Yes, dd had this too. She had to submit an entire writing portfolio for one scholarship she is in the running for (English department). But this wasn't submitted to all schools with her common app or via email to admissions. It was submitted just to the professor that requested it.

My dd updated new awards as well. I was thinking in the initial submission, like sending a separate resume for all of those extracurriculars and awards that didn't fit initially. Or sending in more teacher recs than they asked for?

I know! I have three more to go. 6 more seems like :eek: By number 3 you will be a pro...in auto mode and nothing will stress you out. :D

Jus to piggy back on this. It was a great idea, but it didn't actually work. I checked the portals for decisions, but since she got merit aid at both schools so far, she was sent emails about them and in the subject line was Congratulations on your Merit Scholarship. So our plan failed. Oh well. It was a good idea but didn't execute well.

You know, this was my thought too! To think that you have too much to show to stick with the directions seems a little bold, right? I would think that admissions couldn't even count the "extras" because other kids might have just as much but they did what they were supposed to do? He is in at Notre Dame, NC State, and Chapel Hill. He hasn't gotten any merit aid offers that I know of though. I think his other decisions come out April 1. His top choice was ND and they can write the check for full tuition so he didn't apply to too many schools.

All of dd's schools so far have replaced grants with the merit aid. Most removed her loan first and then replaced the grant so that was great. I think some will remove work study and loan and then remove from grants/need aid? It doesn't hurt to ask :thumbup1: Good luck. Maybe he will get Handler. My brother got a full ride scholarship from a waitlist, so you never know :)

:iagree: I thought about that after I posted, do both schools offer what your dd needs? Can she do an overnight? Many schools will bend over backwards for an admitted student to feel comfortable choosing them. She can probably sit in on classes, stay in the dorm, etc.

Just some rambling thoughts. I would love to see what ya'll did. Right after dd submitted all of her applications, a friend told me that her ds did all sorts of extra stuff. He attached a resume because he had too many things to fit on CA, he sent in extra teacher recs, and he uploaded a writing portfolio on to the website or sent it to the admissions office. I'll admit, I panicked. I was a little concerned that she should have added "more". DD only filled out what was available on the Common App. She didn't attach additional activities or awards that wouldn't fit. She simply put her highest priority items on the CA and left off the other stuff. She only requested 2 teacher recs. That was it. No more. When I mentioned my friend to dd she said, "nope, I read it somewhere...the thicker the file, the thicker the child." Did you guys add stuff? So far, dd is in everywhere she has applied either with merit aid or she is in the running for a merit scholarship. It obviously didn't hurt her at all. I panicked for nothing. Dd was right, as usual. It made me wonder if it is common practice to do "more"?

I assume that the bottom line at college #2 is lower? If so and if you can afford the visit then I say go for it. It will either confirm her hesitancies or change her mind. No harm :) ETA: I just realized that she did actually visit a long time ago. Hmmm...that's tough then. If you need the money and the money is lower, I would still revisit.

Did I miss a post about whether your ds got the Rochester scholarship or have you not gotten that info yet? Does your ds have more decisions coming? So exciting :)

I guess it depends. Does he have a dream school that's achievable in admissions and finances? If so, it won't be so tough :) If he is like my dd and needs a low bottom line and decides to compete for spots in full need met without loan schools, it is just tough. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Congrats! Queens has a beautiful campus. We love the Myers Park area and the large trees. Charlotte is a great city.

DD is in at Wake Forest. :thumbup1: We won't know anything about financial aid until mid April. That seems so much later than everyone else, right?

Beaming ourselves to the other side :lol: That is an invention I would pay good money for, ha. In all honesty though, we grow most through the tough times and these kids (and their mamas) are learning a huge lesson in patience. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Can I just say, just reading your post makes me feel tired :wacko: Hang in there and Congrats :grouphug:

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: That sounds tough. Were you able to explain any of the issues in a counselor letter? I would hope that would help :crying:

I really don't know much about the school. Only dd has visited. She loved the residential college system as well and Rice's set up is what convinced her to also apply to Yale (also residential college system). She was adamant that we visit if she got in because it is her absolute #1 choice among the schools she was able to visit, she simply isn't sure she can be that far from home :(

It is an awesome problem to have. We are incredibly grateful. I just know DD will have a hard time deciding. She assumed rejections would help sort that out.

DD is in at Rice with a very nice merit scholarship. I am so happy for her that she has received so many awesome decisions and scholarships but she was assuming she would get rejected from half of them. We are feeling overwhelmed and afraid that the final decision will be sooooo hard.

DD's least expensive option so far is a school that also doesn't calculate loans :hurray: The problem, we have three other kids and some medical issues, etc. and we are not sure we can swing our end of the contribution. I feel terrible asking DD to take a small loan, but I wonder if this is an option? Can she still use a Stafford loan to take on a little of the cost (maybe 2-3,000 a year?). We are hoping for a way to avoid this but I want to be prepared just in case we simply can't. :confused1:

Oh no, Margaret I am so sorry :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

At least I am feeling better about it all today. I got the bottom line for Davidson yesterday (without the departmental merit aid she is in the running for) and :thumbup1: I am not quite sure how we will come up with the money but it is lower than any other option I have seen yet so I am happy, happy. This has made dd feel better because her least favorite school has been the cheapest so far and even though it is an awesome school, DD does NOT want to go there. Now she doesn't have to :thumbup: I think this will relieve a little stress for now. ETA: I don't think the departmental aid will make any difference in our bottom line because Davidson covered us with a ton of need aid and I don't think they switch that out?

I was under the impression it would be easier and that junior year was the difficult one. Haha, learned that the hard way. :lol: Maybe for the kids who know exactly what they want, can get an early decision, etc. Maybe then it is easier?

Dd is in at Emory. It is one of her top choices but I honestly think finances will keep it off the final list. We'll see :) ETA. Dd just got an email saying she has a merit scholarship for 15,000 a year. I'll check tomorrow and see what that means for the bottom line. Maybe it will make the top list after all.

Do you know what my dd did yesterday? She handed me the sign ins for all of her portals and told me to change her passwords and not tell me anything about any of it until April 1st and between now and then we are not talking about anything college related. She has several decisions coming in over the next week and then she'll kick into decision making mode, but right now she doesn't know all of the pieces to this puzzle so she just wants to stop over thinking it all. I guess if that is what she wants. Maybe I should tell her the results with cupcakes somehow?