For the schools that accepted my ds last year, the NPCs were pretty accurate. I really think your accountant is incorrect in saying that most people with income over $70K won't get aid.

I would agree that getting on mailing lists (and reading the mail!) is a good way to get fees waived. When ds was applying last year, I had him search his email for each school, and check for fee waivers. I know there were one or two colleges that my ds applied to that didn't have fees, but I can't remember which. I'll update if I remember. I also wanted to point out that getting the admission fee waived doesn't necessarily make it free to apply. We had to send both ACT and SAT (subject test) scores to every school, plus most required the CSS profile. Those fees add up! Good luck!

Wow, thanks for this info. I had not thought this through with my older ds, but he didn't get NMS anyway (just commended). My younger ds is taking the PSAT in October. He may not score night enough for NMS, but it's not impossible that he would. I think we'll have him put the homeschool code just in case. I think dealing with the transcript would be difficult.

That's what I thought too! Like what are they thinking?

Thanks for all the sympathy. I'm happy to report that ds is really happy with his classes and is really adjusting to life on campus. As a side note, when he first got to campus his bed was a loft bed (over his desk) with no safety rails. He said he was a little nervous about sleeping up so high, but thought he'd probably get used to it. The second night he was awakened by his roommate falling out of bed. Luckily the roommate was not badly hurt. DS talked to their RA the next morning and now they both have rails on their beds. I'm honestly surprised that they weren't informed right away that this was an option.

My parents put money in 529 accounts for my dc. My older ds just started using his, and the online account options are to send money to him, send money to the school, or send money to the person setting up the account. We're trying to be very careful with the accounting. So ds paid for his textbooks this week, and we've requested a check for that exact amount to be sent to him from the 529 account. He is receiving financial aid, and we're aware that using the money will most likely decrease his aid next year. Therefore for this year, we're using the minimum possible from the 529.

If my ds could have avoided the "mandatory socializing activities of intro week" he'd have been much happier. He's 1500 miles away though, so it's difficult for him to come home. And I agree with the post that it makes it harder when the dc cries. I had cried in advance and had steeled myself not to cry when we drove ds to the airport. However when he started crying, I couldn't help myself.

I appreciate all the information here. DH and I spent a ridiculous amount of time planning how to pay ds's fall bill. We were trying to maximize our tax credit, make sure that 529 money was used for 529-eligible expenses, etc. His school breaks down his scholarships so that one small one is specifically for room/board, and the big one is for tuition, etc. The big one doesn't cover all of tuition, so by using our money (not 529 funds) for that portion, we can claim a tax credit. I sure hope we did everything correctly!

My ds is also flying to his school. We went through a whole debate as to which of us should go with him. In the end, he decided to fly alone. He's comfortable with it, and it's saving us quite a lot of money. He leaves a week from today! Best of luck to everyone!

I have to admit that I'm struggling. DS is visiting his grandparents in another state right now, he'll be home for a few days, then off to visit some other relatives. Then he'll have about a week at home before flying to college. I'm trying to hold it together, but we're very close and it's going to be very hard. OTOH I really want him to have fun, study hard, and learn a lot. So I'm trying to be upbeat, not weepy.

My dc have done debate through the local public high school. They've both taken classes there part-time and done other extracurriculars/athletic teams too. The debate team is very small. In fact, I'm sorry to say that next year my younger ds may be the only returning debate team member. He has found two other students who may join, but I fear the team may not actually exist this fall.

My understanding is that you don't have to withdraw other applications until you know that you're accepted. And at the time that you are accepted, you'll have financial aid information. So if you are accepted, but it isn't affordable, decline the acceptance and don't withdraw other applications. Most ED I deadlines are in November, so you would still have time to submit more regular decision applications. The college that my ds applied to ED met 100% of need, and we knew we could afford our EFC. Unfortunately he did not get in, so it didn't matter anyway.

My ds doesn't know yet what he will study in college (he's a rising junior now), but if he needs chemistry, it would be best if he took it again. This was not really a case where he knew the material, but blew the test. It sounds like you have a good plan for AP chemistry for next year. Oh, I totally agree. In this case, the provider (the state of Maine) really didn't do a very good job. Honestly, my ds is responsible for not recognizing that, despite the fact that DH and I both told him so. Luckily I've heard through the grapevine that all of their online courses are being re-vamped. I don't know if that is really true, but I hope so. The course was free for us, which was hard to resist.

My dc each had three APs this year. Older ds was reasonably happy with his scores in English literature, statistics, and biology. He is maxed out at the amount of credit he can get at his college next year. Younger ds was pleased with US history and English language. He was disappointed in his chemistry score. I won't say "I told you so" to him, but we knew the AP chemistry class that he took online was not a very strong course. I think if he really wanted to do well on the AP, he would have had to do significant prep despite getting an "A" in the class.

Our area went up to the 1 TB from 300 GB not that long ago (also Comcast). We have not had any trouble staying under 1 TB, but it was a huge struggle with the old cap. Look at what your settings are for Netflix, etc., if it doesn't bother you, watch on the lowest quality possible. It makes a huge difference in how much bandwidth you use. I will say that some games are very bad too. You can monitor usage on various devices to see where the biggest usage is. One of my dc was a particularly bad offender, and once we realized that, we could keep a closer eye on him.

I wouldn't want my ds working at a pool with blind spots either. My ds has been working as a lifeguard at the YMCA for a couple of years, and they take safety/lifeguarding very seriously. He actually had to rescue someone this week for the first time. He's had drills, and "tests" where he thought someone was drowning, but this was the first real rescue of someone in distress. He was shaken up even though the person was fine. I can't imagine how he would have felt if someone were out of sight and drowned. They do training/practice once a month, and they're paid for that time. Having read what others have written here, I will warn ds to be cautious about lifeguarding jobs at other pools. It's funny because I was initially frustrated by how difficult they made it for him to get the job. Even though he has been on swim team and been to the Y daily for many years, he couldn't use anyone there as a reference, but had to have three outside references. At the time I thought it was overkill, but I can see the value now.

Our plan for my rising 11th grader is the same. Hopefully it will work well.

We definitely helped older ds with proof-reading his essays, and he had many essays. We didn't help much with content, although I recall one essay that prompted me to explain to ds why his first paragraph seemed inappropriate. Any English class that has seniors in it at the local high school assigns a common app essay in the fall. The teachers go through multiple iterations with students. My older ds has done that twice. One teacher was actually quite helpful, but it was his sophomore year and he never used the essay he wrote. His actual senior year English teacher was not very helpful.

LOL I interpreted the title of this post as binge reading materials at the College Board - like SAT information, AP information, etc. I finally realized that it was about reading this message board.

I'm glad the changes weren't too big for AP calc. I'm not worried about my ds being over-prepared. I just want to make sure he will be adequately prepared for the AP. My older ds did AP calc BC two years ago without Thinkwell, just with my dh. However with younger ds we've found that the Thinkwell helps him keep on track.

That's good to know. Thanks!

My ds used Thinkwell for AB calculus this year, but did not take the AP exam. His plan is to continue calculus next year and take the calc BC exam in May 2018. I know the calculus exams have been revised. Does anyone have a sense if the Thinkwell would prepare adequately for the new AP exam? I know there are a few new topics. DH can easily teach those to ds. I'm more concerned about overall preparedness.

Woohoo both my dc are done! For older ds today was his last AP ever (statistics). We're getting take-out for dinner to celebrate.

So glad to hear that!

That seems extreme - not giving out info until this late! Younger ds is done with his APs - just finished AP English language. Older ds has statistics tomorrow and then he'll be done!