Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[sksjasams]

These types of conversations always remind me of the first time I ever saw USC - the hoity toity private school in COMPTON, CA - Compton for goodness sakes, Compton.........

I appreciate the heads up, its always good to know perspective of areas. When DD toured Univ of San Francisco, they were very specific to the students of the BART stations that they should NEVER get off at. With every experience comes the need to be aware of ones surroundings - this is a concern of mine and DD has never lived anywhere but a suburb but things happen in the burbs too. Be smart, be aware and don't go anywhere by yourself has been pounded into her head.

I just had a similar conversation with DS regarding Marquette and the surrounding neighborhood since it has moved up to second place for him.

 

[J'aime Paris]

I just had a similar conversation with DS regarding Marquette and the surrounding neighborhood since it has moved up to second place for him.

Yes, the neighborhood surrounding Marquette is a dicey area.
There was a robbery of a female student yesterday morning I believe. She was "just barely" off campus proper.
I worry about that for my daughter.
She's choosing between Marquette and UWMadison.

 

[sksjasams]

Yes, the neighborhood surrounding Marquette is a dicey area.
There was a robbery of a female student yesterday morning I believe. She was "just barely" off campus proper.
I worry about that for my daughter.
She's choosing between Marquette and UWMadison.

Those are my DS's top two choices as well! UW-Madison would be his first choice. He applied regular decision to Madison, so we won't find out until the end of the month. He also applied direct admission to the UW business school (separate process), and we won't know about that until 4/3.

He is already accepted into the business school at Marquette. Marquette was further down his list until we toured a couple weeks ago. He really liked it! I try not to think about the neighborhood. If he may someday work in a big city like Milwaukee, this will be a good way for him to get practice being safe, I guess.

 

[J'aime Paris]

I "think" our DD is leaning toward Marquette. She got a very nice merit scholarship that really closes the financial gap between the 2 colleges.
DD was hoping for a very specialized scholarship with direct admit into the dental school, but didn't get it. (We knew that was a long shot)

Just waiting for her to make a choice!!!

 

[AustinTink]

I'm having a hard time with the yearbook ad. I don't want to be too mushy. Don't want to embarrass him. I need inspiration.

 

[sk!mom]

Anyone have ideas on grad gifts yet? My DD was easy 3 years ago but as always, boys seem harder to buy for.

For DD we went sentimental with a t-shirt quilt and photo book and then practical with a new MacBook. She needed the computer as her old laptop was cheap, old, and slow. DN is a gamer so he has so much technology that my sister is considering making him leave some at home so he certainly doesn't need more as a gift.

The photo book was such a hit with DD that I'm going to offer to help my sister make one for my nephew. I don't know if he'll appreciate it as much but it was the one thing that made DD cry at her party- and she's not a crier.

I asked people who had been significant in her life to write her a letter and then I included all of the letters along with photos of her and the person. People outdid themselves with the letters and it will be something that she can look back at for years- already her grandpa has passed so his letter is all the more precious. They run the gamut of favorite teachers, family, and her ballet mistresses. Some are funny- like her young cousin who wrote, "don't go crazy without your mom around to tell you what to do." Some were spiritual like her minister uncle, but all were so touching and filled with love and advice. I highly recommend it. It cost like $20 with a code on Shutterfly.

 

[bethbuchall]

I feel like such a slacker. We didn't give our kids graduation gifts other than a laptop. My son doesn't have a laptop yet, so I assume that he'll get one, too.

 

[bjscheel]

I have the "All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned from a Disney Golden Book" in my closet as a possible small gift. Otherwise, just her reception, and maybe a laptop. We have a MacBook the girls use and until DD18 got a Wacom tablet, it was mostly used by DD15. Now DD18 has taken it over so maybe she'll just take it with her.

We might still buy her a different vehicle before next winter since hers is terrible in snow, but not as a "graduation gift".

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

We didn't/aren't really give our kids graduation gifts specifically. Both went/are going to Europe during their senior year of HS - DS to Ireland over Spring Break on a golf team trip, DD to Paris, Rome & Madrid with her AP European History teacher this June. They both also went/are going to Beach Week after graduation, which we pay for and got/are getting new laptops for their freshman year. And we are also paying for their college. I don't have any money left for a "graduation" gift!

 

[AustinTink]

We aren't doing a graduation gift. We are going to Europe, his choice, in the summer and paying for his college. That's all the presents he needs.

 

[robinb]

I feel like such a slacker. We didn't give our kids graduation gifts other than a laptop. My son doesn't have a laptop yet, so I assume that he'll get one, too.

That's what I was planning too. Oh, and a trip to WDW of course!

 

[Poohforyou]

I feel like such a slacker. We didn't give our kids graduation gifts other than a laptop. My son doesn't have a laptop yet, so I assume that he'll get one, too.

We aren't planning on a gift either. We have a trip to London planned for this summer. Dd will likely need a new laptop and other stuff. Then of course there's the $40k or so in tuition x 4.

 

[punkin]

We are also going to Europe in lieu of a present.

 

[laughinplace199]

We aren't doing a graduation gift. We are going to Europe, his choice, in the summer and paying for his college. That's all the presents he needs.

That's what we're doing too!

 

[bethbuchall]

We had a big trip last year. It wasn't his choice (it was mine), but he enjoyed it. We can't afford another big trip this year, but I will ask him if there is somewhere that he'd like to go in a more moderate price range.

 

[sk!mom]

Europe is an awesome present!

 

[aprilgail]

So today we get the financial aid package for the one college we toured that she hated- with room and board it's just over 50,000 tuition and between scholarship and financial aid it brings it down to just under 10,000 which would be TOTALLY doable! Why why why couldn't that be one of the colleges she liked lol.
We went last night to the accepted student reception for u of Tampa. I really really hope she picks that one instead of cold snowy New York or Boston!

For graduation my daughter is going to Disney with her friends for a week and I am giving her graduation party- didn't even think to give her anything else lol.

 

[v.t.]

We are doing an Alaskan cruise with their best friend's family. The entire family is going in together for the laptop and I might get them dress watches. I don't think we will do a graduation party, we are boring that way.

 

[Mom3girls]

We are throwing DD a big graduation party to celebrate her achievement/send her off to college. We aren't going on a big trip since we just went on one the week before Christmas and we just adopted a puppy We will be buying her a new laptop to take with her. She is going on her senior class trip to Disney/Universal in just three weeks and next month is going to California to compete in Deca Nationals.

 

[aprilgail]

This is a crazy month for us- my daughter is going on a school trip to Hershey which is 120.00 due monday- then just got the bill for AP tests due next week 465.00. Prom tickets will be next month 250.00 then the limo/party bus another couple hundred (they are going in a group so splitting it between about 16 of them) and still need to get her dress altered which will be at least 100.00. SO glad I just got my income tax refund!!