Class of 2014 college acceptances

[Kathy in Richmond]

:party: :party: :party:

 

So glad he got in, Cynthia!!

 

Ahhh...I'm so glad you posted! It was getting harder & harder to keep quiet!  :D

 

Dd's offer of showing you &/or your son around campus stands if you should attend Admit Weekend. And if lands there next year, we have to coordinate visiting to have a WTM get-together!

[regentrude]

Ds was accepted to Stanford yesterday!!!

 

:party:

 

Congratulations!!!! That is amazing!

[Teachin'Mine]

awesome!! Wow, your ds has some major decision making to do!!

 

 

I can't imagine his decision hasn't already been made!   There's only one Stanford!  

 

Congratulations to your son Cynthia!!!

 

:hurray: :party: :hurray:

[Caroline]

Cynthia, great news! You must be so proud!

 

:party:

[Laura Corin]

Ds was accepted to Stanford yesterday!!!

 

:party:

 

Wonderful!  Congratulations to you both!

 

L

[8filltheheart]

I can't imagine his decision hasn't already been made!   There's only one Stanford!  

 

 

LOL!   I guess I just think about things differently.   Her ds has been accepted into some very exciting, select programs.   In thinking about networking and built-in supports, if it came down to being just one of many really strong students on a campus vs. one of an intimate group of students that have their own unique support systems, it wouldn't be an automatic, simple decision here.   It would be a lot of weighing of the possibilities of how things would look over the next 4 yrs and beyond.

[Laura in CA]

Sue in St Pete, on 29 Mar 2014 - 10:37 AM, said:

The suspense is killing me already....

 

heehee, it was Cynthia's news :D

Like Kathy, I could hardly wait for her to post! Luckily my son and husband were running a half-marathon this morning, so I hopped on my bike to go cheer them on and just got back to find that she had posted!

 

creekland, on 29 Mar 2014 - 10:43 AM, said:

I'll add a .  Stanford had the lowest acceptance rate of academic colleges last year.  Definite congratulations from here regardless of whether he chooses to attend there or not.  He has some great choices - best wishes for the decision making!

 

I'm guessing it will have the lowest again this year. By contrast, Harvard's admit rate increased this year to a whopping 5.9% LOL.

 

 

Kathy in Richmond, on 29 Mar 2014 - 11:02 AM, said:

 

 

So glad he got in, Cynthia!!

 

Ahhh...I'm so glad you posted! It was getting harder & harder to keep quiet! 

 

Dd's offer of showing you &/or your son around campus stands if you should attend Admit Weekend. And if lands there next year, we have to coordinate visiting to have a WTM get-together!

 

oh, please, can I come too???   even though my son might be at Cal, heehee ...

 

once again, CONGRATULATIONS, CYNTHIA & SON!!!!!!

 

:party: :party:

     

[Kathy in Richmond]

And if lands there next year, we have to coordinate visiting to have a WTM get-together!

 

oh, please, can I come too???   even though my son might be at Cal, heehee ...

Absolutely, of course I meant you, too!! We will expand next year & take Cynthia to lunch at some of those wonderful restaurants you know about. That's the one big benefit of being a retired homeschooler now - we will have time to travel & meet up more often!

 

....hint,hint, Cynthia...he IS going to say "yes," right?!

[Hoggirl]

LOL! I guess I just think about things differently. Her ds has been accepted into some very exciting, select programs. In thinking about networking and built-in supports, if it came down to being just one of many really strong students on a campus vs. one of an intimate group of students that have their own unique support systems, it wouldn't be an automatic, simple decision here. It would be a lot of weighing of the possibilities of how things would look over the next 4 yrs and beyond.

Thanks for all the "likes" and support! Dh and I have been on a little getaway while ds is in DC at a Model UN Conference. We all departed on Thursday, so it is has been quite difficult for me to be physically away from him as he has been receiving both bad (Princeton reject) and good (Stanford admission) news.

 

A few of you know via e-mails or pm's, but ds was deferred REA at Stanford, so this has been an especially long wait for him. I truly thought it would be a cut and dry decision for him if he got the "yes," from Stanford. We have not talked at all - only texted. I HAVE to digress and tell you how he texted me! His charter school wears uniforms. On Fridays they are allowed to wear a charter school t-shirt. After Spring Break, seniors are allowed to wear college t-shirts from schools where they have been accepted. His text said," Could you please double check that I have a Stanford tshirt to wear next Friday? :)" So fun!! Anyway, I am not so sure the answer is crystal clear.

 

As 8 points out, he has many factors to consider. He would be a very small fish in the Stanford pond. We are full pay there, which would likely mean we wouldn't pay for grad school for him. That's hard to say at this point, but we certainly aren't in a position to guarantee that for him. We are now all over the map on merit awards - we are anywhere from paying nothing to paying $65,000 per year (we do not qualify for need-based aid). The faculty advisor from his charter school who is with the Model UN group is herself an IR person. She has already met with one professor at American University (where the Model UN Conference is taking place) from the Global Scholars Program. She is going to try to meet with a couple more while they are there. She is also my spy! Ha ha! I had told her he was getting two big decisions while they were going to be there and asked her to please be a "mama bear" to him if the news was bad. I also asked her if she would eavesdrop on the kids' conversations. She was able to report that he seemed "okay" after the Princeton reject. Fortunately, he had a buddy there with him who was rejected by Yale and WL at Harvard (double legacy there), and she said that was helping. I asked her this morning if ds was "over the moon," about Stanford, and she said, "Yes." But, she says she can't make a prediction on what he will choose. She says he is still talking about other options. She also says the friends are NOT advising, but listening, and she thinks ds is thinking about each of the strengths of his choices.

 

Bless his heart. I am 50 years old, and I would have a very difficult time choosing. He is only 16! Yes, these are WONDERFUL problems to have, but it is still hard! Stanford has been his "dream school" for a long time, but as he has matured over the year, he may not be quite as "dreamy" as he used to be. He said all along even if Stanford had taken him REA, he would have completed all his applications. I'm not so sure??? But that didn't happen. And it happened for a reason.

 

Let's be honest, too! I am a PRIDEFUL person! Would I love to tell folks my kid goes to Stanford? You bet!!! He has a friend who graduated last year who also went from deferred to accepted at Stanford and turned it down for McDermott Scholars at UT-Dallas - totally free ride, very special, elite program. I think the friend had to spend a LOT of time justifying his choice to others. It is hard not to be somewhat dazzled.

 

Thanks, again for all the wonderful support from this thread. I am glad you all still "accept" me, even though we did not homeschool all the way through high school. There are so many amazing women on here! The advice and honesty is invaluable. So beneficial to have so many perspectives on things!!

 

Oh. And BTW...we are still waiting on Georgetown!

[Hoggirl]

:party: :party: :party:

 

So glad he got in, Cynthia!!

 

Ahhh...I'm so glad you posted! It was getting harder & harder to keep quiet! :D

 

Dd's offer of showing you &/or your son around campus stands if you should attend Admit Weekend. And if lands there next year, we have to coordinate visiting to have a WTM get-together!

It is a lovely offer!! I don't think he feels the need to go since he spent three weeks on campus for his EPGY program a couple of summers ago. It DOES conflict with state quiz bowl finals - he is in his third year starting, and they are hoping to win their third state championship in a row! But, dh and I will offer it to him when he gets back from DC.

 

Maybe we should just plan a WTM get-together regardless!!

[8filltheheart]

As 8 points out, he has many factors to consider. He would be a very small fish in the Stanford pond.

 

My dh and I have had this conversation quite a bit.   Ds has so much enthusiasm for math and physics.   He really loves it with a passion.   He also happens to be quite good at it.   And, in all honesty, he is a prideful person.  ;)   He likes being very good at what he does.   I wonder if being a very small fish in a very large pond would take wind out of his sails and convince him that maybe he really isn't that strong in math and physics.   It wouldn't be true, b/c he obviously is incredibly strong and has professors with degrees from Oxford, Yale, and Cornell telling him how special his abilities are.   He stands out in the classrooms here.   He is the big fish and opportunities present themselves to him b/c he is seen differently by professors and their attention is incredibly encouraging as well.

 

But, perception is everything when you are a student.   If you feel like you are just an avg student in the classroom, does it affect the psyche for achieving your original long-term goals  vs realizing it is just a 4 yr undergrad experience and that it is simply a part of a longer journey?   Do your original goals get reduced to a far-fetched dream and no one there to cheer you on to the ultimate finish line? (since our ds wants a PhD, this was one of my concerns.  That and shining wherever he lands so that he can attend the grad school of his dreams)

 

Sorry if my ponderings are totally out there!

 

Your ds has so much to be proud of.   What an amazing list of accomplishments for a 16 yr old!  If he can keep it from going to his head, that alone is a HUGE accomplishment!!  ;)

[Hoggirl]

^8 - have you been reading David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell? He addresses this very issue about kids going to Ivies and losing the wind in their sails.

 

Thanks for the kind words about our ds! He really is quite humble - I am the one with pride issues!! Interestingly the teacher traveling with the students sent another text where she said she forgot to mention that the prof said that ds must be a rock star if he got accepted into Global Scholars at American. Ugh. It is my least favorite choice, but he has some merit money, a strong program, and the DC location all in one there.

 

I have to say that ds's intended area of studies of IR does come into play in the decision with regard to location and networking. There just aren't going to be the level of opportunities in Oxford, Mississippi that there will be in DC, kwim?

But, there will be SEC football there!

[Kathy in Richmond]

But, with a class cohort of roughly 1700 students, Stanford isn't really all that big a pond, relatively speaking. And there are plenty of opportunities for faculty involvement with a 5:1 undergrad student faculty ratio, from $5 million per year dedicated to undergraduate research funding, to introductory seminar (IntroSem) classes with the best profs limited to 16 students each, to overseas or Wash DC campus experiences, to all kinds of unique interdisciplinary study areas. And well, it's just plain beautiful & the weather is gorgeous!

 

Dd befriended her professor in her required freshman humanities sequence (large classes with sections that all freshmen take), and even though he's emeritus & certainly has better things to do, he has taken care of her over the years, shown her opportunities that she didn't know existed, helped her get funding, and has rooted for her all the way. He's partly the reason she's a Classics major now ;).

 

I will say that the large class sizes in her stem classes were somewhat off-putting, especially CS, which is one of the most popular majors on campus. She does feel like an average kid in CS and math, unlike the special feeling she gets in Classics seminars. But it's OK...being average there is perfectly fine! Humility is a good thing...no matter how smart you are, there will always be someone who's even smarter. IMO, it's better to find that out now than when you hit graduate work later on down the line. I have known too many people who didn't make it through doctoral programs, and those who did succeed all had to overcome stuff like research coming up dry, personality conflicts with advisers, etc. You need a lot of perseverance to get through grad school.

 

Even with being "average" in math and CS, dd has still learned a ton, and at a high level of rigor. Her recent job interview for AoPS didn't involve gpa's and transcripts, by the way. They didn't care about what degree she'd earned or what grades she had along the way, only what she currently knows. During the interview process, they "just" gave her a written creative exercise, on the spot math and programming tests, & they had her prepare and deliver a math talk to Richard R & friends, scary! She aced them all after her Stanford classes/learning experiences. 

 

OK, I'm starting to sound like a commercial, lol. But it's really important to see the tradeoff. To me it's a very good thing to struggle against sharp classmates. Peers can be motivating when they care about learning as much as you do. This is NOT to say that you can't find such peers elsewhere, and they certainly aren't limited to 5 or 10 so called top colleges. But dd has truly found marvelous classmates and lifelong friends who share her values. There is surprisingly little competition; we were just talking this afternoon, and she stated one thing that she really loves about Stanford is the lack of emphasis on grades and class standing. Kids rarely talk about them. They do form study groups and work together on projects often. And they have lots of fun (more than mom thinks is good for them sometimes :tongue_smilie: But after years of yearning for those kinds of friends, it's wonderful to see her have that.)

 

However, even though grades are de-emphasized, she has struggled at times with not being a straight A student any more. When you take a group of kids who are used to being at the top of everything in their hometowns, it's weird for them to be in a setting where they're now perfectly average. Some (all??) of them are now bringing in some Bs and/or occasional Cs. The ones who have crashed and burned (and yes, we saw this among my kids' crowds at MIT and Stanford), are the ones who couldn't handle that, and were distressed at not remaining at the top of the heap in their new environment.

 

Cost IS certainly a factor, and in no way would I put down anyone's choices in that regard. We were awfully lucky (and are very grateful) to have had Stanford be our dd's least expensive choice. So that surely has to be factored into your decision calculations.

 

Travel is also a small, but still ever present annoyance to consider, too. Dd just spent four hours at our airport trying to get back to CA after spring break, only to have flight after flight canceled. Ugh. Dh just went to retrieve her, and she's on her way back home till tomorrow (well, I guess that part is nice; I get another evening with her!) It would be much nicer, though, to be a few hours car ride away instead!

 

Good luck to your son, Cynthia!! I am sure that he will thrive and succeed wherever he lands!

[Caroline]

Cynthia, it has been so much fun to read your journey this year. (My son was so different--one school, early decision, done.) You have shown such grace and courage and supportiveness and charm through it all, as I am sure you will continue to do. I am sitting here with my GA Tech shirt on thinking, "What shirt will Cynthia be wearing next year?" And whatever shirt, I am sure your son will be happy.

[creekland]

I can't imagine his decision hasn't already been made!   There's only one Stanford!  

 

Congratulations to your son Cynthia!!!

 

:hurray: :party: :hurray:

 

A tippy top student from our school last year turned down Stanford because she had multiple full ride offers from places like Vanderbilt and U Miami.  She chose Wake Forest and is absolutely loving her time and experiences there - oodles of experiences including abroad.  She has no regrets.

 

Whether Stanford is right for someone or not depends upon many factors.

 

Getting in, however, is quite the accomplishment - no matter what decision the student ultimately makes.

[Hoggirl]

A tippy top student from our school last year turned down Stanford because she had multiple full ride offers from places like Vanderbilt and U Miami. She chose Wake Forest and is absolutely loving her time and experiences there - oodles of experiences including abroad. She has no regrets.

 

Whether Stanford is right for someone or not depends upon many factors.

 

Getting in, however, is quite the accomplishment - no matter what decision the student ultimately makes.

How fantastic! But there is a big difference between free at Vandy and free at Ole Miss or the U of A!!

 

Thanks, Kathy, for making your case!! Ha ha! I am glad you posted it for all to see. I do think a big part of it is the student being proactive. I think ds would be this way. I plan to share your post with him when he gets home from DC.

 

And, Caroline! Wow! I love being described as "charming." I don't think I live up to that, but thank you!

 

Hey, I am just glad that my ds didn't choose any schools with orange as a school color - I do. not. do. orange. well. at. all.

[creekland]

How fantastic! But there is a big difference between free at Vandy and free at Ole Miss or the U of A!!

 

 

True, but Vandy wasn't even her final pick after re-visiting schools and getting a feel for "her" fit.  She did like Stanford - a lot - but to her and her family, the financial commitment (even after getting quite a bit in local and national outside scholarships) was not worth it when she had other options she really liked that were free (meaning she "made" a fair bit of money from some of those outside scholarships too).

 

Every family and student needs to make their own decision to see whether any school is "worth it."  My response isn't aimed toward your family (other than you're in that position now!), but to explain "why" to the post mentioning "there's only one Stanford" that some might feel differently when looking at all the factors involved for them.

 

[Hoggirl]

True, but Vandy wasn't even her final pick after re-visiting schools and getting a feel for "her" fit. She did like Stanford - a lot - but to her and her family, the financial commitment (even after getting quite a bit in local and national outside scholarships) was not worth it when she had other options she really liked that were free (meaning she "made" a fair bit of money from some of those outside scholarships too).

 

Every family and student needs to make their own decision to see whether any school is "worth it." My response isn't aimed toward your family (other than you're in that position now!), but to explain "why" to the post mentioning "there's only one Stanford" that some might feel differently when looking at all the factors involved for them.

 

Yes, I just meant the caliber of Vanderbilt was higher than the caliber of Ole Miss are quite different. It would be much harder to reject free Vandy.

 

The whole "worth it" is where we are. But, we were willing to pay full-freight at any of ds's schools or we absolutely would NOT have allowed him to apply. We just can't promise that if he chooses the most expensive we can cover graduate school as well. I am now trying to learn a bit about outside funding for graduate work in IR.

 

If ds wants to go to Ole Miss, that will be perfectly fine. It wouldn't be *my* top choice for him now, but I would see why he would choose it. He would have a strong cohort there, get lots of individualized attention in their Honors College (much smaller than many at state schools only taking 320 per year). However, my purpose in finding it was for him to have a school I knew he could get into with a program I thought he could get into with a scholarship I hoped he could receive - so he could study what he wanted to study if nothing else came through. Now, others have come through.

 

Sorry to be rambling! Really ready for this child to be home from DC!

[Nan in Mass]

We're dealing with a different level than Stanford GRIN, but some of this might still apply.  My son went from being at the top and special to being a struggling college student.  He had cheaper options which would have allowed him to stay at the top.  I'm pretty sure he would tell you that he was happy to trade the fun of being at the top for the more general opportunities and friends where he is now.  Everything is challenging where he is and he likes that.  I like the lessons in humility, perserverence, hard work, and social skills he is receiving.  Much as I would like to think he would able to rise above his circumstances, no matter what they were, I can see how remaining at the top might lead to arrogance, scorn, judgementalness, isolation, alienation, loneliness, and depression.  I've seen him make friends with all sorts of people and deal with all sorts of situations, and he knows many amazing people outside the academic sphere, so maybe my fears are groundless, but I want him to have some of that academically as well.

 

Nan

[Laura in CA]

...

Bless his heart. I am 50 years old, and I would have a very difficult time choosing. He is only 16! Yes, these are WONDERFUL problems to have, but it is still hard! Stanford has been his "dream school" for a long time, but as he has matured over the year, he may not be quite as "dreamy" as he used to be. He said all along even if Stanford had taken him REA, he would have completed all his applications. I'm not so sure??? But that didn't happen. And it happened for a reason.

 

Let's be honest, too! I am a PRIDEFUL person! Would I love to tell folks my kid goes to Stanford? You bet!!! He has a friend who graduated last year who also went from deferred to accepted at Stanford and turned it down for McDermott Scholars at UT-Dallas - totally free ride, very special, elite program. I think the friend had to spend a LOT of time justifying his choice to others. It is hard not to be somewhat dazzled.

 

Thanks, again for all the wonderful support from this thread. I am glad you all still "accept" me, even though we did not homeschool all the way through high school. There are so many amazing women on here! The advice and honesty is invaluable. So beneficial to have so many perspectives on things!!

 

Oh. And BTW...we are still waiting on Georgetown!

 

I enjoyed this 'charming' post :). Things happened for a reason in my son's saga, too. And LOL about the pride bit. I think especially for hs'ing and former hs'ing parents, but really for anyone, part of it is definitely about bragging rights. I appreciate the people who post about doing what's right for their kids, prestige or no prestige.

 

Thanks for the kind words about our ds! He really is quite humble - I am the one with pride issues!! Interestingly the teacher traveling with the students sent another text where she said she forgot to mention that the prof said that ds must be a rock star if he got accepted into Global Scholars at American. Ugh. It is my least favorite choice, but he has some merit money, a strong program, and the DC location all in one there.

 

I have to say that ds's intended area of studies of IR does come into play in the decision with regard to location and networking. There just aren't going to be the level of opportunities in Oxford, Mississippi that there will be in DC, kwim?

But, there will be SEC football there!

 

I'll add another plug for Stanford, heehee. My brother double-majored in IR (and something else -- can't remember -- anthropology?) at Stanford, and it always surprised and impressed me that he was on a first-name basis (as an undergrad) with people like 'Condy' (Rice), George Schulz, etc. (yes, we're 50-ish too! :) ). But of course Georgetown or American must have so many connections, and right there near DC ... One of my brother's buddies is a professor of government at Georgetown and has worked in the state dept -- I suppose you can't beat those DC schools for connections and proximity. One of the nicest men you could ever meet, too, and very humble (even though he has an endowed chair at G'town) -- unlike me, shamelessly dropping names -- and second-hand, at that!    :D

[Caroline]

There will be Pac-12? 10? some number football at Stanford... Not the SEC, I know.

 

I have fond memories of the "Town" as the drinking age was still 18 there when the surrounding states were 21. And of course, St. Elmo's Fire was set at Georgetown, although it was filmed at University of Maryland CP. My mom's best friend was the assistant dean of nursing at Georgetown and lived in the same rent-controlled apartment on Wisconsin Ave for 40 years until she passed away. What a cool place to live! Great restaurants and bars and music clubs, although the drinking age is now 21. I saw 10,000 Maniacs, REM, the B-52's at the 930 club. (I didn't go to school there, just grew up outside of DC.) One of my best friends majored in international studies there in the late 80's. She went on the law school and staffed Senator Mikulski for years. She now works with the Antidefamation League.

 

I don't know much about American. I do know people who went there, but we didn't hang out there.

[Laura in CA]

Speaking of football, this grid is always fun ... the first 2 years WSJ did this, Stanford was alone in the upper-right-hand corner (ranked highly for both ethics and wins :) ). It finally has some company! 

[raptor_dad]

For the kids who got some Ivy level rejections... I thought I would share my DW's experience...

 

In high school she got into Princeton and rejected at Yale, but decided to not go Ivy League for financial reasons... For med school she was doing MSTP MD/Phd programs... Yale MSTP wanted to interview but the Med School outright rejected her... OK fine... not first choice, etc... High School Mentor, Doctor, Ivy League Faculty, Yale Alumni and donor sends outraged letter... Yale reconsiders and rejects her again...

 

DW goes to top 10 med school, top 5 MSTP program(higher ranked than Yale)... doesn't bother looking at residencies at Yale ;). Goes to a top 10 residency program, does fellowship... Interviews and get faculty jobs offers at one Ivy League and several similar(and higher) level schools... Gets actively recruited multiple times by Yale... but who wants to raise a family in New Haven... Besides, how many people have 3 rejections from the same Ivy League school ;)

 

It is a lottery... beyond a certain level it is basically random. Embrace the programs that value you and move on without remorse.

[angela in ohio]

This week brought the last of our decisions. A handful of rejections and a Priority Waitlist spot at CMU's engineering school. She has eliminated a few options at least, and it is now basically down to U of M vs. Olin College. They could not possibly be more opposite schools, so this should be interesting. Olin is bringing her to visit for a few days, and she is meeting with a U of M engineering student she knows to chat about his experiences. Financially, they come out exactly the same cost for us. :(

 

I'm tempted to start a thread where we can share what our dc's choices are and get input for them?

[Hoggirl]

I'm tempted to start a thread where we can share what our dc's choices are and get input for them?

I very much like this idea conceptually, but not as a single thread. I'm afraid to much would get lost in it? But, I think if *you* wanted to start a thread that was Olin v. UM, that would be great. And then if SuzyQ wanted to start her own thread that was School A v School B that would be great, too. I think having school names in the title of the thread would be more beneficial for those down the road, too.

 

Just my very small $0.02.

[Hoggirl]

Last decision is in! Accepted at Georgetown!!

 

Final tally is 9 - 1 - 1. Whew! On to the next phase!! Stay tuned!!!

[FaithManor]

Last decision is in! Accepted at Georgetown!!

 

Final tally is 9 - 1 - 1. Whew! On to the next phase!! Stay tuned!!!

Breathe in and out! Great job mom and son! :hurray:

[Teachin'Mine]

That is truly an impressive tally!  

[Nan in Mass]

Angela - I don't know what U of M's engineering program is like and I only have the vaguest idea of what Olin is like (yeah - probably very different lol), but we explained the difference between studying engineering at my son's small tech school and studying engineering at the state university by telling him that at the state university, he would mostly be solving math problems and at the tech school, he would still have to solve a lot of math problems but there would also be more hands-on projects and lab work.  Engineering problem sets are basically math problems.  My husband went through the state school's program, so he was able to explain it that way.  Youngest chose the tech school and my husband has been pretty amazed looking at the differences.  Best of luck with the decision!  Nan  

[FaithManor]

Angela, I didn't see the post but quickly perused Nan's. Which U of M? U of Mississippi, U of Michigan? If you are asking about U of Mi, I can tell you first hand because we have former 4-H'ers there in aerospace, civil, and chemical engineering that they are top notch. However, just so you know, for the first two years the class sizes are big. The wolverines offer plenty of assistance but the student HAS to take the initiative to avail themselves of it. It's a competitive school and no one is going to track a student down and hold their hand. They need to take the initiative.

 

The last two years the classes are much smaller, having weeded out the ones that weren't cut out for engineering or didn't have the drive to study that hard, and it gets fun. They have a LOT of neat research and internship possibilities. Again, though the student has to have the drive because being a top 35 school who competes with MIT, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Caltech, etc., the spoils go to the ones that really work to make a name with the faculty. There is a lot of competition for those spots.

 

For anyone out there looking for smaller, tier 1 university with a crazy successful engineering department but smaller class sizes and more opportunities for internships and research, try Michigan Tech. They have some astounding things going on up there...if you can handle 200 inches of snow, LOL...and most of their seniors are employed with absolutely excellent entry level engineering jobs before graduation. This year 94% had job offers by Nov.1st pending graduation. They also have study abroad for the engineering department as well and the honors program allows a student to graduate in 5 years (must go summers during the last three years) with a Master's degree but with undergraduate scholarships extended to cover the additional year as well as undergraduate tuition instead of grad school rates. For the student that can manage it, it is a great financial deal. Students can apply for the honors program at the end of their sophomore year.

 

That said, research at that institution can begin as early as the freshman year, second semester. So, it's definitely something to consider IF you can withstand the wilds of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! :D

[Tokyomarie]

This week brought the last of our decisions. A handful of rejections and a Priority Waitlist spot at CMU's engineering school. She has eliminated a few options at least, and it is now basically down to U of M vs. Olin College. They could not possibly be more opposite schools, so this should be interesting. Olin is bringing her to visit for a few days, and she is meeting with a U of M engineering student she knows to chat about his experiences. Financially, they come out exactly the same cost for us. :(

 

I'm tempted to start a thread where we can share what our dc's choices are and get input for them?

 

Sorry to hear about the rejections and waitlists- it seems like the tough has become tougher as far as acceptances to the tippy-top schools. Congratulations though on the nice choices your daughter does have.

 

I hear you on the U of M vs. Olin College choice. Olin has an amazing concept which can be terrific for the right student. The daughter of a friend of mine was looking at Olin a few years back and the mom thought Olin had a lot to offer, but the daughter made the choice for a school with a more traditional program.  

[Tokyomarie]

 

For anyone out there looking for smaller, tier 1 university with a crazy successful engineering department but smaller class sizes and more opportunities for internships and research, try Michigan Tech. They have some astounding things going on up there...if you can handle 200 inches of snow, LOL...and most of their seniors are employed with absolutely excellent entry level engineering jobs before graduation.

 

 

 

 

That said, research at that institution can begin as early as the freshman year, second semester. So, it's definitely something to consider IF you can withstand the wilds of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! :D

 

My husband was at Tech the year of Houghton's record 390 inches of snow. (ETA: Houghton's snowfall that year was 355"; the higher amount fell in Keewenaw County)  We were dating long distance that year. I remember the stories of him shoveling snow off the roof of the house he shared with several guys and pitching the snow UP with his shovel!

 

The research opportunities available is one reason dh was encouraging our son to apply to Michigan Tech. He remembers quite fondly the research he was involved with as an undergrad.

 

[angela in ohio]

Angela - I don't know what U of M's engineering program is like and I only have the vaguest idea of what Olin is like (yeah - probably very different lol), but we explained the difference between studying engineering at my son's small tech school and studying engineering at the state university by telling him that at the state university, he would mostly be solving math problems and at the tech school, he would still have to solve a lot of math problems but there would also be more hands-on projects and lab work.  Engineering problem sets are basically math problems.  My husband went through the state school's program, so he was able to explain it that way.  Youngest chose the tech school and my husband has been pretty amazed looking at the differences.  Best of luck with the decision!  Nan  

 

That is really what the big difference comes down to. U of M has the traditional two years of theory before you touch anything, and Olin is all hands on learning from the start. That would make Olin a sure thing for her, except that she has been working at U of M as a research assistant for two years and can continue in that lab or easily get into another because of her experience. So she could still have that aspect at U of M. And she gets paid well for her lab work, so she would have a job right on campus all set up.

 

I am trying to point out the quality of life aspects, though: trudging all over U of M for classes, possibly living in a dorm with non-engineering majors (if she doesn't get into the residential program,) being a number, being a minority (20% women as opposed to Olin's 50-50 split,), etc. Olin would be very nice. Everything is safe and shiny and new and close together. :)

[FaithManor]

Marie, it really is an adventure up there! :lol:

[creekland]

We just heard that youngest's "special condition" regarding financial aid has been approved!!!  This means it is highly likely he'll be able to go to Eckerd this fall.  :party:

 

And one more school yet to hear from financially... (middle son's).

 

ps  Our "special condition" was that we sold an investment piece of property we owned.  It was 1/3rd or more of our retirement savings, but we had a cash buyer come to us... and having some family debt we wanted to pay back, oldest's wedding, an upfront payment needed with my brain tumor (this gets reimbursed, but at the time...), we decided to sell.  It made our income almost triple what we actually earn.  IF we'd have had to go full pay for the two boy's colleges ALL of the funds would have been used and we'd be out even more retirement savings (more than what we lost with the downturn).  We weren't willing to do that much.

 

Schools do sometimes help out...  we didn't know if they would - it was a gamble (with Plan B being taking a year off for them)... I'm really thankful right now!

[Teachin'Mine]

That is wonderful news!   I hope U of Rochester comes through for you too!

 

:hurray: :party: :hurray:

[regentrude]

DD has made her decision and will be attending U Chicago. She accepted tonight.

Cornell would have been another great option, but significantly more expensive, and there was no compelling argument for the extra expense.

Interestingly, UC Boulder would have been even more expensive than Cornell since we are out of state, despite the fact that DD won a presidential scholarship at Boulder. That is truly ridiculous and not what I had been led to expect.

[Hoggirl]

DD has made her decision and will be attending U Chicago. She accepted tonight.

Wonderful news! So happy for her!! And you!!

[Hoggirl]

What do y'all think about bolding the final decision in the second part of the list thread? Where we are listed by user names and then have a string of schools after those? I always think this sort of information is helpful for the future. If someone sees in a couple of years that Regentrude's dd was accepted at UChicago and Cornell and chose UChicago, s/he couldreach out to Regentrude to ask that all important..."what made your dd choose...." question.

[Melabella]

What do y'all think about bolding the final decision in the second part of the list thread? Where we are listed by user names and then have a string of schools after those? I always think this sort of information is helpful for the future. If someone sees in a couple of year's that Regentrude's dd was accepted at UChicago and Cornell and chose UChicago, s/he could reach out to Regentrude to ask that all important..."what made your dd choose...." question.

 

As the mom of a 9th grader, I really like this idea.

[8filltheheart]

DD has made her decision and will be attending U Chicago. She accepted tonight.

Cornell would have been another great option, but significantly more expensive, and there was no compelling argument for the extra expense.

Interestingly, UC Boulder would have been even more expensive than Cornell since we are out of state, despite the fact that DD won a presidential scholarship at Boulder. That is truly ridiculous and not what I had been led to expect.

Congrats!! I know you are all happy with the outcome!!

 

If ds hadn't been admitted to the research honors program and won so many additional scholarships at UA making it essentially full-ride, our decision would have been much harder. There would only have been about a $10,000-12,500 difference per yr between UA, the cheapest option, and Case and Wooster. Case and Wooster had completely different EFCs but merit $$ made them end up being basically equal. GA Tech, by far, was the most expensive option and would have cost an additional $60,000 over Case or Wooster's costs over 4yrs. Crazy. If we were in-state, GA Tech would be where he would be going in fall.

[MysteryJen]

DD has made her decision and will be attending U Chicago. She accepted tonight.

Cornell would have been another great option, but significantly more expensive, and there was no compelling argument for the extra expense.

Interestingly, UC Boulder would have been even more expensive than Cornell since we are out of state, despite the fact that DD won a presidential scholarship at Boulder. That is truly ridiculous and not what I had been led to expect.

Congratulations!  She will love it there.

 

I am not at all surprised by CU Boulder. After running the numbers, ds1 did not even apply (two grandfathers, uncle, aunt, and I are alums) because though it was a bit less than his private school options, it was way more expensive his financial safety. Shockingly so.

[JennW in SoCal]

I'm not at all surprised about CU Boulder costing so much more than Cornell.  Many of us with kids in small LACs and other private schools know first hand that these schools can wind up costing the same or less than state universities.  In our family's case tuition and fees at my son's private LAC are exactly the same as the cost of attending one of the Univ of Californias -- and we are residents!   I've written about this before as have others.

 

The entire adventure is absolutely nuts, though, from the admissions game to the financial aid process.  I'm so happy for all of you who are done with the stress of putting together transcripts, of filling out forms and fretting over financial aid, and of worrying over what to do and seconding guessing what should have been done.   Congratulations!  Your kids are all off to some wonderful schools in the fall!!

[*LC]

I'm behind in reading this thread. Congratulations to all of your students. I'm glad that those with rejections also found good news in their acceptances. I hope every child is getting close to a decision and isn't driving you too crazy in the process. 

 

Before I figured out that I wanted to respond to this thread, I read a comment that it was fun to read about the adventure. I had to laugh, because I was thinking I was glad we didn't have any adventure in my child's college acceptance last year. I liked that I knew were my daughter was going early; I liked having no drama. 

 

 

I can't imagine his decision hasn't already been made!   There's only one Stanford!  

 

Congratulations to your son Cynthia!!!

 

:hurray: :party: :hurray:

Again, I don't get this statement. There is only one of every school. 

 

Bless his heart. I am 50 years old, and I would have a very difficult time choosing. He is only 16! Yes, these are WONDERFUL problems to have, but it is still hard! Stanford has been his "dream school" for a long time, but as he has matured over the year, he may not be quite as "dreamy" as he used to be. He said all along even if Stanford had taken him REA, he would have completed all his applications. I'm not so sure??? But that didn't happen. And it happened for a reason.

Let's be honest, too! I am a PRIDEFUL person! Would I love to tell folks my kid goes to Stanford? You bet!!! He has a friend who graduated last year who also went from deferred to accepted at Stanford and turned it down for McDermott Scholars at UT-Dallas - totally free ride, very special, elite program. I think the friend had to spend a LOT of time justifying his choice to others. It is hard not to be somewhat dazzled.

 

 

Okay, I'm different here too. I think it is only hard when there are no good choices. Your son has lots of good options. He just needs to make a decision and then make the best of the decision he makes. Everyone makes decisions differently. He can use a spreadsheet of pros and cons, or he can simply go with his gut. He can't go wrong, so that makes it easy. 

 

I have had a number of friends who have had children die before college or were "damaged" along the way so severely that they will never go to college, so, I have a different perspective here also. I am grateful my child can go to college. I have had that same philosophy when other parents are upset that the sports teams our kids are on aren't doing well, I'm just grateful my kid can get out there and play on the team no matter what the results. My oldest knows I am proud of her no matter where she attends school. While I am "proud" she used her God-given talents to make the grades/scores that allowed her to go to her first choice school, I will really be "proud" if my special needs kiddo can go to any college when the time comes. My sister did not make as good grades as I did in college. The one time she made all As/Bs, my parents took all of us out to a very, very nice restaurant to celebrate. I always made those grades or better, but I never got that kind of celebration. I knew my parents were proud of me, but they knew my sister had to work harder to get the grades. I know get that perspective more than I did then. 

 

Okay, that sounds awful. I know you too will be proud of your son no matter where he chooses. However, I know kids sometimes get mixed messages from things we say or they think we say. My kids can read things into facial expressions I have no recollection of making and sounds I don't think I made. So, in your shoes, I would sit son down and tell him you are extremely proud of all the hard work he has done that led to so many great acceptances. I would then say that you will absolutely be proud of him no matter what college he attends. I would tell him he is making the decision totally for himself and that he should not consider what anybody else thinks or says as he is the ONLY one that will be attending for the next four years or so. He does not need to justify his choice to anyone. He simply says, "I think XX is right for me, and I can't wait to get to campus this fall."  He needs to pick the school that he wants to attend the most. 

 

 

Getting in, however, is quite the accomplishment - no matter what decision the student ultimately makes.

 

 

I hope I didn't sound too argumentative up there. I completely agree with Creekland. Congrats to your son. 

 

How fantastic! But there is a big difference between free at Vandy and free at Ole Miss or the U of A!!
 

 

Through a relative, I have known three men my whole life that allow me to feel there isn't as much difference between these schools as you may think. These three men are longtime friends of my relative. One went to Vandy; one to Ole Miss, and one to U of A. (There are more men in the group, but I can't remember where everyone went. We would see them when visiting my relative, who lived where these men had relatives, or on vacation with a large group of people.) While I don't see these men now, I still hear about them from my relative who does see them. Anyway, all three men, now 70+, sold the businesses that they ran for more than a million dollars at some point in their careers. One was in publishing, one in banking, and one in a business that I can't remember the particulars of the business.  I know money isn't everything, but they also seem happy/successful in other ways. All are married to their first wives for nearly 50 years; all spend time with their children and grandchildren. They all own second homes, drive nice cars, and enjoy hobbies. Since you mentioned football, at least two have season football tickets for their universities. They all travel extensively. In fact, at least two are on a month-long vacation in Europe with more of that group of friends I mentioned. I can't remember where all their kids went to college. At least one child of the Ole Miss grad also went there. The U of A had one child that went there and another that went to Vanderbilt. There are more kids, but they run together with the kids of others in the group. I don't think any of their grandchildren have reached college age yet.

 

When I read your post, I immediately thought of these successful men that went to the schools that I mentioned, so I felt compelled to tell their stories to point out that successful folks go to all kinds of schools. So, if you feel "disappointed" when your son makes his decision, give yourself a few minute to feel that way. Then, get excited about the future that awaits him at whatever school he chooses. There is no reason to think your son won't be successful no matter where he goes. 

 

Good luck to your son as he finds his way to make the right decision for him. 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

 

I have had a number of friends who have had children die before college or were "damaged" along the way so severely that they will never go to college, so, I have a different perspective here also.

 

This is understandable, but I think it's important to note that not everyone who has experienced the above walks away with the same perspective.  A wide range of emotions can still be felt in a vast array of circumstances. Losing a child to death or experiencing a child's life-changing illness or accident does not lead to one way of thinking or feeling. College decisions can still cause angst. For some people the decisions are all the more difficult because of the past.

[8filltheheart]

I think it is only hard when there are no good choices.

LC, I think you would really appreciate the perspective in this article. It is a reality check in contrast with many of the the exceptional opportunities posted in this thread.

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lucielapovsky/2014/03/28/getting-in-to-college-why-all-the-hype/

 

According to the article 75% of students end up attending their first choice school. Only 4% of schools accept less than 20% of applicants and more than 75% of schools accept over 50% of applicants.

 

I think the conversation here is more the exception than the rule. But I am still glad these stories of amazing talent are shared bc it is inspirational for me. My kids don't have these types of opportunities but I can celebrate those that do (while still agreeing 100% that I also do not get the Stanford comment.)

[Woodland Mist Academy]

 But I am still glad these stories of amazing talent are shared bc it is inspirational for me.

 

:iagree:

 

This is the first year I've followed these threads. I'm so happy I found them!

 

Thanks to all for sharing your journeys!

[Hoggirl]

I'm behind in reading this thread. Congratulations to all of your students. I'm glad that those with rejections also found good news in their acceptances. I hope every child is getting close to a decision and isn't driving you too crazy in the process.

 

Before I figured out that I wanted to respond to this thread, I read a comment that it was fun to read about the adventure. I had to laugh, because I was thinking I was glad we didn't have any adventure in my child's college acceptance last year. I liked that I knew were my daughter was going early; I liked having no drama.

 

 

Again, I don't get this statement. There is only one of every school.

 

 

Okay, I'm different here too. I think it is only hard when there are no good choices. Your son has lots of good options. He just needs to make a decision and then make the best of the decision he makes. Everyone makes decisions differently. He can use a spreadsheet of pros and cons, or he can simply go with his gut. He can't go wrong, so that makes it easy.

 

Okay, that sounds awful. I know you too will be proud of your son no matter where he chooses. However, I know kids sometimes get mixed messages from things we say or they think we say. My kids can read things into facial expressions I have no recollection of making and sounds I don't think I made. So, in your shoes, I would sit son down and tell him you are extremely proud of all the hard work he has done that led to so many great acceptances. I would then say that you will absolutely be proud of him no matter what college he attends. I would tell him he is making the decision totally for himself and that he should not consider what anybody else thinks or says as he is the ONLY one that will be attending for the next four years or so. He does not need to justify his choice to anyone. He simply says, "I think XX is right for me, and I can't wait to get to campus this fall." He needs to pick the school that he wants to attend the most.

 

I hope I didn't sound too argumentative up there. I completely agree with Creekland. Congrats to your son.

 

 

Through a relative, I have known three men my whole life that allow me to feel there isn't as much difference between these schools as you may think. These three men are longtime friends of my relative. One went to Vandy; one to Ole Miss, and one to U of A. (There are more men in the group, but I can't remember where everyone went. We would see them when visiting my relative, who lived where these men had relatives, or on vacation with a large group of people.) While I don't see these men now, I still hear about them from my relative who does see them. Anyway, all three men, now 70+, sold the businesses that they ran for more than a million dollars at some point in their careers. One was in publishing, one in banking, and one in a business that I can't remember the particulars of the business. I know money isn't everything, but they also seem happy/successful in other ways. All are married to their first wives for nearly 50 years; all spend time with their children and grandchildren. They all own second homes, drive nice cars, and enjoy hobbies. Since you mentioned football, at least two have season football tickets for their universities. They all travel extensively. In fact, at least two are on a month-long vacation in Europe with more of that group of friends I mentioned. I can't remember where all their kids went to college. At least one child of the Ole Miss grad also went there. The U of A had one child that went there and another that went to Vanderbilt. There are more kids, but they run together with the kids of others in the group. I don't think any of their grandchildren have reached college age yet.

 

When I read your post, I immediately thought of these successful men that went to the schools that I mentioned, so I felt compelled to tell their stories to point out that successful folks go to all kinds of schools. So, if you feel "disappointed" when your son makes his decision, give yourself a few minute to feel that way. Then, get excited about the future that awaits him at whatever school he chooses. There is no reason to think your son won't be successful no matter where he goes.

 

Good luck to your son as he finds his way to make the right decision for him.

Yes, of course I will be proud of ds wherever he goes. I simply meant that *I* struggle with pride. My dh, his father, and my father all graduated from the U of A. All have been successful. We have had season football tickets for 20+ years. I'm not exactly sure how that is relevant. I do not disagree that one can have success coming out of any school. But there are certain advantages and opportunities that exist at some places that simply are not there at others.

 

You are correct about facial expressions and how I might sometimes word things. I am trying very hard not to talk too much, but to offer support where I can. But I absolutely do NOT have a poker face. Ds absolutely knows that this is 100% his choice. Dh and I will support whatever decision he makes, but I would be a liar if I said I wouldn't be disappointed if he were to choose some of the schools on his list *given the choices that he has now.* Maybe that's wrong of me. I will do my best to mask my disappointment if he picks one of those. It IS his choice. I am all about "love thy safety," but, to ME, those schools have now served their useful purpose. However, if he chooses one, I will buy gear and smile and be happy for him. I am not the one who will be spending the next four years somewhere.

[Jane in NC]

LC, I think you would really appreciate the perspective in this article. It is a reality check in contrast with many of the the exceptional opportunities posted in this thread.

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lucielapovsky/2014/03/28/getting-in-to-college-why-all-the-hype/

 

According to the article 75% of students end up attending their first choice school. Only 4% of schools accept less than 20% of applicants and more than 75% of schools accept over 50% of applicants.

 

I think the conversation here is more the exception than the rule. But I am still glad these stories of amazing talent are shared bc it is inspirational for me. My kids don't have these types of opportunities but I can celebrate those that do (while still agreeing 100% that I also do not get the Stanford comment.)

 

First choice at what step of the process?  Dickinson College was my son's first choice for about two years because of their amazing Archaeology Lab.  That was until the revelation that he would rather focus on Roman archaeology over Greek.

 

So maybe he was an anomaly, searching for a college by mentor shopping. He found a good one.

 

We had one of those retrospective conversations over the past year.  He is convinced that he could have found opportunities wherever he went (including a CC). But I did point out that his contacts at his college are what have moved him along--as well as the contacts at the British uni where he was a student in their field school and a member of staff last year.  His greater point though is that you cannot stop a curious mind or a persistent person.  Something to be said for that...

 

[8filltheheart]

First choice at what step of the process?  Dickinson College was my son's first choice for about two years because of their amazing Archaeology Lab.  That was until the revelation that he would rather focus on Roman archaeology over Greek.

 

So maybe he was an anomaly, searching for a college by mentor shopping. He found a good one.

 

We had one of those retrospective conversations over the past year.  He is convinced that he could have found opportunities wherever he went (including a CC). But I did point out that his contacts at his college are what have moved him along--as well as the contacts at the British uni where he was a student in their field school and a member of staff last year.  His greater point though is that you cannot stop a curious mind or a persistent person.  Something to be said for that...

 

 

1/4 of all students don't end up at their first choice.   That is still a pretty high number of students.  I don't know that it would be an anomaly.   Our ds isn't going to attend his first choice either b/c of cost.   My older 2 did end up at their first choice.   So right now he is in the 1/3 category just in our own family.  :)   I do think that most students are probably more like our older 2 and students like our current sr are fewer in number.