Loved your DS’s reaction to the Hartwick PS5 giveaway. That kid is going places!
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@RockySoil and I don’t think one of those places is Hartwick 
Don’t get me wrong, this kid loves himself some swag. In fact a simple pencil Wichita State sent after admission became his favorite pencil and he used it down to the nub–I swear it’s one of the reasons he kept saying he wanted to visit the school. But as human beings we know when something is crossing the line from “hey, here’s something that says you’re one of us” to “please, please, please how do you like us now” territory.
It’s a really tough marketing switch colleges need to make from attracting applications to driving yield. I don’t envy them.
(I also don’t know what I’m going to do with the separate box of swag from Hartwick that was waiting when we got back from our trip this weekend. Six different items in it.)
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This is one of my favorite threads… Please post when he decides.
You did a fantastic job supporting him and guiding him through this process-inspiring
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So glad it went well. But also that he’s taking his time to think it through and isnt swayed by gadgets. 
Swag: Perhaps donate it to the HS Counseling office?
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A surprise email last night. Accepted at Xavier. Truly a shock to get it because he was legit waitlisted there with a letter that said “we’ll let you know in May.” Perhaps they’re looking at mid-year grades for those on the waitlist too–allows them to drop some without mention and pick up a few as admits as they refine that list?
No matter–cause for celebration around here. This school was a true reach for him and he’d put Xavier out of his mind in November after a rapid waitlist response so we haven’t talked yet about whether he’ll want to investigate the school further. Right now he’s just thrilled that he can say he was accepted at the rival school to his brother’s uni. 
That matters too.
And they awarded $16K/year in merit. Very nice bonus.
@EconPop I remember when he heard from Xavier you shared your son’s story with early responses from schools and said most turned out well. You were so right.
This brings him officially to 7-1-1. Still waiting on the deferral from College of Charleston but really only out of curiosity now.
@MYOS1634 interesting idea on the swag. I’ll check in to see if they’ll accept it.
@Teach14 I’m so glad the story is meaningful for you. The story means a lot to me but, of course, he’s my kid.
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Congrats on so much success for your son!
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I just checked back in on this thread today. So happy for him that he got into Xavier. Also happy that he’s wise enough to realize what may be going on at Hartwick.
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Xavier v. Roanoke, the fight is on! 
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Sharing financial news this morning. Hope this is helpful for anyone with younger students following this thread.
As I mentioned earlier, one of the things we’re very aware of is that Roanoke offered a financial aid package that made it very competitive with other schools but none of that money was in a merit award. This means every year it would be re-evaluated as our financial situation shifts and we’re concerned that after S21’s first year we’re back to one kid in school and, potentially, a big shift in cost at Roanoke.
I’m a big advocate of the “it never hurts to ask” school of thought and so yesterday we sent a letter to Roanoke admissions outlining how much he’d enjoyed his visit and that as S21 was making his final decision we were also thinking through financial implications and needed to check in to see if there was the potential for him to earn his way into merit once at the school. That Roanoke was the only school he’d been accepted to that hadn’t awarded him merit money. The response came in a matter of hours.
He was on the cusp of a merit award previously and, based on his great senior year performance, if he’s able to maintain that performance for the rest of the year (~3.2) they will shift $19K of the financial aid award to a merit award. Big news for us. Provides strong incentive for S21 to keep on keeping on as senior year finishes up and starts next year vs. something he has to earn into in college. Obviously it’s something he’d have to work to keep.
So the moral of the story? Ask. The worst that happens is that they say no and you are exactly where you were in the first place. Best that happens is you receive a reply even more positive than expected.
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So exciting for your son! Agree with a previous poster. This is the best thread I have run across on CC.
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I know there’s many who have those top notch high performing kids. But let’s be real, many of us are trying to figure out college options for our kids with 3.5 or under. We need to normalize that kids can be awesome and smart and not be at the top of their class.
Seeing only 4.0 student stats and parents with no budgets can make some feel unworthy. I’d rather this forum make all persons who want information about college feel welcome, not just the elite.
Could we create a “normal kids” forum topic category for the 3.5 and under great kids?
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AMEN to that!!! I am an elementary teacher and all my students are great regardless of their “state test score”.
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There are multiple active threads for Parent of the HS Class of 20xx 3.0-3.4 GPA. in the past (over a year ago) there were threads for B and C students, though i haven’t seen any of those lately (except for this this thread).
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Well, this one has a ton of really beneficial and encouraging information for kids and families with sub 3.5 GPAs. I wish the title were more specific, so that in future others who need this info could find it.
@parentologist I agree and that is a good suggestion. A new topic could be created with a clear title and the opening post could include an explanation and an embedded link to this topic… just an idea.
@ububumble Thank you for sharing your son’s journey. I’m so excited for his many wonderful options!
@kidzncatz Why is it that lower stat kids are a relegated to a couple threads when high stat kids can make new posts and receive a hundred responses in just a day or two? When a 3.6, 1250 SAT kid asks for college suggestions, he might get 5 responses, a 4.0, 1500 SAT kid will ask the same question and the thread will have tons of responses. It’s frustrating as the site can be intimidating for non tippy-top kids and their parents.
@ububumble this has been a great thread and I wish your son great success. I’m secretly rooting for Roanoke as I really liked it when we visited. Thought it would have been a great place for my D.
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Good question, but I think you’re right. I think CC’s typical poster is a higher stats student or the parent of such a student. I’d guess those posters know more or at least care more about elite schools and/or merit scholarships for top students. The Parents of the Class of 20xx 3.0-3.4 and similar threads are great for those of us with kids who are less than stellar students. I’d like to see more threads like this one, which did get a lot of interest and responses.
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Thanks all for the suggestion. I just opened a new thread with a link to this one.
So interesting how our own experience drives our perspective. For me, even a thread talking about 3.0-3.4 was intimidating. Never mind the idea of a 3.6. At that GPA the world is your oyster. We started this journey at a 2.5. With no honors/AP classes. This is beyond less than stellar, this is someone who struggled at some point in high school.
I remember the one thread I found useful to me when I was lurking was an old thread for B and C students. Having the letter C in that title mattered to me. At that point, it wasn’t the schools I was particularly interested in, it was the idea that options could exist. All I’ve ever wanted for him was options.
I so appreciate being able to celebrate each little win with you all on this thread. We don’t talk about any of this beyond family IRL.
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I liked the old B and C student threads, too. Glad to see that you’ve started a new thread for such students and their parents. My D22 sort of fits into this category. Although her overall GPA is solidly in the B range, her high grades are her vo-tech grades, the lower ones academic ones. She also doesn’t do well on standardized tests: average in reading/English, much lower in math. And she wants to be a nurse! Such a challenge to find a school where she has a chance at admission and may be able to succeed.
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LOVE that.
(the short version is the Montessori philosophy that ‘challenging but achievable builds competence and confidence’)
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