@Kardinalschnitt, congrats on the decision, she might be able to defer attendance for a year, but make sure she can keep the scholarship. Is she NMSF? I think most schools can’t/won’t be able to defer NMF awards.
@jcmom716 Yes, we did apply EA, but we sent it in early (don’t know if that caused any confusion with them since their ED deadline is Nov1 and EA is Nov15 if I recall correctly). And I agree, I’d love to see the numbers behind sending out all the mailings. I find them fun, but can’t say they’ve influenced my family that much vs information we collected via books and online/CC. I’ve resorted to placing the mailings on the dinner table right where my S sits so that he’d at least glance at them 
@MACmiracle Indeed, based on what you mentioned here and a couple of other places, I’d curl up by the fire a bit too. I’m glad to hear that progress is ongoing; one step at a time as they say. The music thing resonates a bit with me too, not with my S18, but with my D who, like your D, loves playing: it’s fun, it’s a challenge, it’s cathartic… it would be great to continue in college. I had consoled myself by saying that if her school couldn’t accommodate, we’d go private lessons as we do now, and depending on her level, that might be the appropriate thing to do anyway. But losing the social/community aspect of it would be a shame. I performed in college and although it didn’t leave many lasting friendships, the shared experiences were fond memories. Fingers crossed that the right school comes through!
It sounds like people are making good progress here! I’m enjoying reading all of the applications filed and the acceptances that people are starting to get! S18 has applied to 6 schools. We’ve heard back from UW Eau Claire with an acceptance. We went and toured there again a few weeks ago. He definitely can see him self there but I’m not sure how much $$, if any, he will get. But we have tuition reciprocity and they’re very reasonably priced. So they remain in the running for now.
We’ve heard from U Manitoba as well with an acceptance. I think there might be some $$ there, but even if not they’re probably the most reasonably priced option for us right now. Again because of reciprocity. We filled out the housing application here because of how limited it is. I would say right now this is a strong contender for #1.
We are still waiting on New College of FL, U of M Twin Cities and Duluth and WSU. WSU is probably tied for #1 right now with Manitoba. He’ll get full tuition there (assuming he gets in) because of his NMSF status. So it will just be room/board for an out of state program. Good neuroscience & psych programs with strong research programs in both. No German major but a solid minor. But SOOOOO far away. (which factors into the cost). His Dad is planning on taking him to visit in the spring.
I can’t wait to continue to hear people’s stories and searches!
Ok, so my S is taking psych right now, and I can’t help asking him what they are learning since psychology has advanced so much since I took it in HS. @Momtoatrio mentioned neuroscience and I so wish one of my DCs would study in that or a related field.
Has anyone watched the series “Brain Games”? or watched/read David Eagleman’s “The Brain”? Or, what really hooked me in terms of research, the Nova episode titled “Memory Hackers”?
If you haven’t watched these but might be interested, I highly recommend them, especially the Nova episode. If your DC are considering neuroscience or psych, they may want to take a gander as well. Awesome.
@Momtoatrio, has he looked at U MN Morris?
@mommdc Thanks for the tip. She is not NMF. But I will definitely look into whether her scholarship can be deferred. I think she pretty much decided not to do it, though.
@chippedtoof Thanks for the suggestions. I read daughter The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons this summer (Yes, I still read to her!) and now we are both reading several memoirs by Dr. Henry Marsh, a neurosurgeon in London. Good stuff! But dd is more into the molecular/bio/surgery side of neuro.
@mommdc I’ve tried to convince him to look at Morris but the location is pretty much a deal breaker for him. It’s a great school but we went to visit when D14 was looking and there’s just NOTHING there. Even the town isn’t much of a college town. He could get great financial aid there, but still a no. 
@chippedtoof thanks for the recommendations. When S originally mentioned psych I was a bit skeptical because really, what can you do with a BA in psych? I’m a big fan of the liberal arts and believe in education for the sake of education - but things have changed since I went to school and it’s good to be employable when you finish. 
When I dug deeper with him and it turns out that he’s really more into the neuroscience aspect and wants to do research I felt a little bit better. He’s also taking AP Comp Sci right now and really loving it, so he’s still considering that as well.
@mommdc The school my D will visit in two weeks is on the list!!! Thank you. That’s really good news.
I’m a total sap of a college-search mom because I felt my eyes tearing up. :-S
@MACmiracle :-))
@PepsiMakesItOk My experience from 3 years ago: UT Austin is a definite reach. They admit only a handful of OOS engineering students. Also, you CAN NOT change your major after applying at any point because competition is so tight coming from other TX schools. The dean of engineering stressed this. In the end, my son didn’t apply, but his friend, who has great grades and very advanced classes, is there and really likes it. GT-- definite reach because of GPA. My son was waitlisted with a 3.6. Purdue-- not a sure bet. It is more competitive than you might think. My neighbor was denied last year. My son is there but a couple of friends were not accepted. One was offered an alternate college, Purdue Polytechnic Institute, and took it. Another is at Iowa State. He’s also known quite a few to switch out to other colleges. UMD is a great engineering school. My cousin worked for the DoD in the DC area and said it was extremely well thought of. I hope you get your first choice!!
@1822mom Oops – how clumsy of me. Thanks for the fabulous write-up!
Came across this fascinating, enlightening, and yet disturbing article on Vox: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/1/16526202/college-scholarship-tycoon-game
I didn’t know there was an entire enrollment management industry for colleges, but I guess I knew someone was driving the admissions & aid “game” we are trying to figure out. It explains a lot of what I’ve been reading about here – non top-tier (and I mean those not at the very top) institutions with small endowments will give out aid but not those with large endowments, etc.
If you’re already feeling discouraged or angry at the process, maybe I wouldn’t recommend reading it, but it is interesting.
I didn’t see the next high GPA group online. Merit scholarships are going to play a large factor in my son’s choice.
My son’s top choices are Purdue and Case Western so far. Interested in electrical and computer engineering. Is very interested in liberal arts. Purdue’s honors program really appealed to him. After speaking to the rep at the college fair he was recommended to apply ASAP and pay particular attention to that essay questions as they were a major factor for scholarships for Purdue. He has a 4.0. All AP or dual credit courses and a 35 ACT involved with. EC’s with some leadership but they don’t have student government at his school but has other leadership opportunities. We were not considering a large school till visited Purdue. Looking at some other schools with later deadlines. He has been applying for early action due to scholarships.
@ambkeegan, Pitt might be a good choice for him too.
Hey @twoinanddone, wanted to tell you that UWyo has been kind of a problem for us. Dd was super keen on them. They got her test scores but didn’t link them to her file, so she had to ask, you know, what’s going on with my application. She got a reply from someone who was maybe an intern, thanking her for letting them know and that this person had “been able to admit her.” That was at least a month ago and she has never received a letter from them. I emailed last week and they never answered. Disappointing! Are we being too impatient, do you think? Dd was super-psyched to get her letter from them. I’m contrasting with the two other schools that admitted her which are already reviewing her FAFSA.
S18 just got another acceptance. Auburn!! Very excited for this one. S18 would be 3rd generation to go. His great grandfather and grandfather both graduated from Auburn. Dad was the black sheep. Unfortunately I don’t think that it will be a financial match, this was the one application fee we were willing to spend just so he could have the knowledge that he could get in.
@texas1820 Congrats to your son on Auburn!
Just have to give some hope to other parents stressed about low GPA. DS has a 2.998, so technically I don’t even belong in the 3.0 camp! No AP classes, 1 year honors math, 1 semester honors english. He attends a college prep school and has extensive fine arts EC. 32 on ACT, so he only took it once, the advice was that the discrepancy between grades and score were enough that raising it wouldn’t really help anything and might hurt. He did have upward trajectory on grades, but still, his junior year was only about a 3.3. He has been accepted at 6 LAC that he really likes, and has not gotten rejected by any (we cast a wide net because his stats are so all over the place). I know I went through a funk of thinking he would get in nowhere, and now with lots of great options I just wanted to pass on that there is a LOT to be hopeful about.
that is wonderful @5timesmom . You must have made a great list of match schools. It is always nice to have choices in the spring!