Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[punkin]

You have no idea how much I have been talking to her about how much debt that she will come out of school with. We went through this with her sister two years ago and it makes me sick to know my older one will owe $60,000. This daughter will owe $160,000!!!! and we are lucky enough to go through this again next year with our youngest, lol

$160K just for undergrad? I wouldn't allow it.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Yes, it is! So, what do you recommend for dress? Any tips on interview questions?

Good luck to your son with the interview! I know that they have more than one Presidential, so it would be great if both our sons could get one. Is he set on Buffalo? Mine is about 95% certain. We just can't justify the extra cost of tuition at the other schools he's applied to. I don't think that they can touch UB's price with the Provost Scholarship that he's already been awarded, and if he gets the Presidential instead, then there is no way they can come close. My older two went to a SUNY school had a high quality education, found great jobs, and have no loans. It's hard to beat.

I remember my older ds wore dress pants, dress shirt and a tie-he didn't have a suit. Younger ds will most likely wear similar with a sport jacket. I believe they give out approx 25 presidential scholarships. No advice on the questions. Older ds came away feeling like he and the interviewer clicked-no awkward gaps or silences. They just talked.

DS would love to go to an Ivy but knows that if he gets the Presidential, he will take that one. It's been a great school for DS#1, a physics major. DS#2 will be either chemical engineering or computer engineering. How about your ds?


Good luck to your ds! A co-worker of mine has a son who is also interviewing.

 

[bethbuchall]

I remember my older ds wore dress pants, dress shirt and a tie-he didn't have a suit. Younger ds will most likely wear similar with a sport jacket. I believe they give out approx 25 presidential scholarships. No advice on the questions. Older ds came away feeling like he and the interviewer clicked-no awkward gaps or silences. They just talked.

DS would love to go to an Ivy but knows that if he gets the Presidential, he will take that one. It's been a great school for DS#1, a physics major. DS#2 will be either chemical engineering or computer engineering. How about your ds?


Good luck to your ds! A co-worker of mine has a son who is also interviewing.

It's exciting to hear about others that are interviewing and considering UB! My son will be in chemical engineering. One nice thing about his major choice is that it helped to limit his school selections, especially since he doesn't want to go too far from home.

I guess tomorrow they find out when they are interviewing. My ds answered that he'd prefer Saturday so that he doesn't have to miss school and more swim practice but that we could do either day.

 

[robinb]

You have no idea how much I have been talking to her about how much debt that she will come out of school with. We went through this with her sister two years ago and it makes me sick to know my older one will owe $60,000. This daughter will owe $160,000!!!! and we are lucky enough to go through this again next year with our youngest, lol

I hope that your DD can get more financial aid because $160,000 is really a burden . I would encourage her to hold out to hear back from the other schools and maybe they'll have a better offer.

What does she plan to study?

 

[3smithboys]

You are right, we called Temple and we can get the housing deposit back- just not his regular deposit. So, we are out $200. It is what it is. However, Temple said they are not able to process refunds right now, we will have to wait until later in the Spring. (The ability to take the $$$ is open, though!)

 

[Mom3girls]

I hope that your DD can get more financial aid because $160,000 is really a burden . I would encourage her to hold out to hear back from the other schools and maybe they'll have a better offer.

What does she plan to study?

She plans on doing something in Business and Business Management. I'm going to plan a trip down to visit FSU while we are waiting to hear back. Hopefully that will help to sway her from Temple. I know in the back of her mind she also worries about leaving her boyfriend behind. Unfortunately we don't qualify for need based help

 

[Mom3girls]

You are right, we called Temple and we can get the housing deposit back- just not his regular deposit. So, we are out $200. It is what it is. However, Temple said they are not able to process refunds right now, we will have to wait until later in the Spring. (The ability to take the $$$ is open, though!)

Glad to hear you get something back even if you have to wait a bit!

 

[teller80]

You have no idea how much I have been talking to her about how much debt that she will come out of school with. We went through this with her sister two years ago and it makes me sick to know my older one will owe $60,000. This daughter will owe $160,000!!!! and we are lucky enough to go through this again next year with our youngest, lol

No way would I let my child graduate undergrad with that kind of loan. Her monthly payment will be $1700 a month for 10 years! That's not a good way to start life.

 

[v.t.]

I am working on my boys senior page for the yearbook. Any quotes, messages or picture ideas? I have searched Pinterest but still looking. I am doing messages from us, little brother and grandparents. I will probably do 6 or 7 pictures. Some individual and some of both of them and doing preschool picture as well as high school shots.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

$160K just for undergrad? I wouldn't allow it.

That does sound like a large number, but using today's rates, not factoring in any rate increases, our state U is $25K for room, board, tuition. That's $100K for 4 years for a public school before you've even bought one book. Which, BTW is the ONLY school that DS hasn't heard from yet! Decision Day is 2/1, but there is a strong rumor that decisions will come out on Friday.

He's gotten into the 4 other schools he applied for, with 3 giving generous scholarships. We're just hoping for an admission to this last one, with no expectations of merit aid, and then hopefully he can make a decision! After seeing these scholarship letters come in, I wish I had pushed him harder to apply for more schools back in the fall. It's going to be a tough decision if he gets into the best of the 5 with no merit money and we are looking at 100K, versus half that at a few of the others (which may not be as good of a fit) if scholarships are factored in.

 

[mom2rtk]

$160K just for undergrad? I wouldn't allow it.

We won't sign any parental loans, so it wouldn't even be an option.

 

[sksjasams]

Just wanted to let you know to check the portals for your student's accepted schools. Financial aid award packages were posted for my DS for 3 of the 4 schools he was accepted to. We are expecting the 4th one to be posted early next week.

 

[punkin]

That does sound like a large number, but using today's rates, not factoring in any rate increases, our state U is $25K for room, board, tuition. That's $100K for 4 years for a public school before you've even bought one book.

If the child gets no merit aid at all and the parents will not pay anything towards tuition, your numbers may be right. However, with merit (maybe at a lower ranked school), financial aid, parental help, community college with transfer option, no 18 Year old should be borrowing $160k or even $100k. I think $40k is the maximum I would consider absent exceptional circumstances. And I am borrowing money, but not that much!

 

[robinb]

That does sound like a large number, but using today's rates, not factoring in any rate increases, our state U is $25K for room, board, tuition. That's $100K

I also don't think that $160K is really out of line for an education these days. Three of the schools that my DD applied to are in the $25K range and the other is close to $40K.

I've read that a student should not graduate from college with more than what their annual salary is times the percentage of graduates who find jobs in the student's field. For instance, if you're studying education and teachers in where you want to live make $40K and 90% of the graduates get jobs right out of college then you should have less than $36K in student loan debt. Frankly, I don't know how an average student from an average middle class family goes to these big schools. They don't make the cut off for merit scholarships and their families make too much for needs based scholarships. Heck, our local community college estimates the cost of one year staying away from home is $19K. Community college!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I am working on my boys senior page for the yearbook. Any quotes, messages or picture ideas? I have searched Pinterest but still looking. I am doing messages from us, little brother and grandparents. I will probably do 6 or 7 pictures. Some individual and some of both of them and doing preschool picture as well as high school shots.

DD's school doesn't do this. I am kind of glad though because the pressure to create the perfect page would get to me!

 

[robinb]

DD's school doesn't do this. I am kind of glad though because the pressure to create the perfect page would get to me!

My DD's school does. I missed the deadline (bad mom!).

 

[mamacatnv]

I am working on my boys senior page for the yearbook. Any quotes, messages or picture ideas? I have searched Pinterest but still looking. I am doing messages from us, little brother and grandparents. I will probably do 6 or 7 pictures. Some individual and some of both of them and doing preschool picture as well as high school shots.

LOL I'm doing the same thing - bought 1/2 page, paid for it yesterday, finally narrowed down the 4 allowed photos and now am working on my 80 words..... I have scoured the internet but currently I am at:


(Name)

Our beautiful Daughter and Sister,
You are smart, kind, loving and full of so many talents, you will change the world.
Know we will always be here for you but most importantly, know that no matter the path you choose, we will always love and support you.
Go forth knowing you are loved and that we are so very proud of you.

Love you,
Dad, Mom and Brother


I'm working on it. Deadline is the 27th at 3pm
I keep getting all teary - ugh.....

The pictures I chose were one I took the other night of her in her Letter jacket, a picture at 2 of her famous scowl, a picture at 5 in her fancy Christmas dress w/construction paper elf ears hat and a picture at 9 with a Lemur sitting on her shoulder.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My DD's school does. I missed the deadline (bad mom!).

The Senior Night posters for Volleyball were bad enough. Teammates make the posters, but the parents provide the pictures. DD had an absolute fit about the pictures I chose. I know she is very sensitive about her middle school age pictures, so I used a school picture for that time frame. I had some posed sports pics, some little kid school pics, a few candids - a good mix. She WANTED all candids and cried about it...until she actually saw the poster. Hers was the best one!

I will have to do it all again for Softball Senior Night in a few months.

 

[mamacatnv]

I rewrote it......

XXXXster, Princess, Smalls or Brat, you answer to them all.


You “is” Smart. You “is” Kind. You “is” Loving. You “is” Beautiful.
Perhaps a Pastry Chef, Teacher, Scientist, Doctor or President?
Whatever you do, you WILL change the world.
No matter the path, you will always have our love and support.

Educate yourself with enthusiasm, embrace the unknown, seek adventure, take a chance, have fun and know we are very proud of you.

Love you,
Dad, Mom and Brother

 

[bjscheel]

We don't have to arrange anything for the yearbook. DD just had to pick a senior quote. She had a couple picked out, one was more serious, about working hard or something, but I think what she's settled on is:

"Someday I will be a beautiful butterfly and everything will be better"- Heimlich from Bug's Life

She was obsessed with Bug's Life as a toddler and it is totally appropriate for her to do something funny and Disney as that is what she is known for at school. And I think she has become that beautiful butterfly She has really come a long way from the freshman that she felt no one ever noticed.