What is the final decision?

[Blue Hen]

We've had the "College Acceptances and/or Scholarship" thread, and the "College List" thread so I thought it would be fun to hear where our kids have decided to head and how they arrived at their decision.


Today DS asked me to register him with the University of Delaware. Deposit was made. It wasn't his first choice but when he looked at the cost of attending the local school -- and the large merit scholarship -- verses going anywhere else the decision was made. We drove over to UD and walked the campus-a first for DH. Lovely place, DS seems quite happy too :) He's now looking over courses and trying to figure out how he might do a dual major: Chemical Engineering and Quantitative Biology.

Carole

[Brenda in MA]

Congratulations to you and your son. Another step in the homeschool journey is complete. Best wishes to all of you on a wonderful summer and smooth transition for your son to college!

To everyone still deciding -- may you and your children find peace in the decision making process.

Brenda

[Valerie(TX)]

To everyone still deciding -- may you and your children find peace in the decision making process.


Brenda, that thought is much needed, and therefore much appreciated here.

If anyone wants to hear my two-paragraph vent and pray for us, they can PM me. I don't want it to be public, nor do I want to inflict it on those who wouldn't really pray with us.

[mcconnellboys]

I think my son is narrowing down to either Centre or Transy, both nearby smaller LA colleges. He is going to spend the night at both in April and then will make a final decision.....

[Nicole M]

Wonderful! Congratulations!

He's now looking over courses and trying to figure out how he might do a dual major: Chemical Engineering and Quantitative Biology.

Carole

May I just say that this cracked me up? Every once in a while I read here what other people's children are doing and I inwardly gasp and am grateful that my childrens' interests do not run in these areas where I am absolutely inept. (Just today I was working with my youngest on some math, and made an error. He said, "Mom. Given your problems with multiplication, it's really amazing you made it through college. Good job.") So when I say congratulations, I say it with awe and sincerity!

My son is getting nervous. He's a guy who likes to know the plan, and we still don't have enough information yet to make a decision. He was accepted to his first choice school, but unfortunately, they've changed their policy about tuition exchange. My husband and I work at a university, and have been counting on the tuition exchange part of our "excellent benefits package," since we've sacrificed oodles of income precisely for that package. So the school that my son wants to attend has decided to give tuition remission for the students' junior and senior years only. That's like saying, "We'll give you the tools to cross the Grand Canyon. But they're on the other side of the canyon. Go get them." We haven't heard yet what their need-based financial aid will be, either. So more and more waiting.

My son's also been accepted to Knox College, and they did offer 95% tuition remission. We'd have to pay only about $2,000 tuition + room and board. Not a bad deal at all! But the music program is not as strong there as it is at his first choice, and he's never seen the place. So in a few weeks, at the 11th hour, we may be visiting Knox and College of Wooster (if they come through with tuition exchange -- still haven't heard their decision on tuition exchange, either).

Seems like y'all have had the college thing in the bag for ages, and we're constantly lagging behind. But it's exciting to hear that plans are falling into place.

[Nicole M]

Brenda, that thought is much needed, and therefore much appreciated here.

If anyone wants to hear my two-paragraph vent and pray for us, they can PM me. I don't want it to be public, nor do I want to inflict it on those who wouldn't really pray with us.

Oh, dear. I'm so sorry.

[creekland]

My son has firmly decided to go to Covenant College (GA) double majoring in Community Development and Business. He wants to be a Christian microfinance manager overseas, and it simply is the best school for that considering both academics and the specific program/department. He's already had a potential future employer tell him to remember them when he's looking to do his internship in a couple of years.

Fortunately, Covenant came through with enough financial aid for it to be affordable as we were thinking he'd have to go with his second choice due to finances. He's still trying for a couple more outside scholarships.

Congratulations to ALL and I hope everyone enjoys their choice. :)

[Valerie(TX)]

Today DS asked me to register him with the University of Delaware. Carole

Carole, I was having a pity party last night and wasn't very good company. (Slightly ashamed of myself....) This morning I wanted to check back in and congratulate you and ds on his choice. You all have been such an inspiration over the last few years, and I'm so happy that he has made a great decision that is right for him.

Wishing him the very best, and happy for your family that he'll still be close. :hurray:

[Valerie(TX)]

Seems like y'all have had the college thing in the bag for ages, and we're constantly lagging behind. But it's exciting to hear that plans are falling into place.

Hi Nicole,

I just wanted to tell you that two of dd's school choices did the same "Grand Canyon" manuever you described. Not the same tuition match scenario, but something equally frustrating.

Don't feel bad about your timing. There are many reasons why kids and schools haven't got it "in the bag" yet. The majority of them are just part of the process, which can be lengthy, especially for art, performance and music students, for whom there is always another layer of auditions, as you know.

Congrats to him for his acceptances, and best wishes on the picking and choosing! :)

[MSPolly]

Congratulations Carole!

Oh ((((Valerie)))) I will TRULY pray for you all. I have been following your posts. I'm sorry you can't just *let it all hang out*, but I DO think you are wise to not post publicly. If you need to vent, feel free to PM me anytime...but know that whether you do or not, you are thought of and prayed for.

My dd has made the decision for Belhaven University. It is a perfect fit program for Collaborative Piano and Pedagogy, although after her audition and a couple of lessons, the Dept. Head told her that she had a performer lurking there and she could be a virtuoso if she set her mind to it. She was very encouraged and I am excited for her. I think that over the next four years, she will go a long way to become the best pianist *she* can be. :) She already knows her roommate. They met on the campus tour and actually live 15 minutes from each other *now*! They've been getting together and getting to know each other. Also, a long time friend has decided to transfer down as well. I'm happy she will make new friends, but also have a couple that she already *belongs* with. :)

[Jane in NC]

Not in a position to announce yet but an interesting twist occurred in the process. He was waiting to hear from School #6 which sends out acceptances around April 1. By the time April 1 had rolled around, he essentially eliminated School #6 from his list. Hmmm...

He has whittled the list to three schools, one of which he is visiting for the first time next week. It is at a geographical distance and is literally the school that went from dark horse contender to strong suitor initially via propaganda and then through many personal touches.

So we shall see.

I hope by the end of next week we can make an announcement.

Biting nails with many of you,
Jane

[MSPolly]

Saying a prayer for you, too, Jane!

[Jane in NC]

Saying a prayer for you, too, Jane!

Thank you. This is most appreciated.

Jane

[Valerie(TX)]

It is a perfect fit program

MSPolly, I'm so glad Belhaven is *the* place for your dd!! It's got to be so satisfying to know that it's exactly right for her.

The best to you all!

[Katia]

Congrats to all who have decided and well-wishes and prayers to those still in-process.

Dd only applied to two colleges: #1 called her on the phone to let her know of her acceptance! That was thrilling, and they called less than a week after receiving her application. They offered her a 1/2 tuition scholarship based on ACT scores, and a $3,000 music scholarship. Now, I'd like to see what the govt has to say.........(grants?)

#2 we just, FINALLY, heard from two days ago. By mail. It was an acceptance letter!! She was thrilled as she was told in her interview that since the Early Decision applications were all so good and they accepted so many of them, that they were only accepting 20% of the regular applicants (which dd was among). They have said nothing about scholarships, but I'm sure her ACT scores should merit her something, and she also did a music audition with these folks as well....

Sigh. If they would just send all of the financial information, it would make the decision a bit easier....perhaps! It does make me feel funny that so many of your kids here have had their decisions made for such a long time and that we are still In-Process. I'd like it all to be settled and all to be happy and satisfied. Hopefully I can up-date this post before May 1, which is when all decisions need to be finalized.

I am SO thankful for a place to go and discuss this....vent.....read about others that are also in the process. It helps so incredibly. And I'm so excited for each of your kids as they make their decisions!

[Kathy in Richmond]

A hearty congratulations to everyone whose children have made their final decisions! May many blessings follow them on their new journeys!

Also, I'm praying here for all who are still making decisions and negotiating financial aid. I've followed everyone's stories all year long, and it's surprising how invested I've become in your kids. I want to hear good news from all:001_smile:.

We're preparing for three trips during April to the admit weekends at my dd's top choice colleges. I doubt we'll have much to report on final decisions before the last week of April.

~Kathy

[newbie]

Congrats to all who have decided and well-wishes and prayers to those still in-process.

Dd only applied to two colleges: #1 called her on the phone to let her know of her acceptance! That was thrilling, and they called less than a week after receiving her application. They offered her a 1/2 tuition scholarship based on ACT scores, and a $3,000 music scholarship. Now, I'd like to see what the govt has to say.........(grants?)

#2 we just, FINALLY, heard from two days ago. By mail. It was an acceptance letter!! She was thrilled as she was told in her interview that since the Early Decision applications were all so good and they accepted so many of them, that they were only accepting 20% of the regular applicants (which dd was among). They have said nothing about scholarships, but I'm sure her ACT scores should merit her something, and she also did a music audition with these folks as well....

Sigh. If they would just send all of the financial information, it would make the decision a bit easier....perhaps! It does make me feel funny that so many of your kids here have had their decisions made for such a long time and that we are still In-Process. I'd like it all to be settled and all to be happy and satisfied. Hopefully I can up-date this post before May 1, which is when all decisions need to be finalized.

I am SO thankful for a place to go and discuss this....vent.....read about others that are also in the process. It helps so incredibly. And I'm so excited for each of your kids as they make their decisions!

Ditto, on all the financial information. I feel like I am playing car dealers against each other for a new car.

I am not the type to call a college and say hey she got accepted here, what ya got, anything better. But, if she wants to go there, whats to lose.

I am in a whirlwind too. Received all but one acceptance and they are all 50 percent and money is a huge isssue.

Prayers for all of you and especially Valerie.

[Kareni]

Sending congratulations to those who have happily made their decisions!

And sending hopes that those who are still waiting will have an outcome that will be satisfying to them and their children.

Regards,
Kareni

[Susie-Knits]

DS has decided on Valparaiso University majoring in Computer Science and considering a double major or a minor or two. He put down his deposit this morning. He was awarded the Director's Scholarship.

Mid-March, he started talking how he was more that just a techie/math guy. I did a lot of listening and very little talking... because I already knew that. The college search really did open up the self discovery for him and the analysis of the financial pkgs really brought the reality home. Why pay more for what you really don't want? How did he get so level headed?! haha

Still praying for all the others making college decisions this year,
Susie

[JFS in IL]

DS has decided to go with Augustana College in Rock Island, IL - they have a strong Biology dept., all small classes taught by professors, generous aid package (comes in several thousand below our EFC!!! - only Minnesota would have been cheaper BUT 50,000 students vs. 2,600...) and he got into the science Honors track. He will be a big fish in a small pool (vs. a guppy at Minnesota).

He had applied to 11 schools - accepted at 9 (!!) all with merit scholarships, etc. He applied as History or Undecided listed as his initial major... once he decided Biology was the major, that ruled out a couple schools. Cost, even with scholarships, ruled out a few more. It came down to three schools - Gettysburg was about the same cost* as Augustana....but we ran out of time and money to visit, and ds just decided the Augies wanted him more (Augustana has done everything short of showing up here to place a chocolate on ds's pillow and serenade him!!!)

I am sending in the deposit today.


Now... my rising JR is talking about road trips to see colleges.....aaarrgh!

* after a HUGE aid package - over $35,000 a year (school costs about $52,000 all inclusive).

[FloridaLisa]

DS has decided to go with Augustana College in Rock Island, IL

:hurray:

(Augustana has done everything short of showing up here to place a chocolate on ds's pillow and serenade him!!!)

Love it! Maybe he'll get some under his dorm pillow!

Congratulations! And I see he's not too far from home. Yessss!

Lisa

[JFS in IL]

:hurray:



Love it! Maybe he'll get some under his dorm pillow!

Congratulations! And I see he's not too far from home. Yessss!

Lisa

After emailing Il. Wesleyan the news that he was going to Aug., the admissions person who has been working with John called in a PANIC last night to find out why - she said she will storm over to Fin. Aid and will call John back tonight. She wanted to know the entire Aug. offer - this could get interesting. John is caught between two school that are real RIVALS for the same caliber of local kids.

UPDATE - ds decided to stick with Augustana. Go Augies!!!!

[Orthodox6]

/

[Laurel-in-CA]

DD was accepted to all 3 art schools she applied to and NOT at the state school due to insufficient foreign language (my fault). Two of the schools offered her scholarships, but one was local so she could use her CalGrant money to attend. It was also a great fit for her - small, focused, lovely, respectful of more conservative as well as more edgy artists. They offered her a good package, but she's going to spend next year at CC taking some transferrable things more cheaply and working towards a car and the $2,000 computer/software package she needs to start at Laguna College of Art & Design. That will mean a 5-year plan for college, but that's OK.

Our new twist is that dh is interviewing next week for a job that would require us to relocate - and dd wouldn't be coming with us....so she may just go straight to art college instead. Still waiting to find out on that one.

[Cheryl B in VA]

Today ds received his acceptance letter to the Honors Program at Liberty University. That was what we were waiting for! His total scholarship package plus the VTAG (VA tuition assistance grant) is 100%+ of tuition!

School he turned down: Valley Forge Christian College, full tuition; Christopher Newport University, Honors Program and President's Leadership Program, only $2000 scholarship; James Madison University, ~20% admission rate, Honors Program.

So glad the decision is made!

[FloridaLisa]

*Laurel-in-CA* (see? I got that right. ;) ) and Cheryl,

Congratulations! Sounds like your dc had several wonderful options! Rejoicing with you that your decisions are made.

Blessings,
Lisa

[Sonshine]

Cheryl - Our older son went to Liberty and a younger son is considering it. Wish we could get that Virginia scholarship grant- we're not from Virginia though and our state doesn't have anything comparable. Anyway, I hope he loves Liberty. I'm happy he got such a great financial package!

[Nicole M]

I'm so jealous, y'all! And impressed.

We're making an emergency trip next weekend out east to visit a school that really wasn't even on my radar as a viable choice, but one my son really wanted to apply to. Boy, I'm glad he did. Fantastic financial aid offer from them (tuition remission through the National Tuition Exchange program). It's just very far away, and not near any airports, so hard to get to. This will be an expensive trip, but money well spent, whether he loves the place or hates it.

Golly I want this all to be done and decided!

[creekland]

We're making an emergency trip next weekend out east to visit a school that really wasn't even on my radar as a viable choice, but one my son really wanted to apply to. Boy, I'm glad he did. Fantastic financial aid offer from them (tuition remission through the National Tuition Exchange program). It's just very far away, and not near any airports, so hard to get to. This will be an expensive trip, but money well spent, whether he loves the place or hates it.



Curious minds are dying to know... what school??? Hope you have a good trip!

[Katia]

Dd has decided!!! Finally....but we all really knew all along which was the best 'fit' for her.

She visited several colleges last summer and whittled it down to two which really interested her and applied to those two.

Both accepted her, and both colleges awarded her a $3,000 piano scholarship!!!

However, there the similarity ends in regards to the financial aid. One offers nothing else, and expects her to get private loans.....to the tune of $30,000 per year! Right. When her sister was accepted there two years ago, this dd's ACT scores would have earned her either a 1/2 tuition scholarship or a full scholarship....but each year they change the stats, and for *this* year......she doesn't qualify. :glare: Stinks. I don't think it's either right or fair that a college would change it's scholarship qualifications in the middle of the application process.

However, the other college has offered an $8,000 academic scholarship, and along with the $3,000 piano scholarship......this is WOW. We are still waiting to see what kind of Pell Grants, etc. she might qualify for from the govt, but as it stands with just these scholarships, she would owe less after four years of college from this college than she would after one year at the other.

Luckily, she had already decided that this University was the place for her. We wanted her to decide before we received any financial offers so that money wasn't the deciding factor. (ha!) She just 'felt' right there, she loved the professors and the teachers and she especially liked the diversity of the students on campus.

So, dd is headed to the sunny state of Florida in the fall!!! I'm SO glad this decision is over and we can move on. :001_smile:

Congrats to all others who have decided! I love reading to see where everyone's dc have been accepted.

[cupajoe]

I just want to send a hearty congratulations to all of you (and your dc, of course!). It's so encouraging to read about your much deserved success after navigating the difficult college application/admissions process. Though I don't post much, I have learned so much by reading all of your posts on this particular sub-board over the past months.

I am just beginning this process with my rising junior (researching colleges, admission requirements, etc). You've paved the way for those of us who are following. For that, I just wanted to say thank you, and again...many congrats!
:party:

Erika

[Orthodox6]

(never mind)

[CO MOM]

Our dd is going to George Fox University in OR to major in cinema/media communication and probably also in English. Gratefully, this was her first choice and the best financial aid package. She received academic and departmental scholarships, as well as some need-based aid. She also applied and was accepted to Northwest Nazarene (ID) and Taylor (IN) Universities. It has been a long process and a lot of work, but we are pleased for her and she is excited about the next chapter in her life.

[Musicmom]

At long last, all the college acceptances are in and ds has made his decision! He’ll be attending Carnegie Mellon in the fall—majoring in computer science (possibly with an emphasis in electrical and computer engineering).

He also got accepted at Cornell (a very nice surprise) and the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities (Honors Program.) But Carnegie has been ds’s top choice for quite some time. It came down to CMU or the U of M, which was difficult choice because the U of M is close (only 1 ½ hrs away), and offered quite a few perks through the Honors Program as well as a couple of very nice scholarships. CMU is far (15 hrs away) and no financial aid for us (eek), but… it’s really a much better fit for ds. For what he wants to do academically (robotics), it’s the place to be, and he loves the smaller campus, quieter setting—even though it’s in Pittsburgh, and the smaller school size (the U of M is a very nice school, but huge—50,000 students, middle of downtown Minneapolis.)

Many, many thanks to Kareni for sharing her counselor letter and course descriptions with me. They were a great inspiration and springboard. Both Carnegie and Cornell are schools that ask for lots of homeschool documentation—I guess ours was okay!

And many thanks to Kathy in Richmond, Brenda in MA and others who gave me input last year when we were planning to visit these and other colleges. You were all so helpful!

I’m watching with excitement as everyone’s dc make their decisions! Congrats to all!

[Kareni]

How exciting to hear of all these decisions! Congratulations to those of you whose children have made their decisions.

And good wishes to those whose children are still weighing choices and/or making trips ....

Regards,
Kareni

[Kathy in Richmond]

Wow, CMU for computer science is marvelous. He's going to love that program! We toured the robotics labs there when my son was thinking about it and were very impressed. For that branch of CS, it can't be beat. One of my neighbors just graduated last year from SCS and he was extremely pleased with CMU both academically and socially. And I have fond memories of my time in Pittsburgh at CMU...such a nice community. Good luck to him!!

~Kathy (whose own dd is STILL undecided:))

[Jane in NC]

At long last, all the college acceptances are in and ds has made his decision! He’ll be attending Carnegie Mellon in the fall—majoring in computer science (possibly with an emphasis in electrical and computer engineering).

He also got accepted at Cornell (a very nice surprise) and the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities (Honors Program.) But Carnegie has been ds’s top choice for quite some time. It came down to CMU or the U of M, which was difficult choice because the U of M is close (only 1 ½ hrs away), and offered quite a few perks through the Honors Program as well as a couple of very nice scholarships. CMU is far (15 hrs away) and no financial aid for us (eek), but… it’s really a much better fit for ds. For what he wants to do academically (robotics), it’s the place to be, and he loves the smaller campus, quieter setting—even though it’s in Pittsburgh, and the smaller school size (the U of M is a very nice school, but huge—50,000 students, middle of downtown Minneapolis.)

Many, many thanks to Kareni for sharing her counselor letter and course descriptions with me. They were a great inspiration and springboard. Both Carnegie and Cornell are schools that ask for lots of homeschool documentation—I guess ours was okay!

And many thanks to Kathy in Richmond, Brenda in MA and others who gave me input last year when we were planning to visit these and other colleges. You were all so helpful!

I’m watching with excitement as everyone’s dc make their decisions! Congrats to all!

Send congratulations to your son for acceptance into a terrific program. And a pat on the back to you! I also echo the thanks you send to Kareni and the other terrific parents on this board.


~Kathy (whose own dd is STILL undecided:))

In your club, Kathy. But I think the Dear Boy is down to two...

Jane

[Valerie(TX)]

She decided two weeks ago, but I’ve been giving her time to personally thank the other colleges and let them know her decision in an appropriate and gracious manner before I posted. (Thank you notes – check!)

Here’s what it finally came down to:

· School #1 - 60% tuition honors scholarship; not their highest award. This was my favorite college in terms of a personal match, but it would have been too much debt for her.
· School #2 - full tuition honors scholarship; their highest award; 5 awarded.
· School #3 - "full-ride + " honors scholarship with enough $ to allow students to study abroad or avail themselves of other “significant educational opportunities which are not available to most students.” 5 or 6 awarded; their highest award.

Both #2 and #3 were new scholarships offered for the first time this year (#2) or last year (#3) – amazing timing for her!!

I wanted to keep this post fairly condensed, but I have written it all up in detail for our “God Things” document, where we keep records of the mighty things God has done in our lives over the years. (It’s a lot more convenient than placing piles of rocks as a memorial. ;) ) If anyone would like to read the testimony, they are welcome to PM me. The key thing is that although she is a great student and has worked very diligently, in each case there were very clear markers that it was God’s hand giving her obvious connections with the interviewers and opening doors for her. I kid you not, from a human standpoint each one of these seemed impossible, yet we saw the "unreachable" happen time and time again! Soli Deo Gloria!

Deciding between school #2 and #3 was just awful for her. Each would have been a fantastic choice, but the two options were radically different from each other. Closing either door meant giving up a huge opportunity…that's an awful lot of angst for a 17 yo, but she needed to own the decision.

She decided to go to Hardin-Simmons in Abilene, TX. She’s going to see how far she can go with a double major in art and ministry. I’ve often thought of Abilene as a small city out in the boonies, and it is, but it’s a small city with a vibrant arts scene and four universities. Although the school isn’t Tier 1, that wasn’t our goal. They have a great art program (aside from Belhaven, it's the only art building built expressly *for* art instruction among all the colleges she considered, so it’s *wonderfully functional*). HSU shares the campus with a small seminary, so the ministry faculty is a cut above, as well. All in all, it’s a great fit for her!

We went to fall registration last Friday, and while we were there we met her new roomate, E, who homeschooled in middle school, plays the same instrument, and also is passionate about service/missions. (Speechless with joy...) They are going to have a ball together! I'm thrilled for both of them!


Edited to add: our heartfelt thanks to those who have been praying for dh, dd, and I over the last couple of weeks! It was a very tough couple of weeks as dd wrestled with her decision. Brenda, Jane, MSPolly, Nicole, and FloridaLisa, thanks so much for walking this road with us and being a kind voice along the way! I had asked for prayer for dd to find a summer job, but someone else posted the same thing this morning for their student, so I'll edit this to ask for prayer to cover all our kids who need jobs!

Thanks for listening!

[FloridaLisa]

[QUOTE=Valerie(TX);1664978][ I kid you not, from a human standpoint each one of these seemed impossible, yet we saw the "unreachable" happen time and time again! Soli Deo Gloria!

She decided to go to Hardin-Simmons in Abilene, TX. She’s going to see how far she can go with a double major in art and ministry. . . . All in all, it’s a great fit for her!

:party:

Valerie, a hearty congratulations to you and dd! It's so neat to be able to experience *virtually* all of the fruit from many years of hard work and to hear how God's plan fell together for her.

Have a great weekend,
Lisa

[Brenda in MA]

sounds like she had some really good (and tough) choices! You must feel very relieved, especially getting to meet her new roommate and see that they had a few things in common. Hope you all enjoy your summer and that a job comes through.

Brenda

[The Dragon Academy]

My son's also been accepted to Knox College, and they did offer 95% tuition remission. We'd have to pay only about $2,000 tuition + room and board. Not a bad deal at all! But the music program is not as strong there as it is at his first choice, and he's never seen the place. So in a few weeks, at the 11th hour, we may be visiting Knox and College of Wooster (if they come through with tuition exchange -- still haven't heard their decision on tuition exchange, either).

Seems like y'all have had the college thing in the bag for ages, and we're constantly lagging behind. But it's exciting to hear that plans are falling into place.
I live by Knox. If you come for a visit please let me know. I used to work there and know a lot of the faculty and staff. If you have any questions I can try to answer them for you.

[Kathy in Richmond]

Congratulations Valerie and dd on Hardin-Simmons! And a full tuition honors scholarship, too! And a great roommate match! It sounds like she has made a happy, smart decision. I truly believe that God does open the right doors for us:).

Good luck to your daughter as she begins her new journey!

~Kathy
(whose dd has decided, but, like Valerie's dd, has asked me to delay the announcement till she has told her friends and mentors first)

And prayers and good wishes to everyone still in the college decision or financial aid process, and to all the kids looking for summer work.

[MSPolly]

Congratulations to everyone! Good news just keeps rolling in!

Unbelievable how fast time is moving!

[Valerie(TX)]

.....

~Kathy (whose dd has decided, but, like Valerie's dd, has asked me to delay the announcement till she has told her friends and mentors first)

Kathy, I want you to know that we've been "watching" as you've touched base here periodically, and we can't wait to hear what your dd decided! What a lovely number of options she has! Congrats to you both.

One of my dd's classmates at church (partially homeschooled, and truly bright!) is going to Texas A&M for aerospace engineering, but she has more of a project management interest than a pure maths interest like your dd. She was so excited to hear what you all had accomplished!

And prayers and good wishes to everyone still in the college decision or financial aid process, and to all the kids looking for summer work. Thanks!

[Valerie(TX)]

Congratulations to everyone! Good news just keeps rolling in!

Unbelievable how fast time is moving!

What is the next step for you all? When is orientation? any roomate news? anything over the summer?

We're done, all except the 'showing up' part. :) Any the paying part. And the summer job...

[Jane in NC]

And the decision is...The College of Wooster.

This school was placed on our radar by a family friend whose daughter attended. Gwen in VA had mentioned it in passing so I asked her about the school on these forums. She wrote:

We were impressed by the College of Wooster --

1) All of the seniors have to do a senior project -- two semesters, not just one. They work on preparing the student to do original research his/her senior year very seriously. Juniors do a mini-project, and profs take their role in the preparation very seriously -- classes are taught with this in mind.

2) Thinking outside the box seems to be valued. Creativity is a priority on campus. I don't mean artsy creativity necessarily, but just plain creative thought.

3) The majors and the profs seemed quite flexible. A student can create his own major. The senior project can be interdisciplinary.

3) Most of the dorms have a living room with a grand piano in it. The students we talked to said that the pianos were played on a random but regular basis. (not for practicing) I thought that spoke well of the students and the college's priorities.

4) Most admissions counselors seem to mention a sample successful grad in their admissions talk. Duke's example was a fellow who made his first million by age 26. At Wooster the example was of a alum who worked in the humanitarian arena. I forget the details, but it was a small-scale 3 Cups of Tea type of success. I was impressed that Wooster's example alum was not an alum who had gained fame and fortune but one who had made a distinctly positive impact on the people of the world.

So I took notice. The interdisciplinary nature of the senior project seems more the rule than the exception. The number of international programs with which the college is affiliated (hence merit aid will transfer) is impressive. But it was not love at first sight for my son. Not that he found anything wrong with the campus, but he was not sure...until he started visiting more schools while they were in session.

Admittedly, other schools had their merits, hence the drama lingered. But ultimately he realized that the independent work that is promoted at Wooster is exactly what he has been doing at home and wants to continue to do. And he says they had the best food of any school he visited. (Now you know what motivates my kid!) Or was it the late night euchre games that ultimately sold him? Or the possibility of bagpipe lessons?!?!?

We were very pleased by the merit aid offered by Wooster and the general assistance offered by the admissions people. My son plans on majoring in archaeology (an unusual major that is not offered by many colleges).

He is now focusing on AP exams and finding summer employment.

What a wild ride we have had this year!

Jane

[newbie]

I though I already posted decision, but maybe not. This college thing is like being a chicken w/your head cut off. Literally.

The decision is Chatham. Based on scholarships and they have a wonderful Creative Writing program, which is what dd wants to major in. She can finish in five years if picked for it .

Next hurdle is they asked for her to apply for their Scholars Program, now to put together portfolio.

I cant wait til September, mabye I can get off the roller coaster ride than.

[Valerie(TX)]

I'm so glad he is happy with the "fit". It sounds like a wonderful place!

Isn't it nice when it all finally comes together? :)

Congrats to you both!

[Valerie(TX)]

Hang in there on the portfolio! (We thought it would never end as well, but it did!)

Congrats to you both!

[FloridaLisa]

And the decision is...The College of Wooster.


wOOt wOOt! :w00t:

How exciting Jane! Congrats to you and your ds! Have a terrific summer with your son.

Lisa

[FloridaLisa]

The decision is Chatham.

Next hurdle is they asked for her to apply for their Scholars Program, now to put together portfolio.

Congratulations! Best wishes on the next step!

Lisa, who is *this close* to announcing on behalf of ds1 as well.

[Laurel-in-CA]

OK, we've ended up changing our plan. DD is going to skip the community college year and go straight on to art school. A number of things came up that made this the right choice.

*DH has the possibility of a job that would require us to relocate and would increase his salary - thus decreasing her CalGrant next year. Ouch!
*CC is full up, nearly doubled enrollment over the last 2 year and budget cuts, so no guarantee she would get her classes, while art school has a defined 4-year program and ensures each student has the classes he/she needs.
*DD really, really wants to go. She was OK-ing the CC thing because of my uncertainties, but is very excited about this change of plans (well, not about us moving, but 2 of her teen CBS leaders have offered to take her in if needed)
*DD is actually getting out there a bit and job hunting. She has an interview tomorrow to do "street art" at amusement parks. I'll be driving her, but that shouldn't last long once she's earning on her own. Her license test is next week.

So, even if dh doesn't get the job, dd is heading off to college.

[Kathy in Richmond]

The decision is Chatham. Based on scholarships and they have a wonderful Creative Writing program, which is what dd wants to major in. She can finish in five years if picked for it .


Yay for newbie and daughter! I used to live near Chatham in my grad school days. Not only is it a wonderful school, it's in a great area of Pittsburgh for students. I wish her well there in her creative writing program. Meanwhile, good luck with the portfolio. Summer will go by all too quickly and we will miss these days come autumn despite the craziness now.:)

OK, we've ended up changing our plan. DD is going to skip the community college year and go straight on to art school.

Wow, that sure is a huge change for your daughter; it sounds so exciting for her! And I certainly understand the extra "fun" of a husband's job change in the midst of college applications. It sounds like you all have found the optimal solution! Good luck to her tomorrow on her summer job interview - what a fun way to spend the summer and earn $$ at the same time. I'm still driving my senior daughter around, too (we will get to that driver's test soon!)

And the decision is...The College of Wooster.

Dear Jane, hugs to you and your son on reaching the big decision. What a wonderful choice!! Senior project work, great food, card playing, archaeology, and bagpipes! What's not to like? And more seriously, congratulations on the merit aid award. Best of luck to him next year!


He is now focusing on AP exams and finding summer employment.

Good luck to him! We're right there with you...

What a wild ride we have had this year!

You can say that again! Now we need to start planning a support group for the fall.:)

~Kathy

[mcconnellboys]

A decision! Finally! And it's going to be Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. I am hopeful.....

[Kareni]

Congratulations to all on these fantastic decisions. Wishing you and your children much joy with their decisions and new opportunities!

Regards,
Kareni

[MIch elle]

And the decision is...The College of Wooster.
My son plans on majoring in archaeology (an unusual major that is not offered by many colleges).

Jane

You must be relieved and proud. :D

A young man from our church graduated from Cornell Univ. in archaeology and is now attending Yale for his PHD.

I'm just beginning the process and it's scary (the prices). My ds so far likes physical therapy but there are no longer BS or MS degrees offered. It's Doctorate in PT or PTA (assoc.) - nothing in between - ugh!

[Moira in MA]

It feels good to have those decisions made, doesn't it?

Good luck to all those still pondering and a special prayer for any waitlisted out there.

Like others, dd is working on AP test prep. Good health to all.

~Moira who feels like it was an age since dd made *her* choice -- way back in March.

[Jane in NC]

You must be relieved and proud. :D

A young man from our church graduated from Cornell Univ. in archaeology and is now attending Yale for his PHD.

I'm just beginning the process and it's scary (the prices). My ds so far likes physical therapy but there are no longer BS or MS degrees offered. It's Doctorate in PT or PTA (assoc.) - nothing in between - ugh!

Thank you--I am both!

How does this work with PT? Do students first earn a BS in another field then attend PT school? Is it like applying to med school?

[MIch elle]

Thank you--I am both!

How does this work with PT? Do students first earn a BS in another field then attend PT school? Is it like applying to med school?

Both options are available. Some schools state once accepted into the program you're in (if you keep a 3.0) and matriculate into the doctorate program (BU, Northeastern). Others you apply to later after you've earned your BS (UConn, MGH); and still others you apply to in soph. or jr years for early acceptance (UMASS Lowell). Some are 6 years; others are 7 years for a DPT.

I've been looking today at OT. That has a 5 year MS degree.

I don't understand WHY PTs need a doctorate.

The programs are very competitive for PT but like anything it depends on how many are applying that year. Most PT programs only accept about 30 students/yr.

I don't know anything about applying to med. school so I can't compare.

We have a couple of years to figure it out. My neice is a PT (MS) and ds went to work with her. He liked the job.

[Nicole M]

I live by Knox. If you come for a visit please let me know. I used to work there and know a lot of the faculty and staff. If you have any questions I can try to answer them for you.

:willy_nilly:

We just got home! I didn't have internet access on the trip, so I didn't get your note here, or your PM. Wowie, we could have used a little help with navigating that trip. Total culture shock for us.

It's likely that my son will end up there, so I will definitely keep in touch. Thank you so much for your kind offer.

We asked for, and received, an extension on the May 1 deadline, because we are still negotiating with the first choice school, Lawrence. But honestly, I think E would be quite happy at Knox. The programs are excellent. The only downsides are the food (most vile I have encountered, probably ever) and the dorms, which are fine but a little crowded.

Thanks again!

Nicole

[Jane in NC]

:willy_nilly:

We just got home! I didn't have internet access on the trip, so I didn't get your note here, or your PM. Wowie, we could have used a little help with navigating that trip. Total culture shock for us.

It's likely that my son will end up there, so I will definitely keep in touch. Thank you so much for your kind offer.

We asked for, and received, an extension on the May 1 deadline, because we are still negotiating with the first choice school, Lawrence. But honestly, I think E would be quite happy at Knox. The programs are excellent. The only downsides are the food (most vile I have encountered, probably ever) and the dorms, which are fine but a little crowded.

Thanks again!

Nicole

Extension? Oh Nicole, I came here assuming that I'd find The Decision. :toetap05:

You are made of tougher stuff than I. Extension?!?!?

Jane (who assumes that your nerves are frayed)

[Nicole M]

Extension? Oh Nicole, I came here assuming that I'd find The Decision. :toetap05:

You are made of tougher stuff than I. Extension?!?!?

Jane (who assumes that your nerves are frayed)

May 5. Frayed. Yes.

[Valerie(TX)]

I was about to PM you and see how the whirlwind trip went.

Sorry about the food--we're already figuring out some workarounds for dd to supplement the caf. It's pretty tough when a kid is used to much healthier fare.

Sending up prayers as you all finish out negotiations.

{{Nicole and family}}

Val

[The Dragon Academy]

:willy_nilly:

We just got home! I didn't have internet access on the trip, so I didn't get your note here, or your PM. Wowie, we could have used a little help with navigating that trip. Total culture shock for us.

It's likely that my son will end up there, so I will definitely keep in touch. Thank you so much for your kind offer.

We asked for, and received, an extension on the May 1 deadline, because we are still negotiating with the first choice school, Lawrence. But honestly, I think E would be quite happy at Knox. The programs are excellent. The only downsides are the food (most vile I have encountered, probably ever) and the dorms, which are fine but a little crowded.

Thanks again!

Nicole

Aw, I'm sorry I missed you. If you have any questions or need anything please let me know.

[LBS]

.

[Nicole M]

I was about to PM you and see how the whirlwind trip went.

Sorry about the food--we're already figuring out some workarounds for dd to supplement the caf. It's pretty tough when a kid is used to much healthier fare.

Sending up prayers as you all finish out negotiations.

{{Nicole and family}}

Val

Workarounds? Do tell.

We had a long talk with an Environmental Studies prof who was really amazing. He's working on setting up a CSA to the downtown area, and has lots of energy and good ideas. We hadn't eaten in the cafeteria yet when we spoke to him, so I didn't ask whether there was any interest in working with local farmers on that front. My son is allergic to eggs, and I didn't realize how easy it is here in the northwest to rustle up grub for him. Almost everywhere you turn you can find vegan baked goods, and folks in food service here are accustomed to being asked about ingredients. That was not so much the case in Galesburg.

Before this trip, it also did not occur to me that there would be campuses in the United States that served swill, thinking it was "coffee." I did not realize what a coffee snob I am. Humbling.

Thanks for your kind words. I will be thinking about this workaround thing.

[Nicole M]

Aw, I'm sorry I missed you. If you have any questions or need anything please let me know.

Me, too! Thanks again.

[Kathy in Richmond]

After a month of considering her choices carefully, my daughter has chosen to attend Stanford University in the fall as a mathematics major. Yay for decisions!

It came down to choosing between MIT, Princeton, and Stanford. These schools offered her the best financial aid packages and were her top personal choices anyway. Chicago and William & Mary both would have required a lot more $$ than we cared to spend (no non-loan aid at all offered from W&M, our state school, and pretty poor aid offered from Chicago). Caltech got crossed off the list due to her preferring MIT if it came down to a techy school.

Academically, MIT requires a core curriculum of lots of science and lab courses. The more she thought about her interests in Latin, classics, painting & drawing, the more she realized that something would have to give if she chose MIT. It was a hard dream to let go, though, as she'd always pictured herself following her big brother there. It's also the campus that she's visited umpteen times, has the most friends at, and feels totally at home roaming. Their College Preview Weekend was tons of fun for her - I'm not sure she even slept more than a few hours over the three days. She fits in with those kids and enjoys their ideas of fun - ie, she could have a fulfilling social life without the drinking scene, which is terribly important to her.

Princeton, on the other hand, offers the academics she's looking for and a way to combine them all. She spent ten days living there last summer and taking part in a learning/research program in their awesome math department. And their Classics, Latin, art departments are all she hoped for. She stayed in the dorms with math friends over Preview Weekend and had a lot of fun. Food, castle-like buildings, a safe community all were positives. But there was something she just couldn't put her finger on that wasn't working for her there. Maybe it was the tour of the Eating Clubs, where we checked out the photo boards of the current members and found that a couple had a real lack of Asians or minorities; or maybe it was the accepted students' party we attended in Richmond, where the older alumni warned her against MIT or Stanford (as in, "don't go there, you'd have to work hard" - not that we think Princeton is a cake walk by any means; it was just something in their tone). One other thing that disturbed her a bit was that when she attended the Catholic students' events during the weekend (and she went to a couple to give it a fair shot), the Princeton boys surrounded her and made her feel uncomfortable (I was with her one of the times and it wasn't her imagination:tongue_smilie:).

So by now we feel like we're living the story of the three little bears: this school is too hot, this one is too cold,...hopefully the next one will be just right...;)

Since Stanford was a last-minute addition to dd's college list and the school we know the least about, we decided on a five-day visit at the end of April during their Admitted Student weekend. Dd only knows one Stanford student well, and since he's a he, he arranged for dd to stay with two girls in his dorm.

Stanford was founded in 1891 as an untraditional coeducational university whose purpose was to "produce cultured and useful citizens" at a time when the East Coast elite schools were interested primarily in the former. All weekend long, speakers told the kids and parents that they were selected not only on the basis of their smarts, but also on their niceness and desire to give back to the world. They want kids who will think outside-the-box and take advantage of opportunities even when it might not feel comfortable to them. My dd had the opportunity to eat lunch with her admissions officer (the same officer reads all the homeschooled applicants). He spoke very highly of homeschoolers! And she thought that it was absolutely neat to finally meet the person at the other end of what often seemed the black hole of application essays.

Academically, Stanford has all the pure mathematics her heart desires. She sat in on several classes and found them to her liking. I attended one and was impressed with the students - no one pulled out a laptop or iPhone to surf the internet that I could see during class; instead, they seemed engaged and the teaching was clear. Stanford is on a quarter system and its distribution requirements are flexible enough that my daughter could easily work in Latin or art or even dancing classes (Richard Powers (http://richardpowers.com/) offers wonderful 1-unit social dancing classes; the one I watched was so much fun!).

Extracurricular-wise, dd was looking for ways to have fun and socialize without partying and to be part of her faith community and have opportunities to give back to the community. She signed up for info about the tap dance group on campus. Her good friend took her out with his gang to a partner dancing event one evening...a wonderful time for her, and she was relieved to meet lots of students who had that idea of fun on the weekends. They stayed up (too) late talking and playing games, just like she enjoys at summer camps. The Catholic community was large and vibrant, with much going on from Bible studies to retreats to dinners to daily rosary to Mass in Memorial Church (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stanford_University_Quad_Memorial_Church.JPG) (and the boys were nicer!). She even met a fellow homeschooled Catholic girl (with the same first name), and they spent some friendly time together exploring the campus. And she's selected her first volunteer opportunities: a group of kids who go into one of the local city elementary schools and tutor children using Singapore :) math books, and Splash, a group of undergraduates who teach informal classes to local middle and high-school age students a couple times a year.

So I think she's found her home. She just clicked with the school and the people. The sunny CA weather, beautiful setting, and excellent food (and her new Jamba Juice addiction) surely didn't hurt, either. It will be far, but she's a good and experienced traveler. Even with the cost of flying back and forth, we will come out ahead financially over her other choices. She will graduate loan-free. (And just a note to others: if you at all think you might qualify for need-based aid, don't rule out schools like Stanford on the basis of their stated costs. Their financial aid is truly wonderful! Also, apply to several schools, as the aid packages they will calculate based on your FAFSA and Profile forms will vary wildly. In our case, the scholarship/grant amounts for similar-cost schools varied up to $18,000 per year!)

We will miss having her at home, but it's time to give her wings to fly away. One good thing: her older brother will be interning near Stanford in the fall semester. So if anything happens or she just wants to get away for a day, she can easily visit him.

Thanks to all here who offered help and support during our college application adventures. It's been a roller-coaster year and I appreciate everyone who's shared it with us:001_smile:

~Kathy

[Jane in NC]

After a month of considering her choices carefully, my daughter has chosen to attend Stanford University in the fall as a mathematics major. Yay for decisions!

~Kathy

Congrats to you and your daughter, Kathy! Stanford is a great school and Palo Alto is gorgeous. One of my good friends attended grad school at Stanford. He really appreciated the Catholic community and the support he found there (although this was a looooong time ago).

So what is on your horizon for the fall? Inquiring minds wonder what Kathy's next adventure shall be!

Jane

[Kareni]

..my daughter has chosen to attend Stanford University in the fall as a mathematics major. Yay for decisions!...

Yay indeed! It sounds as though she has made a well thought out decision. Best wishes to her.


(And just a note to others: if you at all think you might qualify for need-based aid, don't rule out schools like Stanford on the basis of their stated costs. Their financial aid is truly wonderful! Also, apply to several schools, as the aid packages they will calculate based on your FAFSA and Profile forms will vary wildly. In our case, the scholarship/grant amounts for similar-cost schools varied up to $18,000 per year!)

I second this suggestion to apply widely. My daughter's financial aid packages also varied tremendously (in her case on the order of $10,000 per year.)

Regards,
Kareni

[Brenda in MA]

Kathy, Nicole, Jane, and anyone else I forgot on your dc's decisions! What wonderful icing on that homeschooling cake!

Brenda

[Valerie(TX)]

It's really wonderful that she found a place that "fits" her, and doubly wonderful that her academic- and faith-communities are vibrant as well.

Best wishes!

[Faithr]

Congrats to your dd! That's wonderful! I'm Catholic too so I love hearing that good things are going on at various campuses.

[Valerie(TX)]

Workarounds? Do tell.

Thanks for your kind words. I will be thinking about this workaround thing.

Nicole, I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you on this. I'm in progress on it. I'll PM you when some of the ideas (and sources) come to fruition.

Val

[Musicmom]

Congratulations to you, Kathy, and to your dd on Stanford! It sounds like a wonderful fit for her--yay, indeed! Ds would have really liked to apply there, but somehow CA ended up seeming just too far for him. I'm so happy to hear your dd was able to connect with such a vibrant faith-based group as well, which will provide wonderful support. We're with you in that our dc will also be looking for ways to socialize and have fun without the partying. We're hoping ds can get involved with a strong Christian group at CMU.

And congratulations Jane on your ds's decision. I know nothing about College of Wooster, but again it sounds like a great fit!

[Nicole M]

And... Opportunity Knox: E answers! He wrote his deposit check today. I'm proud and happy and slightly nauseous.

Nicole, I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you on this. I'm in progress on it. I'll PM you when some of the ideas (and sources) come to fruition.

Val

No problem! We have several months to work that out, eh? :D Galesburg may have seemed like a foreign country, but they do have postal service to carry care packages, and they have a living, breathing Well Trained Mom, to boot! (I'm still giggling about the fact that the truly wonderful folks in the Admission Office sent us to a restaurant that specializes in quiches and crepes when we asked for a recommendation for a boy who is allergic to eggs. Is that bad of me?)

[Nicole M]

And congratulations to everyone! Stanford! Wooster! All these fine places! Wowie. Makes me proud to hang with you peeps.

[Valerie(TX)]

And... Opportunity Knox: E answers! Cute!

I'm still giggling about the fact that the truly wonderful folks in the Admission Office sent us to a restaurant that specializes in quiches and crepes when we asked for a recommendation for a boy who is allergic to eggs. Is that bad of me?) Remarkable, isn't it!

You mentioned care packages...I'm thinking it may come to some of that, and some drop-shipping, and a 'stock up' run or two when possible...we have several concerns, but all are much easier than being allergic to eggs! Gracious!

Congrats to you and to him!

Drumroll, please....

.

.

.

.

My daughter's college and your son's have the same COLORS!

[FloridaLisa]

Are we the last to post a final decision? ::big sigh and relief::

Ds will be going to Florida State University. He was accepted into the Honors Medical Scholar Program, which allows him to do undergrad in 3 years and then go into the College of Medicine. He is excited beyond belief and we are praising the Lord for this opportunity. Between state and university scholarships, his undergrad will be debt-free.

Ds has long wanted to pursue medical missions, and 2 months in Cameroon last summer really gave him vision. He returned a mature young man with purpose. He has already completed a bit more than a year, dual-enrolled at two state universities.

I remain so humbled from our year and watching as the Lord worked in and through ds, while I played a lesser and lesser role.

Kathy and Nicole -- wonderful news on both fronts! I stand amazed at the talent and hard work of our students. It has been so exciting to see the decisions and it's a thread that should be tagged for younger families that need a good dose of faith in their decision to home educate.

Lisa

[Valerie(TX)]

Congrats to you both, and what a wonderful direction! :w00t: My good friend here in DFW has a dd who is 3 years (+/-) into med school, did her undergrad at Rice; she wants to go back to P*k*st*n as an OB. Such need! The dd says that scrubs aren't that different from a shalwar-kameez. :lol: (spelling is certainly off on that, sorry!)

Congrats to him, and a big hug for mom! Amazing!


Ds will be going to Florida State University. He was accepted into the Honors Medical Scholar Program, which allows him to do undergrad in 3 years

Ds has long wanted to pursue medical missions,

[CynthiaOK]

That sounds like a wonderful opportunity for your son, Lisa.

[CynthiaOK]

Congratulations to all of you! What wonderful examples you and your students are. I'm following this with interest because I'll have a senior next year, a year off, then another senior, followed by another the next year. Although I have already graduated one, I find that each son is so different...

I'll be looking at Wooster because it sounds like a place where ds#3 might find a niche. Ds#2 still doesn't know what he wants to do (except graduate) and has no compassion for my stress about it:tongue_smilie:

[Jane in NC]

Congratulations to all of you! What wonderful examples you and your students are. I'm following this with interest because I'll have a senior next year, a year off, then another senior, followed by another the next year. Although I have already graduated one, I find that each son is so different...

I'll be looking at Wooster because it sounds like a place where ds#3 might find a niche. Ds#2 still doesn't know what he wants to do (except graduate) and has no compassion for my stress about it:tongue_smilie:

Congrats to Nicole, Lisa and their children! Incredible opportunities!

Cynthia, I'll keep you posted on Wooster and how things enfold for my dear one.

Jane

[FloridaLisa]

I'm following this with interest because I'll have a senior next year, a year off, then another senior, followed by another the next year. Although I have already graduated one, I find that each son is so different...

I feel your pain Cynthia! I feel like a mother bird watching her fledglings perched on a limb, jumping off one after the other.

Lisa

[FloridaLisa]

Congrats to him, and a big hug for mom! Amazing!

Thanks so much. I wanted to post after he received the phone call and e-mail, but held out for the letter! One of my first reactions was huge relief that someone else would be guidance counseling him from now on! :D

Lisa

[Valerie(TX)]

someone else would be guidance counseling him from now on! :D

Lisa Won't that be nice!?!?!

:iagree: Although, being the overachiever that I am, I worked dd through both the degree plans and had her pick out a schedule that would work three or four different ways, since I wasn't really sure how the advising would go during her registration two weeks ago. If she were simply majoring in one thing and honors minoring, I would have relaxed a bit, but she wants to double major (at least for now), but by definition the honors minor is a second minor, and, she's a freshman trying to register for sophomore level art classes--not straightforward at all.

Her advisors were excellent; I shouldn't have worried. She has a schedule that has all 8 or 8:30 classes, which she doesn't mind, but she's gonna have to remember to go to bed! :toetap05: She may learn not to do that (early classes) the second semester, since so much planned fun goes on late at night!


Congrats again!

[Brenda in MA]

One of my first reactions was huge relief that someone else would be guidance counseling him from now on! :D

Lisa

I agree with Valerie and would urge a little caution here. At my son's school, the freshman have mandatory meetings once/semester with their adviser in groups of about 20 kids. If your situation is typical and you don't come in with many transfer or AP credits, this is probably fine, but my son had to request a separate one-on-one meeting with the adviser to discuss some issues with transfer credits. He also had to take the initiative to seek out the special adviser that deals with H & SS courses, as he had some transfer courses worth 3 credits, while the same courses at his new college are 4 credits. Given what we're paying for his education now, I intend to keep an eye on what he registers for each term.

I also had a situation when I was a naive freshman at college where an adviser told me to take a course that ended up being useless towards my degree. I had some transfer credits, so this did not turn into more time or money at college, but if I didn't have those credits, it could have. I also had a friend in college who had to do an extra semester because he ended up one course short towards his major. If an adviser had helped him realize that, he could have taken an extra course one semester or over the summer and graduated on time.

Brenda

[Leonor]

I would just like to post a big CONGRATULATIONS to all of you!:hurray:

It has been exciting and encouraging to follow this thread and this community of homeschoolers.

I'm still 2 years away from my first one graduating but you are all such an inspiration.

I rejoice with all of you.:party:

Blessings,
Maury:grouphug:

[newbie]

Congrats to everyone, now to tell about Orientation.

[The Dragon Academy]

Congrats to everyone on their accomplishments and final decisions. This has been an exciting thread to read.

[swimmermom3]

And... Opportunity Knox: E answers! He wrote his deposit check today. I'm proud and happy and slightly nauseous.



No problem! We have several months to work that out, eh? :D Galesburg may have seemed like a foreign country, but they do have postal service to carry care packages, and they have a living, breathing Well Trained Mom, to boot! (I'm still giggling about the fact that the truly wonderful folks in the Admission Office sent us to a restaurant that specializes in quiches and crepes when we asked for a recommendation for a boy who is allergic to eggs. Is that bad of me?)

:party: We are so doing the happy dance for your awesome son. He will make the most of the situation because that is the type of young man he is. :grouphug: You and E have done it! Congratulations.

[Kareni]

And... Opportunity Knox: E answers!


Nicole,

Congratulations to both you and to E! Here's hoping that Knox will be a great opportunity for your son.

Regards,
Kareni