<p>Enjoy what is left of hs, and your summer!</p>
<p>wolfpiper..your posts are always balanced and thoughtful. You have done an excellent job weighing pros and cons so far and I congratulate you on just being happy with your choice now that the hour has arrived. Good for you! Go Montana!
Give your heart and mind over to getting to know your teachers very well and keep an eye out for new friends. In college, you get back double/triple what you put in, even when you are going through the freshman year "looking for my friendship circle" angst that so many kids have to pass through before settling in to a close support group..that can take a year or two for anyone. Just when you think you have found your friends in freshman year, there is usually a "turnover" experience when people start to settle in and notice each other more realistically. Second year is usually about regrouping a bit into friendships that are not just because you were thrown on the same hall. Second year, you may have joined a couple organizations and have new interests growing.
Case is also not a perfect school as you have noted.<br>
Instead, be the perfect student..not in regards to perfect grades but have the perfect attitude..open-hearted, willing to spend time alone studying hard some (we grownups forget sometimes that college can also have lonely hours), willing to meet and greet students for a few months while you find your social niche.<br>
Remember, the most extroverted kids you chat a lot with in month one may not turn out to be your dearest friends later. Give everyone a couple (or three) chances and be interested in others first (my advice to my S) and you will no doubt be telling us about your fab new friends and great teachers in a few months. Fun following your search with you and wishing you much fulfillment.</p>
<p>Congratulations, Wolfie. May you have a wonderful four years and beyond.</p>
<p>Ooooooh, I squinted when I opened this thread--I so hoped you would choose the out of the box school!</p>
<p>Yippeeee! Montana it is!</p>
<p>Keep in touch and have fun!</p>
<p>Congratulations, Wolfie. Don't worry about the freshman retention rate; we're all sure that you'll be on the right side of that statistic.</p>
<p>Optimizerdad: I hope you meant to say "whew" (exhaling for relief) rather than "phew" (what a stink).</p>
<p>hooray! I spent last summer in Missoula and LOVED it. congrats on doing what's right for YOU, not what's typical.</p>
<p>wolfpiper- Yeah! Missoula. I knew it, too, before I opened the thread. I have such fond memories of this wonderful city/town.</p>
<p>Wonder if the Lolo Hot Springs is still down in the Valley? Of course, Flathead Lake and Glacier Park are spectacular places to visit, in case you haven't already. </p>
<p>Prediction-you will graduate at the top of your class :) because you have displayed remarkable maturity and captured many hearts along the way. Notice all the posts and CCers who have been following your compelling stories.<br>
Go Grizzlies :)</p>
<p>PS Faline Great Post!</p>
<p>Wolfpiper--CONGRATULATIONS! I know this was a tough decision for you. I agree with SouthJerseyChessMom--you are likely to be one of the top students in your class. Just the way you write and think everything through and are so thorough in your analysis leads me to think that. You are going to do great!</p>
<p>There must be something special about the University of Montana. 4 kids from our local high school are going to be members of the Class of 2010 and we live in the greater DC area! I'm sure you'll find Montana to be your happy home.</p>
<p>I have a friend in Montana, and it is gorgeous country. I can see why people would choose to live there! :)</p>
<p>Wolfpiper, congratulations. Everything seems like you wanted it, including the housing situation. Being in a single first year is great!!</p>
<p>Congrats and drop in from time to time to tell us how you are doing...</p>
<p>Wolfie~</p>
<p>This is <em>SO</em> exciting!!! Congratulations on your choice and on having completed the housing stuff and such! My oldest D's best friend moved to Montana six years ago (Bozeman). They <strong><em>love</em></strong> it, as I'm certain that you will too! Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us here at CC, and don't forget all about us when you're off having sooooooooooooooo much fun next year! :D ~berurah</p>
<p>I know 2 kids from NH that are students at UMontana and love it there. Good luck, you have a bright future.</p>
<p>Congratulations, I, like many, have enjoyed reading the stories of your quest. I, too, think very highly of your search, your thought process and of course deep inside many, many of "us parents" approve of your decisions. Montana's lucky to have you. Take the advice that's been given. I've moved many times in my life and it always took me 6 months to a year to find my friends for life each time I moved. I'm jealous of all of you who are off to the big adventure. It's a very special time in life. I suspect there will be many high-schoolers looking twice at Montana because of you. I wish my son would, the school meets every, single one of his criteria and is the only school that we've found that meets every single one of his criteria and every single one of my criteria but I just can't get him to bite. I may have to scrimp the dollars together to get him there! My husband (and I) would go visit with him in a heartbeat. I hope you have a minute to post during Thanksgiving but we would all understand if you don't.</p>
<p>Hey, Wolf! Glad to hear you chose U Montana. You've made a thoughtful choice. Of the nine schools we visited, Montana was the friendliest and just felt right. My D will also be in the class of 2010. </p>
<p>Which dorm will you be in? My D chose Craig. She and her future roommate have already begun exchanging emails as the U provided each with the other's info so they could get to know each other.</p>
<p>It's just that kind of personal touch that set Montana apart from the others we visited. Good luck and Go Griz!
:)</p>