<p>wish,</p>
<p>I am SO thrilled that your son has made his decision and that he has chosen such a PERFECT school for his major. That it happens to be in such an exotic and beautiful location doesn't hurt either....does he want some company for winter break??!!??!! And congrats on the wonderful scholarships! It looks like the second one came through too!! YAY!!!!! I wish your son the most successful and exciting of college careers!</p>
<p>love, ~berurah</p>
<p>parents on this forum are so nice</p>
<p>Thanks, Berurah! You are such a sweetie!</p>
<p>For those who might not be following our story quite so closely, S was interested in finding a school to meet a rather specific set of criteria:</p>
<br>
<p>an undergrad population of about 8,000-9,000 a school where he could study business, communications, history, politics and economics; and still graduate in four years in a city with excellent internships opportunities in a part of the country that was different from where he grew up; preferably with a warm climate where he could play lacrosse where he would get a fine education, but he wouldn't have to study 23 hours a day and, as if it wouldn't be hard enough to find schools matching all of the above, he sought a school that would offer him merit money.</p>
<br>
<p>The University of Miami fit the bill perfectly, and my initial reluctance that it was not a serious enough place evaporated when we visited for several days in February. We finally "went public" here on the forum tonight when I posted on the RD Decisions Thread, after he received word today of a scholarship from the Business school, which is in addition to the merit money he was offered when he was admitted.</p>
<p>After a very nervous few months, we are very thankful that it worked out so well. Now I am busy worrying about the kids and parents who are still working things out. Good luck to all!</p>
<p>Oh, and Berurah - you are not the only one who is asking about whether they can visit him - I'll add your name to the list :) ! Better bring a sleeping bag!</p>
<p>Oh Wish, how wonderful!!! Congratulations!!!!!!</p>
<p>Soooo many reasons why Miami is the perfect school for your son, and ALL that merit money!!!!!</p>
<p>And it's April!
Guess your wishes came true. I love happy endings.</p>
<p>(p.s.--add me to the list.)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Oh, and Berurah - you are not the only one who is asking about whether they can visit him - I'll add your name to the list ! Better bring a sleeping bag!
[/quote]
</p>
<p>wish~
Oh sure! I'll definitely manage the sleeping bag! :) ~b.</p>
<p>happy days are here again...congratulations.</p>
<p>Congratulations!!!</p>
<p>Hey Wish!</p>
<p>Congrats on S's UMiami decision! As we spoke about before, my D loved her visit to Coral Gables & it was a tossup, but she decided last week to stay closer to home and will be a pre-physical therapy major this fall in the Honors Program at Iowa.</p>
<p>It was great talking over the 'process' with you the last few months. I truly believe that CC kicks tail over most high school GC's, mostly because it is so current, and also that we're hashing things out with our peers, discussing pertinent subjects like family finances, high schooler's minds that change like the wind & obtuse admissions people.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>A friend commented to once that she believed that there was at least one school out there somewhere that would "fit" each kid.</p>
<p>I'm so glad that your son has found his. It sounds wonderful.</p>
<p>Congratulations to you both.</p>
<p>Who needs a sleeping bag in Miami? It's so nice and warm ... :)</p>
<p>Congratulations to you and your son!</p>
<p>Hi jnm123 --</p>
<p>Could you please share any tidbits of information about the University of Iowa and the Honors Program. DD is accepted too. This college seems to be off the radar for CC, but creative writing and business seem pretty strong there. Thoughts? </p>
<p>Wish/April - Congrats! I was in SoFla a few weeks ago. Great weather!</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone, for the good wishes! </p>
<p>As for that sleeping bag, Twinmom, you are so right! It is hard for me to contemplate a place where winter means you need a sweater. In fact, when we were there, and they told us that all the dorms were air conditioned, I asked about whether they were heated and how the heat worked! "We don't need heat in the dorms," said the tour guide. Silly me! I guess I'll figure it out.</p>
<p>Jnm, my older D went to Grinnell and so we know a little about Iowa. Now there, the dorms were not air conditioned and when we moved her in in 98 degree weather it was not fun! And in the winter the dorms were much too hot - which is what prompted my heat question in Miami :) ! However, heat and A/C aside, she loved Grinnell and Iowa - I'm sure you know that Iowa has the highest literacy rate of any state, or at least it did then! I am sure your D will do great and love it.</p>
<p>Yup, Cricket, Lhasa, Achat, and Simba, it really does seem perfect. For a while S considered Wharton, and a friend who coordinates Penn interviewing encouraged him to apply, but as I thought about it, I knew it was not a good match for S. Sure, it would have been fun to say S goes to Wharton, without needing to explain that Miami has become a much more competitive school, but it was simply not a good fit. S went to a very competitive private school - more like an LAC than a HS in many ways - and he really wants a more balanced college experience. We think he'll get just that at Miami. </p>
<p>Oh, and I forgot one other thing - he wanted a school with spirit and lots of teams to cheer. Again, Miami fit the bill.</p>
<p>Now, if I can just get over the feeling that I have to justify his choice to people who don't know what Miami is like these days and wonder why he didn't aim higher....</p>
<p>And yes, CasperLoveUCs, the parents on this board are fabulous!</p>
<p>So Berurah, what offer came in the mail today??!! :)</p>
<p>Missed you Dudedad - we must have been posting together - thank you too!</p>
<p>Wish, I know a VERY good student from my son's school who goes to Miami. He picked it over Stanford and other schools. He plays tennis and is a wonderful student. I know him for at least 8 years, he's like my own kid. This kid loves it at Miami. Congrats again!!</p>
<p>Dudedad---</p>
<p>Wife & I are both graduates of University of Iowa, she from the graduate physical therapy school and myself in journalism, but I did spend a year in their acclaimed Writers' Workshop (it was stellar, even 25+ years ago!) as well. Funny, but D would not consider even applying at first--this was during her 'far away' college search. In fact, our trips to Boston U., Duke, UMiami, Miami/Ohio, Dayton and UIUC were fun & informative. But she chose to apply to Iowa at the last hour (with little or no coercion, really!) and we're thrilled. Iowa City is a gorgeous town, ripe for the true 'college experience'. The Iowa River splits the campus in two, and thus it feels like it contains far fewer than its 30,000 students. And being less than 4 hours from Chicago is great, too.</p>
<p>We'll see about the Honors Program, as D was admitted based on her class rank & ACT. But from the online FAQ page, it's not supposed to include additional work, just more 'interactive'. I remember a memorable part of being an Iowa student was that we were frequently invited to professors' houses for class (esp. in the Writers' Workshop) & I remember once sitting back at the prof's house while talking about a story line with my fellow students over pizza & beer, saying to myself, "...yeah, this is what college is all about, I guess..."</p>
<p>Congratulations Wish - great school. Now, will you be changing your name to Wish-it-were-Fall?</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Hi Wish-it-were-April</p>
<p>(I too have wondered if you would do a name change now that April is here.) COngratualtions on your son's acceptance intoa really great school. In the winter you can say I wish I were in Miami -much to son's horror- then you say just kidding :)</p>
<p>wish.....I too want to congratulate you and your son on his decision. Of course, I'm biased, but I don't think he could have made a better decision based on his criteria. Your posts have also showed how UMiami is growing, changing, and shedding the "sunshine party U" reputation. It has helped people see that sometimes a reputation and misconception is in fact no way true about certain universities. I'd like to think that my son has something to do with the U's growing success. :) Please let me know if there's anything more I can do to help you or your son get more information as freshman move-in gets closer! Congrats!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the Iowa info jnm123. Maybe we'll see you there. Three weeks and change to figure all this out...</p>
<p>Hey Dudedad---</p>
<p>Lots of fine schools out there from which to choose--for a smart kid that's the great thing. Iowa's the cheapest out-of-state tuition in the Big Ten, so it's a phenomenal value.</p>
<p>And the changes that have been made downtown in the last 25 years (since I graced UI with my presence) are incredible. Three square block pedestrian campus, quaint shops, coffeehouses--political & social vibrancy on a par with Madison & Ann Arbor for sure.</p>
<p>And...because there are no professional sports teams in the state of Iowa, the Hawkeyes (esp. football) rule! An unbridled school (and state) spirit that many years ago had a jaded 18-year-old Chicago kid shaking his head, then I just decided to go along for the ride--glad I did.</p>