Hi @Texas1820 I noticed from previous posts that your S is looking for ME at a cost of instate (UT, TAMU). I have family that went to Tech (post grad) and one of my kids’ biology teacher received his bachelors there, so I do have some understanding if students have reservations about west Texas. Having said that, Lubbock has 250K people, student body seems to know how to have fun, and my impression is that the school does provide the opportunity to succeed. If your S’s focused goal is to get a good education and that ME degree, he can do it there. (I guess I’m trying to say that if Tech is your safety, then hopefully your family can de-stress a bit knowing that his goals are achievable there)
One way to check out the department is to peruse the research that the profs are involved in (as this will indicate some areas to possibly be involved in research). One thing I noticed was that their profs (and this is true for other parts of the university that I looked at) come from a wide variety of places (nationally as well as internationally) and that adds a certain flavor to the department (a little less academic in-breeding with perhaps more diverse teaching philosophies).
When you say UT, is it just Austin or is Dallas also not an option?
@chippedtoof It is the location of Tech that he didn’t care for. We were out for a region track meet last year, he didn’t have time to do a tour but we drove thru the campus. I think it would be a great school for him. We just need to take him back out again during the school year and let him see the campus with the students on it. He is hard headed and makes up his mind way to quick. We just have to ease him to the Tech way.
University of Toledo has ME and started offering great merit aid to OOS this year. My S has a hs classmate up there that is very happy. It’s actually one of the prettiest campuses in Ohio and has seven engineering labs open 24 hours a day. Has a good co-op program, too. http://www.eng.utoledo.edu/mime/
so glad to have found this thread. My son has a 3.0, although it is from a strong private school in MD. Mostly his grades are this low because he doesn’t turn in homework, although occasionally he also bombs tests. SAT is 1420. I have to admit to being very nervous. I hope he is not too disappointed when he gets rejected from some schools, which I think must occur. He also wants to do computer science, which is a very competitive major. He did get a 5 on the AP computer science exam, but I think schools don’t really look at AP scores. I am also very worried about the price, especially since I am a little afraid he might fail out of college. It would be one thing to pay all that money and have him pass, but to pay it all and have him fail is a bit of a depressing thought. He got a 680 on the math subject test, although I think colleges don’t really look at that either. Also a 680 on the bio test.
I am kind of hoping for U. Pitt. He seems to want Drexel, which is a bit pricy.
Wishing that all of you find great colleges for your kids!
@mollymd, we were not willing to pay a lot for S16 because he had a history of not turning in assignments. My wife’s parents were, and they were the ones who spent the money only to see him flunk out. In his defense, we had him tested and it looks as if the reason he wasn’t turning things in was a written communication disability. It’s hard to catch when the kid simply doesn’t turn things in. If the things your son doesn’t turn in aren’t all one type of assignment I don’t know that I’d worry, though. S18 is a big procrastinator, but usually gets assignments done eventually.
Hi @mstomper my S18 sounds a bit like your S16. He has dysgraphia. I agree that I should be like you and just tell him that he needs to choose an inexpensive school. He has been getting better, though. He is much less likely to forget to turn something in now in his senior year than when he was a freshman. I’m a little afraid that, if I make him go to a school he doesn’t like, that this will be an excuse to him to relapse. But, maybe I should just have a bit of faith in him. He does seem to be growing up. (and I’m glad to hear that at least your S18 does eventually get his assignments in eventually. I hope your S16 is moving towards coping with his disability, even after failing out. It can be hard, as a parent, to watch them struggle).
@MollyMD, it was really weird that there were several subsets of writing he was tested on and tested high on all except one. Unfortunately, it’s probably the most crucial one for a college student. Strange that his biggest weakness academically was my biggest strength and my biggest weakness (Algebra and beyond) is his biggest strength.
@MollyMD We are in VA. I looked at U Pitt and Drexel for my son because he wants an urban school. I have heard some good things about both. Although they are both very big and you’re right, Drexel is expensive. Can’t remember about Pitt. I personally didn’t like the sound of the Drexel coop program. I don’t think my kid is ready for anything like that. Sounds intense and stressful. Not for everyone.
I seem to come here to vent. My kid is still not really motivated as far as college stuff. I give him lists of college to-dos and he doesn’t do them. Fortunately they’re working on the college essay in English, which was a relief. We’re trying to do the “meet once a week to talk about college stuff” and not bug him in between. It’s terrifying. I’m really afraid he’s going to miss deadlines and opportunities, like college visits to his HS. Argh. But bugging him too much is counter productive and there’s a limit to how much I should do. He has to own this process and make his own decisions about where to apply, etc. But I’m not going to let him miss important deadlines, like applications or scholarships.
He just doesn’t seem that interested overall. The one thing he said on his own about it was he was thinking about applying ED to American U. - expensive, so…not sure about that. But they accept 80% of ED applicants. I’m pretty sure that’s why he said that.
I was thinking about taking him to see some more colleges this fall but he got a part-time job that’s on Saturday and Sunday and he doesn’t seem to care about seeing any more, so I’m not sure I should bother. I’m kind of tired of pushing him on this college stuff. I just feel like at a certain point, it’s got to come from him.
@persimmony I am sorry that the application process is not moving along for your son a you would like. I think the reality of moving away from home hits kids a different time and in different ways and it makes them drag their feet, self sabotage and do all sorts of things that drive us batty. I know I have a hard time letting things happen on my kid’s timeline and not my own.
@persimmony I’m with you. I get vacillating levels of motivation and excitement, not just from S but from my spouse as well. Sometimes it feels like we’re a team ready to take this all on… other times it feels like I’m left holding the bag while everyone else cools their heels. Today’s a low and I’m ready for it to be over, even though there’s lots to do. sigh.
My wife is taking our son to see Ithaca and Syracuse next week. I think he’ll be accepted at Ithaca if he applies, but I think he’d do better at a smaller LAC with his anxiety and procrastination issues. My wife and I like McDanie! a lot; it looks like a good fit for him. I can see major anxiety if he goes to Fordham or Syracuse, but his grades will probably keep that from happening anyway.
@mstomper and @MollyMD Have you heard of the book “Late, Lost, and Unprepared” by Cooper-Kahn and Dietzel?
It was a huge help for my S18. It might be worth checking out…
Speaking of books… I just ordered, “Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania” by Frank Bruni. Has anyone read it? It talks about the anxiety of this whole college admissions process, which I think will help me out. S18 is pretty set, but S19 is going to send me over the edge… I’m hoping this book & a glass of wine will help calm me down. =))
@trish02 Perfect book for this forum, not to mention the rest of CC. Speaking as a Type A Ivy alum, it educated me and helped me to chill out and see the big picture… His NYT articles are also on point.
