Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[AustinTink]

He was an auto-admit but the department acceptance is another layer of stress. He is thrilled. Austin and UT was his strong first choice and it truly seems a great fit for him.

A&M accepted him into the the department he wanted (don't remember the title there) immediately so for a while it was his backup plan but recently he had begun to doubt going to College Station and had started to research a path at UT that would allow him to transfer into Natural Sciences later if he didn't get in now. I love A&M but it really didn't seem like a great fit for him.

He did a research internship at UT last Summer in the Science department. Not sure if that helped or not.

Good luck to your son!

Thanks for the good vibes!

I talked to someone who works closely with admissions at UT. They said all remaining applicants are technically in the "maybe" group now. It cuts like a knife to hear it put that way. My kid is so much more than a maybe, but I understand there has to be a process.

My DS got into A&M also as an automatic academic admit. He has friends trying to convince him to go and room with them. It may end up becoming a reality. We shall see.

 

[sk!mom]

I'm now trying to figure out if UT has a roommate match service. My DD used something similar at UNT and found a great match for a Freshman year roommate that she is still great friends with.

 

[AustinTink]

I'm now trying to figure out if UT has a roommate match service. My DD used something similar at UNT and found a great match for a Freshman year roommate that she is still great friends with.

I think there is a facebook group for newly admitted students that has some roommate matching going on as well.

 

[bjscheel]

We did not apply for those, I was not good about researching scholarships since we were concentrating on West Point.
But, we are working on it now. For those who are applying for multiple scholarships, do you have teachers write a generic letter, "I would like to recommend Joe for this scholarship" or do you ask them to specialize each letter? The teachers my sons are using don't mind (I have done a lot of volunteering for them) but we don't want to take advantage either.

Also, did anyone's student apply for the Terry Foundation Scholarship? Have they heard anything yet?

DD has two recommendation letters- one from a teacher and one from pastor. Her boss hasn't had time to write one yet. We had them make it generic so they can be used repeatedly.

We've been impatiently waiting for teachers to load grades onto the report cards so we can see class rank after 1st semester. Today they were complete and DD moved up from 6th to 2nd (out of 51) in her class! If she can maintain 4.0 next semester, we have a potential salutatorian or even valedictorian. She thinks it's doable as long as she does okay in her online college Comp I class. She is a good writer, so fingers crossed. I didn't think we'd be in that territory but this will definitely help with Honors Program admission and scholarships!

 

[robinb]

DD has two recommendation letters- one from a teacher and one from pastor. Her boss hasn't had time to write one yet. We had them make it generic so they can be used repeatedly.

We've been impatiently waiting for teachers to load grades onto the report cards so we can see class rank after 1st semester. Today they were complete and DD moved up from 6th to 2nd (out of 51) in her class! If she can maintain 4.0 next semester, we have a potential salutatorian or even valedictorian. She thinks it's doable as long as she does okay in her online college Comp I class. She is a good writer, so fingers crossed. I didn't think we'd be in that territory but this will definitely help with Honors Program admission and scholarships!

That is really awesome!! Good for her to keep on focusing on school while others did not.

We are still waiting for grades here. She has 3 A's already finalized and 1 more A probable. Unfortunately, she's going to get 2 B's in 2 of her AP classes: AP French 5 and AP Calculus A/B. She's been a B student in French for the last 2 years so that's not a surprise and Calculus is incredibly hard so I am very proud of that particular B! She's been working her tail off in Calculus. I'll make sure to check her class ranking after grades are finalized because I suspect that many students had a much worse case of Senioritis than my DD. It might help her UW application if she moves up in her ranking.

 

[bjscheel]

That is really awesome!! Good for her to keep on focusing on school while others did not.

We are still waiting for grades here. She has 3 A's already finalized and 1 more A probable. Unfortunately, she's going to get 2 B's in 2 of her AP classes: AP French 5 and AP Calculus A/B. She's been a B student in French for the last 2 years so that's not a surprise and Calculus is incredibly hard so I am very proud of that particular B! She's been working her tail off in Calculus. I'll make sure to check her class ranking after grades are finalized because I suspect that many students had a much worse case of Senioritis than my DD. It might help her UW application if she moves up in her ranking.

That is good! We don't have AP here, but I'm sure a B in them is something to be proud of as they sound so difficult.

 

[punkin]

Just got a financial aid award: loans and work study. That one is off the list. She currently has 3 schools still in the running, but we only have financial aid for two and they are both doable. So depressing.

 

[robinb]

Just got a financial aid award: loans and work study. That one is off the list. She currently has 3 schools still in the running, but we only have financial aid for two and they are both doable. So depressing.

Was the school that didn't come up with aid her favorite?

 

[punkin]

Was the school that didn't come up with aid her favorite?

We still don't have acceptances from her two top choices. Still waiting. The location of this school is not her favorite, so not too bad, I guess.

 

[bethbuchall]

Our semester ends at the end of the week, and I think that class rank is set then. I hope so; I can't take the stress of it much longer.

He's moved on to the interview stage for the presidential scholarship from the one state school. The interviews are at the beginning of February. Does anyone know how dressed he should be for that? Full suit or dress pants, dress shirt, tie? We're so glad it's a weekend between regular swim season and the start of Sectionals. Now, I have my fingers crossed for good traveling weather.

 

[Poohforyou]

My dd just asked if she went to the state school that gave her a nice scholarship would we give her spending money. I said yes and that there'd be other perks as well. It's $20k cheaper than the other acceptance she received. I want her to be happy but saving a nice chunk of change would be very nice.

We won't hear from her 1st choice until late March.

 

[aprilgail]

DD has two recommendation letters- one from a teacher and one from pastor. Her boss hasn't had time to write one yet. We had them make it generic so they can be used repeatedly.

We've been impatiently waiting for teachers to load grades onto the report cards so we can see class rank after 1st semester. Today they were complete and DD moved up from 6th to 2nd (out of 51) in her class! If she can maintain 4.0 next semester, we have a potential salutatorian or even valedictorian. She thinks it's doable as long as she does okay in her online college Comp I class. She is a good writer, so fingers crossed. I didn't think we'd be in that territory but this will definitely help with Honors Program admission and scholarships!

That is great. Our school doesn't rerank until after the third quarter and then again the end of the last quarter. My daughter has a 102.7 average but she is only number 29 in the class out of close to 400- the kid that is going to be valedictorian has about 113 average- All the AP classes really bump up the average. My daughters weakest thing is writing-not good at all. But put some numbers in front of her and she is great- her last test in AP Calc she got a 100 and last quarter she got 100 on her report card in it.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Our semester ends at the end of the week, and I think that class rank is set then. I hope so; I can't take the stress of it much longer.

He's moved on to the interview stage for the presidential scholarship from the one state school. The interviews are at the beginning of February. Does anyone know how dressed he should be for that? Full suit or dress pants, dress shirt, tie? We're so glad it's a weekend between regular swim season and the start of Sectionals. Now, I have my fingers crossed for good traveling weather.

This doesn't happen to be SUNY Buffalo, does it? My ds is also interviewing for UB's Presidential. It used to be a FULL ride. Everything-books, room, board and tuition. DS#1 is a senior on that Presidential scholarship. They changed the scholarship this year to $15,000 flat. Still an incredible deal on an already affordable school.

 

[Mom3girls]

OMG, my DS called DH and I earlier today to tell us that he was accepted to Penn State today! We already put his deposit in at Temple. He's was excited and torn at the same time. I think he was afraid to tell us that his heart was really at Penn State. I told him not to worry about the deposit- we can get back the some of it - not the housing ($250) but at the end of the day, that should not be the deciding factor in his future.) He was under review for so long, he figured he wasn't getting in!

You should definitely be able to get your housing deposit back. I was just researching Temple's deposit info because my daughter found out this week that she got into Temple's Honors Program

 

[Mom3girls]

Mini vent... My daughter applied to Temple, Florida State, Rutgers, Syracuse and Boston College. So far she was accepted at Rutgers and Temple. Found out this week she got into Temple's Honors Program. VERY proud of all the hard work she has put into getting to this point!! Apparently the last three schools won't let us know until March Of course she was thrilled getting into Temple's Honor Program but now she doesn't seem to care about her other choices. I think she just wants to be done with all the stress and I don't want her to make a rash decision. She has a very good chance of getting an out of state tuition waiver for FSU. The tuition would be half of what she will have to pay to go to Temple. Don't want her straddled with student loan debt forever. Wish some of these schools didn't wait so long to give decisions

 

[Tinijocaro]

Just keep reminding her to keep her options open. Let her know what it will be like after college with X amount of debt compared to x amount of debt. DS #1 was set on Ivies, he only got into one and was seriously considering that one but our state school offered him a total free ride. He's a senior now and our total cost for school (besides personal items) has been $50.00 for a honors colloquiem that the scholarship didn't cover. We really talked up the fact that when he graduates, he can buy a car or a house fairly quickly since he won't be worrying about student loan payments.

I think kids really do get caught up in the prestige of certain schools. It's our job to bring them back down to earth. Chances are she'll get good offers from the other schools. It is such a long wait, isn't it?

 

[v.t.]

DD has two recommendation letters- one from a teacher and one from pastor. Her boss hasn't had time to write one yet. We had them make it generic so they can be used repeatedly.

We've been impatiently waiting for teachers to load grades onto the report cards so we can see class rank after 1st semester. Today they were complete and DD moved up from 6th to 2nd (out of 51) in her class! If she can maintain 4.0 next semester, we have a potential salutatorian or even valedictorian. She thinks it's doable as long as she does okay in her online college Comp I class. She is a good writer, so fingers crossed. I didn't think we'd be in that territory but this will definitely help with Honors Program admission and scholarships!

Congrats to your DD. What a jump!

Our semester ends at the end of the week, and I think that class rank is set then. I hope so; I can't take the stress of it much longer.

He's moved on to the interview stage for the presidential scholarship from the one state school. The interviews are at the beginning of February. Does anyone know how dressed he should be for that? Full suit or dress pants, dress shirt, tie? We're so glad it's a weekend between regular swim season and the start of Sectionals. Now, I have my fingers crossed for good traveling weather.

The interview my DS went on, all the guys had coat and tie. If he already has a suit, I would wear it but wouldn't purchase a full suit if he has a sports coat. Good luck

 

[Mom3girls]

I think kids really do get caught up in the prestige of certain schools. It's our job to bring them back down to earth. Chances are she'll get good offers from the other schools. It is such a long wait, isn't it?

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

 

[bethbuchall]

This doesn't happen to be SUNY Buffalo, does it? My ds is also interviewing for UB's Presidential. It used to be a FULL ride. Everything-books, room, board and tuition. DS#1 is a senior on that Presidential scholarship. They changed the scholarship this year to $15,000 flat. Still an incredible deal on an already affordable school.

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.

 

[bethbuchall]

My dd just asked if she went to the state school that gave her a nice scholarship would we give her spending money. I said yes and that there'd be other perks as well. It's $20k cheaper than the other acceptance she received. I want her to be happy but saving a nice chunk of change would be very nice.

We won't hear from her 1st choice until late March.

We were able to "find" enough to help with down payments on cars when my older two graduated, since they went to the state school.