S20 has been driving since August. We pushed both S20 and S19 to get their licenses right on time as the bus service here is almost non-existent. For many years the bus stop was over 2 miles away. And with their crazy EC schedules, it is a lifesaver to have them in charge of their own transportation. That being said, they share a car and the negotiations between the two of them can get tense at times! 
Two of mine got their licenses ASAP the other two waited until just before their temps expired. One of mine who waited doesnât drive anymore (heâs in his 20s).
I read that social media is a reason why teens arenât in a hurry to get their licenses anymore. They donât need to drive to connect with their friends anymore. I donât know if thatâs true, though.
Man, I was so ready to be done driving that I dragged D20 down to the DMV the first available hour possible to get her permit (and Iâm not kidding - we were there before the door even opened). I donât know whether she was interested or not as I really didnât give her much choice in the matter. âYou WILL learn to drive or you WILL get a bus pass. Your choice.â Repeated the process the same hour when she could take the driving test (which she flunked the first time, so repeated the process a third time).
@milgymfam It doesnât cost anything additional for them to have their permit.
My D17 has driven roommateâs cars at school, and she has the option of renting Zip Cars on campus if needed.
DS got his ASAP. Great to have another driver on long road trips. Prefer that he gains experience behind the wheel as opposed to using an electronic device ad nauseum
My S got a postcard mailer today from Amherst. The school is not on Sâs radar, but I find their marketing strategy interesting. They tout that their financial aid packages consist entirely of grants and campus job opportunities. So, no loans, and Iâm presuming no merit scholarships.
The other side of the postcard states in big print that 57% of students received financial aid from Amherst last year. So, that means 43% of their students did not receive any financial aid. I checked their website, and Amherstâs cost of attendance for 2019-2020 is between $78,882â81,332. Am I correct in assuming, then, that 43% of Amherst students are paying ~$80k a year? Iâm not trying to pass judgment one way or the other hereâobviously itâs a fantastic school that provides valuable opportunitiesâIâm just a little surprised that their marketing material would highlight this.
Permits can last only a year. Insurance for my daughter would double my insurance. She has her permit so Iâm waiting as long as possible. We are half a mile from the school and she usually finds rides. Her activities are mostly at school so it has worked out.
Yes, thatâs my understanding as well. You can find similar stats on the websites of many other private schools. I often see people express surprise that there are a lot of wealthy people in elite private schools, suggesting thereâs something nefarious about that. But itâs no surprise to me, when half the students are full pay @ $80,000/year.
@momzilla2D Iâm not that surprised at the numbers, Iâm surprised that Amherst âs marketing material is so transparent about it. I donât recall seeing that â%age of students receiving FAâ stat so apparent on communications from other elite colleges. Maybe they have been, and I just havenât noticed it before.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek, no it doesnât, but I donât really see the point when we would just let it lapse anyway. We are in a weird position that makes getting their permits (or licenses) much more complicated than the norm to boot, so itâs easier all around to not bother. We have one family car anyway, and they wouldnât get use of it- at least when I drive them to their activities I get to keep my car while theyâre there.
Okay, mostly for amusement, though there is actually some food for thought (along with some unnecessary hand-wringing), here are the two ancient threads I was thinking of earlier:
and
Found them after some diligently quirky search attempts, @Octagon. =)
@HarrietMWelsch Reminds me of an oldie but a goodie:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/470497-clam-fart-oh-my-god-what-did-i-do.html
@bigmacbeth yes, that one is absolutely tied for first place. Thanks for bringing it back!
For anybody with time for more Classic CC, my other favorite is this one: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/501191-a-meta-thread-to-save-us-all-time-p1.html
I was reading the 2019 list of acceptances thread and was shocked at how many schools kids apply to. 16-17 seemed like the norm over there? I think my D settled on 7, so I find 16-17 really high.
@cbh088 Not only is it a lot, but expensive, too.
Kids seem to think the more you apply to the more likely to receive acceptances. I personally disagree. The better targeted the schools (research the CDS, make sure you understand exactly what they are looking for) and the higher quality the application (make your essay fit the school), the more likely to receive acceptances. They can only attend 1 school, so you are paying 16 schools $$ for nothing. (not to mention sending scores, paying for the CSS, visits if they consider interest, etcâŠ)
@HarrietMWelsch Much appreciated for digging them up! Like anything, I bet rumors abound when it seems that too much is at stake.
@HarrietMWelsch I am honestly shocked that the âmetathread to save us all timeâ was closed after only 101 posts!
More like 101 pages, @Octagon.
And I wasnât tooting my own horn about that thread - Violadad really steals the show. =)
Wonderful, @HarrietMWelsch.
For all who are going to read the aforementioned thread on the merits of âquirkyâ in the college recommendation, make sure to read posts #56 and #58 in order. Hilarious, and lots of fun.
For your convenience:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/598194-counselor-used-the-adjective-quirky-in-sons-recommendation-letter-p1.html