Parents of rising HS Seniors, here we go...

<p>Hi y'all.
I have a rising senior only D, looking at everything from UNC-Wilmington to Brown (this week), thinking of majoring in everything from international relations to business to art, with pre-med classes thrown in just for fun.
Yes, right now, she thinks she can do everything and anything. And she probably can, just not all at the same time.
We'll share some college visit postings, though often I think reading student newspapers is the best way to research a school.
It will be a roller coaster of a year, and I really appreciate this community's support. Thanks for everything all of you do. Good luck to all!</p>

<p>Bumping up to keep this going...</p>

<p>Like many of the other parents posting to this thread, the impending senior year which begins for TWO in our home on 8/20 leaves my stomach in knots. The thought of both kids leaving for college at the same time and the experience of "the last of this and that" leaves both my H and I totally overwhelmed. </p>

<p>Here is where we are with 2 weeks to go before Senior year begins:</p>

<p>S
1.SAT- M+CR 1240 - writing score was unusally low ( he is an excellent writer)
2.GPA W=4.41, UW 3.8
3.Excellent course rigor- will have 6 AP's by graduation, the rest honors last 2 years in private preparatory school ( excellent history of sending kids to Ivys and top LAC's
EC's
Varsity tennis 4 years - being recruited by some D1 and several D3 schools
National Forensic League- 2 major state awards
Started Debate Club at prep school- 2 state awards
Habitat for Humanity- 3 years
Prefect for "House" in Private/prep school- 2 years
National Honor Society</p>

<p>Twin S
1. SAT CR+M= 1320
2. GPA W= 4.45, UW 3.85
3. Course rigor slightly stronger than brothers ( will finish with Honor's calculus and 6 years of Foreign language vs 5)
4. 6 AP courses and 1 college course</p>

<p>EC's
1. Varsity tennis 4 years- being recruited by some D3 schools
2. FCCLA - officer in sophomore year
3. Beta club
4. National Honor Society
5. Choral society - high school
6. Orchestra 11 and 12- private school
7. Developed student tutorial program in Mathematics for upper school students
8. Co-chair HS debate club</p>

<p>Both kids looking at the same schools, but not committed to attending together:</p>

<p>Furman
Rhodes
Wake Forest
Washington and Lee
Rollins
Presbyterian College
Georgia Tech
Oglethorpe ( daughter has been told she may be invited to participate in James Oglethorpe scholarship competition)</p>

<p>Dartmouth as a reach for my daughter- also knows Wake and W&L are reaches. Son knows Wake and W&L are more on the reach side.</p>

<p>We are still considering whether to add additional colleges ( some with honors programs) such as St. Mary's -Md. Western Carolina ( honors only)</p>

<p>Both visited Davidson and loved it-eliminated it after learning there is very little free time- both want some balance in their lives. Same with D for William and Mary- which had been at type of her list since 9th grade.</p>

<p>We have visited Furman, Wofford, Davidson, Wake- will see Rhodes and maybe Sewanee before school starts. Will make a trip to Dartmouth so both can experience Ivy environment. Son has a fleeting interest in JH- knows he will have to improve SAT's to make a possibility.</p>

<p>It is so great to read what everyone else is going through- how to keep sane, keep perspective and still provide sound counsel - all while appearing calm, reasonable and rational. Good luck to everyone and thanks, as always for support.</p>

<p>D1 is a rising senior, D2 a rising Junior. We screened senior picture proofs of D1 today. I told my wife that today we see her in her cap and gown, when just yesterday she was two feet tall, in bunny pajamas, hugging my knee. They have grown up oh so fast.</p>

<p>We screened senior pictures on Thursday, too, Day-n-Kay's Dad. There is something about seeing D in that context that really brings home the fact that she is nearly all grown up.</p>

<p>I'm just not ready for this...</p>

<p>How will I ever let her go?</p>

<p>A friend of mine, also with a rising senior, has come up with a great idea. No need to let them truly go next year- just by a Winnebago and park it at a remote part of one of the student parking lots!</p>

<p>Day-n-Kay's Dad, momof2inca, and believersmom- you each touched my heart this morning- what wonderful parents.</p>

<p>Let my D go off to college? Heck, she just left to go to Starbucks and I am tearing up, she just got licence on Wednesday at 17 1/2, but reading this thread and then letting her go off driving, wow I a big teary sap!</p>

<p>DS #2 is coming home this afternoon from a 3 week program up north. It has been so quiet around here (DS#1 has been on an internship all summer, and for all intents and purposes, at 21, has been "gone" for some time now). I am looking forward to s#2 coming home, even though I know I will have to "nag" him to get his summer reading done, etc. S#2 is more resistent to "mommy intervention" than older s was, but s#2 is less internally motivated and self-directed than s#1, so needs a bit more of that "polite reminding".</p>

<p>I saw the movie "Waitress" last night. Anyone here see that movie? (It was at the discount theater near The Avenue, Georgiatwins!). Anyway, it is about a waitress whe gets pregnant and doesn't want the kid, and who desperately wants out of her bad marriage. At the end, the minute she sees her daughter she instantly bonds with her, and it is a charming, touching, ending. I was surprisingly misty-eyed, and realized I really miss my sons! I have set up the hourly automated flight status reminders from Delta, and will be anxiously awaiting s#2's arrival. I am of to bake him brownies!</p>

<p>The Winnebago! What a GREAT idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!</p>

<p>Keeping her younger sibling silent on what is up will be the challenge...</p>

<p>Georgiatwins - awwww shucks.<br>
BTW, one of the schools D is considering is UGA, I didn't see it on your list but if the twins reconsider and things work out, maybe we can use your house as a satelite home for the Winnebago? LOL!</p>

<p>GA2010MOM-
Loved the Starbucks comment too!</p>

<p>And here I thought childbirth was the most painful part...</p>

<p>Believersmom,
I have been telling our kids for over a year about my Winnebago plan- only this weekend did I realize D believes I am planning to do this ( ikes) and S prays I am kidding. I did hear about some parents who helped their daughter move into her dorm room and then proceeded to park their motor home at a distant location in student parking. After two weeks, campus security informed them that student parking was not "long-term" and they would have to move. Apparently, the parents had promised their daughter they would be "right around the corner" if she needed anything and intended to keep their promise! Yeah- I am not the only one who has come up with this novel approach.</p>

<p>Twins are not considering UGA because of size (want a smaller environment), but our house can serve as your home away from home if you need it! LIke Tom Bodet ( ala Motel 6 ) says, " We'll leave the light on for ya!"</p>

<p>OMG-You canNOT be serious that some parents really did the Winne thing?!?!?!</p>

<p>I did tell my D, "Hey listen to this funny thing one parent brought up on CC..." and she was not amused that I was even joking. Wait until I tell her some one actually did it - boy oh boy, this will be funny.</p>

<p>Okay, then Motel 6, I may be in touch - LOL. I actually used to live in Marietta and both my brothers went to Lassiter (100 years ago). Next time I am in town maybe we can have lattes?</p>

<p>Size of UGA, yeah, D hasn't really seen it in full swing, I don't think she realizes just how big it really is. However, she was kind of a goner once she got a look at the stadium, she has all these fantasies about "Saturdays between the hedges." You would think she plays football the way school spirit is important to her - LOL...</p>

<p>OK! We have a list!</p>

<p>My rising senior D (who has her senior portrait sitting tomorrow and who starts school on Aug. 15th -- anyone else here start that early??) is interested in physical therapy. She has had knee problems for the last year and a half, had to give up running. She ended up taking a job at the office where she was receiving therapy and has fallen in love with a career path. (She also broke up with a longterm boyfriend and finally had knee surgery, last Fri. It's been quite a year.)</p>

<p>We visited a lot of schools. I am a small-school proponent, but she really likes the hustle and bustle of a big campus. So here is the list for apps:</p>

<p>University of Wisconsin -- Madison
University of Illinois -- Urbana (instate)
University of Iowa -- Iowa City
Miami University of Ohio
Marquette University (freshman entrance 6 year physical therapy program)
Saint Louis University (same as Marquette)
Augustana College, Illinois</p>

<p>All of these are solid matches, with Wisconsin the only reachy-match and Augustana a safety. Her real reaches are the 6 year DPT programs, which admit a limited number of students. I doubt she will attend Marquette or Saint Louis if she is not admitted to those programs.</p>

<p>She has registered on site with all these schools, filled out Part Ones where she could, and has had her stellar ACT sent. I am encouraging her to get an essay or two done, but you know how that goes. </p>

<p>Here's wishing everyone a great senior year. We'll be laughing and crying all the way.</p>

<p>dbwes-
In case you haven't been to the Miami section of CC yet and haven't read my rantings over there, I'll put in a plug for my alma mater!!! Yeah!!!</p>

<p>LOVED my time there, would repeat every minute of it.</p>

<p>Best wishes to your D. BTW, Miami has a DAP with U Cinci med school, which I am not sure if they have a PT in conjunction with that, but may be worth checking into. One of my closest sorority sisters did her undergrad at Miami, then did her PT at Emory in Atlanta and is now a VERY successful PT in Florida. Miami was a very good pre-PT for her.</p>

<p>believersmom --</p>

<p>We visited Miami last summer on our way to meeting up with family in Columbus. She loved it, and so did I. The facilities were among the most impressive we've seen (have you seen the new Fitness Center?) </p>

<p>What strikes me about Miami is that it's a larger public school with a wealth of departments and programs that still manages to offer the "perks" of a private school. As you point out, one of those perks seems to be above-average placement into graduate schools. </p>

<p>Everyone I know who has a child there or who is an alum raves about the place.</p>

<p>dbwes-
My H always wants to know what Miami does to their students to make them so rabidly in-love with the school. I always smirk and answer "everything right." LOL!</p>

<p>Yes, have been inside the Rec Ctr numerous times (I find an excuse to return to campus at least once a year)-it is quite the place. The new ice arena is pretty impressive too. Our D's freshman year (assuming they both get in - :) ) is the university's 200th birthday, that will be pretty cool.</p>

<p>Okay, sorry I hijacked the thread.</p>

<p>Anyone else want to share where their child is applying?</p>

<p>I have a neighbor whose daughter just graduated from Miama of Ohio. The students there all called it the "Pretty School". She said only school she knows of that requires you send in a picture of yourself when you apply. And sure enough, all the students there are exceptionally pretty (or handsome as the case may be.)</p>

<p>OK you guys-- are you talking about U Miami, Miami of Ohio, or both??</p>

<p>Given the new Ice Center - I'm thinking Ohio????</p>

<p>S on the other hand has U Miami as a really great extremely likely admittance school on his list:).</p>