<p>I love that CC is frequented by intelligent, informed, and compassionate people. </p>
<p>I love laughing out loud at clever posts.</p>
<p>I love not feeling alone in my obsessiveness about my D's college application process.</p>
<p>I love 'talking' about topics I am fascinated by with like-minded souls, when my own family rolls their eyes. </p>
<p>I love getting 10 different thoughtful opinions on a thorny issue that I am struggling with-- within 1 hour. </p>
<p>I love being able to help someone if I know the answer to their question or have an idea for their dilemma. </p>
<p>I love that we can be friends to one another through an incredibly tense and trying time-- it's a time during which we really need friends, but due to the nature of the application process, not always our IRL friends!</p>
<p>I love getting first hand info about schools I have never seen in states I have never visited from people whose sex/age/name I do not know.</p>
<p>I love connecting with impressive, candid, warm-hearted kids from around the USA; it gives me faith in the future of our country!</p>
<p>I love how the back and forth on a tough issue helps me crystallize my own thoughts and deepen my convictions.</p>
<p>As a single mom, not wanting to put undue pressure on her only child, DD, cc has given me an outlet to voice my fears, my anxieties and joy when I couldn't with my D. It has also given me the opportunity to see that others are in the same boat, (everyone around here is thinking UT or A&M) and we can share because of our common bond. It gave me a comfort zone when there was none at home. And it is addictive!</p>
<p>Mini, thanks for starting this, and SBmom, you are right on target. In fact, you all are.</p>
<p>I also like the fact that I learn about interesting articles that are printed in the Boston Globe, Atlanta Constitution, Washington Post, and all the other papers that don't show up on my doorstep, as well as a whole range of periodicals and journals that I don't typically read. Sure I could read them online, but I don't. And then, thanks to a generous poster who spotted an article that might be of interest here, I can surf over to read it with ease.</p>
<p>Then the discussion follows, amongst interested, passionate, funny and knowledgable people. What more could one want?</p>
<p>I also like that I can post a big question (have we left out any schools we shouldn't have) or a little one (does question #12a on the Fafsa really mean...) and get a number of friendly and knowledgeable answers very quickly. Every time my H and my S accuse me of "wasting" time on CC, I remind them of all the times someone here provided advice or info that was critical at the time, or turned out to have a huge impact on the process and its results. And since I enjoy the process of writing and of connecting, posting info for another's benefit gives me pleasure too. </p>
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I also like the fact that I learn about interesting articles that are printed in the Boston Globe, Atlanta Constitution, Washington Post, and all the other papers that don't show up on my doorstep, as well as a whole range of periodicals and journals that I don't typically read. Sure I could read them online, but I don't. And then, thanks to a generous poster who spotted an article that might be if interest here, I can surf over to read it with ease.
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Yes, this is key. CC is the Drudgereport or the Instapundit (or pick your blog) of college research. It's an invaluable way to quickly get updated on what's out there. I'm an information junkie, always have been. I like the people, too.</p>
<p>I'm a two plus year junkie. CC saw me through the whole process - from my early posts, "Will a well-ranked university be too much pressure and not enough fun?" to "differences between LACS and universities", "application snafus" to "Help, the recommendations never showed up!" to "Will we be able to pay for college?" to, "Contratulations! Post your acceptances here" to "Hooray, they are Graduating from High school!" to "XL sheets mattress pads and bed risers" to "We dropped her off at college and cried all the way home" to "dealing with an empty nest" to "readjusting to your student over Xmas break" to "summer jobs and internships for students"... Sending a kid to college is NOT just about sending a kid to college... it's about a whole change of life as a parent, and as a family. CC has been a support through it all.</p>
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<p>Now I've even gotten information on where to send my singing dog, Coco!!<<</p>
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<p>Don't know if it is officially allowed, but dogs regularly attend classes at UC Davis when I was there. It's a vet school campus, so animals of all sorts are usually tolerated. Some girls, however, put their feet down over a guy who kept bringing his big constrictor snake to class draped around his neck.</p>
<p>I love the intelligent discourse, the incredible and vast amount of collective wisdom, the differences of opinion that make me really think, and when you guys tease me about my screen name. ;)</p>
<p>Because Ive lived outside of America for 15 years now, I relish the opportunity to converse with so many of my countrymen and women. I certainly wouldnt call this group an average cross-section it is far too educated and articulate. However, I think the posters here do present a cross-section of cultural and political thought which is stimulating and intriguing. And in many cases as funny as all get out!</p>
<p>My son went through the college process before I started reading this board. It was a long and lonely journey for me and Im delighted to have the chance in a small way to try to defer some of the anxiety of families just embarking. My son is now enjoying a wonderfully fulfilling (not perfect, ok?) college experience and again, Im delighted to have the chance to steer others to the same kind of happiness. </p>
<p>I often mentally compare the information shared on this board to the classes that my husband and I took before our son was born. We learned how to breathe and everything else involved in a normal delivery, but as it turned out over half of the parents in the group delivered by C-section. And once we had that squirmy little creature in our arms we didnt have a clue how to bathe him. To be less opaque, CC can help with the practical, the mundane as well as the philosophical and lofty</p>
<p>I love the American cross-section of ideas. Just love it. And boy did this site help me help my son with his college process. I didn't have a clue from SATs to visiting. I didn't know anything about Midwestern schools, Fafsa, CCS, Scholarships! I love this place. My son just got word that he received a scholarship that pays for his education. I am a single mom, a teacher and I took my son overseas to get a good education. He has. We had nothing to lose: pack up 5 suitcases and leave the rest behind. It hasn't always been easy. The voices here are partially responsible for our good fortune. I try to tell other students and parents I know about this treasure. I don't know if they use it or not. I'll be here for the next year to help a friend's daughter. More on that later.</p>
<p>The thing I love most about CC (and there are many things!) is that I can find fascinating, insightful bits of knoweldge to relate to my two teens. Three+ years ago (when I started lurking) neither of them was too interested in college. Now the first thing I hear from them at dinner is "what did you learn on CC today?" This forum has given us the "scoop" on college admissions and on "fit" one small bite at a time: exactly what we needed.</p>
<p>I have to say, I am one of those high school students guilty of trespassing. Members of the Parents Forum(s) consistently deliver quality content. It's refreshing after a day at the High School tap.</p>
<p>I have enjoyed spending time on this board and learning so much about colleges I've never heard of. During my DD's senior year this board was a constant source of information and support. I still have an upcoming junior, looking at college for 2007-08 acceptance somewhere. Hopefully, I can keep in contact with Carolyn, and all of the others who give so graciously of their knowledge. This one will be much more trying as she has really not embraced the need for all of the EC's, testing, etc. which can lead to acceptances rather than rejections. At least she has good, not great, grades. Thanks again for all the support from people on this forum.</p>
<p>My wife says, "are you goin' at it with Mini, again?" To which I respond, "are you kiddin' me? Goin' at it with Mini is terrific fun." Heck, what fun is a spirited discussion if it's not spirited? As a laid back southern prep school kid, I probably wouldn't have found that out if I hadn't gone to school and worked with a bunch of New Yorkers. Bostonians like to mix it up pretty good, too.</p>
<p>I like that the parents here keep a balance between helping their kids and being interesting people themselves. </p>
<p>I'm a mom myself, as many don't realize from my "handle," but I like that there are men and women here. </p>
<p>I appreciate people's efforts to build mutual respect. </p>
<p>I enjoy following the adventures of the various students, both those who post and those whose parents post. When my kids were applying, I learned a lot here, and I try, in turn, to share info with students who post. </p>
<p>With a d planning on law school, I appreciate the comments from ariesathena and Hanna. </p>
<p>I think my own posts are probably somewhat boring a lot of the time, because I promised my kids I would do nothing to identify them on these boards, and so unlike, say, Susan from Vermont or TheDad, I minimize or blur information about them. I do appreciate hearing about others' offspring! </p>
<p>Reading what I just wrote, I forgot to say that I believe that if one reads regularly and absorbs, it is the most realistic source of info I am aware of on how to choose appropriate schools and get into them. In my nonvirtual life I am often amazed at the places people apply, because thanks to cc I know they have next to no chance of admission.</p>
<p>Good post, Mini. I very much enjoy the discussions of the politics of higher education, also.</p>