Parents of the Class of 2019

[mom2rtk]

My kids know they have to have a practical major, since they’ll have loans. Dd21 (did dozens of musicals, month long all day workshops at a professional theater, voice coach for 7 yeas) will gets her masters and will prepare for the CPA with the accounting firm she starts working with in 2019, ds19 is a finance major (he LOVES history), dd16 is deciding between PT, OT, or med school. I might feel differently if they didn’t need loans, of chose to commute to school.

Same here. It helped a lot to see how much she might be paying in loans as part of that equation as well. She really wants to go away for school but understands that will cost more so needs to plan accordingly.

My son's total loans were less than half his annual starting salary, so very manageable. They could end up being more than the annual salary of a teacher for her. Not that I don't think she should teach if she wants to. In fact, I hesitated even saying anything. I didn't want to strong arm her. Just laid all the numbers out there and the light bulb went off on its own.

As I write this, she's finally starting some actual ACT studying. She's probably not taking it again until April, but she's finally seeing how much it can help HER (not me).

I really hope this isn't just a passing phase!

ETA: Anyone with a student thinking of taking it, registration deadline for February is 1/12.

 

[mjkacmom]

Same here. It helped a lot to see how much she might be paying in loans as part of that equation as well. She really wants to go away for school but understands that will cost more so needs to plan accordingly.

My son's total loans were less than half his annual starting salary, so very manageable. They could end up being more than the annual salary of a teacher for her. Not that I don't think she should teach if she wants to. In fact, I hesitated even saying anything. I didn't want to strong arm her. Just laid all the numbers out there and the light bulb went off on its own.

As I write this, she's finally starting some actual ACT studying. She's probably not taking it again until April, but she's finally seeing how much it can help HER (not me).

I really hope this isn't just a passing phase!

ETA: Anyone with a student thinking of taking it, registration deadline for February is 1/12.

Dd is taking the ACT for the second time in February, and I need to sign her up for her second SAT, and then hopefully we won’t need the tutor. I’m so glad she has one, ever since she turned 16, my type A hyper focused child who would choose to study for an important test over a party is no longer my stepford child, she’s still pretty good, but more like a normal teen putting a lot of importance on her boyfriend, friends, and socializing. Bad timing!

 

[mom2rtk]

Dd is taking the ACT for the second time in February, and I need to sign her up for her second SAT, and then hopefully we won’t need the tutor. I’m so glad she has one, ever since she turned 16, my type A hyper focused child who would choose to study for an important test over a party is no longer my stepford child, she’s still pretty good, but more like a normal teen putting a lot of importance on her boyfriend, friends, and socializing. Bad timing!

Good luck to her! I wish mine would just go ahead and take it next month, but she says she wants more time to prepare. I'm just afraid this newfound motivation might wane a bit by April.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

DD is taking her first ACT in Feb, fingers crossed.

We're also struggling with the major & school choice. She's thinking "film", and for some reason has her sights set on University of Iowa. It actually rates lower than our flagship state school & at twice the cost. DW isn't big on discouragement since she nixed her dreams to please HER parents. Still, reality has to come into play at some point.

 

[mom2rtk]

DD is taking her first ACT in Feb, fingers crossed.

We're also struggling with the major & school choice. She's thinking "film", and for some reason has her sights set on University of Iowa. It actually rates lower than our flagship state school & at twice the cost. DW isn't big on discouragement since she nixed her dreams to please HER parents. Still, reality has to come into play at some point.

Good luck to her on the test! And good luck to you and MrsGumbo helping her make the right school choice.

Not sure how your DD is paying for school, but if she will need loans, you might want to help her translate the annual cost into monthly payments for the 2 options?

Our daughter is right now considering both Columbia and Rolla. We really need to visit Columbia soon for an official campus visit. I want her to get a good feel for just how big it is before she commits. Nobody in our family has gone to that large of a school so she might not quite grasp the size. She's seen Rolla a few times already, but we'll also probably swing on down for an official visit and tour there as well. It's not like we'll have any trouble finding it.

 

[StephMK]

Helping them figure out a major is worse than picking a college! My girls have both struggled figuring out what to do. Having recent college grads gives talks is a brilliant idea! I think kids would take it more seriously from a peer.

DD17 does want to “make a lot of money” so we have researched some of her interests and how they compare.

DD23 was our guinea pig kid and I wished we’d gotten her more advising at school. She was convinced for 2 years that she wanted a very specific major. It limited her college choices and she ended up changing it after the first class!

Thankfully our ‘19 kid, DS, is pretty sure of himself. He has wanted computer science for years. I think there are enough areas within the field that he will find his place.

Does anyone know anything about Michigan State? That’s his top choice and we’re planning to visit next month. It’s about 10 hours away and I just know it’s huge.

 

[bjscheel]

DD is taking her first ACT in Feb, fingers crossed.

We're also struggling with the major & school choice. She's thinking "film", and for some reason has her sights set on University of Iowa. It actually rates lower than our flagship state school & at twice the cost. DW isn't big on discouragement since she nixed her dreams to please HER parents. Still, reality has to come into play at some point.

U of I is so huge, I wouldn't want to try to navigate it but that's just me I see SEMO has Mass Communication: TV and Film, and nice automatic merit, especially if you can get a 27 on ACT. But I know my DD likes the idea of out of state even if it's just South Dakota, which isn't that far away or exotic. Although when I bring up UNK she says, "I don't know how I feel about Nebraska as a whole." I think DD would consider SEMO seriously if it were closer to home.

Yes, reality is a thing. I am just really hoping that it turns out that the best offer comes from one that she really likes and then there won't be an issue. Probably not though! We really just need to see how she does on ACT next month. Good luck to all on ACT/SAT!

On a lighter note, DD got a big weight off her mind tonight. She has a prom date. I know it's early but she has been really concerned that a certain boy would ask her that she does NOT want to go with. She didn't want to outright turn him down so she wanted to have someone else early so she could just say she already has a date. Dress was ordered around Black Friday and fits so we don't have to stress about either of those things now.

 

[mom2rtk]

U of I is so huge, I wouldn't want to try to navigate it but that's just me I see SEMO has Mass Communication: TV and Film, and nice automatic merit, especially if you can get a 27 on ACT. But I know my DD likes the idea of out of state even if it's just South Dakota, which isn't that far away or exotic. Although when I bring up UNK she says, "I don't know how I feel about Nebraska as a whole." I think DD would consider SEMO seriously if it were closer to home.

Yes, reality is a thing. I am just really hoping that it turns out that the best offer comes from one that she really likes and then there won't be an issue. Probably not though! We really just need to see how she does on ACT next month. Good luck to all on ACT/SAT!

On a lighter note, DD got a big weight off her mind tonight. She has a prom date. I know it's early but she has been really concerned that a certain boy would ask her that she does NOT want to go with. She didn't want to outright turn him down so she wanted to have someone else early so she could just say she already has a date. Dress was ordered around Black Friday and fits so we don't have to stress about either of those things now.

Congrats on the prom date! After a bad experience with a homecoming date, mine says she has sworn off boys. I know, I know..... but I'll take it for as long as it lasts. In the meantime, she assumes she's going to prom with some girlfriends. Which is fine. We really need to get dress shopping. Court warming is in another month too.

Good luck to your DD on the ACT as well!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Good luck to her on the test! And good luck to you and MrsGumbo helping her make the right school choice.

Not sure how your DD is paying for school, but if she will need loans, you might want to help her translate the annual cost into monthly payments for the 2 options?

Our daughter is right now considering both Columbia and Rolla. We really need to visit Columbia soon for an official campus visit. I want her to get a good feel for just how big it is before she commits. Nobody in our family has gone to that large of a school so she might not quite grasp the size. She's seen Rolla a few times already, but we'll also probably swing on down for an official visit and tour there as well. It's not like we'll have any trouble finding it.

Without help, we can get her through 2 years of JUCO & 2 years in state debt free. 4 years at Iowa will leave her $150 grand in the hole.

 

[mom2rtk]

Without help, we can get her through 2 years of JUCO & 2 years in state debt free. 4 years at Iowa will leave her $150 grand in the hole.

Ouch. Maybe you can find a loan calculator to help her see what those payments would be. Then help her set up a budget on an average starting salary for what she wants to do.

Our son really wanted to go to Purdue for engineering. It was $40K/year. When we got the financial aid package (more accurately a no-aid package), he threw it out with within about 2 minutes.

Is there no reduced tuition for neighboring states? I really don't know how that works. Maybe she could get some scholarships? Maybe let her apply with an understanding that she'll pass on it if she doesn't get a lot of scholarships or aid?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Ouch. Maybe you can find a loan calculator to help her see what those payments would be. Then help her set up a budget on an average starting salary for what she wants to do.

Our son really wanted to go to Purdue for engineering. It was $40K/year. When we got the financial aid package (more accurately a no-aid package), he threw it out with within about 2 minutes.

Is there no reduced tuition for neighboring states? I really don't know how that works. Maybe she could get some scholarships? Maybe let her apply with an understanding that she'll pass on it if she doesn't get a lot of scholarships or aid?

There's always a shot at aid, but it seems an odd choice for her major & the expense. Purdue is pricey, but it's also an exceptional choice if you're gonna spend the $. Iowa for film? Not so much.

 

[mom2rtk]

There's always a shot at aid, but it seems an odd choice for her major & the expense. Purdue is pricey, but it's also an exceptional choice if you're gonna spend the $. Iowa for film? Not so much.

I feel for you. Keep talking sense to her.

Honestly though, if push comes to shove, she can't borrow that kind of money unless you are willing to cosign.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I feel for you. Keep talking sense to her.

Honestly though, if push comes to shove, she can't borrow that kind of money unless you are willing to cosign.

And I'm not - that's more than we borrowed on our house, and she's got a sister to get through school, too LOL

 

[StephMK]

BJ-I live in NE and that made me laugh. I feel that way about IA because we have to cross it to get to either side of the family. We visited UNK because they gave DD some merit $.

Gumbo-yikes, that total is the purchase price of a nice starter home here. DD’s attends NW MO State for theatre and loves it. I probably butchered their real initias but you get the idea.

 

[bjscheel]

Congrats on the prom date! After a bad experience with a homecoming date, mine says she has sworn off boys. I know, I know..... but I'll take it for as long as it lasts. In the meantime, she assumes she's going to prom with some girlfriends. Which is fine. We really need to get dress shopping. Court warming is in another month too.

Good luck to your DD on the ACT as well!

LOL mine has definitely not sworn off boys except she's frustrated because all the wrong boys like her and not the right ones. And she didn't want to go with anyone who might take it as a sign she's interested. Her date is a boy from church camp who's not from here. She's looking forward to going with someone she knows she'll have fun with and no expectation of it meaning anything.

Is there no reduced tuition for neighboring states? I really don't know how that works. Maybe she could get some scholarships? Maybe let her apply with an understanding that she'll pass on it if she doesn't get a lot of scholarships or aid?

Iowa doesn't like to "play nice with other states" as my brother would put it! He has a daughter at University of Kansas paying OOS for a dance degree and I have no idea how they're swinging it. We don't seem to have reciprocity with anyone, although there are schools in surrounding states that do offer in-state rates for us, either automatically or by merit.

BJ-I live in NE and that made me laugh. I feel that way about IA because we have to cross it to get to either side of the family. We visited UNK because they gave DD some merit $.

Gumbo-yikes, that total is the purchase price of a nice starter home here. DD’s attends NW MO State for theatre and loves it. I probably butchered their real initias but you get the idea.

To DD, Nebraska is the barren land that separates her from her Colorado mountains Did you like UNK? NWMSU is where I initially wanted DD to go, because it's close and as far as I knew at the time, the cheapest, and everyone seems to love it there. To her that's the "local" school and too many kids she knows will be there. I'm not pushing it anymore, because I found USD for the same price, and UNK cheaper if the merit works out. But, NWMSU is the one that has more of a park naturalist Recreation option so she may consider it after all.

 

[Colleen27]

Next semester she will be taking TAG seminar/independent study and her plan is to use some of that time to research potential majors and their subject matter. Perhaps she can also look at job prospects, etc. I know she can and has changed her mind. When I was a junior, I followed a veterinarian and an optometrist for a day. I ended up choosing an Accounting major halfway through college freshman year at my mother's suggestion. The good news is both of our top choice schools both have Musical Theater so we don't have to eliminate either one due to major options. I honestly don't know if she would even be accepted into the MT program so there's that too.

We're also struggling with the major & school choice. She's thinking "film", and for some reason has her sights set on University of Iowa. It actually rates lower than our flagship state school & at twice the cost. DW isn't big on discouragement since she nixed her dreams to please HER parents. Still, reality has to come into play at some point.

I'm like Gumbo's wife on this one - it took me until 37 to get the degree I wanted because my mom really, really pushed "reality" over my preferences and goals. And while I'm happy that I finally did it, I do wonder 'what if' because there's no making up for that lost time, especially with a family because really advancing is a path that tends to require relocating.

But I also feel like it isn't worth stressing too much over major choice at this point. DD has wanted the same major since elementary school and has done two summer camp programs in her intended field, and I still caution her against assuming that her career path is carved in stone. I want her going to an all-around good school that makes financial sense, not one that is strong in her intended major but less well-regarded in other fields or one that would require mountains of debt, because there's still the very real possibility of changing her mind at some point.

Does anyone know anything about Michigan State? That’s his top choice and we’re planning to visit next month. It’s about 10 hours away and I just know it’s huge.

If he's looking for the traditional/stereotypical college experience, it is the place to be. It is huge - I remember being really overwhelmed by it when I was choosing schools - and the campus atmosphere is the stuff bad movies are made of. It is a good school academically, but also has a pretty impressive party scene and a big-game athletic culture. And Lansing is a neat town to live in, with a lot of interesting internship options around.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I'm like Gumbo's wife on this one - it took me until 37 to get the degree I wanted because my mom really, really pushed "reality" over my preferences and goals. And while I'm happy that I finally did it, I do wonder 'what if' because there's no making up for that lost time, especially with a family because really advancing is a path that tends to require relocating.

But I also feel like it isn't worth stressing too much over major choice at this point. DD has wanted the same major since elementary school and has done two summer camp programs in her intended field, and I still caution her against assuming that her career path is carved in stone. I want her going to an all-around good school that makes financial sense, not one that is strong in her intended major but less well-regarded in other fields or one that would require mountains of debt, because there's still the very real possibility of changing her mind at some point.



If he's looking for the traditional/stereotypical college experience, it is the place to be. It is huge - I remember being really overwhelmed by it when I was choosing schools - and the campus atmosphere is the stuff bad movies are made of. It is a good school academically, but also has a pretty impressive party scene and a big-game athletic culture. And Lansing is a neat town to live in, with a lot of interesting internship options around.

DD was pretty much on one path from Kindergarten until about a year ago, so I do know things can change easily.

And though I'm not thrilled with her current choice of major (mainly because I think to be even remotely successful in film, you've gotta go ALL IN, which she hasn't demonstrated), I will back her 100% if she's determined. Going into a ridiculous amount of debt to accomplish it is another story

 

[soccerdad72]

Thankfully our ‘19 kid, DS, is pretty sure of himself. He has wanted computer science for years. I think there are enough areas within the field that he will find his place.

Does anyone know anything about Michigan State? That’s his top choice and we’re planning to visit next month. It’s about 10 hours away and I just know it’s huge.

Michigan State is one of the higher rated STEM schools - it's very strong in Engineering, so I would assume it's CS program is probably pretty strong as well.

My son was on an engineering kick for a while, but is not thinking he wants to go into Computer Science as well. At first, he thought he wanted to specifically go into CS - Game Design (thinking he's going to write the next big computer game), but after talking to the chair of a CS department at a school we visited, he realized that the more prudent path is in the general CS area.

 

[StephMK]

If he's looking for the traditional/stereotypical college experience, it is the place to be. It is huge - I remember being really overwhelmed by it when I was choosing schools - and the campus atmosphere is the stuff bad movies are made of. It is a good school academically, but also has a pretty impressive party scene and a big-game athletic culture. And Lansing is a neat town to live in, with a lot of interesting internship options around.

Thanks! I wouldn’t like the size but that hasn’t put him off yet. I’ll be very interested to see it next month. We have talked about party culture at schools. It’s not his thing but the schools he’s interested in seem to have that rep. He wants the big sports culture and prefers cold to heat. We’ll go to a hockey game while there but he also loves watching football and basketball.

Michigan State is one of the higher rated STEM schools - it's very strong in Engineering, so I would assume it's CS program is probably pretty strong as well.

My son was on an engineering kick for a while, but is not thinking he wants to go into Computer Science as well. At first, he thought he wanted to specifically go into CS - Game Design (thinking he's going to write the next big computer game), but after talking to the chair of a CS department at a school we visited, he realized that the more prudent path is in the general CS area.

That’s exactly my son’s thinking as well. He’s been checking the top 50 lists for game design/CS and MI State comes up. We toured Miami (OH) last summer, also great for CS. Beautiful traditional campus and I think a good size for him. He’s just a little put off by the preppy/frat boy party rep. He does love hockey and plays club lacrosse so those were big draws in addition to the academics.

 

[soccerdad72]

That’s exactly my son’s thinking as well. He’s been checking the top 50 lists for game design/CS and MI State comes up. We toured Miami (OH) last summer, also great for CS. Beautiful traditional campus and I think a good size for him. He’s just a little put off by the preppy/frat boy party rep. He does love hockey and plays club lacrosse so those were big draws in addition to the academics.

Yeah, I'm not sure my son is going to necessarily like the strong greek life presence of Miami either - that might be a turnoff for him, although he has a couple good friends of his that are going there next year.