separately for each school. They talk to their teachers and give them a form if they agree. So the letters are already written. It's the "inviting them to upload" part that I can't figure out exactly how to do.

Sorry, I am no help there, DS did that all on his own.

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd is on yet another college visit with friends, up and out at 7:30 this morning. I think she gets more out of them with friends, and if she’s interested, we will take her back. This one requires an interview for her program, so she’ll have to go back anyway.

 

[PollyannaMom]

DS's mood has shifted again. For the moment, he wants to do community college for two years and transfer. I think a large part of it is that everything is overwhelming him lately - but at the same time, financially, I think it may be a good decision. We'll see how his thoughts play out.

 

[McKelly]

My DS is giving me grey hair. He changes his mind weekly. He goes from a Big Ten school and an engineering degree to a commuter private college and an accounting degree. Then the next week he chooses an out of state school with a computer science degree. Then it was the ROTC, then it was medical school - all within the last three months! Then I suggest he go to the school that offers him the most money. Then I get daggers. Then I suggest going to the college that offers the most majors so he can change his degree easily, but not schools. Then he storms out of the room. I'm trying to say nothing, but yet keep him on track with timelines for scholarships. My DD was so easy!! She was laser focused from freshman year on - never waivered about her goals. My DS, no idea what he wants to do!

 

[PollyannaMom]

My DS is giving me grey hair. He changes his mind weekly. He goes from a Big Ten school and an engineering degree to a commuter private college and an accounting degree. Then the next week he chooses an out of state school with a computer science degree. Then it was the ROTC, then it was medical school - all within the last three months! Then I suggest he go to the school that offers him the most money. Then I get daggers. Then I suggest going to the college that offers the most majors so he can change his degree easily, but not schools. Then he storms out of the room. I'm trying to say nothing, but yet keep him on track with timelines for scholarships. My DD was so easy!! She was laser focused from freshman year on - never waivered about her goals. My DS, no idea what he wants to do!

I'm glad to hear I'm not alone.

I was prepared to be a little "mushy" when this time came, but not to feel like my head was spinning trying to keep up!

 

[laughinplace199]

I'm glad to hear I'm not alone.

I was prepared to be a little "mushy" when this time came, but not to feel like my head was spinning trying to keep up!

I think some kids just get really overwhelmed. It's hard for most kids to know at 17 or 18 yrs old what they want to do with their lives. Community college might be a good way to start. Or, if he decides to go to a 4 year school, start off as undeclared and see what interests him.