Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Oct 23, 2015 6:30:21 GMT -5
Just found out yesterday that my son was accepted into the college of his choice, school of engineering. He took the SAT last year as a junior and is actually scheduled to take the ACT tomorrow morning which he really doesn't need to do now. But, I told him to take it seriously because you never know if you might want to change colleges or whatever.
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Oct 25, 2015 17:36:50 GMT -5
definitely take all of the testing. if he changes his mind, whatever new school might require something he hasn't already done. way better to have it done now than to have to scramble later, IF it's even needed. congrats to your DS for getting into his school of choice!
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Oct 26, 2015 6:31:21 GMT -5
Now, how does one go about finding scholarships and other assorted money? lol
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Oct 26, 2015 6:54:48 GMT -5
We also were made aware that he can take up to the first 2 years at one of the local branch campuses. It's Penn State. He can go to a branch and then he could live at home and it's only a 20 min drive. That would save quite a bit of money on room and board. We went to visit the branch and are kicking that around. However, then he wouldn't have the whole college dorm experience thing until he went to the other campus. But, that's a pretty steep price for an experience and if we can save money, then it may well be worth it. We are going to pay a lot of it, but he is going to take out some Stafford loans. And, DD is 4 yrs behind him so then we have her college looming.
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saveinla
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Post by saveinla on Oct 26, 2015 8:40:54 GMT -5
Now, how does one go about finding scholarships and other assorted money? lol Best resource would be his high school. They will have a person who is in charge of letting the kids know about all the available scholarships and he can apply for them based on criteria. It would be good if he can start early, since there may be a lot of local ones.
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Regis
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Post by Regis on Oct 26, 2015 8:45:14 GMT -5
Now, how does one go about finding scholarships and other assorted money? lol Best resource would be his high school. They will have a person who is in charge of letting the kids know about all the available scholarships and he can apply for them based on criteria. It would be good if he can start early, since there may be a lot of local ones. Since he knows which school he wants to attend, call the financial aid office at Penn State and ask them what might be available to him from the school itself.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Oct 26, 2015 8:50:10 GMT -5
Is he applying to other schools? Aside from the local scholarships, it is entirely appropriate to ask schools to match each other in terms of institutional financial aid. We were able to get a nice chunk more for ODS by pitting two schools' awards against each other. It was not contentious. The preferred school didn't even bat an eye. It is almost expected these days.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Oct 26, 2015 9:45:46 GMT -5
That's a good point. We didn't actually see the need for that. Makes sense.
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luckyme
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Post by luckyme on Oct 26, 2015 10:00:39 GMT -5
The best scholarships come from colleges themselves.
Penn State sucks!
The problem w/ the branch campuses is that they are much like community college but w/ a higher sticker price. Then transferring to main campus really amps up the costs.
Also, the branches make it seem like it is a simple thing to transfer to main, but I was talking to someone & they said it isn't as simple as presented. So if I were you Shooby, look into that very carefully.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Oct 26, 2015 10:03:14 GMT -5
Yes. Good point. And, I don't want a 4 yr degree to turn into a 5 yr degree. They do sell it.
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luckyme
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Post by luckyme on Oct 26, 2015 10:16:03 GMT -5
Yes, they do. Was at a branch w/ DS and it was so very exciting. And this was after my daughter's experience there, and no she was not the best student, she hated it, but I had a lot of issues w/ the personnel working there. Lack of knowledge was astounding!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Oct 26, 2015 16:53:31 GMT -5
Shooby I can't give you any advice but I just wanted to say congrats to your son (and his parents) for getting into his first choice.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Oct 26, 2015 17:20:41 GMT -5
The college counsellor has been pushing DS3 to apply to Holland as a "safe choice" as well but we're all like huh? DS3 has zero desire to go to college in Holland, so he's decided not to apply there. Frankly it's a relief, because it's one less application to do.
He's still up in the air about Canada.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Oct 28, 2015 15:58:54 GMT -5
DS3 just got an offer from his second choice! We're thrilled! In the UK they give "conditional" offers ... i.e. the school's offer is conditional on the student getting a certain mark on their final exams. The mark they asked for should be doable! He's so happy!
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Oct 28, 2015 16:19:55 GMT -5
They are conditional here too they just don't normally give a actual number they have to hit.
I haven't known any kids who got their acceptance rescinded but I have known a few who got a "Come to Jesus" letter from their college after letting their grades slip. In their case it was enough to snap them back. I would hate to have to take a test at the end of senior year with that much pressure though. At least the SAT you can take it in your Soph year and retake it if you need/want.
Congrats and I hope you have a nice night to celebrate!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Oct 28, 2015 16:26:27 GMT -5
Beach, here they do give a specific number ... yes it's a huge amount of pressure on the kids! That's the way it works in the UK so that's how they do it for everybody who has a major countrywide exam at the end of HS. The college counsellor says sometimes it can be negotiable if they come close, but hopefully DS3 will be fine with the mark they asked for.
DH is working late and DS3 found out rather late too, so no celebration tonight (except for all the happy shouting lol).
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Oct 28, 2015 17:33:46 GMT -5
NJ actually has a test all kids have to pass they just don't take it at the end. It is called the HSPA. I think of it more as a vote early and often type of thing. DD and her friends took it at the end of their freshman year. You have to have finished certain classes so some take it soph year. But the kids who don't pass take it again and again. There is even a class some take in their senior year if they still haven't passed it. The part that makes it easier in my mind by doing it earlier is the kids don't feel the pressure as much. It is just another standardized test. It is actually pretty hard compared to what I did in HS although not calc or anything. No celebration tonight but he can have a drink there this weekend right? My Dd is always confuzeled when she realizes I am so European about drinking. Here you can basically throw away everything by having a beer in HS. My parents were Portuguese. I probably had wine in my baby bottle.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Oct 28, 2015 17:41:58 GMT -5
We definitely plan to have a celebratory drink either tomorrow night or this weekend!
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Nov 1, 2015 21:21:42 GMT -5
YDS just submitted his first 4 applications. He has a couple of others that he is going to wait for his first quarter senior grades before submitting. And, now, the waiting begins...
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chiver78
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Post by chiver78 on Nov 1, 2015 22:38:19 GMT -5
and what does YDS want to study? did he apply in-state? sent from my electronic distraction
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Nov 2, 2015 9:36:03 GMT -5
Good luck to him GRG!
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Nov 2, 2015 11:04:30 GMT -5
and what does YDS want to study? did he apply in-state? sent from my electronic distraction LOL, somewhat non-YM and definitely not Republican -- he is interested in environmental science, environmental policy, conservation, and forestry. He is an avid hiker, kayaker, and a gifted nature photographer. He did apply in-state, but none of the state schools offer programs he is aiming for, so he applied to other New England schools using the reciprocity agreements -- which IS YM. He he will also apply to some private schools both in New England and outside New England.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Nov 8, 2015 3:54:46 GMT -5
The university that gave DS3 an offer just invited him to choose/attend an Open Day. We've signed up for one in Feb, when both DS3 and I have a week off (DH is flexible). :-) DS3 can even stay overnight in the dorms (like he did for his first choice in July) but it's too early to sign up for that.
As soon as we know which night he's staying (the night before or the night of) I'll reserve a hotel. So we will do a "UK college tour" in Feb. :-)
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motherto2
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Post by motherto2 on Nov 16, 2015 19:39:03 GMT -5
I'm a little late on this one but was reading with interest. Both of mine have graduated college, but I remember well the application and essay process. Luckily for both of mine they did early acceptance and were both accepted so never applied for other colleges. DD had a major that didn't have many colleges in the state that offered it, so we didn't have tons of schools to visit, but we did visit them. I agree whole heartedly that visiting in person makes a huge difference! There were two she said absolutely not once we were there visiting, and one she went agreed to visit just to appease me and that's the one she wanted to go to! DS went to a military college, so we actually only visited that one. He had an overnight stay and was so sick he ended up only making it through the morning. It was enough though because he said that was the one! I'm curious to know if anyone has done the FAFSA lately. When I first started filling them out, they were horrendous. Towards the end either I had finally gotten the hang of it or it was getting easier (I think a little of both) but I heard a few months ago they were going to make the process more streamlined and easier to navigate. I will never forget when they said I could afford $22K/year for each kid . Not sure how that was supposed to happen!!!! They both did have some scholarships, but it seems it's the extra that they don't tell you about that bites you in the butt! Good luck all!
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Nov 19, 2015 14:46:04 GMT -5
Lots more news this week: DS3 got an offer from his 3rd and 4th choices, but unfortunately was rejected from his 1st choice. (He has already received an offer from his 2nd choice.) In a sense it's a relief because they would have requested a crazy high mark on the Baccalaureate and that would have been extremely stressful. He's still waiting to hear about his 5th (last) choice.
At some point he will have to narrow it down to 2 choices. His 2nd choice wants a higher mark on the Bac than the 3rd choice, which wants a higher mark than the 4th choice ... so that has to be taken into consideration too.
He will probably go with his 2nd and 3rd choices but he still has a few months to decide.
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shopaholic814
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Post by shopaholic814 on Nov 19, 2015 15:51:27 GMT -5
I have young children, but my DH is very close to his nephew who is applying to colleges this year. DH has been his Track coach, Powerlifting coach, and football coach all through high school & our nephew wants to throw discus in college. He has made it to the Ohio State High School Track Meet in Discus 2 years & Shot Put 1 year, and he has about a 3.8 GPA. My DH & I are very close with this nephew, and DH has been doing everything he can to get him noticed by colleges, get him interested & applying to schools. Nephew's mother (DH's sister) isn't very helpful on the college front, so DH is trying his best to fill in for him in that aspect. Nephew is such an intelligent young man, very level headed & mature, but he does not do well on standardized tests, therefore his ACT scores are horrible. I believe he wants to go into medicine, and he could do it, easily, but he gets testing anxiety. He has found a school that wants him for his Track abilities & grades, its a good school, not too far away from home (but far enough if you know what I mean) but it's expensive. I don't know if he can afford it with his scores. I don't know what to do to help him. Any ideas? The school is called Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio, its a small school, which is good for him. We are small town people, his graduating class has like 60 kids in it.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Nov 19, 2015 16:50:32 GMT -5
My son just started filling out applications this week, however, the two he chose were pretty much the most expensive ones in the state...
I had a talk with him, explained that the cost of tuition would be more than I take home in a year. I've been trying to get him to start figuring things out for the last year +, but he just wouldn't do it. He made AP scholar a year early (as a junior), so most of his first year is already knocked out, but because he took a nose dive last year, his GPA hovers barely above a 2 point. So incredibly frustrating! He'd be able to apply for all kinds of scholarships, but the gpa is really going to limit him. I just could not get that through his head last year, and now, it's a little late for a big improvement.
I'm going to have him apply to a couple state schools, and if I can get some good overtime next year I can help him out more. He has a little child support coming his way as long as he stays in school, so he'll have that. We did a financial aid forecast, and doesn't look like he'll get anything there (just $1.5k in work study, and $5.5k in loans). I've got most of the next two weeks off, he has next week off, so I plan to sit down with him and really look at what is realistic, without crushing his newly found hope to go to college.
Ideally, financially, he'd go to the local community college and take enough to knock out the final couple credits for his freshman year, as well as complete his sophomore year, and then next year go to a state school with better grades and more money. I know he doesn't want to right now, but I'm going to lay it out as one of the options.
He's incredibly intelligent, and really could do anything he wanted, just doesn't have the grades and was late on finding motivation (but, so happy he has found it! And, in the end, that is what really matters.)
Anyway, we'll be working on the whole process pretty heavy soon as well. And really, really searching for scholarships.
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debthaven
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Post by debthaven on Nov 19, 2015 16:58:45 GMT -5
Apple could you maybe compromise on his going to CC for just one year?
ETA: I reread ...so he could complete both his freshman and sophomore credits in just one year?
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Nov 19, 2015 17:17:57 GMT -5
Don't assume "expensive"'schools will end up being expensive in the final tally. Many have deep pockets and can find all kinds of reasons to give scholarships, grants, and awards to kids that they *WANT* for their team/orchestra/whatever. "Expensive" schools often end up costing the same, or eve less, than state schools IF an applicant has special skills the colleges want (which it sounds like your nephew has). College admission -- rightly or wrongly -- has, for most colleges aside from the Ivies -- now become a campaign of sales and marketing and negotiating than the academic crowning achievement it once was. So, don't write off expensive schools simply because of cost.
Unfortunately, you don't find out how much a college will give an applicant until he/she applies (although one school ODS visited on a coach's invite had the Admissions Director meet with us and personally tell us how much they would give ODS if he went there and played lacrosse for them -- but that was a Division II school so different rules).
As for the standardized test scores, many, many colleges have now deemed them to be an optional part of the application. Check B-W's Admissions requirements to find out if they have also gone the optional route. If so, your DN need not submit them. And will not be thought any lesser for not doing so. If B-W still requires standardized test scores, did your nephew take the SATs? Because SATs test logic and critical thinking and the ACTs test subject knowledge. Many kids do better on one test than the other, so SATs might be an option. Also, your nephew's Guidance Counselor will be writing a recommendation. If test scores are required at any school your nephew is interested in, your nephew should be sure to meet with him/her beforehand and ask the counselor to address the low ACT scores. The Guidance Counselor can highlight in the letter your nephew's strong writing skills or math proficiency or other academic strengths that will easily offset the standardized test scores (because, really, standardized test scores reflect very narrow skill sets that colleges are beginning to realize don't fully predict a student's likelihood of college success absent other issues such as learning disabilities).
So, have him apply. Have him apply early and to tell the track coach that he applied so that the coach can be part of the Admissions and the scholarship decisions. And, it is absolutely now appropriate to ask for a reconsideration of aid if your nephew doesn't get enough and therefore can't afford to attend the school. That's another time when letting the track coach and the college's admission rep assigned to your nephew know he needs more money can be hugely helpful.
I wish him well. Feel free to ask more questions!!!
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Nov 19, 2015 17:21:12 GMT -5
Apple could you maybe compromise on his going to CC for just one year? ETA: I reread ...so he could complete both his freshman and sophomore credits in just one year? Yeah, he could probably complete both years at once (he has biology, three history classes, English (maybe English Lit as well, can't remember), and calculus all knocked out by the end of high school, so would need writing and maybe another "freshman" class?) If he took a class or two this summer, he could get his second year completed next year, and only have two years left, with more money to go toward the college he wants. Child support, part time job, live at home, and I could afford to fully finance his first year. So one year of "suffering" on his part to make things a lot better financially. I know he really wants to get out of this town, and I honestly don't blame him, since that's been my dream forever too. So, we'll talk and I'll just be very transparent with what he can expect from me financially, as well as realistic numbers for other sources of income/college money. I have already dropped my retirement contribution from 16% to 12% (plus a 5% match) in order to see more money each paycheck. I've been putting in since I was 21 (I was maxing it until they went to a dollar amount rather than a % max), and now that I'm away from the sexual harassment, I figure I should be able to make it to my minimum retirement age (57), so all the calculators I've done show I should be good. I'll have to put off building a house, but that's ok, it's just a few years more I'm also seriously considering renting out part of my house if he goes, and that would help as well. Still pretty iffy if I'd really want to do that, but it's another option. ETA: Along with the nearly completed first year, he also has that AP scholar award and high SAT scores, so hopefully those will help overcome that poor gpa.
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