College Class of 2028- Rising Freshmen- Check in Here

[MagistraKennedy]

Let's go, parents!! 

Graduation party was on Tuesday, which was lovely! Our freshmen twins wrapped up their track and field season Thursday, and my graduate has one more theater production before her high school career closes. 

Signing up for a move in slot Monday. 😲

Edited June 2 by MagistraKennedy

[cintinative]

I am going to forget all the little things. I just know it. Like move in slots. What? Not on my radar.

Also I need to remember a parking pass (just typing "out loud" in case someone else also forgets).

I mean, he's a boy, and there is a Meijer almost walking distance, so if he forgets something, he'll be fine, but my list making, box checking brain needs a more structured way to handle all this. Is there anything out there like that? I have seen all kinds of college checklists but they seem to focus on the stuff leading up to the application and decision. 

[JennyD]

This thread prompted me to look through my old emails about DS's college and note a June 1 deadline for "new student forms."  Oddly, DS had not mentioned any such forms, so I went and asked him and he confidently assured me that he hadn't received any emails or information from the college in weeks.  Further investigation, however, revealed that DS has indeed been receiving lots of email ...  at a different email address that he hasn't been checking!  

So that about sums up how we are doing.  

We did make travel plans to drop DS off in late August.  He will take placement exams and find out his housing assignment in mid-July, but registration won't be until after orientation.

The emotional side of this is going to be hard, for all of us.  After all the years of homeschooling, DS is very ambivalent (and more than a little anxious) about going to away to college.  I am positive that once he gets settled in he is going to have a very good experience, but there is going to be a LOT of up and down before we get there.

 

[MagistraKennedy]

16 hours ago, cintinative said:

I am going to forget all the little things. I just know it. Like move in slots. What? Not on my radar.

Also I need to remember a parking pass (just typing "out loud" in case someone else also forgets).

I mean, he's a boy, and there is a Meijer almost walking distance, so if he forgets something, he'll be fine, but my list making, box checking brain needs a more structured way to handle all this. Is there anything out there like that? I have seen all kinds of college checklists but they seem to focus on the stuff leading up to the application and decision. 

Remind me where he's going? BG? WSU? 

Check the school site for 'admissions checklist' or 'admissions timeline', etc. WKU has cute little printed checklists that we've gotten as part of our orientation, etc. (the hard copy I have is much more detailed than this one, but you get the idea)  https://www.wku.edu/admissions/timeline/index.php 

Things we've done already:
Housing -- room assigned, roommate assigned
Orientation -- this was how you committed to the school --- it was for parents and students, some sessions together, others separate. She registered for her classes this day
Parking Pass -- she will be riding twice a week, so she needed a car. Since she's a girl, a newer driver, and the campus is BIG, I opted for the pricier parking closest to her dorm
Received Financial Aid package 
Joined the parents' group on FB (I actually did this as we were looking at schools)  There's also a family portal newsletter that is helpful for knowing timeline, etc
Printed out academic calendar (because I want to know breaks, etc)
Asked off for Parent's Weekend 

Things we need to do: 
Finalize FA package -- need to call about an outside scholarship, accept a subsidized loan
Sign up for Housing Move in timeslot
Choose a Meal Plan
Set up Payment Plan 
Price books 

[cintinative]

WSU. Thank you @MagistraKennedy !

[kokotg]

DS is all finished with school and I've submitted his final transcript...now we're kind of in a holding pattern, as pretty much everything that comes next from Amherst says "mid-June" Housing survey, listing preferences for first year seminars, I think scheduling a zoom meeting with his advisor? We did book a hotel for move-in in August and I joined the parents group on Facebook. Come August his oldest brother is moving to Denver for grad school (after a year back home after college), next kid back to Vanderbilt for junior year already, and this kid off to Massachusetts. I've had them all home for a few weeks now, and noticing how very, very loud my house is when all 4 of them are home is giving me big feelings about how quiet things will be in the fall when I'm down to one kid. And kid #2 just left this morning for a very full schedule of summer music stuff all over the country (Colorado! San Francisco! New York!) 

[JennyD]

1 hour ago, kokotg said:

next kid back to Vanderbilt for junior year already,

How is this possible??!

DS completed a whole slew of forms very efficiently last night.   He has a doctor's appointment tomorrow so we will get the medical forms taken care of then (as well as the TB test he needs for his summer program).   He's going to be away for July and much of August, but I have a bunch of doctor/dentist appts lined up for him after he gets back but before he leaves for college.

DH and I need to sort through the health insurance situation today.  Not sure whether it makes sense for DS to waive the student insurance or not.

 

[kokotg]

7 minutes ago, JennyD said:

How is this possible??!

DS completed a whole slew of forms very efficiently last night.   He has a doctor's appointment tomorrow so we will get the medical forms taken care of then (as well as the TB test he needs for his summer program).   He's going to be away for July and much of August, but I have a bunch of doctor/dentist appts lined up for him after he gets back but before he leaves for college.

DH and I need to sort through the health insurance situation today.  Not sure whether it makes sense for DS to waive the student insurance or not.

 

I'm nervous because I hear Mass has particularly stringent insurance requirements; I hope our high deductible plan passes muster. It's a standard BCBS plan for government employees, so it really ought to be good enough. It sounds like there's extra FA available if we do need to buy the school's insurance, BUT DS takes an expensive medication that's a bit of a hassle to get approved sometimes, and I really don't want to mess with changing things up with that (our prescription coverage is actually pretty good). 

[JennyD]

2 minutes ago, kokotg said:

high deductible plan

We have a high deductible plan, too, and not-great out-of-network coverage.  

I also just added medical POA to the list of things to deal with.

 

[MagistraKennedy]

48 minutes ago, JennyD said:

How is this possible??!

DS completed a whole slew of forms very efficiently last night.   He has a doctor's appointment tomorrow so we will get the medical forms taken care of then (as well as the TB test he needs for his summer program).   He's going to be away for July and much of August, but I have a bunch of doctor/dentist appts lined up for him after he gets back but before he leaves for college.

DH and I need to sort through the health insurance situation today.  Not sure whether it makes sense for DS to waive the student insurance or not.

 

UGH --- this is another thing I need to double check --- can we get in to the dentist before leaving for school? We took care of a well visit at the beginning of May , and the eye exam is in late November (Thanksgiving break) 

Talk to me about health insurance --- what do I need to know there? 

 

[MagistraKennedy]

31 minutes ago, JennyD said:

We have a high deductible plan, too, and not-great out-of-network coverage.  

I also just added medical POA to the list of things to deal with.

 

THANK YOU --- we also have a high deductible plan, and the company isn't as easy to deal with as the last one we had. 

That's something I was forgetting! Mama Bear Legal Forms is what we're going to use. 

[MagistraKennedy]

42 minutes ago, kokotg said:

I'm nervous because I hear Mass has particularly stringent insurance requirements; I hope our high deductible plan passes muster. It's a standard BCBS plan for government employees, so it really ought to be good enough. It sounds like there's extra FA available if we do need to buy the school's insurance, BUT DS takes an expensive medication that's a bit of a hassle to get approved sometimes, and I really don't want to mess with changing things up with that (our prescription coverage is actually pretty good). 

(nurse hat on) Can you get your MD to write a 3 month RX and send him off with that? 

[kokotg]

1 minute ago, MagistraKennedy said:

(nurse hat on) Can you get your MD to write a 3 month RX and send him off with that? 

It's a biologic that's a monthly injection...so like sometimes they'll give him samples if we're traveling and they happen to have them around at the doctor's office...but the pharmacy is very careful about not refilling before it's time. And I don't entirely trust that it would get approved at all if we had to start over with a new insurance company. It probably would since he has a history of using it successfully, but it's not the cheapest option out there, so....who knows? It's also unclear to me how good the prescription coverage is on the plan they sell (although there are usually options where the drug company will cover the co-pays). We're also in the middle of switching back to his original medication from a different one that we tried for a few months....basically, it's just super complicated and I'm scared to mess with it. 

[Doodlebug]

DS reports to USAFA in 3 weeks. No phone for about 6 weeks. 

We have a packing list that is pretty simple for those first 6 weeks of basic training and then we'll bring him more personal items in August. 

[cintinative]

34 minutes ago, Doodlebug said:

DS reports to USAFA in 3 weeks. No phone for about 6 weeks. 

We have a packing list that is pretty simple for those first 6 weeks of basic training and then we'll bring him more personal items in August. 

Hugs. I bet he is excited but that would be hard for me as a mom.

[SKL]

We're way behind, I guess.  😛  Orientation is next week.  We couldn't schedule it sooner without taking off a school day.

I hope to find out a lot of things at orientation, which will hopefully inform the following:

• What computers and software should I buy?  (I've promised the kids new computers.)
• Any other pre-first-semester requirements that they haven't told us about yet.
• Scheduling the first 2 semesters of classes.  (And paying for them.)
• Campus health insurance and other health stuff.
• Any social stuff, sports, arts, etc. that the kids want to explore.
• Parking pass.
• Meal plans and other details for commuters.

My kids are going to be commuters, so I don't have to worry about all the dorm stuff.

[scbusf]

My son will be commuting, so we don't have dorm stuff to worry about, either.

Orientation is June 24th. He is already registered for a few courses because he decided to join what the college calls an Impact Learning Community. His will be the Communications group and he will take Public Speaking and Intro to Human Communication as well as a general class for all kids in these communities.

We have his accommodations all set up.

We do need to buy him a parking permit and we are getting him a small meal plan so he can eat lunch when he's on campus.

[chiguirre]

17 hours ago, Doodlebug said:

DS reports to USAFA in 3 weeks. No phone for about 6 weeks. 

We have a packing list that is pretty simple for those first 6 weeks of basic training and then we'll bring him more personal items in August. 

Check out Sandboxx. They're an overnight letter service that I used when my dd was in Navy bootcamp. They cost about a $1 per letter if you buy a package but you don't have to worry about whether or not they're getting your mail. 

I used to make personalized memes. They let you upload one picture per letter and you can use their editor to add text or bling. There's a word limit but it's plenty for family news and an article clipping or two. My dd really appreciated the pictures and said they helped her get through the slog.

[Doodlebug]

Thanks @chiguirre Sandbox is on my to do list!!!

[MagistraKennedy]

On 6/2/2024 at 12:51 PM, kokotg said:

It's a biologic that's a monthly injection...so like sometimes they'll give him samples if we're traveling and they happen to have them around at the doctor's office...but the pharmacy is very careful about not refilling before it's time. And I don't entirely trust that it would get approved at all if we had to start over with a new insurance company. It probably would since he has a history of using it successfully, but it's not the cheapest option out there, so....who knows? It's also unclear to me how good the prescription coverage is on the plan they sell (although there are usually options where the drug company will cover the co-pays). We're also in the middle of switching back to his original medication from a different one that we tried for a few months....basically, it's just super complicated and I'm scared to mess with it. 

Oh gosh girl ---- you just ratched up the hassle with with the word 'biologic'. I totally get it. I'm in case management, and many years ago, worked in a GI office where our patients were on biologics. That's a whole other level of work on your part. ❤️ I totally understand your hesitancy to mess with a system that's working. 

 

[MagistraKennedy]

On 6/2/2024 at 3:07 PM, cintinative said:

Hugs. I bet he is excited but that would be hard for me as a mom.

Agreed. Sending hugs to you and your son @Doodlebug --- I'm glad you posted this. USAFA is on my rising sophomore's list, so I'm interested in this sort of info. 

 

[MagistraKennedy]

On 6/2/2024 at 3:18 PM, SKL said:

We're way behind, I guess.  😛  Orientation is next week.  We couldn't schedule it sooner without taking off a school day.

I hope to find out a lot of things at orientation, which will hopefully inform the following:

• What computers and software should I buy?  (I've promised the kids new computers.)
• Any other pre-first-semester requirements that they haven't told us about yet.
• Scheduling the first 2 semesters of classes.  (And paying for them.)
• Campus health insurance and other health stuff.
• Any social stuff, sports, arts, etc. that the kids want to explore.
• Parking pass.
• Meal plans and other details for commuters.

My kids are going to be commuters, so I don't have to worry about all the dorm stuff.

I don't think you're behind --- it is what it is, right? I'm a control freak, so we scheduled orientation as soon as we could, working around activities and classes. 

How's your school's website? I've been able to find out SO much by perusing the websites and social media, and the parent groups on FB. 

[MagistraKennedy]

On 6/3/2024 at 8:10 AM, chiguirre said:

Check out Sandboxx. They're an overnight letter service that I used when my dd was in Navy bootcamp. They cost about a $1 per letter if you buy a package but you don't have to worry about whether or not they're getting your mail. 

I used to make personalized memes. They let you upload one picture per letter and you can use their editor to add text or bling. There's a word limit but it's plenty for family news and an article clipping or two. My dd really appreciated the pictures and said they helped her get through the slog.

This is INCREDIBLE! What an awesome resource!

[JennyD]

Just sent off DS's final transcript, hooray!

DS's school has a surprisingly strict TB testing requirement -- if you've lived for more than a month in Asia, Central or South America, Africa, or Eastern Europe, they require a blood test, not just a skin test.  DS got the test done earlier this week; hopefully the results will be back tomorrow and he can finish up the medical forms.

 

[cintinative]

We had orientation yesterday.  Fortunately there wasn't a lot that was new. It's weird to me that there aren't books in the bookstore. I am so old I remember sorting through piles of books to find a copy in the condition I wanted. 

One thing that was interesting is that there are legal services included in a $16 annual fee. So they can do wills, etc. at no extra cost. I had thought about doing the Mama Bear Legal forms but I might have my son check and see if they can do the medical POA for him.  And a will, because he will never get one for $16 elsewhere.  

Other than that, I am much more anxious about having everything ready for him/his room than he is. His friend's mom and I were talking through room layouts. He and his friend could care less.  I am anxious to get started on the shopping. Do you all know if we are better to wait until later June or July? I am thinking for things like the comforter, etc.  

[kokotg]

13 hours ago, JennyD said:

Just sent off DS's final transcript, hooray!

DS's school has a surprisingly strict TB testing requirement -- if you've lived for more than a month in Asia, Central or South America, Africa, or Eastern Europe, they require a blood test, not just a skin test.  DS got the test done earlier this week; hopefully the results will be back tomorrow and he can finish up the medical forms.

 

DS had to have a TB test because he's on an immunosuppressant, but just the skin test. We went to CVS thinking that would be easiest; they charge for the test and then they charge again to give you the results...more if it's positive than if it's negative. It was negative...but I really think just telling you you don't have TB should be included with the test! Anyway, that's done! I sent in the final transcript a couple of weeks ago through the common app...then realized I forgot to sign and date it. Doh! So I guess I'll wait and see if they say anything. 

And speaking of the immunosuppressant that triggered the TB test...we're trying to switch him to a new one, and I have no idea how we're actually going to get it in time since we're leaving for a 5 week trip, most of which is in Canada, on Sunday. I suppose dealing with this will prepare us for the extreme hassle it's going to be to deal with meds if he decides to study abroad! 

[JennyD]

4 hours ago, kokotg said:

they charge for the test and then they charge again to give you the results...more if it's positive than if it's negative.

That is the goofiest possible pricing system.  I have never heard of such a thing!

[MagistraKennedy]

18 hours ago, JennyD said:

That is the goofiest possible pricing system.  I have never heard of such a thing!

Healthcare madness at its best

[SKL]

We too had college orientation on Thursday.  I think it made all 3 of us more pumped about being in college.  🙂  Their first scheduling session is set for late June.

I feel like we're at an in-between place between "it's my life" and "you're tracking these requirements/dates for me, right?"  Haha.

I am wondering about those mama bear forms.  Do these make any difference if the kids are still 17?  I would assume that colleges will act as if everyone's 18, and yet, are those legal forms legal if the signer is under 18?  (I'm probably making this harder than it is ....)

ETA I got answers to a couple questions from my post above:

• Computers to buy:  whichever ones they like for the programs they'll be in, as long as they have Excel/Word etc.  (Bookstore claims to have discounts but we'll still compare.)
• Meal plan:  already signed up!
• Parking passes:  sign-up begins August 1 at 9am.  Need to mark my calendar.
• We have a to-do list of "onboarding / welcome" items to be done this summer.

I hope my kids will spend some time getting familiar with all of the online tools etc.  I find the university's secure online stuff to be really confusing.  For one thing, they each have 2 different university emails and 2 different passwords, but who knows which one gets used where?  And the "authenticator tool" either doesn't work, or we aren't smart enough for it.  Feel like we're going to start out already 10 steps behind.

Edited June 15 by SKL

[Doodlebug]

@skl Glad the orientation went well and yall are getting pumped for college!

Anyone else feeling these days at home are a verrrry weird place emotionally? Tbh, I think DS leaving in 9 days is an odd relief. It really does feel some days like I’m just sitting here staring at him with a lump in my throat! 🥹

[cintinative]

19 hours ago, SKL said:

 

I am wondering about those mama bear forms.  Do these make any difference if the kids are still 17?  I would assume that colleges will act as if everyone's 18, and yet, are those legal forms legal if the signer is under 18?  (I'm probably making this harder than it is ....)

 

Basically . . .

If the child is under 18, then they are still a minor, and the hospital/doctors need to talk to you about treatment.  You can still inquire about prescriptions, care, etc.

If they are over 18, they are considered an adult ,and you don't need to be consulted unless there is a medical POA. They won't share anything with you unless your kid has signed the forms releasing the info to you.  The reason for the medical POA from my perspective is if my son is ever too incapacitated to speak to his care, or is unconscious, the medical POA gives me the authority to go in and speak to his medical team to direct and approve care. 

[SKL]

1 minute ago, cintinative said:

Basically . . .

If the child is under 18, then they are still a minor, and the hospital/doctors need to talk to you about treatment.  You can still inquire about prescriptions, care, etc.

If they are over 18, they are considered an adult ,and you don't need to be consulted unless there is a medical POA. They won't share anything with you unless your kid has signed the forms releasing the info to you.  The reason for the medical POA from my perspective is if my son is ever too incapacitated to speak to his care, or is unconscious, the medical POA gives me the authority to go in and speak to his medical team to direct and approve care. 

I was also wondering about the forms allowing the university to share the minor's grades and such with the parents.

I guess I will just have my kids fill them out, but maybe re-do it on their 18th birthdays just in case.

[cintinative]

Just now, SKL said:

I was also wondering about the forms allowing the university to share the minor's grades and such with the parents.

I guess I will just have my kids fill them out, but maybe re-do it on their 18th birthdays just in case.

That is something under the law called FERPA. We were able to do that on the university's portal.  

[Arcadia]

On 6/1/2024 at 11:49 AM, cintinative said:

I have seen all kinds of college checklists but they seem to focus on the stuff leading up to the application and decision. 

Student health insurance waiver - submit if you want to waive

Immunization - upload the info into student health

dorm room application and roommate selection

orientation

giving parents proxy access to billing, grades, whatever else

get a credit card if the student doesn’t have one already 

upload photo for student ID

 

[Arcadia]

On 6/14/2024 at 9:00 AM, kokotg said:

DS had to have a TB test because he's on an immunosuppressant, but just the skin test. We went to CVS thinking that would be easiest; they charge for the test and then they charge again to give you the results...more if it's positive than if it's negative.

DS19’s TB blood test was covered by insurance and he just upload the test results that he downloaded from his health portal. You can file a claim on your insurance for the CVS TB skin prick test. Our were all free in network. DS19 had the BCG vaccination at birth and that can trigger a false positive on the TB skin prick test so he did the blood test for his college health service requirement. 

Edited June 17 by Arcadia
typo

[kokotg]

34 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

DS19’s TB blood test was covered by insurance and he just upload the test results that he downloaded from his health portal. You can file a claim on your insurance for the CVS TB skin prick test. Our was all free in network. DS19 had the BCG vaccination at birth and that can trigger a false positive on the TB skin prick test so he did the blood test for his college health service requirement. 

We have a high deductible (which, knock wood, we haven't ever met), so I figured paying cash up front would come out the same. DH was going to ask about it, since sometimes the cash price is cheaper than whatever they bill the insurance company so that it would come out cheaper for us, but then there was no one to ask, so...sigh. whatever. 

[Arcadia]

On 6/14/2024 at 8:40 AM, cintinative said:

Do you all know if we are better to wait until later June or July? I am thinking for things like the comforter, etc. 

sample dorm list that a student put out that was useful for us to look at and discuss with my kids https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Qrd-O6zW16mMYWXdagPs-Y9WtUtB6UIT4hMbbvz2CPE/mobilebasic

Twin XL bedsheets is the one that you want to get during back to college sales because there is more variety. We bought from Costco and Target. My kids  use queen size comforters so those were easy to get. We did get DS19 a twin XL size pillowtop mattress topper because he is more fussy about mattresses. DS18 can sleep anywhere so won’t need one. 

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, kokotg said:

. DH was going to ask about it, since sometimes the cash price is cheaper than whatever they bill the insurance company so that it would come out cheaper for us, but then there was no one to ask, so...sigh. whatever. 

This is for my local walk in clinic for uninsured 

”We accept most insurance plans, but if you are uninsured or prefer to pay out of pocket, TB tests cost $79.”

This is for CVS for uninsured 

”TB testing

TB test placement (first visit)$35

TB test reading (follow-up visit)$39 if negative or $99-139 if positive”

[ScoutTN]

5 hours ago, Arcadia said:

sample dorm list that a student put out that was useful for us to look at and discuss with my kids https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Qrd-O6zW16mMYWXdagPs-Y9WtUtB6UIT4hMbbvz2CPE/mobilebasic

Twin XL bedsheets is the one that you want to get during back to college sales because there is more variety. We bought from Costco and Target. My kids  use queen size comforters so those were easy to get. We did get DS19 a twin XL size pillowtop mattress topper because he is more fussy about mattresses. DS18 can sleep anywhere so won’t need one. 

And do check the college info carefully. I ordered xl sheets last year, but discovered that her dorm had regular length twin beds.

[kokotg]

9 hours ago, Arcadia said:

This is for my local walk in clinic for uninsured 

”We accept most insurance plans, but if you are uninsured or prefer to pay out of pocket, TB tests cost $79.”

This is for CVS for uninsured 

”TB testing

TB test placement (first visit)$35

TB test reading (follow-up visit)$39 if negative or $99-139 if positive”

yes, that's what I found, too...But if they billed insurance, we'd just end up paying it anyway since we haven't met our deductible. And I've had experiences in the past where I've paid out of pocket for, say, an ultrasound, because I could get it for $300 that way vs. $700 if it went through insurance. Or whatever. It's very aggravating trying to guess every time what to do! 

[scbusf]

Went to Freshman Orientation at Old Dominion University today. Except for registering for classes, it was a complete and utter waste of time. They literally read slides to us, which was ALL information that was on their website. 

[MagistraKennedy]

38 minutes ago, scbusf said:

Went to Freshman Orientation at Old Dominion University today. Except for registering for classes, it was a complete and utter waste of time. They literally read slides to us, which was ALL information that was on their website. 

Oh no! That's terrible! 😞

 

[MagistraKennedy]

It's been a minute since anyone chimed in. 

Where are we, friends? 

We sent a dual credit transcript over (after a huge issue with incorrect grades that I had to fight to get rectified) --- now waiting for our college to access it and assign credit. Depending on how that shakes down (a literature class and an anatomy class), my daughter MIGHT take a departmental exam to take care of a gen ed Engish credit. This would free up her spring schedule for a riding class she wants to take. 

We're working on planning what to buy for the dorm room, and she's working a lot to save up spending money for the fall. 

Move in is only 39 days away. 🫣

[SKL]

My girls had their scheduling session last week.  They are scheduled up for the first 2 semesters.  They also discussed the possibility of dual majors and minors.  Kid2 scheduled a Spanish placement test to get into something above the most basic Spanish class.  So far, this has been fun.  🙂

We bought their new laptops.  After hearing feeback from various sources, they were still sure they wanted Macbooks, so that is what we bought.  They are enjoying them.  🙂

We still have a number of things to do between now and August 1, as we will be traveling most of August.

• Required and recommended college onboarding stuff - seems to be mostly about getting to know the campus and web stuff.
• Decide about buying campus health insurance - still researching cost differential.
• FERPA stuff.
• Download kids' 2024-25 schedules.
• Order textbooks when info is available.
• Parking pass purchase August 1.
• Stuff that is SKL family-specific ... study skills course, self-defense refresher, try the bus route, learn to use & sync online calendars, ....

[scbusf]

Things we still need to do:

- Get a new laptop.

- Get DS a parking pass for campus (he will be commuting)

- Get a meal plan so he can eat a few days a week on campus.

- FERPA forms

- Figure out textbooks.

[JennyD]

DS is off at a summer program and not thinking about college, which is honestly a good thing.

AFAIK he has not received his dorm assignment yet, and class registration will be after he arrives on campus.  We have had our travel plans for a while but just had to buy another ticket for his cello, and DH spent some time on the phone with the financial aid office getting all paid up (gulp).  

He took some sort of required math readiness exam but will need to take some math placement exams to get into the classes he plans to take.  

There are only two weeks between the end of DS's summer program and college orientation, so I'm urging him to ship nearly everything he has with him now straight to the college.  It's a little unclear whether the packages will arrive too early for the mailroom to hold them, but it looks like there are some services that will hold your stuff.  It just doesn't make any sense to be hauling his clothes, linens, etc. back and forth.  We don't need to buy him much at all, but I would really like to replace some of his more worn-out clothing and so am keeping an eye out for sales.

We are making his dropoff into a family trip, so we will be THAT family, with the parents, siblings, uncle, etc all trooping along.  There is a restaurant not too far away that I have wanted to eat at for years, and I managed to snag a very difficult-to-get reservation for the evening after we drop DS at college.  So at least I will be able to weep into some excellent food.

 

[cintinative]

5 hours ago, SKL said:

 

• Decide about buying campus health insurance - still researching cost differential

Thanks for this reminder. I really should do this also.

[cintinative]

I want to say we are doing well but I am quite sure there is something I am missing. We are in a waiting pattern for things like on-campus jobs and the parking pass. I can't remember if we have done FERPA--I think we have? I need to check. There are still some odds and ends left to buy.  Life has been otherwise overwhelming so college prep has sort of fallen off my radar a bit.  

 

[MagistraKennedy]

5 hours ago, SKL said:

My girls had their scheduling session last week.  They are scheduled up for the first 2 semesters.  They also discussed the possibility of dual majors and minors.  Kid2 scheduled a Spanish placement test to get into something above the most basic Spanish class.  So far, this has been fun.  🙂

We bought their new laptops.  After hearing feeback from various sources, they were still sure they wanted Macbooks, so that is what we bought.  They are enjoying them.  🙂

We still have a number of things to do between now and August 1, as we will be traveling most of August.

• Required and recommended college onboarding stuff - seems to be mostly about getting to know the campus and web stuff.
• Decide about buying campus health insurance - still researching cost differential.
• FERPA stuff.
• Download kids' 2024-25 schedules.
• Order textbooks when info is available.
• Parking pass purchase August 1.
• Stuff that is SKL family-specific ... study skills course, self-defense refresher, try the bus route, learn to use & sync online calendars, ....

I love that you all already know the spring schedule! I'm looking over that now to try and extrapolate how it will pan out. She plans to join the riding team, so she has to take an equitation class sometime during her freshman year. We weren't able to squeeze it in for the fall, so I'm antsy about getting it on the spring schedule. 


Congrats to traveling! My big kids are all working, so a vacation would have been challenging. 

Are your girls heading to the same school? 

[MagistraKennedy]

42 minutes ago, cintinative said:

Thanks for this reminder. I really should do this also.

I'm guessing I have to wait until we actually get the posted bill --- in the parent group, someone mentioned it's going to be Aug 1. That's going to be a quick turnaround to double check things, waive insurance, etc. 

I'm waiting on the textbook issue as well --- apparently all books are supposed to be posted by 7/15, then we can opt out of the college book program (a fee per credit hour), and I can start pricing outside options. 

It feels like a lot of hurry up and wait, or that things aren't moving as quickly as I want them to. Not that I'm in a hurry to push my girl out the door, but I have some things I want to check off the list, and I have to wait.