<p>My D’s stats aren’t as good as IL mom’s 
so no shoo-in but I appreciate hearing what y’all have to say. Cross fingers please!</p>
<p>sujormik! I sent you a PM a while back, hope all is well? Re the Singer/Stamps, I have heard the same thing dumbo11 said from several people - all the invited kids have great stats, so it starts as a level playing field, but actually winning one of the scholarships is all about the interview, which your D will shine at! Mine tends to get super nervous and clams up in that kind of situation :(</p>
<p>Illinoismom - </p>
<p>Yes, when we went down to Florida for Spring Break his junior year, we visited the school. I’d find it hard to imagine that anyone would choose NOT to go there after a visit, but it is possible. BTW, my son also applied and was accepted to U of I. He received the Chancellor’s Scholarship, one of only 700 incoming freshmen. You know what they offered him? $500 for the year - our state is really broke!!! However, a classmate of his did receive a full tuition scholarship through the Engineering school, as you mentioned.</p>
<p>As far as your daughter getting nervous in interviews, I just have one piece of advice for you.
Practice. Have her speak in public as much as possible over these next few months. It really does help, and, it’s something that she will always need.</p>
<p>Thanks VHdad! D is getting a bit of practice in public speaking/interviewing this year, as President of one club and VP of another she has been forced to speak in front of groups all year for the first time so that has helped a little. I think she is most nervous about a one on one interview situation where she’ll be asked difficult questions and have to scramble for answers off the top of her head. We’ll have her practice some more interview skills 
</p>
<p>Her only other college interview so far was at Wash U and ended up being with a current student since there were an incredible number of applicants there over Columbus Day weekend when we visited and they were calling in all sorts of students to help out with the interviews. Some kids interviewed with a regular admissions rep and some with students and it was fun to watch the interviewers enter the big room and call out a prospective student’s name - the interviewers would alternate between women in business suits and girls in cuff off mid-riff tops : ) We were trying to decide which option would be better while waiting with D! She did get a student and said it was just fine but from what I have heard about Wash U, the interview is just a formality, a way to show interest.</p>
<p>Hi ilmom, all fine here, just had computer crap ongoing :-(. Let’s try to get the girls together!</p>
<p>That would be great, sujormik - D and her boyfriend just broke up on Saturday and she is just heartbroken. Our break started today and I’d love to get her to put the books down (she’s sitting on the couch right now moping about that boy while working on all the winter break assignments of course), get out of the house and have some fun to take her mind off things! Of course she also has to work on the common app essays for Northwestern and Wash U, but she seems to have no desire to do those. I really think it’s either going to be Miami or Minnesota. Anything good news from Pitt? I’ve been crossing my fingers for
you : )</p>
<p>Any chance for my son? 33 ACT, 4.62 GPA but has some national honors in competitions.
I am surprised really bright kids here have to jump through hoops while many marginal players in sports get a full ride. Anyway, any info will help. Anyone got letters, what dates do they do this?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I just noticed that both websites are now up and running for this year’s Singer and Stamps Scholarship weekends:</p>
<p>[Isaac</a> Bashevis Singer Scholarship Weekend](<a href=“http://www6.miami.edu/scholarships/singercompetition/index.htm]Isaac”>http://www6.miami.edu/scholarships/singercompetition/index.htm)</p>
<p>and </p>
<p><a href=“https://www6.miami.edu/scholarships/stamps/index.htm[/url]”>https://www6.miami.edu/scholarships/stamps/index.htm</a></p>
<p>Guess that pretty much confirms March 2-3 for Stamps/Singer and March 23-24 for Singer. I clicked the RSVP links - maybe you could just RSVP for the Stamps illinoismom
and they wouldn’t notice whether you’d been formally invited!!
One more week…
~Zinc</p>
<p>Zinc, if you have any suggestions for trying to make this week go by faster, I’d love to hear them, haha. I feel like I’m going to be getting a lot less sleep than I normally do this next week :P</p>
<p>LOL! While that’s pretty tempting, Zinc, I think we’re just going to have to hold out for one more week : ) D is poring over a print-out of the schedule right now and wishing it was next Friday already…</p>
<p>What hotel did you choose last year? It looks as if they have added a hotel? I see four hotels on this year’s list of suggested hotels, weren’t there three last year?</p>
<p>@MB444 - you have to pretend that you’ve been invited and begin planning all the details of your trip there - hotel, plane, car, packing lists, restaurants to eat dinner Sat night, etc - it will keep you busy for awhile.</p>
<p>@IM93 - we didn’t stay at any of the suggested hotels. We tried a Hampton in Dadeland - pretty average for a Hampton, but it was close to drive (~15 min), right next to Dadeland Station and was very inexpensive. We knew the manager from a prior visit to UM, so he gave us a deal. However, next time we go I wanted to stay at this place: [MIAMI</a> Hotels - Hotel Indigo Hotels MIAMI DADELAND Hotel in MIAMI | Best Price Guarantee or First Night Free](<a href=“http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/hotelindigo/hotels/us/en/miami/miakd/hoteldetail]MIAMI”>http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/hotelindigo/hotels/us/en/miami/miakd/hoteldetail)
Indigo’s are part of the Holiday Inn group.</p>
<p>Also, there are a bunch of hotels that offer discounts for UM families or folks visiting - check this out:
<a href=“https://www6.miami.edu/travel/Hotels-Local/2011/Local-Hotels-2011.htm[/url]”>https://www6.miami.edu/travel/Hotels-Local/2011/Local-Hotels-2011.htm</a>
Depending on your budget, I hear the Biltmore is THE place to stay!
I have heard that the one to avoid is the Holiday Inn right across the street from campus - while very very convenient the property is much in need of a makeover. Just from the rumor mill however - I’m sure others will tell you it is just fine.
~Zinc</p>
<p>Thanks so much, Zinc! The Hotel Indigo negotiated rate for UMiami is very attractive - $104 - and the hotel has very good reviews. But the U doesn’t have it listed as a location for the scholarship weekend shuttle buses… I’m wondering if that was an oversight (since it is on the list of four hotels they recommend for the weekend) or if there really won’t be shuttle service provided by the U to and from the Indigo…The Courtyard and Marriott are the only two that appear to offer the free airport shuttle as well as being serviced by the U’s shuttle buses to and from the weekend events. Did you rent a car or drive down last year?</p>
<p>Yeah, I’m not surprised there is no shuttle service to/from the Indigo. We rented a car. We wanted to be able to do a few non-UM things while we were there and for the $120 or so for 2 1/2 days, it was worth it to us. </p>
<p>It’s about 1600+ miles for us to drive (further for you from Chicago!), which we did on drop off week last August. It was a haul, but we made some fun stops along the way - all planned by our daughter, then Mom and I flew home.<br>
~Zinc</p>
<p>Just spent the weekend in Miami visiting my daughter. I am thrilled…she definitely chose the right school. It was so fun to meet her friends. She just joined a sorority and couldn’t be happier. As a P100, she is excited for the scholarship invitations to go out. IllinoisMom, I would avoid the Courtyard. Hotel was clean but very stuffy (ie the air conditioning system wasn’t ideal). At least that was my daughter’s input.</p>
<p>Also, if you can rent a car it will be easier to check out the surrounding area. Try and make it to sunset, Merrick place and the grove. I always book from car rentals.com. Avoid thrifty…they add on for everything.</p>
<p>Zinc and Dumbo11, thanks so much for the hotel info! Dumbo11, I will definitely look into car rentals at carrentals.com since we would like to stay for 3 days in order to really get a really good feel for the school and the surrounding area, and the prices seem very reasonable. That would give us more flexibility re hotel selection, but I’m wondering if most of the scholarship weekend attendees do choose one of the hotels served by the shuttles? </p>
<p>I was picturing groups of people chatting away in the lobby while waiting for the bus to arrive and forming life-long bonds during bus rides with raucous renditions of 100 bottles of beer on the wall, etc, then all heading out to dinner together on Saturday night after the closing presentation, and I didn’t want us to be left out if everyone else was riding the “party bus” : P </p>
<p>It sounds as if you did just fine at the Hampton Inn, Zinc, and the Indigo also looks very nice and has a parking lot and their own shuttle to and from the U. Since you said you’d pick it next time, I’m assuming you’ve heard good things about the Indigo?</p>
<p>Dumbo11, I just read several negative reviews about the Courtyard location on tripadvisor, sounds as if they are still using window ac units that aren’t quite up to the job : ( Also saw lots of complaints about valet only parking situation at that location. That’s great news about your daughter’s continued happiness at the U! I am certainly hoping we get that invite and a chance to meet her, perhaps on one of the tours the P100s lead : )</p>
<p>illinoismom - haven’t heard anything first hand about this particular Indigo location, but I have a friend whose wife works for the Intercontinental group and she has told him that they are all nice. And, tripadvisor reviews are mostly positive for this location.</p>
<p>Can’t comment on missing out on the party bus, but I didn’t hear any buzz from the other parents we met. You could always stay at one of the shuttle hotels, but still rent a car so you had the option to ride the bus or drive yourself as you got a better feel for what fit your family’s style.</p>
<p>We usually rent from National - joined their Emerald program a few years ago and have had great luck putting in various discount and coupon codes. I find a lot from this Disney site: [MouseSavers.com</a> - National Rental Car Discount Info - Car Rental Coupons](<a href=“http://www.mousesavers.com/national.html]MouseSavers.com”>http://www.mousesavers.com/national.html)</p>
<p>You basically pay for a midsized car but as an Emerald member can take any one in the “Emerald Aisle” - last 2 times we have had either a premium sedan or an SUV - no uptick in price - and of course, you go straight to the parking garage - no counter line or sales agent to deal with. Works for us anyway.
~Zinc</p>
<p>This past year we stayed at the Holiday Inn accross the street from U Of Miami for Stamps weekend, when we moved my S into the dorm in August, and parent’s weekend. We had no issues with the hotel. Very convenient, and the U of Miami room rates were very competitive (and lower than AAA rates).</p>
<p>Thanks so much Zinc and racquetdad! Just four more days to wait and if we do get lucky and the invite appears in D’s email on Friday, we’ll be scrambling to get all these hotel and transportation arrangements made : )</p>