<p>Anxiousmom-
You make a very good point. Our kids are very aware of the cost of their education (How can the NOT be?? We don't let them forget!!) They don't want us to feel our hard earned $$ isn't being spent well. </p>
<p>As for the MIT student-- there were several issues at play with her-- a great deal of pressure to "perform" and a history of depression of which her parents were well aware. It was a difficult situation all the way around. This has been addressed in other threads so I won't digress.</p>
<p>I appreciated that full description of your son's first months at Chicago This kind of information does help both parents and applicants. </p>
<p>As you know, we are still "pacing the floor" over the EA application our son submitted to Chicago and wondering what the results will be. If he's successful, he'll withdraw some of his RD applications, but let a few go forward either because of merit money questions (wanting to keep the door open in that respect) or, in one or two instances, son still isn't clear what his actual choice would be.</p>
<p>I know what you mean, I can still my tracks in the carpet. These decisions are not easy and often there is no absolute way to know which is best. My S always favored UofC, but when a certain other school accepted him he began to waiver some. He made his decision two days befor the deadline. He is very happy with his choice, my guess is he may have been happy if he chose the other school as well (though his mother disagrees with this sentiment).</p>
<p>What has the Wash U experience been like for your student, if you don't mind my asking? S1 had a lot of trouble making up his mind about where to go, and I sometimes wonder how he would have been at Wash U. Thanks, in advance!</p>
<p>Okay, frosh daughter home 2 days, I can comment. Some ups, some downs. She was not as successful with her internship apps, and because of them missed a deadline for a mentorship opportunity that she would have taken, but couldn't commit with the other apps hanging out - so maybe it is off to the employment office. Becoming social, a new thing for her, gone to concerts and lectures, done a lot of cooking and hanging out. Two required classes out of the way - on to some more fun ones. She is thinking about taking 4 classes in the winter (1 over usual load) and all 4 are topics she is truly interested in taking. Her clothing has changed, and she looks older.</p>
<p>The best though was "Mom, I've realized that whether you meant to or not, you did a really good job raising us" - I think that was a compliment.</p>
<p>Momof3, my S too is at Wash U. He has had an amazing first semester from many points of view, but he is working extremely hard. He overloaded on paper-based courses and has felt quite stressed at times when multiple papers are due witin days of each other. I asked if he wished he'd gone to an "easier" school and he replied, "only at 2am when I have 2 papers due the next day and a test the day after!" He loves what he's learning in his classes. He has 2 really small classes, 2 mid-size, and 1 large lecture based intro course. My older S is at Chicago and so we are used to the "I love it, but I have so much to do" calls. What has helped, I think, is to let him know that our expectations, as always, are based on effort and not grades. It takes a little of the stress off, I hope. From every other standpoint I think he's found nirvana on earth. He and his roommate get along famously, he LOVES his dorm, has made incredible friends from all aver the country and has gotten involved in EC's that mean a lot to him. There seems to be something for everyone on that campus. We went through the usual, "Mom, I'm sick" phone call early last month, but he took care of himself pretty well. I must say though, that the "sick" call was the first unsolicited call we've gotten. He absolutely answers his phone or returns our calls, but he's far too involved to bother calling us. It was wonderful to see him over Thanksgiving, but if I'm honest with myself, he couldn't wait to get back.
The school too is very parent friendly. We've received letters at mid-term time and recently reminding us that the first semester is really a time of transition and that we, as parents, should keep our expectations in line with that. A little more user friendly than Chicago. But we've been incredibly lucky. S1 and S2 applied early to their dream schools, were both accepted and neither can imagine being anywhere else. We should only be so lucky with #3, our only D!!</p>
<p>It's good to know that life can be good AND demanding. As one Chicago student remarked when informed that Chicago was listed 300 out of 300 for fun at school, ..."who says fun is linear?"</p>