Parents of College Class of 2018 (A.K.A., "Is this the line to the poor house?")

[Gina]

Just found this thread. My DD turned 17 yesterday and is class of 2014. She visited Baylor first and loved it but I felt that she needed a state school back up. She's an excellent student and in Texas the Top 10% (8% at UT) are guaranteed admittance to state schools.

This led her to research programs and we visited Texas Tech and University of North Texas. Tech was a horrible visit and dropped from her list. Surprisingly to me, UNT blew us away. It was a great visit and now her top choice. We will visit Baylor (if she's accepted) and UNT again after she is accepted to be sure.

She is now trying to maximize her testing scores to improve merit aid. She's taking The Princeton Review next week- her first week of break- and will take the ACT on that Saturday.

Welcome to the party!

My cousin graduated from UNT, as well as a couple of friends, and they all really loved it there. I had one other cousin who went to Tech and liked it, but didn't love it. Just curious, what happened at the visit that turned y'all off?

My DS is in the exact same spot as your DD -- Thankfully in the top 10%, and taking the ACT on the 8th to hopefully bump up the merit aid. A&M @ Galveston is his one and only choice.

I know all of you probably already have this site bookmarked, but one site I love is College Prowler. Reading the student reviews, broken down into categories which makes it easier to find what's important to you and your student, is really helpful -- especially if you're looking at multiple schools, and maybe trying to decide which ones to visit soon.


-gina-

 

[sk!mom]

Welcome to the party!

My cousin graduated from UNT, as well as a couple of friends, and they all really loved it there. I had one other cousin who went to Tech and liked it, but didn't love it. Just curious, what happened at the visit that turned y'all off?

-gina-

Baylor brought their 'A' game. The group tour was led by well trained, well spoken students who could answer every question thrown at them. Then for her department tour they had her set up for a one on one with a professor who sold her.

UNT was even better. An awesome group tour where every question was answered. Then an individual tour not with a professor but with a super knowledgeable student and their labs and facilities were amazing- so many opportunities.

Then there is Tech...A group tour with a young lady who could not answer a single question. Not even those about what you would think we're general knowledge. A parent asked about the dining plan, "I don't know, I live at home." Was there no tour guide training? She kept pointing things out on campus and saying, that's the ... And stuff like that." When the tour was over, DD said, "I wanted to scream, and stuff like what? We don't know that's why we're here!"
Then we go for the department tour and they had us set up with a student who isn't in the department so couldn't answer any questions.

She hadn't given much thought to location prior to visiting but after- UNT gets points for it's proximity to Dallas. Baylor and Tech would lose points due to location and Tech didn't have any to lose.

I felt like Baylor and UNT could both be a good fit for her. Sadly Tech is the closest to home. In this big state, UNT is 300 miles away.

 

[Gina]

Baylor brought their 'A' game. The group tour was led by well trained, well spoken students who could answer every question thrown at them. Then for her department tour they had her set up for a one on one with a professor who sold her.

UNT was even better. An awesome group tour where every question was answered. Then an individual tour not with a professor but with a super knowledgeable student and their labs and facilities were amazing- so many opportunities.

Then there is Tech...A group tour with a young lady who could not answer a single question. Not even those about what you would think we're general knowledge. A parent asked about the dining plan, "I don't know, I live at home." Was there no tour guide training? She kept pointing things out on campus and saying, that's the ... And stuff like that." When the tour was over, DD said, "I wanted to scream, and stuff like what? We don't know that's why we're here!"
Then we go for the department tour and they had us set up with a student who isn't in the department so couldn't answer any questions.

She hadn't given much thought to location prior to visiting but after- UNT gets points for it's proximity to Dallas. Baylor and Tech would lose points due to location and Tech didn't have any to lose.

I felt like Baylor and UNT could both be a good fit for her. Sadly Tech is the closest to home. In this big state, UNT is 300 miles away.

Wow, what a difference in visits! I just don't know enough about Tech to know if that is the norm or not.

Funny, as soon as you mentioned location, the first thing I thought was, "Tech is in the middle of absolute nowhere!" For some reason I was thinking y'all lived closer to Dallas. Even at 300 miles away, though, that's not that far in this great state of ours.

Which dorms did she like better? What is her major going to be?

 

[powellrj]

Today is graduation day at our HS. You would think that DD is graduating today! She was shopping all day yesterday with her friends and is doing their hair for them this morning. She is taking it really hard and she isn't even graduating! I am already dreading next year.

All the open house talk already has me planning hers for next year! I have a pintrest page already! Once we get through this, I am getting her on track to apply for scholarships and pick some schools. I am not working this summer, so that frees me up for college visits. I have been picking DSs brain about what we did wrong when he was a senior in HS. He already thinks her plans are wrong, so we may have to rethink that plan. He already has her rushing and she doesn't think she wants to go that route. DS is really big in greek life, so that makes DD NOT want to go greek... Did I mention they really don't get along very well!

 

[elgerber]

Today is the last senior day at our school, and when I dropped her off, the seniors were all doing their things outside the building, then I went to the talent show, and the seniors were chanting and doing their senior girls dance, etc. All I kept thinking was, that will be here next year (well she won't do that dance, but the rest of it) and I had to try to keep it together! As of Monday they are now the top of the school since the seniors are gone. Oy, it's going to be tough!!

 

[madge]

All the open house talk already has me planning hers for next year! I have a pintrest page already!

I've had my pinterest board for graduation for months.

we're all in, all done for junior year. grades posted last Tuesday. pre-Cal could have gone better. it wasn't terrible ... but, our grading scale is tough and knowing he would've gotten a higher grade at any other local school is a bitter pill to swallow. Lesson learned for next year.

this morning, I picked pictures for my son's Youth Salute board ... friends are talking about senior pictures over the summer ... I can't believe it's already starting!

 

[Gina]

What would we do without Pinterest?!?

When DS woke up this morning I asked him, "Do you realize this is your last Friday as a Junior?" He just blinked and said "WOW." It's all pretty crazy to both of us.

For anyone that is planning ahead (out of necessity!) like me, Bed Bath & Beyond has their college planning pages up again. If you already have a good idea where your child is going to go, you can go to the college finder page and see if the school is in the dropdown list. Most of the schools have information pages that list what is allowed and what is prohibited in the dorms at the specified school, what size beds they have, etc.

I definitely can't afford to get what DS will need all at once, so am hoping to start gathering things this summer as they go on sale!

 

[tyedye]

So DS is taking the SAT tomorrow for the 1st time. He tells me that a friend told him to focus on math this time and then take it again in the fall and focus on the reading. He says this because some colleges will superscore your SAT and take the highest score achieved and combine it for the total. Of course if he does really well the first time maybe he won't need to take it again.

 

[TLuvsD]

The key to the SAT superscore is the SOME colleges. And many request all your scores be sent. It's not bad to focus on one section, but don't blow off the others.

 

[JeannieNM]

Baylor brought their 'A' game. The group tour was led by well trained, well spoken students who could answer every question thrown at them. Then for her department tour they had her set up for a one on one with a professor who sold her.

UNT was even better. An awesome group tour where every question was answered. Then an individual tour not with a professor but with a super knowledgeable student and their labs and facilities were amazing- so many opportunities.

Then there is Tech...A group tour with a young lady who could not answer a single question. Not even those about what you would think we're general knowledge. A parent asked about the dining plan, "I don't know, I live at home." Was there no tour guide training? She kept pointing things out on campus and saying, that's the ... And stuff like that." When the tour was over, DD said, "I wanted to scream, and stuff like what? We don't know that's why we're here!"
Then we go for the department tour and they had us set up with a student who isn't in the department so couldn't answer any questions.

She hadn't given much thought to location prior to visiting but after- UNT gets points for it's proximity to Dallas. Baylor and Tech would lose points due to location and Tech didn't have any to lose.

I felt like Baylor and UNT could both be a good fit for her. Sadly Tech is the closest to home. In this big state, UNT is 300 miles away.

Thanks for the report on your visits. It really goes to show that the tour guides do make a difference. We are visiting Loyola Marymount next Friday and I will report in. Anyone else with visits to report.

DD finished school last Friday, we went to many grad parties, got some ideas but it was sad. She is headed out of town to see a concert this weekend and then home again Monday.
Hope everyone has a good weekend

 

[Gina]

The key to the SAT superscore is the SOME colleges. And many request all your scores be sent. It's not bad to focus on one section, but don't blow off the others.

Exactly.

Here is a great list of a whole lot of schools and what their testing requirements are.

http://prepmatters.com/sites/default/files/TopColleges-2013Entry.pdf

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My son just took the SAT this morning for the first time. He said it was easy and boring. Yeah right. It will be interesting to see what his score will be.

Now if he would just start looking at collegeboard.org for colleges, I'll be happier.

 

[sk!mom]

My son just took the SAT this morning for the first time. He said it was easy and boring. Yeah right. It will be interesting to see what his score will be.

Now if he would just start looking at collegeboard.org for colleges, I'll be happier.

Dd said the same. She felt that after preparing for and taking AP exams, SAT was a breeze. She's finishing the Princeton Review for ACT course this next week and taking ACT next Saturday. We have high hopes for that one.

 

[sk!mom]

Wow, what a difference in visits! I just don't know enough about Tech to know if that is the norm or not.

Funny, as soon as you mentioned location, the first thing I thought was, "Tech is in the middle of absolute nowhere!" For some reason I was thinking y'all lived closer to Dallas. Even at 300 miles away, though, that's not that far in this great state of ours.

Which dorms did she like better? What is her major going to be?

Lubbock is just under 200 miles away but across "no man's land" so a quick 200 miles. UNT involves crossing the Metroplex beginning at Fort Worth so a slow 300.

We didn't know much about UNT prior to visiting but have since talked to many who went and loved it. Including a couple in her probable major. She wants to study Apparel Design. Another impressive difference at UNT is that Apparel Design is in the Art Department.

 

[Gina]

Lubbock is just under 200 miles away but across "no man's land" so a quick 200 miles. UNT involves crossing the Metroplex beginning at Fort Worth so a slow 300.

We didn't know much about UNT prior to visiting but have since talked to many who went and loved it. Including a couple in her probable major. She wants to study Apparel Design. Another impressive difference at UNT is that Apparel Design is in the Art Department.

Ugh, yeah, that would totally make a difference. Sounds like if I have to get someplace where I have to go through Houston to get there. I would rather drop a bowling ball on my foot, lol.

Well, only three more days of Junior year here, counting today. DS was able to squeak out an A in AP Latin at the last minute, which meant exempting the final, so all he has to take is computer science today and band tomorrow. He loves CS and easily does well in that class, and the band final consists of questions like, "How did you feel about band this year?" LOL. Deep stuff. Then his girlfriend graduates Friday and he has the ACT on Saturday. And works 30 hours this week. Busy week! I'm happy to only have my job to contend with! I pay my dues during marching season, though -- I'll enjoy the relative calm right now.

I know I've seen some people mentioning their students spending a night on campus and shadowing a student to get a "real feel" for life on a particular campus -- When is that usually done? Does anyone have older kids who did that, and how did it go?

 

[VickiVM]

Lubbock is just under 200 miles away but across "no man's land" so a quick 200 miles. UNT involves crossing the Metroplex beginning at Fort Worth so a slow 300.

We didn't know much about UNT prior to visiting but have since talked to many who went and loved it. Including a couple in her probable major. She wants to study Apparel Design. Another impressive difference at UNT is that Apparel Design is in the Art Department.

My son just finished his freshman year @ UNT in the College of Music. He LOVES it there. He has wanted to go there since sophomore year in HS. Let me know if you have questions.

 

[sk!mom]

My son just finished his freshman year @ UNT in the College of Music. He LOVES it there. He has wanted to go there since sophomore year in HS. Let me know if you have questions.

Best Dorm?

Any tips on maximizing financial aid?

Do they give much merit aid?

I'd love to hear anything you think would be helpful.

 

[VickiVM]

Best Dorm?

Any tips on maximizing financial aid?

Do they give much merit aid?

I'd love to hear anything you think would be helpful.

Kerr Hall is probably one of the most popular and largest. Alex stayed in Bruce Hall which is directly across the street from one of the music buildings...literally rolled out of bed 5 minutes before many of his classes.

Bruce is very popular because it's the choice of many music majors (for the 'rolling out of bed' reason), but even though Don Henley from The Eagles lived there (as well as Norah Jones, I'm told), I found it to be very old and dumpy. But the kids don't care

Bruce and Kerr fill up quickly...register and pay the deposit as soon as dorm registration opens up. Most, but not all dorms have a cafeteria...Bruce's was recently remodeled, but I think Kerr has late night hours.

Get your FAFSA done as soon as possible and don't be afraid to ask about financial aid options. My son did not have all the criteria for one of the academic scholarships (based on GPA, SAT scores and class ranking), but when he sent an email stating his case that he had everything required except the ranking because of how competitive our HS was, he was awarded an academic scholarship that seemed to be a hybrid of 2 of the scholarships they offered. Not as much as the better one, but still was helpful.

Between scholarships, grants and student loans, his tuition was covered. We only had to cover books and housing. Housing is expensive, in my opinion...Bruce Hall was $983/month and that included 7-day meal plan.

He and his band-mate (yes, seems all music majors join/create a band) are getting a house this next fall...rent will be cheaper and we can control food cost better

 

[pammypooh]

Today was graduation day for the class of 2013 at our high school...hard to believe this time next year, it will be my DD in cap and gown.

We have only officially visited 2 schools so far, and need to get out to more over the summer. She knows what she doesn't like, and seems to be struggling with finding the "perfect" school. She is hoping to major in Computer science.

 

[JeannieNM]

Congrats to everyone as they finish the year!!

I have a few questions about college counseling at your child's school. Does your counselor provide a list of suggested schools for your child to look at? Does the counselor communicate at all with you, the parent, or just with your child or do they not communicate at all? Are the communications personal or just general information sent all at once to raising seniors and or thier parents? Does your child find the counselor to be helpful in the college search process? do you?

What do you think are reasonable goals for your child to accomplish in the college process by the end of the summer break?

thank you for the help.