Okay, so where is DS/DD going to go to college next fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame. Honest to God, I have no idea if this was the right decision for her or not - but she insisted. Her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother are all SMC graduates.

Wow - that is quite a legacy! My sister went to SMC and loved it. SMC also has a great sophomore year abroad program so you can spend a year in France or Austria without needing to be a language major. I've never understood why more schools don't adapt a sophomore year abroad program rather than junior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame. Honest to God, I have no idea if this was the right decision for her or not - but she insisted. Her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother are all SMC graduates.

Wow - that is quite a legacy! My sister went to SMC and loved it. SMC also has a great sophomore year abroad program so you can spend a year in France or Austria without needing to be a language major. I've never understood why more schools don't adapt a sophomore year abroad program rather than junior year.

OMG, DH's favorite aunt is a Saint's Mary's College Alumnae and went to France for her sophomore year. Her very best friends to this day are the other SMC and Notre Dame students she went to France with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is taking a Gap Year and going to Europe to nanny for my sister and take a few language classes. She is leaving the day after graduation.

I am not surprised that she is the only one on DCUM taking a Gap Year as she is the only one in her entire class doing it. I hope it isn't a mistake.

It's not. Two of mine did it. And two went straight to college. (One is still at home.) They did/are doing great in college now. The biggest difference is that the two who took the year off aren't nearly as stressed out. It's almost like they decompressed during that year (even though they were working) and started college fresh. Plus, they will graduate with a degree and real work experience. One of them already has a job offer ($54,000 a year in Atlanta) directly related to the contacts she made working during that gap year. Not too bad for a brand new grad.

I'm not saying every kid should do it, but I don't think it's ever a mistake.

[Anonymous]

17:15 - where did your DK that has the $54K job offer work in that year off?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is taking a Gap Year and going to Europe to nanny for my sister and take a few language classes. She is leaving the day after graduation.

I am not surprised that she is the only one on DCUM taking a Gap Year as she is the only one in her entire class doing it. I hope it isn't a mistake.

It's not. Two of mine did it. And two went straight to college. (One is still at home.) They did/are doing great in college now. The biggest difference is that the two who took the year off aren't nearly as stressed out. It's almost like they decompressed during that year (even though they were working) and started college fresh. Plus, they will graduate with a degree and real work experience. One of them already has a job offer ($54,000 a year in Atlanta) directly related to the contacts she made working during that gap year. Not too bad for a brand new grad.

I'm not saying every kid should do it, but I don't think it's ever a mistake.

Thank you - this has been reassuring. My son is HS junior and talking about taking a gap year. I was totally against it at first but the more I read about it, the more I am warming up to the idea. And this thread certainly has helped me.

BTW, I love that your DD is leaving the DAY after graduation - this is not a girl who is hanging on to the past at all. As another poster wrote - she is not a lemming. You should be proud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Michigan

Go Blue!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:17:15 - where did your DK that has the $54K job offer work in that year off?

Let me be clear- She got the job offer after she graduated from college. But it was through a contact she made in the year she took off after high school. She worked at Disney. She wasn't making anywhere near that right out of high school.

[Anonymous]

UCLA (we live in California) and we are over the moon!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UCLA (we live in California) and we are over the moon!

Nice to have such a great school in-state!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UCLA (we live in California) and we are over the moon!

Nice to have such a great school in-state!

We are very, very lucky. We also have Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara. And this think called California Regents scholarships (full academic merit scholarships) that DS was given as well. We are beyond thrilled and so proud of DS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UMD
Full ride

Can you tell us your DC's stats? Would love to know what it takes to get a F.R. [/quote

4.2 weighted GPA and 2140 SAT. She took mostly honors and AP classes and in a special honors program for high school. Strong extracurricular activities, leadership, etc. She is a very good student, but there are MANY like her and MANY who are better. She got into some more competitive schools but they are not affordable (no merit aid, no grants). She applied to the honors programs at UMD both College Park and UMBC. CP offered a partial scholarship but UMBC offered full tuition scholarship. Then an additional award for a specialized program within honors - it winds up covering housing. So ... She will graduate with her college money mostly intact as opposed to huge debt. I think there are a certain amount of scholarship money and the top applicants get it- so it depends how many apply and who they are. College PArk is more popular so more competitive. I think this is how it works?! Forgive me if this is all common knowledge - it isn't to me, I'm a newbie at the college application experience, trying to figure out the big picture. It has been an odyssey... Will hopefully be more of an expert with the next child.

[Anonymous]

UNC. Planning to be an African-American Studies Major. My DS heard the classes were rigorous. Anyone familiar with the program or UNC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Add my name proudly to the list of "Meddling Parents". I drew a mental radius of several thousand miles around every university that DD's idiot boyfriend was being recruited and she wasn't allowed to even apply. Otherwise DD would be going to Arizona State next year instead of the wonderful and competitive colleges she is choosing from now.


BTW DD and her idiot boyfriend broke up last week.

Good to know.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:DS is going to Northwestern University in Illinois.

So glad to see that so many on this thread have kids who are leaving the east coast for college.

?? what's wrong with the east coast?

+ 1

Nothing. I just like seeing kids who want to explore other areas of the country and abroad.

Yes, Evanston is extremely different from a DC suburb.

It may not look it, but the Midwestern mentality if completely different -- from someone who has lived in both places.

Yes, but this is a semi-rich Chicago suburb. Peoria it ain't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UNC. Planning to be an African-American Studies Major. My DS heard the classes were rigorous. Anyone familiar with the program or UNC?

Please stop.