ETA: Just saw AFwife Claire's post. She explained it much better. That's actually an automatic disqualification. I think because their eyes are still growing(?), and they want them to have it done later on.

A typical paycheck after taxes is $2600. First check of the month is tithe, mortgage, credit card, piano, and grocery. Second is tithe, credit card, utilities, cell/internet, car ins, water, gas, and grocery. We've been working hard to pay off debt. We were up to $20,000 credit card debt and are down to $8,600. There's a bit extra each paycheck, but that always seems to go to a fresh bill. This paycheck it was $265 to the mechanic. Last one, it was for a dental bill. Before that, it was for my doctor visit/Rx for flu. Before that it was Christmas. We've been waiting months to get second ds's new contacts, but still haven't had the extra for that. It's always something!

Yes, I think that might be a possibility. But, that would mean still living at home and we were so hoping to 'launch' this one. This past year has had growing pains for all involved. ;-) Very far. I can't understand how they figure it. The only loan offered was the $5,500 per year. We live pretty much paycheck to paycheck with $0 saved for retirement. I actually am going back to work part time because we're so broke and going deeper into debt each year. The cheapest school so far is UW-Madison at $20,878 / yr.

West Point (USMA) officially denied ds's vision waiver. He received the letter in the mail rescinding his appointment today. (Vision dq is myopia great than 8.00.) The remedial doctors were sure that it would go through and that the remedial exam showed no underlying issues or retinal detachment, so this is a terrible disappointment. He also won the four year NROTC scholarship to Chapel Hill. (Still not accepted there.) He's pretty sure they'll dq him for vision, too, so he's not too excited. His quote last week was "Mom ... It was the one thing I couldn't control." :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: I'm exhausted from all of this. We make too much for need based aid, but too little to afford college. Ds's actually talking about skipping college and doing an electrical apprenticeship because we literally cannot afford anywhere. My husband is a journeyman carpenter, so we're all about the trades, but this is my most academically gifted child. I want to cry.

Ds didn't get receive one. :sad: Other devastating news this week: Ds had been awarded a 4 year AROTC scholarship to three schools and just had his vision waiver denied. This puts those colleges out of reach financially. (He does have a $17,000 a year merit scholarship to Marquette, but with tuition at $37,000 a year, it's just not do-able.) :crying: He received nominations to three service academies, but only USMA so far has requested a vision waiver. The waiver doctors assured ds that he was fine, but we still haven't heard from USMA and we've been waiting since November. It's hard to not be discouraged when we see lots of offers of appointment going out. Ds is still waiting to hear back from two schools -- Grove City and UNC-Chapel Hill. Chapel Hill OOS is a long shot, but maybe Grove City will offer merit aid. Definitely a roller coaster ride for our family, too.

Thanks! We're not ... we're in WI. 😊

Ds just found out he was accepted to Purdue, too!

That's funny about your daughter! 🤓 It's due to the need for vision correction. He's completed the remedial exam (which was quite in depth!) and the doctors told him he didn't have whatever USMA was concerned about, but we've been waiting for the official waiver for awhile now. We've been told that the waiver could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 months! It's nerve wracking! 🤞

So here's our current status: Congressional nomination to USMA, USNA, and USAFA. LOA to USMA, but waiting on waiver for eyesight. 4 year AROTC scholarship to UNC-Chapel Hill, UW- Madison, and Marquette. AROTC decision deadline was 12/9, and at that point ds had only been accepted to Marquette, so he did accept to Marquette University. Also, waiting on a waiver for eyesight. Other acceptances so far: Covenant College, Texas A&M (College of Engineering), and Wisconsin Lutheran College. New acceptance: UW- Madison! Ds is contemplating requesting an AROTC transfer to Madison, but hasn't decided. Still waiting on UNC-Chapel Hill, Purdue, Grove City, and the Service Academies. For us, everything will come down to $$ -- or the lack thereof!

Ds found out this week he received our MOC's nomination to West Point, USNA, and USAFA!!!! (Couldn't quote, but has LOA to West Point. ) Also, he received AROTC scholarship to UNC-Chapel Hill (Not accepted there yet), UW- Madison (Not accepted there yet), and Marquette (already accepted there!) Finally, also accepted to Covenant College this week. Exciting week!

We did it yesterday. We are lower middle class and it was depressing. When I plugged the EFC into the net price calculator of one of ds's colleges, it said we can afford to contribute $30,000 a year. Sigh. :scared: :ohmy: :confused:

Adding this: DS was notified that he received a $15,000/yr Presidential Scholarship to WLC (above). Also, today, he found out that he was accepted to Marquette University & offered a $17,000/yr Pere Marquette Scholarship! Edited to add: Accepted to Texas A&M today! The last two years of homeschooling have been so stressful and many tears of despair, frustration, and anger have been shed. Today I'm feeling like maybe we didn't totally screw oldest ds up. :001_smile:

Ds just received a LOA to West Point!!! (Does that count? Still need the nomination, but our district isn't *extremely* competitive.) Also, he received acceptance to Wisconsin Lutheran College a few days ago.

Yes, he does have a clear favorite dream school. It's one of the hardest of his to get into though, so I want him to be happy if he doesn't get in. 😠He did give me a giggle last week when he met with a rival (of dream school) admissions counselor. He came out of the meeting saying, "They really made some good points about why they're perfect for me and about X- school's flaws." I said, "That means he was doing his job!" 😂😂😂

Oldest ds is applying to 12 -- a mix of competitive (not tippy-top) and safeties. It will all come down to $$ for our family, so we've encouraged him not to fall in love with only one in case it doesn't work out. We found the book "8 First Choices" very helpful.

We're in this boat with you! We've made it 100% through the three small Christian school apps (Yay!!!), 90% of the service academy apps, 90% through ROTC scholarship apps, and ds just sent me the counselor portion of the common app last night. 🤤🤤🤤

We used the BJU Cultural Geography this year and loved it. :001_smile:

I'm smiling as I read over an exchange I've saved for ten years from the old boards: Oh, Margaret! Ds is applying now! I want to laugh and cry over the journey from the day we exchanged the above post to today. "What a long, strange trip it's been!" Ds no longer wants to be a SEAL officer (lol!), but hopes to end up somewhere in cyber-warfare. He's applying to USNA, USAFA, and USMA along with a host of ROTC colleges. We'll see what the future holds! It's such a weird thing to be here at the end of this phase of life with our oldest. Bitter sweet. :crying: Very weird to be posting on the college boards. :eek:

For me, it did. We had already made the decision for oldest ds to do something other than Omnibus 5 next year (after having completed Omni, 1, 2, 3, and 4) a few months back, but we took our plans of having second ds do Omnibus 3 (after having completed Omni 1 and 2) off the table this week. I am sad and shocked about the whole thing. Rachel had a follow-up blog post yesterday where she demonstrated plagiarism in each of the six volumes of Omnibus & none of the examples are from open sources.

Great idea! I just sent one.

I am ... horrified. I have been a fan of Rachel Miller (the blog author) for a few years now. I was distressed a few days ago with her anti- Classical Christian education post, but consoled myself that her specific critiques didn't apply to our homeschool. My distress skyrocketed with her subsequent post critiquing the Omnibus program specifically. Today's post was devastating. My boys have done Omnibus I, II, III, and IV (oldest ds) and I and II (second ds). How would you discuss this with your children?

No advice, but sending virtual {hugs}. Wishing for you a day of peace, confidence, wisdom, and joy.

Dropped ds off for the AP Comp. Sci! It's his first AP test. He felt confident going in, so we'll see how it goes. Eek! I'm more nervous than he was.

Thanks!

Oh, that's a great idea! Thanks!