Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[aprilgail]

My son found out that got into two schools today! He's so excited! Even though these are not his 1st choice schools, he's still thrilled. He can now relax and know that he's going SOMEWHERE next year.... The anxiety of not getting in anywhere is now gone. So now he has 4 more to hear from...

That is great- my daughter sent in a couple applications to places not her first choices but places she would go if she didn't get into her top ones so just waiting to hear now. Today we are heading into Barnard for her interview.

 

[aprilgail]

That's so odd. At our school students would not be able to retake a course they took and passed before.

Well I think because she already has enough credits to graduate so she could have taken a study hall if she wanted but wanted to take that class-I guess that is why- I have no clue. Her guidance counselor did say that was first for him too LOL

 

[lucky978]

Question about the Common App. My daughter isn't sure of all the schools she wants to apply to just yet. Can she submit some applications for the schools she has decided on applying to, then go back and have the Common App sent to more later? Or is it a one time only process?

 

[Poohforyou]

Question about the Common App. My daughter isn't sure of all the schools she wants to apply to just yet. Can she submit some applications for the schools she has decided on applying to, then go back and have the Common App sent to more later? Or is it a one time only process?

You can definitely add schools and send them later. What might be helpful for her is to add these schools to her list. By doing that she'll see their deadlines and requirements all in one place.

My dd sent her application to her top 4 schools. Her safety has rolling admission and another she did early action. Depending on the outcome of those 2 she may send others out.

 

[lucky978]

You can definitely add schools and send them later. What might be helpful for her is to add these schools to her list. By doing that she'll see their deadlines and requirements all in one place.

My dd sent her application to her top 4 schools. Her safety has rolling admission and another she did early action. Depending on the outcome of those 2 she may send others out.

Thank you! What about FAFSA? Can we submit the FAFSA to get it started before she applies to schools? I just want to get it in as early as possible. It's ready to go, with the exception of the list of schools.

 

[sksjasams]

Thank you! What about FAFSA? Can we submit the FAFSA to get it started before she applies to schools? I just want to get it in as early as possible. It's ready to go, with the exception of the list of schools.

Yes, go ahead and submit your FAFSA. List any schools you think your student may apply to. Your FAFSA gets processed and the information will be ready and waiting for any schools your student ends up applying to. If there are schools you don't apply to, those schools will simply not pull your FAFSA info.

There is no reason to wait. We submitted our FAFSA on Saturday, even though DS only has one app done.

 

[lucky978]

Yes, go ahead and submit your FAFSA. List any schools you think your student may apply to. Your FAFSA gets processed and the information will be ready and waiting for any schools your student ends up applying to. If there are schools you don't apply to, those schools will simply not pull your FAFSA info.

Yay! Will do, thank you!

 

[bjscheel]

Ugh, I saw last night that DD's preferred college is doing a Career Discovery day in her field on 11/4 where they do hands-on work with the professors, tour a company and meet people in your field, etc. It would be a fantastic way to find out if this is what she wants to do, and it happens 11/4 is a no school day for parent teacher conferences. But, it is a really bad day for me to be away from work, and I don't know if she's comfortable driving there on her own yet. DH would only take her if it rains (harvest). Also it's one week before the musical performance, so they may decide to use that day for a major practice. I'll have to talk to her and see what she thinks and have her ask about practice. If no practice, I'd like to get her there one way or another.

They'll be doing another one 2/3/17 but it would be nice to be able to check it out sooner in case it changes her mind about this being her first choice.

Tonight there is no practice so while I have her home we are going to order some senior pictures, do FAFSA, talk about the above visit day and whether she wants to do a visit we planned for 10/14, work on scholarships...

 

[mamacatnv]

On a totally non college related note, DD really wants to be a pastry chef but has realized that the ability to earn a living is low, so she has decided to get herself an education while working in restaurants/kitchens. So far, that has worked for her, she started a new job this week as a prep cook and has declared she LOVES it! The other thing is she is a huge Alton Brown fan. Monday morning, I was walking by the TV and happened to catch a segment on the news of events in our area. Alton Brown was going to be here in town for a book signing. Now, DD pre-ordered his new book and already had it but the rules for the signing were one had to purchase the book from the book store hosting. We are now the proud owners of 2 of Alton's new book, one has his signature and is addressed to her! We stood in line for hours last night but she was sooooooo thrilled! I think she slept with that book under her pillow last night. It never ceases to amaze me what makes my kids happy. In this case, it was the simple act of purchasing a book, spending an hour in traffic to get to the bookstore and then standing for hours on end in a line. She got some great photos and it made for a great memory! He is very funny live!

 

[AustinTink]

DS got his first acceptance letter yesterday. It's a safety school, but it put a smile on his face. Exciting times ahead!

 

[3smithboys]

DS got his first acceptance letter yesterday. It's a safety school, but it put a smile on his face. Exciting times ahead!

Congrats!!! It is exciting to get that first one! DS said that it takes away the worry... he knows that at least he's going "somewhere!" Lol

 

[Southernmiss]

Just got home from taking senior tux and casual pictures. Can't wait to see them. Think we've got more great ones than we'll be able to buy.

Is it bad that we may not make any college visits? Ds did go with us 2 years ago with his brother for tours to the same 3 schools he's applying to. And has been to the campus an hour away several times. But with band until Oct. 30 and soccer starting Nov. 1 his dance card is full.

He says he knows what the college's are like and not visiting will be ok. I just hope we don't regret not visiting.

 

[Poohforyou]

Just got home from taking senior tux and casual pictures. Can't wait to see them. Think we've got more great ones than we'll be able to buy.

Is it bad that we may not make any college visits? Ds did go with us 2 years ago with his brother for tours to the same 3 schools he's applying to. And has been to the campus an hour away several times. But with band until Oct. 30 and soccer starting Nov. 1 his dance card is full.

He says he knows what the college's are like and not visiting will be ok. I just hope we don't regret not visiting.

For most schools I don't think visiting will make or break acceptance.

Is it possible to see if some of the schools will be visiting near you? Or could you visit during winter break?

The other option is to go to accepted student day before he makes a decision.

 

[AustinTink]

Congrats!!! It is exciting to get that first one! DS said that it takes away the worry... he knows that at least he's going "somewhere!" Lol

Thanks! You're exactly right. It has restored calm in the house knowing he's in somewhere. They also offered him some money!

 

[aprilgail]

Yes, go ahead and submit your FAFSA. List any schools you think your student may apply to. Your FAFSA gets processed and the information will be ready and waiting for any schools your student ends up applying to. If there are schools you don't apply to, those schools will simply not pull your FAFSA info.

There is no reason to wait. We submitted our FAFSA on Saturday, even though DS only has one app done.

There is only room for 10 schools on FAFSA- what happens if you are applying to more than that??

 

[sksjasams]

There is only room for 10 schools on FAFSA- what happens if you are applying to more than that??

This is what I've read on the College Talk forum:
To send to more than 10 schools, I believe that you have to add the first batch of schools, submit the FAFSA and wait for it to be processed (you will get an email message), and then go back into the FAFSA, delete some schools, add new ones, and resubmit.

 

[yeahdisney]

Update.
University 1. Reach school 1.15 minutes away. Informs students of acceptance Dec 16.
University 2. Accepted into honors program. Has letter will get info about scholarships. 4.5 hrs away.
Private university 3. 30 to 40 minutes away. Accepted . Today found out offered $18000 scholarship for each year.

Forgot to say #3 school said if u want ur masters the four year of school they will The classes for the last classes needed for your bachelors and your classes the first classes needed for your masters so you can finish in five years.

 

[bjscheel]

FAFSA done tonight. Another thing to check off the list. Most of the things I wanted to do last night when she was home didn't happen because DH and I went to my sister's house for DH's haircut. In the brief time I got to see her today, I did remind her she needs to decide whether to do next Friday's college visit. And I told her I looked at the course requirements for their graphic design major and compared to her current top 2 schools, there is much more focus on general art & art history classes, and not that many graphic design classes, which seems odd. So she can think on that a while and see if that affects her decision. The last college visit we have planned does not even have GD so she needs to look at their majors list and see if there is anything of interest.

Have your kids been applying for any scholarships online? I signed up at Sallie Mae and a couple other sites and she's done some of the easier applications with very short essays. With these nationally advertised, I figure chances are super low of winning anything, but she's willing to give anything a go.

 

[IDoDis]

Have your kids been applying for any scholarships online? I signed up at Sallie Mae and a couple other sites and she's done some of the easier applications with very short essays. With these nationally advertised, I figure chances are super low of winning anything, but she's willing to give anything a go.

DS has to take the ACT one more time to get the state lottery scholarship given here. He's one point away. I'm not sure at this point if he will go to a university. A community college for the first two years or to attend a cc to learn a trade might be a better fit for him, but we don't want the university door to close on him just in case he wakes up one morning and decides that college is the right path.

Having said that, when DD was a high school senior (who is now a college Junior) she received a 5k merit scholarship from the Burger King Maclamore Foundation and she has received 1k each year from the local credit union association. She reapplies each year and gets it. So don't rule out outside scholarships. Even the small ones can add up. Check with your local credit union association. Many of them in each state offer merit scholarships. You don't have to be a member to apply. The CU association here gives out between 150 and 190 scholarships each year depending on how much unclaimed money they have. They only get 300 or so applicants per year, so the odds of getting one are pretty good. Of course YMMV

 

[AustinTink]

DS has to take the ACT one more time to get the state lottery scholarship given here. He's one point away. I'm not sure at this point if he will go to a university. A community college for the first two years or to attend a cc to learn a trade might be a better fit for him, but we don't want the university door to close on him just in case he wakes up one morning and decides that college is the right path.

Having said that, when DD was a high school senior (who is now a college Junior) she received a 5k merit scholarship from the Burger King Maclamore Foundation and she has received 1k each year from the local credit union association. She reapplies each year and gets it. So don't rule out outside scholarships. Even the small ones can add up. Check with your local credit union association. Many of them in each state offer merit scholarships. You don't have to be a member to apply. The CU association here gives out between 150 and 190 scholarships each year depending on how much unclaimed money they have. They only get 300 or so applicants per year, so the odds of getting one are pretty good. Of course YMMV

Great tip about the credit unions! We will definitely check that out.

My DS just got an initial offer of 24k from his safety school. It would be nice to add to that number.