<p>I have been off line for a week or more…</p>
<p>FogFog - I am so sorry for your loss.</p>
<p>Scsiguru- my nephew went to Roanoke and really like it.</p>
<p>My son just got accepted to Roanoke yesterday. We interviewed when he was a sophomore. A few kids from our high school have graduated from there and they liked it. Very good admissions staff and his personal counselor assigned to the Ohio region is very good. We email her with questions. They have very deep pockets as well. In the acceptance letter he received 11 thousand a year for academics with a 27 on the ACT. Now after filling out the FAFSA in January we will find out what we receive in total package money. Their average package is 26 thousand a year so subtracting that from the sticker price of 42, it costs exactly what Ohio State or Miami would for our in state tuition. We are very happy.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>We just got home from our Thanksgiving trip and youngest found out he’s been accepted to Eckerd College. Of course, he read the post card from his admission officer BEFORE he read his acceptance letter since our mail was stacked on our table with newest things on top. 
He didn’t mind.</p>
<p>This will be where he is going IF finances work out as he really never found another school anywhere comparable for what he wants to do with Tropical Marine Bio/Science. Eckerd blew away “the competition” when we compared schools and what undergrads/grads have done. It’s amazing how a small school that isn’t ranked in the Top 100 (in National Polls anyway) can do that when you get to specialties. I think he’s really going to enjoy it there. Hopefully he can stay on top of his non science classes too…</p>
<p>If finances don’t work out, he’ll be taking a gap year and working. He wanted Eckerd or bust, so that’s what it is. Hopefully it will work for him. His acceptance was step 1.</p>
<p>Glad I finally discovered this thread! I have a couple of underachievers in my family: high scores, low-ish grades. Only moderate interest in ECs. My S14 is not interested in being a leader, modest to a fault, and I still can’t decide if he’s going to thrive at college (without parents nagging him) or struggle miserably (without parents keeping him on track despite ADD). Also hard to know whether a challenging school will be good or bad.</p>
<p>Glad to hear about SALT at U of A. I’ll have to check it out – we got a letter implying S would qualify for some great merit aid. We happen to be traveling to Arizona over the winter break. Maybe he’ll be inspired! I’ll keep searching the thread, but what are other programs that provide good support for ADD/ADHD/Aspergers?</p>
<p>Creekland, congrats on Eckerd! I remember looking longingly at the brochures.</p>
<p>upperarlington…thanks for the encouraging information about Roanoke. We are looking forward to our visit this Thursday. She still has not heard back from Roanoke as far as a decision letter. Hope to hear something this week before our trip. Nice to hear as well that they do provide good FA packages. It’s kind of interesting, but we live in a border state to VA and there are no students from our state attending Roanoke. Might be one of the many questions I’ll have for the Admissions Rep. My D really likes her so I hope our trip goes well.</p>
<p>
Welcome.
Been working through similar issues. You may benefit from searching for threads I’ve started. This is the most recent: [url="<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1584742-when-no-reach-schools-makes-sense.html"]http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1584742-when-no-reach-schools-makes-sense.html[/url">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1584742-when-no-reach-schools-makes-sense.html"]http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1584742-when-no-reach-schools-makes-sense.html[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Thanks expatCanuck – I’ve always been a high adrenaline achiever (or at least worrier) so the apathy/stress shutdown is hard for me to understand. My H is more like my kids and he turned out okay ;-).My S applied to one reach ED (with a hook, double-legacy) and we’ve got a couple of low-reaches lined up, and several matches and safeties. His grades (until last quarter) were decent. Can’t wait until this is over, though!</p>
<p>Creekland - congratulations to your son on his acceptance. D (a junior) has been eyeing Eckerd College for a while. We’re planning to do spring break in Florida this year mainly so she can visit Eckerd (a little Universal, a little beach, and a few colleges).</p>
<p>Creekland, Congrats on your son’s acceptance to Eckerd. I am very familiar with that school because a number of my daughter’s friends are interested in marine sciences and Eckerd was in the running when they were looking at colleges. Western Wash. U. is known for their excellent environmental programs too, and many kids will choose WWU over Univ. of Washington (another perfect example of why USNWR rankings can be so misleading) if they’re interested in pursuing careers in envir. science.</p>
<p>HI All</p>
<p>Well two more nice big envelopes arrived for K2 today. I had thought one was due in Jan, however glad to see them. That is 4 for 4.
The 3 at the top of the list aren’t due til Dec/Jan and April. I wish the April one had something other than ED and RD. I think K2 may may the decision before that decision arrives. idk.</p>
<p>Warm congratulations to you & K2. So very nice to see you receiving happy news.</p>
<p>ThanksCanuck</p>
<p>Yes after the last several months…we can use some good news.</p>
<p>Preparing for the holidays feels draining.<br>
So I am doing it, yet more focused on K2s news. </p>
<p>The one that came yesterday had $16k a yr in it (if maintaining GPA).
DH was like YAY xyz school!! haha</p>
<p>Congrats to K2 fog fog. I’m also glad to hear you get to enjoy some good news!</p>
<p>Momofwon - Eckerd is a school I didn’t even know the name of prior to my guy telling us he wanted Tropical Marine Bio/Science. The major fits him, so we started hunting. I’m glad there are places like cc where people who know or who have BTDT willingly share info. He will be the first from his school to ever attend there (assuming finances work, of course).</p>
<p>Since he is definite about wanting “tropical,” many other good schools in the Carolinas and elsewhere never made the first cut. TAMUG almost did, but they’re a little too focused for him. Eckerd seems to have a nice balance. Nova Southeastern and UMiami almost made the cut (they got visits), but neither were truly coastal as Eckerd is AND they have grad students getting to do most of what he considers the “fun” stuff (taking care of tanks, etc). In the end, he loves that he can roll out of his bed and head over to the water… and I hope he’ll be able to focus on his “other” classes.</p>
<p>None of the other traditional “stuff” phased him (dorms, gyms, libraries, etc). He’d have been content to live in a tent with a Port 'o John if it meant he could be coastal or perhaps in the middle of the Everglades.</p>
<p>The fact that they try to be a “green” campus is a bonus. He’s undecided between trying to request the pet dorm (for iguanas or other critters he’d like to have) or the healthy living dorm.</p>
<p>Hi Creekland, welcome to the Eckerd “family”. Now you can relax and enjoy the holidays.</p>
<p>Great visit today at Roanoke. Had a great campus tour by a junior who really knew a lot about the college. Then we met for 45 minutes with my D’s admissions counselor. She broke the news to my D today that she was accepted to Roanoke…the letter will be arriving next week. My D was also invited back to spend a night in a dorm and attend a class the next day. We will also be going back to the scholarship weekends. Overall it was a great experience and is at the top of my D’s list.</p>
<p>^^^ great news! Congratulation Guru!</p>
<p>A very nice merit award received from Eckerd yesterday! That is Step 2…</p>
<p>(We were also VERY GOOD and DID NOT give in to our desires to open the envelope earlier even though youngest didn’t come home until 10pm due to activities. )</p>
<p>Great news, Creekland! I’m rooting for you and financial aid at your DS’ school!!</p>
<p>Great news, Creekland!</p>