Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[Poohforyou]

Robinb, that's awesome!!

 

[v.t.]

My DD has started practicing for her HS swim team even though school does not start until September. We just came back from a 5-day cruise out of Miami and we flew back via Fort Lauderdale. She arranged to meet with the head swim coach at Nova Southeastern University before our flight back. She did an AWESOME job in the interview. She answered all his questions and had a lot of questions of her own. It went really well and he said that her existing backstroke times would put her top-16 in the Conference meet which means that she would be able to score them points before she even trains at the college level. We'll see if he reaches back out to her. One of the advantages of NSU is that they have what's called a "duel admission" program in Physical Therapy (as well as other programs) which guarantees the student a spot in the graduate level Physical Therapy program if they meet certain requirements as an undergraduate. It's a 7-year program but it's all in one school.

Congrats! Sounds like a fabulous opportunity.

 

[punkin]

If I get one more eyeroll!@#$#

 

[AustinTink]

Edited my last post because I was ranting. These application essays are driving us all crazy.

 

[3smithboys]

Edited my last post because I was ranting. These application essays are driving us all crazy.

OMG... we are going crazy here too.... DS has narrowed down his list to 10 schools - 5 use the Common but several of them have additional essays.... and 3 or 4 of the others require some sort of essay... it's a lot...

Maybe he has too many schools, but he was up to 14 at one point and was able to get rid of 4!! We may be able to knock off one or two more.... but I think he will apply to at least 8 in the end...

 

[AustinTink]

OMG... we are going crazy here too.... DS has narrowed down his list to 10 schools - 5 use the Common but several of them have additional essays.... and 3 or 4 of the others require some sort of essay... it's a lot...

Maybe he has too many schools, but he was up to 14 at one point and was able to get rid of 4!! We may be able to knock off one or two more.... but I think he will apply to at least 8 in the end...

Mine has to write 5 essays. He has an extreme case of writer's block, which he always gets when he's nervous. Not sure when this is going to end, but I'm so ready to put the application process behind us.

 

[punkin]

Actually, mine is doing pretty well on the essays. It's everything else that isn't getting done; like summer math homework and studying and retaking the drivers ed final which she bombed. I'm also fighting for one more SAT. She won't say no, she just whines and rolls her eyes.

 

[bjscheel]

First day of school! We went last night to get schedules and locker combinations. She has a lot of changes to her schedule to work out- it didn't even show a class for her 1st block on A days- it just said "Study" with no room or teacher listed. We don't have study hall. Fortunately she's been able to email with her counselor already and got an art class put there. She also got on to Yearbook, which she wanted, and found out she can take Advanced Multimedia next semester when it won't interfere with music. So complicated! I don't envy the counselor this first few days.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

First day of Senior Year! I can't believe it. DS drove himself and I didn't even get a picture this morning. He will only be going 1/2 days at the high school and taking a community college class 2 days a week.

DS is not stressing about the college application process at all. He has his first choice, it may or may not be a reach, but he needs to improve his test scores just a tad. I'm the one telling him to seriously look at a few other schools, because he really needs a Plan B that he would be okay with. He has a someone 2nd choice that he's a shoe in for admission, and could possibly even get some money. I guess if he's okay with that, I shouldn't stress, but I do because he's really not even sure on a major, and that second school has less choices. Part of their English assignments Junior year were writing college application essays, so he says he's good with what he already has.

Right now he is signed up for September ACT and still undecided on taking October SAT. His scores are dead average (using the tables to convert new to old) for the school he's looking for and of course this class has to be the guinea pigs for what the new average really is.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

Tuesday is the start of DS's senior year. He goes to a Catholic High School where a lot of the families have much more money than we do. I've been getting emails from one of the moms the last couple week about a senior trip to Punta Cana. No idea how much this would cost but it is. 5 star all inclusive. This is crazy to me. First, I don't like the idea a senior trip at all but then add in an expensive all inclusive. He's my only and senior trip never even crossed my mind. I'm I out of touch or is this way over the top?

We live in MD where the seniors get out, as well as have graduation, 2 weeks before everyone else. Tradition is to head to Ocean City for Senior Beach week, with no parents. I'm not sure when it started, but I went in 1995, and the tradition is still going strong! While I think an all inclusive to Punta Cana SOUNDS much more extravagant, I know you can get great deals on those types of trips, including airfare. I'm not sure how the chaperone's fit in with the all inclusiveness and the legal drinking at 18 down there, but I'll just say that the drinking age does not seem to inhibit anyone from drinking in OC during Beach Week.

Mine is the same. His choice is our state flagship which is auto admit. I'm glad its so easy.

OH, I wish!!! DS's first choice is our state flagship and usually only a few get in from his entire school (classes of 500+.)

 

[McKelly]

My DD has already been accepted into two private universities. It's a little depressing. I got a little teary eyed when I saw the first acceptance letter.
And then there's days like this AM, at 5am before swim practice that I CAN'T WAIT!

 

[Poohforyou]

We still have 2 more weeks of vacation. Dd and I are going away this weekend - coincidentally to the city where her top choices are. We'll probably take a walk around campus but will mostly shop and sight see.

All but one school uses common app but she still has to write school specific essays. I hired someone to help her. Takes the headache out of it for me.

 

[robinb]

My DD has already been accepted into two private universities. It's a little depressing. I got a little teary eyed when I saw the first acceptance letter.
And then there's days like this AM, at 5am before swim practice that I CAN'T WAIT!

Is she planning to swim in college?

 

[McKelly]

Is she planning to swim in college?

No. Just swam for the four years in high school.

 

[aprilgail]

We visited a college yesterday and that one has now shot to the top of my daughters list- Barnard in NYC- very small campus, small classes (19 kids in a class) and all girls. Columbia is right across the street so there are plenty of boys there and they can take classes on either campus. I would love it if she was able to go there- they gave the GPA and ACT estimates to get in there and she falls in there along with thousands of other kids- she just has to work on an essay that stands out and says "HEY PICK ME" LOL. A little less than 2 weeks before school starts again so she better get a move on it!
Her group of friends are planning their end of school trip-I am totally on board with it- I wouldn't be if it was to another country (she will only be 17) but they are going to go to Disney for a week. One of the kids will be 18 so according to Disney that is all they need in the room to check in, one of them has to be 18. The other 3 will be 17.

 

[bjscheel]

We visited most of the college booths at the State Fair last weekend. Turned out one of the reps from a private college was someone we met at family camp a few years ago so we had a nice talk. It would be about the closest private college to home, but the private colleges would really have to offer huge scholarships for it to be possible for us. Yesterday she brought home a letter from this one that had been sent to school, saying they noticed her at State Track and saying a track scholarship could be possible. I looked at their site and athletic scholarships are $500 and up so I bet if anything she would be offered $500 She wasn't planning on running after high school, but maybe we'll do a visit on one of their track visit days anyway and check it out.

While I was stressing about college costs the other night I checked out a different community college (other than the one most of her classmates will be at, because she does NOT want to go there). It would be too far to commute, really, so I looked at their housing. They have super nice suites, but the only building that showed prices was $630/month, no meals. Not cheap, but if she just gets a 2 year degree, it's still a savings over 4 years. I just don't want her to have a huge student loan.

Yesterday I signed up for the Sallie Mae Scholarship search. She applied for one scholarship last night. I figure she won't get any of these national ones though.

 

[laughinplace199]

We just visited four schools in the past two days. DD has now seen all of the schools (14!) on her list. Now the paring down process begins. Luckily, after visiting today, she crossed one completely off her list and was able to rank the other three. Now she needs to compare the others against these three and see if she can rank them all and cross some more off the list.

aprilgail, one of DD's friends loves Barnard too! It sounds like a great option for a kid who wants to be in the city.

 

[aprilgail]

We just visited four schools in the past two days. DD has now seen all of the schools (14!) on her list. Now the paring down process begins. Luckily, after visiting today, she crossed one completely off her list and was able to rank the other three. Now she needs to compare the others against these three and see if she can rank them all and cross some more off the list.

aprilgail, one of DD's friends loves Barnard too! It sounds like a great option for a kid who wants to be in the city.

My daughter had narrowed hers down to about 10 but she keeps getting all these letters from colleges saying they will waive their application fee so she applies to them too just for the heck of it. Fordham University and Mercy came this week and she has gotten from Arcadia and a couple others last month.

 

[bjscheel]

Has anyone done Little Shop of Horrors for a musical in school? Last spring the teacher said the musical would be Music Man this fall. We were concerned about not having enough boys but did kind of warm up to the idea. Then last week he decides we don't have enough boys and we would do Little Shop of Horrors or The Sound of Music. I think most of the kids just though Little Shop of Horrors sounded cool and voted for it so that's what he ordered. From what I gather, this takes a real small cast, so most kids are not going to get a role (we have 13 boys and 55 girls). My girls are disappointed in the choice. They are not into the story line but they would like to participate in the musical. For DD17 this is her last chance and DD15 is a theater kid. Has your school done it and was it fun for the kids?

 

[AustinTink]

Just got word today that my son made National Hispanic Merit Scholar. I'm so proud of him!! Now he can start sending in his applications. He was waiting to hear the news.