<p>Thanks seattle_mom. I was afraid of that.</p>
<p>GoldenWest they have 2 merit scholarships for oops students, the Apex and Summit scholarships. Check them out on U of O website</p>
<p>Thanks lab317; unfortunately I don’t think my D meets the GPA cutoff. Would sure have helped swallowing their out of state tuition premium!</p>
<p>Hi Slitheytove,</p>
<p>I have a DD 2015, but I rarely post, because like your daughter, mine has learning differences–although I do read a lot of CC. </p>
<p>Want to suggest looking at the University of Arizona in Tucson SALT (strategic alternative learning techniques) program. For my DD it may be one of the only places she’ll make it through college, without living at home, and I want her to gain the independence. (There is also the LEP program at University of Denver–but I don’t know much about it.)</p>
<p>You need to be accepted both into U of A and SALT, they each are different costs, but both have some possible aid; there are lots of videos about SALT on U of A’s website. We are visiting both U of A and SALT in March, to see if it is a good fit. U of A is big, but with the SALT program in place, my DD would get individualized attention. Because DD doesn’t know what she wants to do, we’d like a place with lots of majors, for an eventual decision. </p>
<p>Disclosing for UCLA can help–I talked to a representative at the disabilities office, and she has seen kids accepted with lower grades/scores, if they show a reason. As she described the accommodations they provide, they seem to have it down–although it is not like SALT, which is more holistically supportive. With UCLA, DD could commute, so she may also apply there.</p>
<p>I’ll be interested in learning from your DD’s journey.</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Hi Maystarmom,</p>
<p>I’m familiar with UA and the SALT program, which is fabulous. Visited the SALT office on a business trip, talked to the reps there, it sounds great for the right kind of student, the one who buys into the entire concept of using SALT for support. Tried to sell D2 on UA–she’s utterly uninterested. Same deal with University of Denver, which also has a SALT-like program and lots of majors. </p>
<p>That’s very interesting about disclosing LDs being a help with UCLA admissions. Quite frankly, I don’t think UCLA would be as good a fit for D2, especially when compared to the smaller campuses that are on her list. Maybe I won’t mention this information to D2 at all… ;)</p>
<p>Hi SlitheyTove,</p>
<p>That’s a good point about the student buying in! My DD has used tutors, resource help, and accommodations without complaint since second grade, so I’m making an assumption she’ll buy in. It’ll be interesting to see how the process goes, once she starts to pay closer attention to her future.
Thanks.</p>
<p>The thread’s been awfully quiet lately…everyone hanging in there? </p>
<p>We’re begging, pleading, and considering bribing D to apply by 12/1 to our local flagship even though she has zero desire to go there…sigh… It’d be a great education at a fantastic price (almost half some of the other OOS publics she’s applied to). D is worried it’d be a continuation of HS, as we live ten miles from campus and most of her friends will be applying there.</p>
<p>momofwon, why don’t you ask her to humor you by applying, and tell her that you’ll let her turn it down if she still feels that way after attending an accepted students event. I think such an event will help her see that it’s a much bigger pond than high school, and that she doesn’t have to associate with kids she went to high school with unless she wants to.</p>
<p>My daughter had that experience when she started at a gigantic public test-in high school (5500 students). There are kids there from her pre-k class, from her elementary school, middle school, citywide chorus, every camp she ever went to, ice skating lessons, etc. Some of them she’s reconnected with and some, not so much. But she loves going to a big school–she tells me that if she ever gets tired of all her friends, she can just go to the other side of the (enormous) cafeteria and there will be kids there she’s never met. Indeed, she met a guy on the first day of school this year and went out with him for a couple of months. They are both seniors and she had never even seen him before.</p>
<p>Thanks Oldmom…We’ve discussed the advantages–financially and academically and she still is reluctant. However, we hold the trump card in that she can’t pay for an out-of-state school by herself and she’s not going to get enough aid to make up the difference. Her unique and awesome ECs may get her in to some of her matches, but her stats (GPA and test scores) will not reach a level of honors or scholarship awards, so we’re expecting zero merit help.</p>
<p>Funny thing is, I’m pretty sure if we lived in any other state, she’d be interested in the school because it meets all of her target points (20K+ students, Greek, liberal, fun campus, excellent academics, etc.).</p>
<p>
ACT finally got 'round to scoring the September sitting.</p>
<p>My boy went from a Composite 27 to 29 – 87th to 93rd percentile,
somewhat better than he did on the SAT. Still lowest in Math (25)
and English (27), but he rocked the Science (31) and the Reading (34).
Works for me. 
</p>
<p>… scrambling furiously to get the new scores sent to the colleges to which he’s already applied …
now, if he can just raise that friendly GPA over 3.00 … <sigh></sigh></p>
<p>Hi guys! a mom from the previous years jumping in to offer a little support for this time of year, and a few things that I’ve learned that I hope will help.
As you narrow down the lists, a few things to consider, especially if you have a student who may need accommodations, or who may run into a few bumps. Find out how many credits and courses your student will need to maintain every term in order to keep good academic standing - for scholarships, financial aid and just for good academic standing… This does vary from school to school. Some require a minimum number of credits ATTEMPTED in a term… others, successful COMPLETION of a certain number of credits/ courses. Also find out about half-term courses… some colleges offer many, so that if a student struggles mid-way through, they can drop a class and pick up another… other colleges don’t have these options. If you have a student with a disability, can they take less than a full course load as an accommodation? Will they be locked in to that courseload or can they try more and drop down if need be? I found a large variation in these answers from school to school. Among my friends with college - age students, these issues have come up for several of us, so it is worth finding it out and knowing now if the school is one that will work with your child if there’s a problem. Lots of students run into a problem course or fall behind due to illness or other situation, so these things come up more than you might think.</p>
<p>Haven’t been here in a while, but my D has gotten into Baylor.</p>
<p>HI All
Have been missing from CC for over a month. Thank you for the messages from those who missed me. And for those who didnt notice, no worries, I understand how self focused we become as parents of HS Srs and the point of these threads
.to counsel those new to the process.</p>
<p>In our world, after moms passing in July, I was working with Dad to clear out moms personal things (clothes etc). AND the bigger issue was K2s apps.
All of the apps were done by about the 10th of Oct and the first admit was received. K2 hasnt heard from a school I thought was rolling, so I will likely as the GC/K2 to check the CA status. K2 appreciated getting it all done and off the back so to speak (we did that with K1 as well) . </p>
<p>K2 just came back from an OV to the school admitted. K2 noted that some parents attended we explained why we felt this was trip best taken with independence. K2 had greenlight/likely admitted to the other schools .so we will see. I am worried that come EA decisions something could go wrong.</p>
<p>K2 sent only one app RD AND if EA round goes poorly, then that app will be changed to ED2. Yikes.</p>
<p>Beyond that and the Apps race … my dad took ill suddenly and died 2 weeks ago. Completely unexpected. I can say there is quite a transition in your life, emotionally, mentally and physically to give the eulogies for both of your parents in 113 days.</p>
<p>The other part to my puzzle is that I started an amazing FT position, as a VP of a firm.
Was recruited to build the biz and appreciate the principal saw my potential. It all started in late Sept and my life has been a whirl wind with a new job, a HS Sr applying to colleges, and the death of a second parent.</p>
<p>fogfog…On behalf of everyone here I’d like to express my sympathy on your recent loss. It’s very difficult when one parent passes, but for two to pass in such short time is truly heartbreaking. I hope you have the support you need to make it through this difficult time. </p>
<p>Congrats on your new FT position. Even though that is great news, I’m sure it’s also very stressful for you with everything else you have going on in your life. Hugs and prayers to you and your family!</p>
<p>@fogfog: My sincere condolences on your tragic losses. It helps put everything in perspective.</p>
<p>Fogfog: Hoping wonderful memories will help you through this tough time. My condolences.</p>
<p>My D applied to Roanoke College an we will be visiting this coming Thursday. She has had very positive communications with her admissions counselor and is anxious to visit Roanoke. The counselor has set up an opportunity for her to sit in on a class in her proposed major. She has been asked to apply for the Honors Program so hopefully that is a plus. I’ve read some good information on CC about Roanoke. Just wondering if anyone has any recent experience with Roanoke that you can share. Thanks.</p>
<p>I’m not a parent but actually a student. And I was just wondering what everyone thinks of student loans? I’ve been stressing myself out and making myself sick over the fact that I’ll have to take out loans and was just wondering what you all as parents (and maybe what your children) think of the possibility or fact of loans.</p>
<p>^^^^^^
My two cents:
- This should really be its own thread[in this section](<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/“”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/"</a>).
Moderator?</p>
<p>2) That said, I think that loans are acceptable if what you’re studying offers a reasonable and realistic opportunity for a job that will let you pay off those loans within, at most, 8 years. And if loans are the only route, I’d recommend looking for the least expensive route to the desired/needed education (e.g. - community college for the first two years, and/or an in-state university – unless your financial situation and/or academic record will get you adequate need and/or merit money resulting in comparable indebtedness). Bottom line: IMHO, it does not make sense to accrue over ~$60-75K of debt (looking at New England prices) for an undergraduate degree.</p>
<p>We’re ok with “basic” student loans for most degrees. We’re not ok with super high student loans except in limited, known high pay, fields.</p>
<p>Before selecting the least expensive option for school, check to see where recent grads have gone. If their paths match what you’d like to do, go for it. If not, beware. There are some colleges that are not really respected in certain fields (esp competitive fields) and opting for loans to a “better” (in that field, not USNEWS) college will likely be a better investment of your time and money.</p>
<p>We’d have never reached the point where we are now without some student loans. It was definitely a worth-while investment for us. 100K in loans for a “lower pay” degree? That would scare me.</p>