Oh no! I thought advising was supposed to be really good at Case. 
We have kept it on S24ās despite some other disadvantages because I had heard they have really active, involved advisors. I guess Iām going to have to look into that moreā¦
I hope you have a good visit this week and your son gets the info he needs to make a good decision!
I get it. Iām thinking about how the music process has that other level of effort that both the kid and the profs put in. It seems more personal than checking the box online, especially if a prof has helped to get scholarship offers. I think my son will email at least a few people in particular who took time and connected with him.
Itās an emotional rollercoaster! And I have a very hard time keeping my opinions to myself. Iām working on it. 
My kid originally wanted to go to school in Miami because of the 70% Spanish speaking population, but for better or worse, that school was way beyond our reach. That is the one remaining thing thatās been hard for him to let go of in choosing a school in another city. I hope heāll find opportunities, and he can seek out Latin jazz and Spanish language music. In terms of credits and courses, though, I think heāll need an advisor to help him navigate that.
Honestly, I think it was one review from someone who had other complaints and planned to transfer so I shouldnāt put much stock in the extremes (whether it be Case is perfect or Case is horrible.) I heard great things about student-professor relationships and advising in the past so I think I panicked and put way too much stock in an anonymous, negative review. So keep it on the radar for sure, just ask lots of questions!
You will hear mixed things about advising at any college or university, because students will sometimes have a bad experience, but from everything we hear, Case advising sounds like it is well above average!
S23 was originally very interested in Case, but they donāt have a formula SAE team and he eventually decided that was a necessity for him.
Itās all: Iām one step closer to him leaving.
Thanks for saying this - I think itās why Iāve been so sad since DS committed! He was down to 2 schools (UT Austin vs Purdue) and he admits that he went with his gut (UT) and not logic. Iāve been so sad since he decided and wasnāt sure why! I definitely preferred Purdue - most likely due to all the glowing recommendations here, but itās not like UT is a bad choice! Iāve been trying to have a better attitude about it, and realizing my sadness is more about him leaving and not the school will help I think. But if anyone wants to tell me how great UT is for engineering, Iāll take it! It isnāt talked about very often here.
Interesting. I was a little surprised by this too and asked housing and our AO about housing and enrollment deposits. Turns out, Alabama does not guarantee housing beyond year 1 and because of the large number of students that apply, given their generous merit policy, they want to prioritize housing for those that are serious about attending and staying on campus. Asked another way, do you think it would be ok for a kid to take up a spot and merit aid and hold it up until May 1 when another kid could get that opportunity?
On this thread alone, there are several parents that will not send their kids to Alabama for whatever reason. It is a non-issue if your kid is serious about the school. Put in the deposit!
Anyway, the housing deposit almost completely refundable. And from what I could gather, all honors students are assigned to Ridgecrest, even if they apply and accept a spot later in the cycle. And the enrollment deposit is tied to housing, as it should be. Sorry, you cannot have it both ways.
Yes - I do.
You paid an app fee, the deadline is May 1st - and weāve seen recently that some kids who havenāt committed had extra payments suddenly show up in their inbox.
Not related to Bama of course - but I personally see no reason, short of wanting to mentally get your school out of mind, declining early or frankly not declining at all (which would then be assumed on May 1).
Thatās fine but you cannot complain if the school prioritizes kids that want to go to their school. Many larger schools like USF, and Texas A&M basically shut down admissions to their main campuses as soon as they get XX applicants. Bottom line is apply early and decide quickly.
I wouldnāt - itās their school, their right.
I think itās bogus that I paid UF, UGA, and FSU money for housing and yet my daughter didnāt go there.
But they didnāt put a gun to my head to pay the housing deposit.
If a school notes apply by X time to get admitted, I have no issue either.
In the end, the ācustomerā has to abide by the rules of the ābusinessā. We may not like it - but we decided either to partake or not.
I just booked an airline ticket yesterday and the seat selection came up. Every seat had a $$ on it. So I didnāt pick. It said Iāll be assigned 24 hours in advance. So maybe iāll get the middle.
Maybe I wait to pay my housing deposit to ensure Iām attending, so I donāt waste $50 or $100. And then I might get the crappier dorm - but thatās the risk I took.
Several college counselors at large schools told us for items like waitlist and merit aid it isnāt when someone turns it down they go to next person on list. They have complex models and know that many people offered will say no and itās planned for in the process.
Most auto merit schools like Alabama and others give out money until they run out.
Of course - many are trying to do the right thing and think that - but itās not true (except for maybe endowed scholarships). They have yield predictions. If they know only 25% of offered are coming, they expect you to decline.
If someone is absolutely a no, they should decline if it just gives them piece of mind in doing so.
But as we learned from some folks last week and this happens every year - sometimes those who havenāt committed get lucky and get the - guess what - weāve got even more aid for you!!!
Itās not frequent but it happens.
So one is better to wait in some senses - unless a school has no merit aid or ties housing to acceptance timing etc. Just in caseā¦moreso for privates than publics.
My daughter had narrowed it down to five schools and we just took one off the list this week. It was the most affordable, top academic school, but after visiting on Tuesday and meeting with the department for her major, and her shadowing a student, we all realized the school wasnāt a good fit for her major, film. We are visiting her second most affordable school this weekend and I stressed to D that she needs to keep an open mind.
True. But itās also a disincentive for poor families to send their kids there.
This whole discussion is being undertaken by people who can totally afford multiple housing and enrollment deposits, even if they donāt like it.
My issue with the practice is the people who canāt. And if your mission is allegedly educating a population that has a sizable number of families who canāt, then having such a policy means that youāre not doing your job.
Interesting you say this - because some of these schools that do this have been accused of āmarketingā to the wealthy - i.e. on their OOS school visits, they visit the strongest school districts - of which others argue are predominantly rich and white.
I personally donāt like the practice of having to place a housing deposit early or even enroll to get on a housing wait list- but I get to choose where I consume and I donāt.
But again, no one has to pay the deposit. If they choose not to attend because of that, they then made a choice not to attend. Iāll be sitting in a middle seat on the airplane next month because I chose not to pay the fee.
If they attend, the school costs the same, if theyād deposited or not.
I see your point - but I donāt see this as a disincentive - but if a kid sees it that way, then theyāre free to make that choice.
The kid without the ability to afford - likely will choose the less expensive dorm anyway - and those will still be available.
I hate to sound snobbish - but education is no different than other parts of the economy - the wealthy have benefits that others donātā¦but at least everyone ultimately is playing in the same sandbox.
2023 RESULTS POST
I am waaaay behind on this thread and eager to catch up on everyoneās journeys. But for now Iāll drop this here:
Daughter has chosen to attend University of Rhode Island. It came down to URI or UMass Amherst. Loved both - UMass was beyond impressive but her heart felt joyful and peaceful at URI. She chose it for the People, the Fun, and the Beach community vibe. Especially the people.
Stats: 3.9 UW GPA, Test Optional, 1 Honors, 1 AP
OUTLIER: Has life threatening medical condition: Missed Entire Junior Year, PLUS Covid closures. Has Accomodations and did lots of Credit Retrieval and had much lighter rigor than she would have if healthy.
Rural West Coast Public High School. 25% of graduates enroll in 4 year colleges.
ECās - Average to Good but no leadership: Niche Club sport with National Medal, Advanced Choirs, Rotary Interact Club, French Club, Musical Theater, Volunteered every summer with community group - even during Covid. In all groups for 4-7 years (with interruptions from Covid and health issues)
Essays - She chose not to have anyone proofread them. So they were def in her voice and unique in that way. In her school she is a way above average writer. Teachers love her - good LORās.
Intended major: Bio or similar (but NOT pre med - wants research and academia)
Not eligible for any type of need based aid - not even institution aid from our one CSS school.
ACCEPTED - All state schools are OOS, Applied EA whenever possible
University of Puget Sound - 30k Merit
University of Denver - 28k Merit
Colorado State - WUE 10k discount
University of Minnesota Twin Cities - 15k Merit
Michigan State - 10k Merit plus study abroad stipend
Western Michigan University - No merit
University of Delaware - 10k Merit
SUNY Binghamton - 10k Merit
University of Maine - 19,200 Merit
University of New Hampshire - 10k Merit
University of Connecticut - No Merit
University of Massachusetts Amherst - 12k Merit
Wheaton College MA - 40k Merit, plus 3500 study abroad stipend
Salve Regina University - 30k Merit
University of Rhode Island - 12k Merit - ATTENDING
REJECTED
University of Washington Seattle - In state
So itās cool if higher education perpetuates existing inequities?
I mean, I know itās a widely held position, Iām just kind of shocked to see it actually stated explicitly.
I didnāt say that.
But I am not the school and these are businesses - and they have to run the way that works best for them. Even state funded schools are businesses.
And the reality in life is the inequities are perpetuated.
Some go to sporting eventsā¦some canāt. Some eat out 3x or 5x a week because the food is grossā¦some canāt. They are building these luxurious apartments near campus nicer than my house. Some have to live further away in dumps. Some go on Spring Break trips. Others have to work their part time job.
Some buy books (or rent now). Some have to check out from the library.
Again, if a student wants to attend a school that guarantees housing, they will be able to do so whether they placed an early deposit or not. If itās a school where you deposit or donāt get on the list and then itās too late (like a UF), they can perhaps talk to the schoolā¦or they follow the rules and if thatās why they decide to leave, then UF is penalized - they lost a butt in seat.
So itās not just the schoolās action - which I said I donāt love if anything happens before May 1st - but itās also the student partaking in the action. Did the student have to deposit to attend and reside on campus?
Weāre on a chat board having, hopefully mature discussion, so yes I put it out there. When we hide behind the curtain, then weāre not having true dialect.
Again, I didnāt say I agreed with it - but I also agree a business can run as they want (within laws) and there is an option for the student to engage at no cost and no penalty - theyāll still have a room and food (it just might not be as desirable a room).
Public collegesāwhich is whatās primarily under discussion hereāare most emphatically not businesses. Saying that they should or do function as businesses is quite simply false.
(And most private colleges donāt really function the ways we think of a regular business functioning either, but the gulf isnāt as wide.)
