So, last night, my oldest son received a telephone call to inform him that he had won one of four full-tuition scholarships to a University. He has 2 weeks to accept or decline. Up until that moment, he was planning to take a gap year to do a paid engineering internship, and some light studies, continue swimming, as well as some travel. **He has to call the financial aid office on Tuesday to even ask about the question of being able to commit and defer a year** BUT, I had an additional question. Until recently, this school originally was his top choice. Over the course of the past several months, his desire to apply to and attend a service academy (or possibly enlist) has grown. This interest has been bolstered by his continued physical improvement post-heart procedure, and a letter declaring his condition cured, as well as the "asthma" diagnosis being proven unwarranted on his official medical record (airway test/chemical challenge both passed with flying colors) He now wants to begin submitting applications for fall of 2019 admission to all five service academies (I'm a bit floored...) If he defers his attendance, would this prevent him from applying to the service academies? If not, and he is accepted to a service academy, all we lose is the deposit, correct? **NCAA** As long as he doesn't commit to swim for the university in which he has deferred, his eligibility to swim for a different school would be unaffected, correct? What if he committed to swim for the University and then decided not to attend later? **NCAA** Right now, I haven't had to complete any NCAA forms, as the school is D3 -- however if he swam D1, I would have to go back to do that for the process if he gained admission to the D1 school, even as a walk-on? We're kind of in a crazy situation right now, as we have to get all of these questions answered in a 2 week time period, and we leave for London on Thursday for European Championships... decision due 24 hours after we return. **UPDATED** He is leaning towards turning this school down. He came up with his pro/con list, and this school has a serious con. Unbeknownst to me, he thinks he may want to major on Computer Engineering (which he'd be able to try during his internship here, along with mechanical). This school only offers mechanical, so he'd be stuck. Every other school on his list offers both (or a pathway to both). His biggest con to delaying school for a year is being older than most of the kids in his class (which I don't think is a huge negative ;) )

DS definitely checked the box -- he just didn't "fit" the boxes that colleges were looking for his sophomore year -- he got mail his junior year. Swimming is what is taking him places, really. He's an above average student, with solid test scores. DD received her 2nd swimming recruiting letter today (absolutely nothing to do with PSATs), one email from Bard College (?) saying they specialize in students who want to begin college after completing their 10th or 11th grade year, an invite to apply for summer STEM programs at both Duke and UCSB ... I'm pretty sure it all has to do with her being a female with a very high math score. The only Summer Stem DD is applying to is USNA, though. She was wait-listed last year. Maybe this is her year?

Pretty sure it's not completely meaningless -- a least not as an indication of how she did on the test -- as there is a huge difference in the colleges sent spam mail to DS after his PSAT (zero), the types of schools that sent DS mail after his first ACT and SAT scores (all but one were mid-tier schools, where he's in the top 25% -- I'm still confused about why Webb Institute sent him a 9x12 envelope with a letter and recruitment package this fall, as his scores -- while over 1400 -- don't seem to me to be Webb Institute level for a boy), and the schools DD is receiving from (much more selective schools that don't generally provide Merit Aid). While they don't get scores unless I send them to the school, I'd hazard to guess that they are able to select test takers who score within a certain target range (this is normally how list rentals are done, you select based upon a certain criteria, and a certain number). So, I looked it up and, I was correct (bolding mine): I realize that marketing mail to prospective students in no way means a child will be accepted, and that the range of students being sent to may be a bit wider than the student profile in order to get more applications -- so in that way, it's meaningless. But, I was not wrong that her scores were high enough to attract the attention of schools like (and including) Vanderbilt (unless it was her swimming, and the coach requested her contact information and sent it to the marketing department, but that seems less likely at this point in her career). FWIW, My son's scores in 10th grade were respectable, but showed he needed to work. My daughter's scores are exceptional (280 points higher on the SAT comparison, and 20 points higher on the NMSQT scale, just missing the commended range as a 10th grader).

So... I began to get excited about DD's scores when she received unsolicited mail from Vanderbilt last week. PonyGirl didn't think much of it, until I pointed out what the typical student profile is. Her PSAT scores did not disappoint. She's just in 10th, so this was the last go-around from practice. Happily, she did equally well on the Verbal as she did on the math (which also surprised her). She is not far off from NMSQ range. Given the mental state she was in when starting the test, we both believe she could have done even better (she was sent to the wrong classroom, and had to wait about 40 minutes for a new testing room assignment, but when she arrived, they did not have a seat for her -- so she had to run and locate a desk and carry it back). Given where she is swimming-wise, having a predicted score her junior year in the statistically perfect range puts her in a perfect position for a great school academically and a great place to swim. Two service academies have already contacted her (swimming). It's going to be a very busy summer!

And, we have #3 -- King's College in Wilks-Barre, PA -- Accepted into the Engineering Program with Merit Aid and Recruited for Swimming (EA)

I should say that thus far, the doctors and hospital have all been very good about accepting what we've been able to pay. So far, we haven't been harassed in any way.

Looks like our son is too old to be considered for uhccf (16 or under), first hand foundation looks promising. Even $5,000 would be a huge help towards paying off that bill! We don't for the others. But thank you! Good information to have :D

I finished up my teeth overseas (saved about 50% here). Hopefully, there will be no need going forward. I know in Portugal, even with socialized medicine, families are still responsible for 15% of the bills. It all just depends. I know there are world renowned doctors overseas, and you can get stellar care. Having doctors you can communicate clearly with (here) is our biggest issue -- especially when it's your child. I sent an inquiry to the Medigo site. The procedure is highly specialized -- but is offered in Milan.

At least this time we're using it for something. The last couple of times, the money was disappeared due to huge market fluctuations. We were finally back to having what we had saved up by 1999.

Actually withdrawing it -- wouldn't be allowed to take out a loan large enough.

I guess it's not really going to be "lost" -- more withdrawn to pay off medical bills and related debt. We've been struggling with tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills the past three years. Started with one $5,000 bill, then a $15,000 bill, then another $5,000 bill, and recently, LEGOManiac's heart issues (won't go into how much THAT bill is). We can't make any headway on anything and are drowning -- interest payments alone would be more than DH saves for retirement currently!! It stinks... it really does. But doing this now will at least allow us to get some tax benefit paying off the medical bills from this year, when taking the tax penalty on the withdrawl. When it's all said and done, at least DH could double his retirement savings again (of course, colleges won't like that...).

We were traveling -- so the bug wouldn't have helped us anyway. I expect DD did much better than she thinks she did. But, it was a horrible morning for her. We arrived 45 minutes early -- which is what she wanted. She wanted time to make sure there were no problems, figure out where she was supposed to be, etc. The guidance counselor had incorrectly assigned her to an 8/9 test room. She went down to the GC office and waited politely for 40 minutes until the GC could "deal" with her situation. She had to run to her new room, but there were no seats. She had to run to a couple other nearby classrooms to hunt for an empty desk/chair she could carry to her assigned classroom. She was seated as they handed out the exams. Thankfully, she's just a 10th grader -- but she was still pretty frustrated. Next year, this will not happen. And, she should be in really good position for NMSQT next year. But -- we'll see her scores in a couple of weeks.

Until we visited a wide variety of schools in different settings, oldest son's ideas of what kind of school he wanted to attend were nothing close to what he actually wanted. He thought he wanted U-T Austin. Hated the feel of the campus. He liked the setting of King's College in PA much better (still more of an "urban" campus, but small town vs. HUGE city). His favorite non-swim school is Alabama. (Knowing my son, *I* wasn't surprised. When DH initially heard DS wanted to go to U-T Austin, he freaked -- I told him not to worry). Most of the schools seeking DS out are liberal arts schools with swim programs. BUT, they don't have his major. DD knows herself much better. It is pretty easy to predict which schools she would like from their profile/size/photos. Picking her school will be in many ways easier -- but made more difficult because she's in the loop for much heavier recruitment for swimming -- and she's a highly qualified math major (she has two university math department heads she's in contact with on a fairly regular basis). The availability of German, the math department's take on her MIT OCW-Scholar's courses, and final financial picture (assuming she doesn't detest the swim coach) will make the final decision. She wants a SMALLer school (or at least a school that doesn't feel huge -- Liberty is the only big school she's applying for, but because of how the campus has grown up, it doesn't feel huge like UA or UT for example). Her current picks include: USNA, Gardner-Webb, William and Mary, Liberty, MIT, and Messiah -- I'm actually quite nervous about her Junior year when her box starts exploding...I kind of like her narrow range of schools, and will hate it when the coaches start calling!! It's been bad enough with our oldest -- but our saving grace in keeping him focused was 80% of the schools calling didn't have a mech engineering program, and could only offer a Physics or Math major, with a path to grad school in engineering -- and he absolutely did not want that). My younger DS loved every school we ate at... that is not a joke. He most likely won't have swimming to worry about, but his interests and talents are very broad (everything from pre-med to graphic design and engineering. I need to get him involved in debate, though. He's my debater.

Oh yay... something else I get to look forward to (just going to expect this is coming once we move back stateside and our taxed/untaxed income changes wildly.)

Oops... it's been so long since I've really been on the board, I put this under the General Ed board. Traveling to London in February 2018. Hoping to stay close to Stratford. Looking at Airbnb and Booking.com Anyone local who knows of something for a family of 7 that might be listed elsewhere (trying to stay for about a week for less than 900 euro). Thanks! Lisa

London... Probably will stay in Luton for the first night and then closer in for the remainder of the week. Late flight into town, so not sure I want a 2 hour drive!!

That's where we're heading in February. Family of 7... looking at Booking.com and airbnb for something relatively close to Stratford. Anyone want to rent me their home for a week...lol!

We've taken debt into consideration as far as DS's major is concerned -- but the schools were selected based upon: -strength of major program (placing students into paid internship positions, average salary, grad school acceptance) -swimming program -cost/merit aid LEGOManiac wouldn't be happy at most of the elite schools (other than USNA/King's Point/USCGA -- but those he would have to apply for entrance in 2019). Most of the schools (prior to Merit Aid/Scholarships) in-state, out of state and private, all come out about equal on the financial end -- as there is no choice that would be a reasonable commute (moreover, we don't know where we'll be living in 2 years). DS should be accepted into every school he's applied. The most difficult one to get into, he's already been accepted. He is being recruited by two other schools, and should be accepted there as well. It will all come down to finances for us. PonyGirl will be applying to a few elite schools -- USNA, Harvard and MIT. Her intended major is math. Swimming is her "hook" for MIT. Her top choice schools are mostly small to medium, only one "large" school. She will be swayed by the math department's willingness to allow her to place out of some upper level math courses, earning credit by examination (these are exams beyond AP or CLEP -- three department heads have already met with her and indicated they could make those accommodations, and the swimming coach. Even if she's accepted into Harvard, I don't think she'd go. She might be persuaded to attend MIT, but very much wants to attend USNA (I was sure the week in Bancroft would have changed her mind, but she liked it...). While USNA is her top choice, Liberty University is her second choice. Gardner Webb, Messiah, MIT, and William and Mary are all in her 2nd tier. The brand of the school is more or less meaningless to her. These are schools she felt comfortable with. If we wind up living closer to one of these schools -- I could see that playing a bigger part in her decision (other than Navy). The only thing that might sway her to not attend Navy is if she can't swim there. No idea what the other three will do yet.

The cost of living adjustment is a pittance compared to the housing "benefit" (which, if we were active duty we wouldn't have to count at all). We can break out those amounts (based upon payments to the landlord) from the Leave & Earnings statement easily enough (which we can also provide). That and the hospital bills here in Italy, plus the hospital bills in DC add up to a pretty hefty sum.

He's applied to three based upon merit aid. He's applied to three based upon swimming recruitment (two more others are walk-on scenarios).

I'll have my son reach out to the admins -- we're really only doing this for the schools he has been accepted to (although, I expect he'll be accepted at all of them -- we didn't apply to any reaches, and had to hold off on Service Academies due to his heart procedure).

Thanks everyone. We're starting by just reaching out to the schools DS has been accepted. All but two are smaller schools, three of them he's being recruited to swim for. The vast majority of what is killing us is the housing. Pulling that out would drop our "untaxed income" by 80%. We should know the remainder (if we're actually moving back to the states, or moving on base -- so all of the housing/LQA would go away, but dh's income would go up by about $30,000 -- in that case, our EFC would drop by roughly 75%), in plenty of time to make any appeal. But wanted to get some additional advice.

So, because of our "housing allowance" (we're civilian, no military) and LQA, my family's estimated contribution is set at approximately half our taxable income (please note, we do not get to keep any extra money, we don't have say in the money we receive, and it just passes through -- we can't "save" money by moving into a smaller, less expensive house -- and living in Europe is expensive). All this is to say, I now need to write letters to the various school's financial aid department and explain all of this (along with the now $25,000 in medical expenses and extra loans we are repaying). Do I simply write a letter explaining the situation, and then attach the various payment documents (credit card statements, loan statements, medical statements) showing that we *really* don't have the ability to pay that amount or really contribute much, if anything? There is also the possibility we may be moving back next year, so all of that magical "untaxable income" will be gone as well. Thank you. Additional Question: Would it hurt us (from the standpoint of possibly getting assistance), if we showed that we cashed in a substantial portion of our already meager retirement savings to pay off said medical bills? These bills are strangling us, and the $6,000/year in interest is also keeping us from paying off other things. We may do it anyway (these bills are a huge source of stress). Just wondering.

My son is considering a double major in Mech. Engineering and Communications. Most of his ability to do this will depend upon the college he chooses. Two schools he has applied to will be a bit more difficult to accomplish this, due his not being able to CLEP/AP out of a good number of electives (they are religious schools that have about 6 required courses. He could take some on-line during the summers, though -- but we'd have to pay full price for them).

Now we are up to two! Oklahoma Christian (swimming and merit aid) FIT scholarships, aside from one that is guaranteed, won't be known for a bit. Still waiting to hear on five more (pretty much expected to receive acceptance to those as well) Three more are schools he would swim for, two he would not swim for, but they offer significant scholarship opportunities Still possible that DS will take a gap year and either defer or reapply (working on a major engineering internship if we stay in Italy for an extra 9 months)