UA CC parents

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
41

<p>Interesting thread. I have been aggressive with deadlines and CC research for really only one reason, and I have one terribly personal anecdote about what can go wrong. </p>

<p>(BTW: I came here because I needed to, I stayed because it’s fun.)</p>

<p>First, it’s a high stakes game now, and it’s a lot more complicated that it used to be. When I went to school, other than sending my scores to the right colleges, it was a very straightforward process to get into a top school (I went to Univ. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Physics). The application was no more complicated than your average job application. Now, over an 8 month period starting about now, each month there are two or three key family and student decisions that have to be made/filed/entered/whatever, or bad things happen. </p>

<p>Which brings me to my anecdote. I have a good friend with a child my son’s age. The child has a stellar high school record, high grade point, honors, latin. Way better on paper than my kiddo. But they went the other way, and left it to the child to take ownership of the process. By any objective measure, this child should be in pre-vet or biology, with a full or substantial scholarship. Instead, she’s looking for a job, undecided about community college, and thinking about next year.</p>

<p>Will it make a difference in 20 years? Don’t know. But my kid is in the right place to be successful, if he chooses success.</p>

42

<p>When, when DD was in G&T third grade at a “good” public school, one classmate nearly choked another ( I mean “to death”) on the playground without a teacher noticing…I made the decision to move her to private school with , among other things, a smaller teacher/student ratio. She was (marginally) consulted and after the entrance testing and interview, was delighted to go, and she rose to the challenge and did very well without much prompting from us.</p>

<p>After consistantly earning high stats and top honors, in her junior year I started looking at possible options and found CC, and ultimately, BAMA ( God Bless M2CK, et al) and, somewhat famously, to the grief of our giant poodles BOOMER and NORMAN, she opted to change her expected path from the familial favorite OU, to Alabama. As she was in the midst of a chock-full senior year, I watched the deadlines and paid the deposits. </p>

<p>Is she happy about it? I dare say: SHE IS THRILLED.</p>

<p>And, just like in third grade, I helped find her a place that was a “fit”. And, just like back then, I expect she will run with it. And succeed. </p>

<p>Because SHE HAS SET HER OWN BAR AT A HIGH LEVEL.</p>

<p>I just literally set it up.</p>