Same! I had a 4 year hiatus with the college planning between D18 and S23 but feel like I have to just jump right back in with D25 as she is entering junior year. Also she is strongly considering trying to be a recruited athlete, as well as just looking at the college for academics. So her application net is even wider (with extra layers) than the other two! She is undecided on academics, whereas the other two knew what direction they wanted to go in. Fortunately she’s had a chance to tour a few colleges when we took S23 so at least there’s that. Unfortunately, like the other two, she likes it all - small or large, city or college town, strong athletics or not … leaning towards LAC but possibly medical. I just hope it’s the longest two years of my life as she’s my last!
I love this phrase “I just hope it’s the longest two years of my life as she’s my last!”
I’m a bit sentimental and it’s my first go around!
D25 is starting to limit colleges:
*>2000ish
*Prefers a college town (this is relative, but she likes boba and thrift shops, so if she can optimize for that, she will)
*Really does not like a drinking atmosphere. She gets that “all” colleges have parties/alcohol, but we just visited my husband’s alma mater for his college reunion this weekend, and she was really turned off by the amount of alcohol openly consumed. (It was reunion weekend, and kegs are set up shockingly early; this would not be the norm. She knows this, and given that her dad is a teetotaler and loved his experience there, she is likely to still apply, but her response made it clear that she would prefer to not attend schools known to be party schools.)
*Doesn’t love the Greek system. It’s less about “Greek” and more about exclusivity/rushing, so a place like Davidson would likely be fine, but I’m less sure about the culture fit of some of the bigger Greek southern schools. I think she might die if some of the stereotypes about new rushing wardrobes and Moms coming down to help out with Rush are true.
This is very similar to my daughter’s wishes. But we’re in the midwest so she would like to stay within in a few hours drive. The farthest college we’re looking at is Dordt University which is about 9 hours drive away. Everywhere else is within about 3 hours drive.
If she liked Davidson, maybe consider Emory University. Our S23 also like Davidson but is going to Emory starting at the Oxford College campus for two years. It’s <2000 but then you move to the Emory ATL campus junior year which is larger and in the city vs being 40minutes outside of the city in a quaint little college town. While he doesn’t have first hand knowledge quite yet (just tours and admitted students day forums) he is very excited about the whole experience. He’s a compsci/math major who also likes boba and thrifting! He also isn’t a drinker or really into Greek life… just hoping to have a chance to do research and get some leadership roles on his resume… we will see!
For the first time school has done a next year course preview to show students what their assigned courses are. Typically they dont find out if they got their selected electives until just before school start which results in chaos.
D25 was thrilled to see she got most of her choices! She has potential interest in working in law enforcement or criminology of some type. She will have…
AP Psych
English 11
Anatomy and Physiology
Forensic Science
Accelerated Algebra 2
ACT Skills and Strategies (1st semester only, they do in school ACT in March and she is a low scorer around 15-19 on her preACT so she asked for this elective)
She is taking an online Health and her history requirement of American Issues in summer. She dropped Spanish as she has 3 years of it and although she was born in a Spanish speaking country, she really struggles with language! My Spanish comprehension and ability to speak it is better sadly. She hopes to maybe do an immersive experience in the future to gain more competency in her “native” language. She knows people will see her and assume she speaks Spanish. She also knows that our school does not have the strongest Spanish program so she is moving on.
The only snafu seems to be that they did not assign her any of her requested single semester electives for 2nd semester and she has 2 study halls. I have emailed her guidance counselor and asked if they could add something there for 1 of those open spots. She’s pretty open to electives. She understands her junior year schedule should not have that many gaps.
I just entered in her dance schedule into my calendar and I am exhausted already just looking at it. She is again doing both the high school dance team AND a competitive team. Both are “upping their competitive game” so to speak with extra practices and competitions. This of course equal more money, more miles on my car, and less sleep for me!
My daughter will start looking more this summer. We have a week of school left.
Valpraiso may end up on my daughters list. Nice campus. Solid programs. Sports but not overly sporty. Overall “nice kids.” Close by to all the big name stores but has a few small town shops as well.
I"m glad she got to see her schedule. My D put her requests in and won’t know for sure until July maybe. If there was a big issue I think we would have heard but that isn’t for sure.
Almost done with sophomore year here. Just finals next week. Monday will be the hardest as she has Chemistry and Biomed. Biomed is dual enrollment and it’s more like a standardized test that her teacher has nothing to do with.
Her English teacher is letting them bring in an outline for their essay that can pretty much be the entire essay without transition words. Spanish should be easy and they are allowed a printer sized paper with equations for Pre-Calc.
Teens. Now added to the list of requirements in a college is you have to be able to find a youtube video of their dance team.
Shh, @2plustrio ! If my daughter hears this, I’ll be forced to find a video for every ballet club in the country!
I got her list down to 33 schools to start looking at this summer. Not every school meets the youtube requirement though. 
How did you cull so well? Would you mind walking me through your process? Because D25 isn’t putting any geographic constraints yet and has eliminated only small (<2k) and schools with undefined campuses, the number of options is huge. I’d love to hear/see other people’s funnels.
Is she complaining about video quality yet? Or technique? Both?
Haha. Spot on. “Why is this girl in front? Shes not pointing her toes on her turns!!!”
My daughter will be applying for mostly Tuition Exchange schools. S19 is adulting and figuring life out which may involve him heading back to school sometime. S22 will hopefully still be in college. So money will be very tight!
She has low stats and will be likely going test optional so that matters as well.
She has toured a few schools with big bro and there are things shes said she prefers. Baldwin Wallace and Gustavus Adolphus were a no for felt too small and too much like home. Stetson was a no because felt too preppy druggie. She didnt mind Jacksonville U. But thought LoyNo and NOLA in general were too gritty and smelled too much like pot.
I dont think she will find her unicorn which is a not too big school in a suburban (or maybe urban) area that feels safe but not too rural, a defined campus that is pretty and not dirty, solid diversity in its students, criminology/criminal justice/forensics/social service or social work type major, and either a dance minor or dance team. Oh, and “good” school colors and a dance team video are now bonuses I guess. Lots of schools on the list dont meet all her criteria.
- Samford
- Sacred Heart U
- Quinnipiac U
- U of Delaware
- Catholic U of America
- Palm Beach Atlantic U
- Mercer U
- Bellarmine U
- Stevenson U
- Dean College
- Endicott College
- Emmanuel College
- Lindenwood U
- Rockhurst U
- St. Louis U
- Creighton U
- Seton Hall U
- Fordham U
- Hofstra U
- Juniata U
- Salve Regina U
- Southern Methodist U
- U of St. Thomas-TX
- Dominican
- Butler
- Florida Southern
- St. Mary’s TX
- Barry
- St. Thomas FL
- University of St. Thomas MN
- Xavier
- Ohio Northern
Other Schools to consider:
- U of Minnesota
- Ball State
That’s quite a list! Good luck whittling it down over the next year. Does seem like some really good schools on there. I’m keeping a running list for music Ed and adding/subtracting schools based on finances and GPA. Our EFC jumped this year so now some schools just won’t meet what I think I need or offer enough merit for an average student. Hoping for music merit to get close though. Are you going to visit some of these this summer?
She will start to whittle it this summer for sure. Plus we know a few are out of reach academically.
Shyly admits I am strongly considering letting D25 miss her first day of junior year to move her brother into college. She really wants to go and we doesnt feel comfortable being alone at home with us 12 hours away.
I’d be ok with that one day missing. It’s usually just formalities and maybe handing in summer work. Sounds like a great reason to skip