<p>It helps me to hear that others have kids who can see graduation on the horizon but don’t have their lives all mapped out. People keep asking me what S2 is going to do. I wish I knew. I wish he was as concerned about it as we are.</p>
<p>Another mom of a rising college senior here (though she won’t finish her junior year for another ten days - trimester system), and I too had wondered why everyone else seemed to have a thread but us. I also have a S who is finishing his first year in college (hi there, tx5athome).</p>
<p>My D is a linguistics major because she really enjoys it as a topic of study, but to date has professed no interest in pursuing it on a graduate level. In fact, she hasn’t really given any concrete clue about what she’d like to do, because I think she doesn’t know. I can see a few ideas percolating in her head, and I fully expect her to figure it out in due time. And she has a very independent streak, so I’m pretty sure she will be expecting to support herself one way or another (waitress job, anyone?). So I’m not worrying. That’s not to say I won’t help if she asks. She mentioned that she may take the GRE this summer, but won’t start thinking about it till she gets home. So she probably doesn’t even know there’s a new one and an old one. Could be interesting.</p>
<p>From what little I understand about the new GRE, the verbal reasoning section still has reading comprehension, but replaces analogies and antonyms with “text completion” and “sentence equivalence” questions.</p>
<p>If the sample questions are anything like the real test is going to be, these new sections appear to be almost absurdly easy – certainly no more difficult than the SAT:</p>
<p>[GRE</a> Revised General Test: Text Completion](<a href=“http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/verbal_reasoning/text_completion/sample_questions]GRE”>http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/verbal_reasoning/text_completion/sample_questions)</p>
<p>[GRE</a> Revised General Test: Sentence Equivalence](<a href=“http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/verbal_reasoning/sentence_equivalence/sample_questions]GRE”>http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/verbal_reasoning/sentence_equivalence/sample_questions)</p>
<p>My soon to be senior son is very focussed on post grad job opportunities, without parental direction (although he does frequently consult with us about what he is thinking). I think this is a result of having gone through a very time-consuming and intense interview process this winter for a summer internship in his chosen field. I would say he went into the winter process relatively naive about how hard a job search can be, and came out of it having learned a ton - resume refining, prepping for interviews, networking with others already in the field. A friend a year ahead of him was an invaluable advisor on how to interview. It was a great learning experience, although it was tough to do this and keep up with school too. </p>
<p>My sense is that there will be more opportunities for the class of 2012 compared to what my older son’s class (2009) faced. Hope that proves to be the case!</p>
<p>rising senior D here, too. She’s the reason I got on the CC crack train. I found it too late to help her much, not that she needed it much. Helped lots more with her college 14 bro. </p>
<p>Anyway, she also changed her major, added and subtracted minors, enjoyed her time abroad and has an internship this summer. This will be her first internship/work in her field. After Freshman year summer she didn’t find much, although she did work as a clerk. Soph summer she spent on campus (semi-required at Dart). So this is the first opportunity. She is already technically a Senior given the summer quarter on campus. She is taking this fall off and will finish off the two quarters left on time. Not sure what she is going to do Sept to Jan. Not sure when she’ll take the GRE. Not sure what she’ll do long term.</p>
<p>I am not too stressed out over the lack of planning, she will get something going in time. I am MMORE stressed out because she finally got diagnosed with Mono. I thought she might have it when we saw her Christmas. Now it is the week before big projects and finals and she finally went to the Dr. after two weeks of temps, low temps, but DUHH. It is hard to be so far away and not be able to help. And doesn’t help at all that my sister had mono which lead to a host of other problems.</p>
<p>She’ll be home for the first time since Christmas for 4 or 5 days, then off to drive to internship… with a guy, not us! We do plan to go visit, but I liked the other plan where she flew directly to internship and we met her there with a car and hotel so she could be coddled for a day or two before starting work. </p>
<p>One week until we make the graduation hotel reservations!! yikes!</p>
<p>Mine graduated in three years, magna cum, senior department award for best student. Had internships in India and Jordan. Turned down a bunch of very good jobs, has a very well-paid internship this summer with KPMG, then accepted into grad. school for a Masters in Accounting for her fourth year, and getting her CPA.</p>
<p>Hi all–I am glad to see this thread. My D is a senior as well and she is one of those who has no idea what she wants to do. i do know she is quite worried about it. She is a chemistry major and what can you do with chemistry other than a lab job or grad school?</p>
<p>I’m happy to see this thread, too. I’m glad I’m not the only one who is wondering what comes next but trying to keep a respectful distance. Will write more when I’m at home in a couple of days and not typing on my iPhone</p>
<p>So this group of parents has the full spectrum of kids, from those who know exactly what they want to do and are down a road if not already employed, to those who know pretty much nothing about what they will do next. We’re probably somewhere in the middle. My son, '12, is my second to graduate. Daughter, '09, is working and already planning for what comes next. Son is writing a creative thesis in Comp. Lit. at Princeton, i.e. short stories or a novella. He had to apply to write a creative piece, so I am very happy for him. That said, I’m unsettled.</p>
<p>I had a good idea of how to facilitate my daughter’s process. I have far less sense of what role to play for my son. Hence my hopes for the thread. I too would like it to stick around. While the economy may be somewhat warmer than in '09, the world is shifting so much, globally, and industries are changing in dramatic ways. I hope to learn from you all, and will offer knowledge wherever and whenever I’ve got any that’s relevant.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, my working background is in software product management, should anyone have that as an interest.</p>
<p>Alumother–Thank you for starting this thread. I will be one of those mothers who are stressing about their D’s upcoming graduation. It is hard to strike that balance between appropriate helpfulness without nagging/passing on the stress. My H is better at it than me. (Grammar police–is it better than me or better than I?)
Consolation–My D is similarly introverted like your son. Bright young woman, wonderful person, but not so good at getting herself out there.</p>
<p>Esobay–I am glad your D will be home for 4-5 days so you can ‘eyeball’ her! Is she good at following MD advice?</p>
<p>My son is also a rising senior majoring in Math and Economics. He knows that he wants to do something with numbers when he graduates, but as far as a specific career, he is uncertain. He tried to get a summer internship, but was not successful. He will be working part-time this summer teaching tennis for the County. At least he has a job!</p>
<p>I suggested that he self-study for the first actuary exam, and he actually thought that was a good idea. He signed up for the test (end of July) and ordered a study guide. I promised not to nag him about studying. (hopefully, I can keep my promise) I think an actuary would be a great career choice for him so I think taking the first exam will help him determine if he wants to continue along that path. </p>
<p>I told him that as soon as he goes back to school in late August, that he has to start looking for a job. We’ll see…</p>
<p>Count me in too. I have a rising senior. Would love to keep up with all the HS class of 08/ College class of 2012 parents here.</p>
<p>** EDIT:
Oh apologies, should give a bit more info. DS is changed his major from Chemistry to chemical engineering, and his minor from history to psychology, so has had some catching up to do. Its made for very challenging semesters with many hours (like 19 or 20 or so) and now (for the summer) is taking classes at our local Flagship Tech school while also doing 2 part-time internships, one in Chem E and one in psychopharmacology. He had considered med school, took all the prereqs and has the MCAT books, but it right now pretty tired of school and wants to be employed for a little while before deciding what to do next. He really loves the field of medication transport so may pursue something in the pharmacology area. Time will tell.</p>
<p>My son took a huge risk, by picking a program over the school. He saw other schools that he liked better, but chose a combined program that guaranteed him admission to grad school, plus saved him a year of classes. He’ll graduate with a masters in physician assistant studies in 2013. I’ll admit I’ve been kind of envious of some of you, wondering what it would have been like had he gone to a well known school. That said, I think he’s enjoyed his college college experience, but has no plans to stay in that city.</p>
<p>Wow, jym - that’s a lot of tough material your guy has studied! No wonder he’s pretty tired of school. </p>
<p>toledo, your son chose well since physicians assistants are the way of the future - he should be able to find a great job next year.</p>
<p>I’m a little envious of all the parents with kids who had the foresight and talent to choose math, technology, and science!</p>
<p>Alumom, thanks for starting this thread. I’ve really enjoyed the support on the Class of 2011/2015 thread this year, and I wished that there was one for the class of 2012.</p>
<p>My D1 is a rising senior also. She’s a history major which she picked because she enjoys the classes, and has had several leadership roles on campus. She seriously considered law school, but has decided that she’d prefer to work for a few years and then apply to grad school. She was very stressed this past winter when she applied for summer internships, but was pleasantly surprised at the responses she got. She has a summer internship with a consulting firm near her college, which she hopes will give her a better idea of what type of jobs to apply for in the fall. </p>
<p>It sounds like most of your kids are doing exciting things and I look forward to sharing the next chapter with you all.</p>
<p>I’ve also wondered why the 2012 kids never had their “own” thread - thanks, Alumom!</p>
<p>My 2012 D is one of those practical-minded kids who has one of those “practical” majors - she will graudate next spring with her degree in accounting and plans to sit for the CPA exam that fall (yes, she took a heavier class load and went to summer school so she would be CPA-eligible after graduation.) This summer she interns for one of the Big 4 firms, and if she does well (which she should, says her unbiased mother) she should be working there after graduation. </p>
<p>Somehow, during the past three years she morphed from a quirky, music-obsessed, decent student to a quirky, well-rounded, excellent student. I can’t believe how dedicated she is a student and how poised (and grown-up) she is as a person! I am sure that she will make someone a fantastic accountant, especially if that someone has a soft spot for alternative bands.</p>
<p>Anyone else see marriage on the horizon for their S or D? My D is still seeing her high school long-distance boyfriend. AFter 3+ years of serious dating, the wedding talk has started. D still says “someday” but someday could be sooner than I’d like to admit. To me, that’s scarier than job prospects…</p>
<p>Cayuga … I would say D is “fair” at Dr.s orders. She’ll follow for a while. She got off her crutches a week early for example when she badly sprained her ankle on spring break last year. “They are such a nuisance”. She IS planning to get some people to help her move out of her 4th floor (her dad offered to go help, but she said she had it covered) dorm room because the Dr. convinced her that with bad mono, lifting heavy things might cause tears in the spleen. Since I think she has had it ALL quarter, I am not thinking she’ll recover quickly.
I sure wish she’d be here longer than that, but she actually got her start date pushed back for a week so she has that much time. They originally wanted her to start on the 6th when her last final is the 4th.</p>
<p>scout!! YIKES! the “W” word already? Well, I just went up to celebrate my roomie’s 37th anniversary. they were HS sweethearts who survived the long distance college relationship and got married as soon as they were both graduated. I was their bridesmaid. So it can be a good thing. That said, we hear almost nothing about dating or guys. Although a few names crop up semi frequently. Don’t know for sure if they are ONLY friends-that-are-guys, but that is what we are lead to believe.</p>
<p>Alumom, I forgot to thank you for starting this thread. The fact that it now exists has definitely made me a little less anxious in wondering (by myself, to date) exactly what my son is going to end up doing after next year, since he doesn’t seem to want to go to grad school right away. Just because I won’t be nearly as involved in the process on a day-to-day basis as I was when he was in high school doesn’t mean I care about it any less, or that I won’t want a place to talk about it once in a while!</p>
<p>As far as marriage is concerned, that’s the last thing on my (or, I think his) mind right now, since he has yet to be in a long-term relationship. Besides, he can’t get married yet anyway in any of the three states where he spends time (New York, New Jersey, and Illinois).</p>
<p>DonnaL, and everyone, really, thank you for being around!</p>
<p>So, what job does one look for when one wants to be a writer? Something I should have asked myself, when I graduated in 1978. Better late than never?</p>
<p>Esobay, apparently our kids are classmates. :)</p>
<p>My S started a relationship with his first “official” GF last year. We met her at Sophomore Family Weekend, and I liked her very much. They seemed to be inseparable–including taking internship terms off in the same region–and I though it was likely to be long term, but I just found out that they broke up a month or so ago. He is very calm about it and says it was his choice, but <em>I</em> am very sad! 
</p>
<p>Alumother, I’d say fact checker at The New Yorker would be a good place to start. 
On a more prosaic note, he could look into technical writing or corporate communications. Not “art,” but one can still home one’s writing skills…</p>