Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[bjscheel]

Today when I logged in to print DD awards to receive credit back from those. I saw the school gave her an Engineeing department award for $120. It was never listed before. Have no idea why but she should get that back as a credit too. Thanks school.

DS is a junior this year he sat for ACT sept 9 th. hmmm wonder what that score might be. I believe he is going to go look at un of Michigan and un of Washington for computers. I told him he needs back up plans. Because DDS high school classmate had an ACT of 33 was valedictorian and was active sports and community and got declined for U of IL for computer engineer but did get accepted for computer science.

I'm glad you posted this, it made me think to check on DD's account. Today, the school refunded the excess of her scholarships so I need to check my bank account. I thought they would just carry them to next semester, so I guess I'll keep this money separate somewhere to pay back to the college in a couple of months.

I'm not planning on DD16 taking the ACT until February. She took it as a freshman with no prep and got a 25 with super high English score and fairly low Math & Science. By February she will have several months of Advanced Chemistry and College Algebra so I'm hoping for at least a 28 this time. Many of the colleges she's looking at bump their merit aid up at a 28. I need to make sure she works on the practice tests.

 

[bjscheel]

In 2008 Son went to college and I got Facebook. Now I have FB, instagram, twitter, snapchat and tumblr.
I rarely comment. I don't send their friends friend requests, I will accept invites but don't initiate.
Social media is a great way to keep anxiety at bay without being "that" parent.

Also, if you have Snapchat, and if your kids allow you to see, you can see their location if they are using the app. I just got Snapchat this summer. I can also use Find my Iphone to find the kids but Snapchat map is faster to open if they happen to be active on it.

I have Instagram too, just because DD had 99 followers once and wanted 100. I have never posted. But I do enjoy the girls' posts, they are creative and "aesthetic" as they would say. Plus DD18 runs one for our cats and it's pretty funny.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

DD 14 had been having a terrible time with sleeping and was getting terrible migraines as well. At her annual check up last month, her pediatrician suggested she try melatonin. It has helped her so much. It may be worth a try.

I am convinced that if I were in school now, I would be diagnosed with ADD. But, they didn't do that back then. I used to miss great chunks of what was said in class. Luckily, I had lots of kind friends who let me use their notes. Perhaps your daughter will be able to get copies of the notes from her classes. I know a friend of DS who does this. At his school, there are other students who, for their on campus job, sit in classes just to take notes. These notes are then emailed to the students with disabilities who have that accommodation. His friend is 'twice special' as it is sometimes called. He is gifted and has a learning disability.

DD texted me last night at 1:00 AM. The melatonin arrived yesterday and she was so excited to try it. Unfortunately the fire alarm in her dorm went off 3 times after she went to bed! She also met with her adviser again and dropped calculus (I knew it was coming). She's going to take it next semester if she doesn't end up changing her major. Other than that, classes are going well.

 

[SmallWorld71]

DD texted me last night at 1:00 AM. The melatonin arrived yesterday and she was so excited to try it. Unfortunately the fire alarm in her dorm went off 3 times after she went to bed! She also met with her adviser again and dropped calculus (I knew it was coming). She's going to take it next semester if she doesn't end up changing her major. Other than that, classes are going well.

Ugh! Here's hoping she finally gets a good night's sleep.

 

[robinb]

DD texted me last night at 1:00 AM. The melatonin arrived yesterday and she was so excited to try it. Unfortunately the fire alarm in her dorm went off 3 times after she went to bed! She also met with her adviser again and dropped calculus (I knew it was coming). She's going to take it next semester if she doesn't end up changing her major. Other than that, classes are going well.

I would be somewhat peeved about dropping Calculus ... BUT ... I admire her for thinking for herself and taking charge. Sorry a bunch of idiots pulled the fire alarm .

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

I would be somewhat peeved about dropping Calculus ... BUT ... I admire her for thinking for herself and taking charge. Sorry a bunch of idiots pulled the fire alarm .

Yep, DH and I kept trying to talk her out of dropping Calc. We wanted her to get tutoring help and really put in the work. But she is struggling a bit with her ADD and the intense study schedule. Since she has her AA degree, she actually can take just 4 classes a semester and still graduate on time. At this point she still might change her major too. Based on what she keeps saying, I would not be surprised.

Full disclosure: It took me two tries to get through Calc at William and Mary. I just didn't get it my first semester Freshman year. The teacher did not at all match my learning style. I dropped it, took a refresher Algebra/Trig class to beef up my math skills and then took it with another teacher Soph year. I got a B! So getting upset at DD for dropping Calc...pot, kettle, black, etc.

 

[bjscheel]

We'll be seeing less of DD now, she started her job at Target. She worked/trained Friday till 5 but ran home to go to the Homecoming game with her sister, and today she was around for Homecoming prep and watched coronation. But she already left because she works at 9 tomorrow morning. I think she'll like it once she gets into doing her actual job, and will enjoy the income, but may be a little down about her weekends not being so free to come home. And she hates khaki pants! She bought one pair at Target that are "fugly". We got online and ordered 3 pairs to try. She's going thrift shopping this week for work clothes.

We don't know when she'll get home next, but if her pants come this week, maybe we'll take them up for her to try. Then the next Saturday is her birthday and she works till 5 so I said we'd take her out for supper. I know her BFF (who shares the same birthday) is coming home for the first time from college, and they had hoped to make a cake together. Now they probably won't see each other.

 

[aprilgail]

We'll be seeing less of DD now, she started her job at Target. She worked/trained Friday till 5 but ran home to go to the Homecoming game with her sister, and today she was around for Homecoming prep and watched coronation. But she already left because she works at 9 tomorrow morning. I think she'll like it once she gets into doing her actual job, and will enjoy the income, but may be a little down about her weekends not being so free to come home. And she hates khaki pants! She bought one pair at Target that are "fugly". We got online and ordered 3 pairs to try. She's going thrift shopping this week for work clothes.

We don't know when she'll get home next, but if her pants come this week, maybe we'll take them up for her to try. Then the next Saturday is her birthday and she works till 5 so I said we'd take her out for supper. I know her BFF (who shares the same birthday) is coming home for the first time from college, and they had hoped to make a cake together. Now they probably won't see each other.

My daughter needed Khaki pants when she worked at kilwins the past 3 years- we always bought them at American Eagle.

 

[punkin]

Niece is looking for a job, but so far...nothing. on the bright side, she is slowly but surely making friends. She sounds happier when I spoke to her. I told her to go ahead and get bus tickets home for thanksgiving. There's a bus directly from school to the mall 5 minutes away from my house. It's very convenient.

 

[aprilgail]

My daughter is enjoying her on campus job- she is receptionist for the dean of the law school 2 days a week. Right now she is busy with rush week- I can not even fathom it but she is joining a sorority- which to me is like to being a cheerleader, just not something I encouraged! But whatever, I told her to go for it if that is what she wants. Dues are freaking expensive- in the hundreds every semester-that job will come in handy!

 

[wannabee]

DS is hoping to get a job working in a Bio lab. they were told to apply after their first test if they are doing well. He seems to be doing well. Much less anxiety so far in college than high school. I was nervous but he really seems to be working hard and also enjoying himself.

 

[dreamin_disney]

DD said she wants to try and become an RA. She's been talking to her RA and asking questions. RA's get free housing right? Any other benefits? She said the room is bigger, she get her own room and room has a bathroom. I hope she gets it. it will save me money with housing like $6,000. She said their might be a meal plan discount too! Fingers crossed!

 

[powellrj]

DD said she wants to try and become an RA. She's been talking to her RA and asking questions. RA's get free housing right? Any other benefits? She said the room is bigger, she get her own room and room has a bathroom. I hope she gets it. it will save me money with housing like $6,000. She said their might be a meal plan discount too! Fingers crossed!

DD is an RA and she doesn't get free room and board at her school. She just gets a small paycheck every 2 weeks and a bigger room. She has never had a free room, because she has always let someone who only needs a room for one semester stay with her to save them money. She loves being an RA and has done it for 2 years.

 

[Poohforyou]

DD said she wants to try and become an RA. She's been talking to her RA and asking questions. RA's get free housing right? Any other benefits? She said the room is bigger, she get her own room and room has a bathroom. I hope she gets it. it will save me money with housing like $6,000. She said their might be a meal plan discount too! Fingers crossed!

Every school is different but there is likely some kind of financial benefit of being an RA. However, I wouldn't encourage it because of the financial benefit. It can be a lot of work and can sometimes be really inconvenient, like having to deal with an issue at 2am when you have a big exam at 8am.

Good luck to her but I'd highly recommend her thinking very carefully about it. The application and interview process is pretty intense.

 

[mamacatnv]

My DS secured an RA position for his sophomore year. Room & Board were the pay but he really had no desire to do it.
He would have had to give up his part time job at the sporting goods store that he loved and he would have had to deal with students and issues as well as there were mandates regarding hours RA's had to be at the dorm. In the end he opted to not do it.
DD would like to be an RA and would be good at it. Her scholarship gives her housing so down the road depending on what is offered it might pick up her meal plan or give her spending money. We shall see.

 

[debster812]

Every school is different but there is likely some kind of financial benefit of being an RA. However, I wouldn't encourage it because of the financial benefit. It can be a lot of work and can sometimes be really inconvenient, like having to deal with an issue at 2am when you have a big exam at 8am.

Good luck to her but I'd highly recommend her thinking very carefully about it. The application and interview process is pretty intense.

Definitely agree with this. DS was approached by Res Life at the end of last year (sophomore) to see if he was interested in becoming an RA this year. He turned it down. Said that dealing with all the 'issues' would completely offset the R/B discount and having a single.

He's actually just gotten a job with Res Life as a desk attendant. He'll work 6/hrs a week during his sports season, and 10-15 hrs a week when he's out of season. Scanning residents into the dorm, and documenting visitors. And when it's slow, he can do homework.

 

[robinb]

My daughter is enjoying her on campus job- she is receptionist for the dean of the law school 2 days a week. Right now she is busy with rush week- I can not even fathom it but she is joining a sorority- which to me is like to being a cheerleader, just not something I encouraged! But whatever, I told her to go for it if that is what she wants. Dues are freaking expensive- in the hundreds every semester-that job will come in handy!

My DD rushed the last week or so and bid day was on Tuesday and she was selected by the Alpha Xi Delta sorority! It was something that she wanted to do for the last year. We were very sceptical about her going "Greek" but we visited Iowa State during their special Greek Weekend and learned a lot more about sororities. I am now very comfortable with her being in the sorority. They value academics (the Greeks on campus need to give the university their grades every year), "sisterhood" and there are many opportunities for leadership and personal growth. The best thing about AXiD is that their philanthropy is Autism Speaks. They have raised over $5 million for them. It is a very personal charity for my DD because my nephew has autism.

 

[J'aime Paris]

My DD rushed the last week or so and bid day was on Tuesday and she was selected by the Alpha Xi Delta sorority! It was something that she wanted to do for the last year. We were very sceptical about her going "Greek" but we visited Iowa State during their special Greek Weekend and learned a lot more about sororities. I am now very comfortable with her being in the sorority. They value academics (the Greeks on campus need to give the university their grades every year), "sisterhood" and there are many opportunities for leadership and personal growth. The best thing about AXiD is that their philanthropy is Autism Speaks. They have raised over $5 million for them. It is a very personal charity for my DD because my nephew has autism.

Yea!!! Good for her!

My daughter's BFF is also at Madison, and I'm 99% sure that's the sorority she was accepted into as well!!
Small world!

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

My daughter is enjoying her on campus job- she is receptionist for the dean of the law school 2 days a week. Right now she is busy with rush week- I can not even fathom it but she is joining a sorority- which to me is like to being a cheerleader, just not something I encouraged! But whatever, I told her to go for it if that is what she wants. Dues are freaking expensive- in the hundreds every semester-that job will come in handy!

Can't be any worse that DS's fraternity dues at UVA. They are $2200 a year! And that is if you don't live in the fraternity house. It actually works out to be cheaper if you do live in the house, which he is doing this year. Dues at DD's school are not nearly as bad. I am hearing $300 to $500 a semester. Her rush starts in January.

 

[Sabeking]

Spoke with dd tonight. I think she is finally settled in and making friends! She joined a Wednesday night Bible study and a group within her major. She is so excited about this Thursday night. She was accepted to a group called Leadership Fellows when she applied to school. Each month the chancellor interviews someone and they show it live on PBS. As part of this group she gets to go to the interview. Here's the exciting news. She is majoring in visual merchandising and this month the chancellor is interviewing prominent women in business. My daughter threw her hat in and was selected to have dinner with the interviewee. I am not sure what her name is but she is the creative director of Chanel! Poor kid is so nervous!