Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[IDoDis]

Congrats to your DS! I was always under the impression that PT school was very competitive due to the limited number of spots. That's great that he was able to reach is goal and will now have a successful career. You must be very proud!

My DS is a PT, he graduated a year ago (he is now fully employed and just bought his dream truck, he is soooooo excited) He is hitting the road in Feb, his sweetie and he are both PT's and they are entering into a traveling PT program where they will take 13 week assignments in varius parts of the country. Thus the truck, they needed it to haul their new house, a 40' 5th wheel camper!

Anyway, here is what we learned. He went to a State college - Univ. of Nevada, Reno (its a B rated Univ) nothing spectacular, pretty much everyone who applies gets in. He took 5 years to graduate because in his Freshman year he discovered alcohol and got dumped (thank goodness) by his still in high school girlfriend and almost flunked out - he held on but had a semester to make up. He did get his act together, went to summer school for the next 3 years etc. He graduated with a degree in Community Health Sciences (nothing too challenging, an average degree, but the one one went after to meet PT school requirements) his GPA was 3.25ish - his core science classes were higher and if memory serves his core GPA was 3.7ish.

Then he started applying to PT Graduate schools all over the country. I am fairly certain the majority of the public schools he applied to laughed at his "average" application but he did get into two private programs. Yep, spendy but accelerated - he was out of PT school in 2 years, 3 months. He aced the National exam and is now making more $ than either his Dad or I AND the job opportunities are plentiful.

DS thought he would move from undergrad at UNR to the PT program at the other state school, Univ. Nev Las Vegas (UNLV)....... Uhhhhh nope, they didn't take him.
He did not have the GPA for his "dream" PT program (Texas Tech) but he went to a very good school (University of St. Augustine, Austin) with a great reputation and a high pass rate on the National Board Exam.

My point is, the PT programs at the State University level are not a shoo-in even with undergrad and at the same time PT schools are not all filled with 4.0 / 32 ACT kids. DS's class was really diverse in their backgrounds and schooling. My DS used to joke that "PT school was all the "athletes" , not always the sharpest tools in the shed". These were DS's comments, as a DIS disclaimer this is not insulting to anyone, it was joke that DS made throughout PT school
I hope your DD continues to pursue her goal of being a PT

 

[mamacatnv]

Congrats to your DS! I was always under the impression that PT school was very competitive due to the limited number of spots. That's great that he was able to reach is goal and will now have a successful career. You must be very proud!

Thank you, yes, proud but also thrilled to see him achieve a dream, one that he never thought he could achieve. - PT school is highly competitive, I've been told harder to get into than med school. My point was that its not just the creme de la creme from the top schools or the ones who start in college in a pre-PT program to transition into the universities Doctorate of PT program who make it. The public schools are harder to get into because they are less expensive and some have very good reputations but at he end of the day, they all have to pass the same exam .

 

[mamacatnv]

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

 

[mamacatnv]

Mine applied on October 31st - one day prior to the cutoff for priority. Did yours do the optional essays? Mine did because her ACT scores are at the lower range for UMN and she needed the extra boost.

DD was telling me yesterday that a fellow classmate also applied to Minn and received acceptance a few days ago. DD continues to check frequently. DD knows the girl from her French clasd but not social with her, DD' s French teacher told her.
This weekend is finish UT and Berkeley apps as well as assemble photos for her yearbook Sr page.

 

[aprilgail]

This weekend is finish UT and Berkeley apps as well as assemble photos for her yearbook Sr page.

My daughter is finishing up her last essay for Macaulay Honors College- before the end of the weekend she has to finish up University of Southern California and Boston University. After those she has one month to complete all the rest. She already did Arcadia and got 24,000 a year from them as a Deans Scholarship and admission to honors program and invite to first semester abroad but she doesnt want to go there, she sent in Fordham, Pace, U Mass Lowell all as her safety schools and she sent in Barnard (her top choice but not likely she will be accepted there- small school and low acceptance rate). I think she has 6 others to do- I think we only had to pay for 2 so far- most sent fee waivers when they sent her mailings to apply. U Mass Lowell sent fee waiver after we already sent in application and payment so they refunded my payment!

 

[mamacatnv]

My daughter is finishing up her last essay for Macaulay Honors College- before the end of the weekend she has to finish up University of Southern California and Boston University. After those she has one month to complete all the rest. She already did Arcadia and got 24,000 a year from them as a Deans Scholarship and admission to honors program and invite to first semester abroad but she doesnt want to go there, she sent in Fordham, Pace, U Mass Lowell all as her safety schools and she sent in Barnard (her top choice but not likely she will be accepted there- small school and low acceptance rate). I think she has 6 others to do- I think we only had to pay for 2 so far- most sent fee waivers when they sent her mailings to apply. U Mass Lowell sent fee waiver after we already sent in application and payment so they refunded my payment!

exciting times. Great you got a refund on the app fee! Hope she gets her dream school!

 

[robinb]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Is anyone else sad that this will be their last "at home" Thanksgiving and they'll be visitors next year ?

 

[v.t.]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Is anyone else sad that this will be their last "at home" Thanksgiving and they'll be visitors next year ?

My boys said, "This will be the last year we decorate the room together." (Their nutcracker collection is reaching 200 so decorating their room is quite an event.) So yes, I am a little sad.

 

[aprilgail]

My daughter heard from Pace University today- they offered her 27,500 a year in scholarships- still waiting on the financial aid package though!

 

[AustinTink]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Is anyone else sad that this will be their last "at home" Thanksgiving and they'll be visitors next year ?

Yep, I cried. DS already asked if we could just stay home next year and not travel out of town to Grandma's house. He just wants to be home the whole break and really relax.

 

[AustinTink]

This weekend is finish UT and Berkeley apps as well as assemble photos for her yearbook Sr page.

Berkeley just asked for letters of recommendation from DS. Hoping that's a good sign. Do you know anything about the letters of recommendation for Berkeley, good or bad?

 

[mamacatnv]

I don't but if they were not part of the app process then I assume this is a good thing it means something triggered a closer look! Ohhhh exciting

I'll ask DD when she gets home from work. also tomorrow afternoon the nerd herd is coming over. Amongst them 3 are applying to Berkeley, I'll ask them as well

 

[mamacatnv]

Berkeley just asked for letters of recommendation from DS. Hoping that's a good sign. Do you know anything about the letters of recommendation for Berkeley, good or bad?

DD and friends say "GOOD" his app made it to the next level!

Question: So, when DD applied at Univ Minn she specified a major which she is now rethinking (I told her to apply undeclared but what the heck does Mom know) anyway - any ideas how that works? Is acceptance based on major selection or do they just know that most students will change their minds?

 

[robinb]

DD and friends say "GOOD" his app made it to the next level!

Question: So, when DD applied at Univ Minn she specified a major which she is now rethinking (I told her to apply undeclared but what the heck does Mom know) anyway - any ideas how that works? Is acceptance based on major selection or do they just know that most students will change their minds?

I *think* admission is based on the major. I believe that each college within UMN has it's own admissions requirements: http://admissions.tc.umn.edu/academics/profile.html .

My DD applied with a major in the College of Education and Human Development.

ETA: I just saw this:

Applicants are first considered for admission to the colleges listed in their application, in the order in which they are listed. Then, applicants are automatically considered for other U of M freshman-admitting colleges that may be a good match with their academic interests and preparation.

So if she is not admitted to the college of her major she will also be considered for other UMN colleges.

 

[mamacatnv]

I *think* admission is based on the major. I believe that each college within UMN has it's own admissions requirements: http://admissions.tc.umn.edu/academics/profile.html .

My DD applied with a major in the College of Education and Human Development.

ETA: I just saw this:



So if she is not admitted to the college of her major she will also be considered for other UMN colleges.

Whew! Hey Robin, thanks for posting that!

 

[mamacatnv]

My boys said, "This will be the last year we decorate the room together." (Their nutcracker collection is reaching 200 so decorating their room is quite an event.) So yes, I am a little sad.

Awwww - experience has taught me that they come back! They come back for school breaks etc, its not time to throw in the traditions towel yet!
There was one year we didn't decorate until the 23rd when DS arrived home from school but it is something that so far we have still managed to do as a family

 

[AustinTink]

DD and friends say "GOOD" his app made it to the next level!

That's so nice of them to say! I have to admit, thinking that his app made it to the next level is a little scary. My baby might move halfway across the country!

 

[wannabee]

DS first girlfriend just broke up with him. They have been dating almost a year. He is so upset. I know he has to worth thru it on his own but it's so hard to see him so unhappy.

 

[mamacatnv]

DS first girlfriend just broke up with him. They have been dating almost a year. He is so upset. I know he has to worth thru it on his own but it's so hard to see him so unhappy.

Its so hard to see them with hurting hearts. Hope your DS recovers quickly

 

[bjscheel]

DS first girlfriend just broke up with him. They have been dating almost a year. He is so upset. I know he has to worth thru it on his own but it's so hard to see him so unhappy.

That's rough. DD had a one year relationship that ended this summer, but by that point she was not sad to see it over. So we've not had to go through real heartbreak yet. And, it's been kind of nice to not have to work in boyfriend time this busy school year.

DD is, however, working on a promposal already. She's making a poster to present tomorrow. Her intended date is friends with lots of girls and probably considered a safe choice by many to ask to go as a friend. She wants to be the one who gets to him first! Also, we took him with us to Moana on Friday and at one point someone mentioned prom and he said, "Oh, I have to think of someone to ask to prom!" so she also wanted to strike before he thinks of someone else. There have already been some other kids lining up their dates. DD suggested to another guy friend that he ask their friend who has never had a date to a dance and he seemed agreeable so hopefully that works out. And DD15 wants to go to the same prom as her sister this year, so she would need an upperclassman to ask her. Hints have been dropped to the boy who starred in the musical with her, and it sounds like he might ask her (I think he already was considering it anyway).