Yes, those were the ones I am talking about, specifically the nationally ranked research unis and nationally ranked LACs. I think there are different criteria for the schools that are regionally ranked. Maybe not as much research??? I am honestly not sure what those criteria are. And, 8, you know I don't disagree with your statement at all. It was merely an observation about the schools represented on the list Creekland gave. My dh went to the U of Arkansas, and he is doing just dandy, and I am thankful for that. Now, he is NOT doing as well financially as Doug McMillon mentioned in the CEO thread, but I have no complaints. ;) ETA: Btw, Doug McMillon already has one ds at the U of A currently and another entering freshman ds there this fall.

^My ds has a good friend from the Class of 2013 who is at UTD as a McDermott Scholar. Chose that program over Stanford. He is thriving there. Congrats to your daughter!

Um, we have families more famous than the Duggars. Just sayin'. We probably have some more infamous as well. :/

Oh, I have no special knowledge in this area! Ha ha! I just know because we are from Arkansas and have lived in Northwest Arkansas (the Walmart Home Office is in Bentonville) for 20+ years. At this point, I am happy to have anything positive to talk about in contrast to the Duggars. :/

Walmart - University of Arkansas (he also has an MBA from Tulsa) ETA: not a guess :D I knew the answer.

Um, am I the only one on here who feels like this thread has become my new hobby? :/ Confessing that I am spending more time than I should on this topic.

But this goes back to my other post about the problem of changing majors if one chooses a college based on anticipated degree! Ha ha! Not trying to pick on you Creek! ;) I should have quoted your entire post as your point about not all schools offering that area is very valid.

I know I'm gonna get tomatoes thrown for this, but since much discussion occurs on this board about rankings and their validity, I'm just going to point out that the lowest ranked school on this list is #47. I am fully aware that Berkeley, UCSD, Wisconsin, and Michigan are "state schools," but not all state schools are created equally, and these are all ranked among the top for state schools.

Doesn't this happen to some extent when the girls marry and leave the home? I understand that the situation is completely different as they are obviously still welcomed into the home and also involved with the family. Also, they have left the home for the "right" reason - to marry a father-approved husband and start their own families, but isn't the effect similar from the younger children's perspecitve? Maybe I am missing something here. Maybe they "phase out" the older girls in anticipation of this such that the ones that they have primarily mothered are older by the timem they leave. But how would that work if all the up and comers were boys?

Thanks for the clarification. I did know Jana was not abused, but I still think she would be financially supported by many. I think any of them would be! And that would get TLC and reality TV out of it. But, alas, I am sure you are correct in terms of being too far gone within the family's teachings.

I know this isn't going to happen, but I keep wishing that one of the girls (Jana? She's the oldest, right? Not married? The one who wanted to go to nursing school? Is that correct) would just WALK OUT OF THEIR HOUSE. I have to believe that there are media folks camped out over there (maybe I should drive over and see), and ask for some help in getting out. I know it isn't going to happen, but can you imagine what would happen is she set up a GoFundMe account???

He is considering switching to either Economics or Management Science & Engineering (a sort of hybrid between math, a little engineering, and finance - that's the best I can do to describe it). His school does not have undergraduate business. However, he joined a co-ed business fraternity, and I think his experieces with the organization and its members have influenced him. Additionally, my husband and I are both business-types with undergraduate degrees in Accounting (mine was actually Economics & Business with an Emphasis in Accounting - what a mouthful!). He definitely will be able to switch to either and finish in four years. The Econ would be the easier switch as the degree has fewer overall unit requirements than the MS&E. However, I did learn from him this weekend that his 15 units of AP credit can fulfill all the elective math and science credits that are required for MS&E. Mostly, choosing MS&E will require careful planning so that he can still work in his study abroad. Completing in four years won't be an issue other than having less wiggle room in course selection if he chooses MS&E. Honestly, I think that is the better (although I think more challenging) choice, and I fear he may also find straight Econ to be more theoretical than he wants. I am encouraging him to take courses next fall that can go either way. He can easily do that as some of the science he has to take for MS&E (Two quarters of Physics) can fulfill remaining science gen ed requirements (he only needs one more science gen ed, but he can take one that works for gen ed and MS&E) He could also take a second Econ course (he's had one already as it was needed for IR) and a statistics class. Sorry y'all's eyes are probably glassing over! My point being he still has time to decide between those two paths and can take a bit in each in the fall to help him decide. It sounds like most of your children have not had insurmountable obstacles in completing on time even if transferring. It does seem that having a lot of AP credit has helped in that. I suppose that would have been the case for ds. Had he gone somewhere and spent most of an entire year on IR and then discovered it wasn't for him, he certainly wouldn't have been "behind" because he would have had so much AP credit. And, it sounds as though most of the time sticking with the original school worked for your children even if there was a long leap between majors. I would say that there would have only been two schools on his list that I think would have been a really poor match had he changed. Also, one of the Big State U's would have never been on his list except for their special program. It certainly offers everything, but isn't particularly known for anything, and isn't super well-regarded. There simply was no reason for him to have applied to those three schools other than the intent to major in IR, so I am glad he did not choose any of those three. It's good to hear everyone's stories. I guess my concern about choosing a college for a major wouldn't apply *all* the time, but I can see where it could have had that potential. Just wanted this out there for those who are starting to do the college search.

I apologize. I had simply seen both of these names (which *I* thought were funny) used by other posters, and I thought I was being humorous by juxtaposing them in this way.

Don't be silly! Don't you think that one of their church elders would know the best way to redeem oneself through a public apology!? Ha ha ha! Jk.

I'm so conflicted here: JimBoob or Jimscum? It's a tough choice.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/may/22/oldest-of-tv-s-19-kids-admits-to-wrongd/ Above is the article that ran in our local paper. Below is an excerpt (if you don't want to read the entire article as I believe most of that has already been discussed) that indicates that after the investigation, the investigators filed a "family in need of services" affidavit in Juvenile Court. I wasn't sure if I had seen this information on this thread. ETA: Sorry if this has nothing knew - a few folks were asking about whether or not CPS had been brought in, and this part of the article indicates that there was some sort of trial involving Josh in 2007. May have already been discussed. I can't keep up! Snip: On Dec. 20 of that year, investigators concluded the statute of limitations had expired, precluding any possible sexual-assault charges. The case was sent to the Washington County prosecutor for review. Circuit Judge John Threet, a deputy prosecutor at the time, said he didn't recall the case but wouldn't be allowed under the law to comment on the matter even if he did. Investigators also filed a "family in need of services" affidavit with Washington County Juvenile Court, the report says. The sealed Washington County Circuit Court file for "Josh Duggar vs. the Arkansas Department of Human Services," CV 07-921, was found in 2007 by a Northwest Arkansas Times reporter, who now works for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A trial in that case took place Aug. 6, 2007, according to notes attached to the file. Sealed cases aren't supposed to be left in public view, but the Duggar case file had been left in a stack of routine court filings at the circuit clerk's office. The reporter saw no other information on the case at the time. Amy Webb, spokesman for the state Department of Human Services, said she couldn't comment on any case involving a minor and couldn't confirm or deny there had been a case, she said Wednesday. Both Josh and Jim Bob Duggar were asked about the case in 2007, and both declined to comment.

Sorry - this is a terrible title. I wanted to have a discussion on a couple of semi-related topics: 1) I am curious as to how many of your dc changed majors once they got to college, and 2) If your dc originally chose a college based on a major but later switched, how that worked out for them practically (in terms of completion in four years, not being "behind," etc.) Discussing point 1) is out of curiosity and discussing point 2) is for the purposes of benefitting those who will do college searches focuing on schools that offer intended majors (discussing the pros/cons of that). My ds is likely going to change his major away from International Relations. He is looking at a couple of other options, but I think he is finding IR to be more theoretical than what he expected it to be. As you may or may not remember, some of the colleges he applied to were selected because of *strength of major.* Now that major has changed. Thankfully, he is at a school that is strong in many areas, and I am feeling a great sense of relief that he 1) didn't wind up choosing a college based on strength of major, and 2) didn't wind up choosing a college that was going to give him a bunch of AP credit Because he only earned 15 units of credit at his chosen university, he really wasn't eligible to start right off with courses in his major. There were at least five of his nine acceptances that would have taken a lot of AP credit. NOT choosing one of those has worked out to be a blessing since he is seemingly changing directions. He can easily shift what he is doing without losing ground (because he had to take so many gen ed requirements and has only dabbled in what he thought was his intended major) and because he chose a school strong in many areas as opposed to a school that is KNOWN for a particular area. What have been your experiences with intended major, shifting direction, and how that worked out in the particular college your dc chose?

(((ScoutermominIL))) - you have had a long senior year with your ds. It's stressful enough without illness or depression. I am so sorry to learn this about your ds. You have been incredibly strong and supportive throughout the entire journey. You should be proud of his tenacity and perseverance. I hope he can heal both physically and emotionally. And I hope and pray that you are taking care of YOU, too. There is nothing quite like the helplessness felt by a parent when a child is suffering. To say it is exhausting would be an understatement. Both of you have overcome much. Congratulations on his graduation.

Then I think you are doing it just right!!

Just saw the NBC national news report on this story. Much less complete information than what is here on this thread. Why are they only saying he molested young girls and not saying that some were sisters??

I see the criticism on this forum appropriately directed toward ATI, as it should be. However, I seriously doubt that this is the case out among the general populace. I truly wonder how many enthusiastic viewers were even aware of their ties to this group or what it really is. Sadly, I fear that the general public is completely unaware. I didn't choose the Duggars to represent my state, homeschooling, or Christianity, but to most poeple, sadly they do. These folks live in my backyard.

I've been reading this thread all day. The thing I keep wondering to myself is whether the husbands of the two girls who are married now (sorry, I don't know the names) knew this had happened to them or not. I think my dh would kick anyone's arse who had done something like this to me if he knew about it.

I am sorry about your dd's diagnosis. As a point of clarification, is the goal to definitely keep her at home for the next two years? Or would you consider having next year be her last year before F/T enrollment at the local university? I would kind of think that you might want a plan A, plan B, and perhaps even a plan C depending on her health moving forward. I think I would have her cut back on the actual homeschool science and math courses but have her work toward Clepping courses in those two areas where the local U will give her credit. Maybe history, too, but I might be inclined to hold off on that since you say that is an area she enjoys. If she knows for certain that Russian is going to be the major, I am not sure I would carry on with more math/science if she does not really need it and can CLEP out of it. I would get a degree plan and determine what courses she can Clep. Then I would work backwards based on whether you want her to stay home completely for both 11th and 12th grade and determine how many you could knock out per year while she continues her French, Russian, Lit, and potentially Latin at home. I'm not certain what to do about the remaing semester of social science that she needs for admission to the uni, however. Could she potentially do some sort of hybrid between schoolwork culminating in a Clep exam- perhaps for American history? Is there a Government Clep? I'm not sure these rambling thoughts are very helpful. I haven't consumed much coffee yet. Overall, I would say to continue working on those subjects she truly loves at home but strive to knock out as many gen eds as she can via Clep.

Big congratulations to him!

(somewhat tongue in cheek) - I think the colleges provide nice amenities so the kids will not want to leave!! It's a trap! Kids may wind up taking longer to finish because they have it so cushy. When they stay longer, they continue to pay tuition. I absolutely loved my college, but the dorms were crap, the food was crap, and there were no fancy rec centers or gathering places. People may have loved being there, but they wanted to get out so they could start working and live better. Now with colleges so "nice" and the job market so tough, what incentive is there to get out?!