College Admissions Questions (2 Viewers)

[Bruce Dickinson]

My son received a National Security Language Initiative (NSLI-Y) scholarship from the State Department to spend the year learning Arabic in Morocco. He was named an alternate in spring and got bumped up to accepted in early June. He had about 2 weeks to make up his mind, but it was a pretty easy decision and his college was very cool about letting him defer enrollment for a year - as long as he promised not to apply anywhere else during his gap year. It was hard to leave his girlfriend behind (and, oh yeah, his family too) but a full-ride scholarship for a year was hard to pass up. His only regret during the year was that he sometimes felt like he was falling behind his friends who were now experiencing college, while he was in a dry country, and not really being a college guy yet. But by the end of the year, most of the guys had partied too much, hadn't done great in school, and hadn't really changed much from who they were in high school. Whereas the experience of living abroad in another language, on his own, really matured him, and the intensive language learning environment  got him excited for higher level academic work.

He's killing it academically now as a freshman, but I do wish he had found his "squad" at college, which so far hasn't been the case - in part, because he's not the typical freshman at this point and partly because he's a pretty reserved person. So overall, I highly recommend a gap year, with the caveat that it include something meaningful to do - and if that something can be somewhat academic, even better.

Wow!  What a great opportunity for your son, and good on y'all for taking advantage of it.  

Thank you for sharing your thoughts from before, during, and after.  Much appreciated.

 

[NewlyRetired]

You guys might enjoy this conversation I had with my daughter after picking her up yesterday to go to Thor.

========

Me: "Who was the new girl in your room?"

Daughter: "That was Marissa, she is studying in our room now"

Me: "oh, ok, are you guys studying together?"

Daughter: "No, she can't study in her room anymore"

Me: "why?"

Daughter: "Roommate problems"

Me: "oh, are they not getting along?"

Daughter pauses: "well I think the room mate is a real partier and she has puked in the room before"

Me: "that is awful"

Daughter: pausing again "but something really bad happened that caused Marassi to never want to study in her room anymore"

Me" ok, you got me, I am curious, what happened?

Daughter: much longer pause "umm, Marissa walked into her room and found her room mate having oral sex with someone"

Me: "umm, well it is college, sex is going to happen"

Daughter" no, that was not the point.  They were having it right on Marissa's desk!"

Me: "oh.........ooooooooooh, yeah I can see how that might cause some problems" (doing my best not to crack up).

 

[SteelCurtain]

If you elect not to fill them out, can your kid still take a federal loan or is that a prerequisite?

It needs to be filled out each year if you want to take any federal aid (loan, grant or work study).

 

[SteelCurtain]

Reminder for those that want to use their 2016 taxes for financial aid, the FAFSA forms are open now and if you fill them out before the end of the year they will default to the 2016 tax year.

This is accurate.  

If you are applying for financial aid for the 2018-19 academic year, you will use your 2016 tax information regardless of when you hit submit.  Please see #4 

 

[NewlyRetired]

I'm not sure this is accurate.  

If you are applying for financial aid for the 2018-19 academic year, you will use your 2017 tax information regardless of when you hit submit.  Please see #4 

can you explain this more?  I guess I am not reading this correctly.

On the 2018–19 FAFSA form, you (and your parents, as appropriate) will report your 2016 income information, rather than your 2017 income information

You cannot use your 2017 tax information

 

[NewlyRetired]

maybe I am using terms wrong.  When I say 2016 taxes, I mean the taxes you submitted in April of 2017 for the calendar year of 2016

 

[Fishboy]

can you explain this more?  I guess I am not reading this correctly.

On the 2018–19 FAFSA form, you (and your parents, as appropriate) will report your 2016 income information, rather than your 2017 income information

You cannot use your 2017 tax information

This is correct.  The form actually links to the IRS website for both the parents and student (assuming they had a job and filed taxes). 

Nice feature, so you aren't digging for the data. 

Actually got 2 letters in the mail Saturday from the IRS.  One addressed to the parents, the other to my daughter informing us that our data was accessed by the FAFSA website in the event of fraud.  Not necessary, but I guess required in this day and age of financial fraud. 

 

[belljr]

can you explain this more?  I guess I am not reading this correctly.

On the 2018–19 FAFSA form, you (and your parents, as appropriate) will report your 2016 income information, rather than your 2017 income information

You cannot use your 2017 tax information

Starting with the 2017­–18 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), the following changes have been put in place: 

Students are now able to submit a FAFSA® earlier.  Students have been able to file a 2017–18 FAFSA since Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date is a permanent change, enabling students to complete and submit a FAFSA as early as Oct. 1 every year. (There is NO CHANGE to the 2016–17 schedule. The FAFSA became available Jan. 1 as in previous years.)

Students now report earlier income information. Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, students are required to report income information from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017–18 FAFSA, students (and parents, as appropriate) must report their 2015 income information, rather than their 2016 income information.  

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/announcements/fafsa-changes

You are now going to be "behind" a year.  So in essence your last 2 FASFA will be the same.

I wish this was how it was when my son was in school.  It was always a pain to fill it out early in January, say "will be filing ", then remember to go back to "complete" 

 

[belljr]

I'm not sure this is accurate.  

If you are applying for financial aid for the 2018-19 academic year, you will use your 2017 tax information regardless of when you hit submit.  Please see #4 

That is not correct

 

[belljr]

Oh and one side note for anyone starting this process 

There is a website FAFSA.org or something similar - that you think is the correct website - they will charge you to file FAFSA.   Do not fall for this "scam"

I say it's a scam because even though they do legitimately file you do not need to pay for FAFSA filing ever., **

** unless things changes the last 2 years

 

[Cjw_55106]

Oh and one side note for anyone starting this process 

There is a website FAFSA.org - that you think is the correct website - they will charge you to file FAFSA.   Do not fall for this "scam"

I say it's a scam because even though they do legitimately file you do not need to pay for FAFSA filing ever.,

Is there a place online that one should go to to file that doesn't cost anything? 

 

[matuski]

My son received a National Security Language Initiative (NSLI-Y) scholarship from the State Department to spend the year learning Arabic in Morocco. He was named an alternate in spring and got bumped up to accepted in early June. He had about 2 weeks to make up his mind, but it was a pretty easy decision and his college was very cool about letting him defer enrollment for a year - as long as he promised not to apply anywhere else during his gap year. It was hard to leave his girlfriend behind (and, oh yeah, his family too) but a full-ride scholarship for a year was hard to pass up. His only regret during the year was that he sometimes felt like he was falling behind his friends who were now experiencing college, while he was in a dry country, and not really being a college guy yet. But by the end of the year, most of the guys had partied too much, hadn't done great in school, and hadn't really changed much from who they were in high school. Whereas the experience of living abroad in another language, on his own, really matured him, and the intensive language learning environment  got him excited for higher level academic work.

He's killing it academically now as a freshman, but I do wish he had found his "squad" at college, which so far hasn't been the case - in part, because he's not the typical freshman at this point and partly because he's a pretty reserved person. So overall, I highly recommend a gap year, with the caveat that it include something meaningful to do - and if that something can be somewhat academic, even better.

May I ask how you and your son came to find this opportunity?

 

[belljr]

Is there a place online that one should go to to file that doesn't cost anything? 

https://fafsa.gov/

 

[Cjw_55106]

https://fafsa.gov/

Thanks! 

 

[Cjw_55106]

Kind of interesting. My son is only 17 and wont turn 18 until summer. The FAFSA application states this:

Most male citizens and male immigrants must register with the Selective Service System to receive federal student aid. If you are not registered, select Register me.

Register me

Really? 

 

[The_Man]

May I ask how you and your son came to find this opportunity?

Found it because his school offers Chinese - one of the NSLIY languages - and a kid 3 or 4 years ahead of him got it for Chinese. My son had studied Arabic on his own (online) starting in 7th or 8th grade, and so the idea of applying for Arabic got on our radar screen. He was accepted for the NSLIY summer version after his sophomore year (or maybe junior, I forget). Having previously done the summer version gave him a leg up on the year-long version - in fact all 10 or 11 kids in his cohort had previously done the summer. 

 

[belljr]

Kind of interesting. My son is only 17 and wont turn 18 until summer. The FAFSA application states this:

Most male citizens and male immigrants must register with the Selective Service System to receive federal student aid. If you are not registered, select Register me.

Register me

Really? 

Do people not register anymore?

My son did

 

[The_Man]

So I just made the final payment for my son's first semester at college. I have to tell you, it gives me a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. Our belts are definitely tight, but we're not impoverished - at least as long as our 2003 minivan stays on the road. And i just feel so good about giving him the opportunity to go to a college he loves and not have to worry about finishing with undergraduate student loan debt.

Would I like to have a newer car, or update our kitchen, or take a much better vacation? Of course. But when I think about what I'm spending my money on, I'd so much rather spend it on my kid and his education. 25 years from now, I'm not going to give a crap what car I drove in 2017, or that I had to buy 10-lb bags of ice every couple of weeks, because the fridge's ice maker didn't work. But I'm still going to feel good about what I did for my kid.

Now, just 7 more semesters to go, followed by 4 more years of college for my younger kid! 

 

[belljr]

So I just made the final payment for my son's first semester at college. I have to tell you, it gives me a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. Our belts are definitely tight, but we're not impoverished - at least as long as our 2003 minivan stays on the road. And i just feel so good about giving him the opportunity to go to a college he loves and not have to worry about finishing with undergraduate student loan debt.

Would I like to have a newer car, or update our kitchen, or take a much better vacation? Of course. But when I think about what I'm spending my money on, I'd so much rather spend it on my kid and his education. 25 years from now, I'm not going to give a crap what car I drove in 2017, or that I had to buy 10-lb bags of ice every couple of weeks, because the fridge's ice maker didn't work. But I'm still going to feel good about what I did for my kid.

Now, just 7 more semesters to go, followed by 4 more years of college for my younger kid! 

  Great feeling.   I was also driving a 2003 car.  Made my final payment and went a boutgh a 2016

I have a 6 year "break" until my youngest sets off

ETA: sorry I thought you were done.   Good LUck

 

[Cjw_55106]

Do people not register anymore?

My son did

Before he was 18?

Separate topic..but isnt it about time for the ladies to have to register as well? 

 

[belljr]

Before he was 18?

Separate topic..but isnt it about time for the ladies to have to register as well? 

Sorry misunderstood 

 

[SteelCurtain]

can you explain this more?  I guess I am not reading this correctly.

On the 2018–19 FAFSA form, you (and your parents, as appropriate) will report your 2016 income information, rather than your 2017 income information

You cannot use your 2017 tax information

My lord.  I screwed up.  Just fixed my post.  Apologies. 

You are right.

 

[SteelCurtain]

Is there a place online that one should go to to file that doesn't cost anything? 

https://fafsa.gov/

Some private schools require the CSS Profile.  Be aware there is a charge to submit this form and this is probably the only time you should pay to apply for financial aid. 

If a school requires this form, there is no avoiding it if you want need based aid. However, there are waivers available if you qualify for waiver for the SAT.

 

[CowboysFromHell]

I'm sure the answer to my question is buried within these 19 pages, so apologies in advance.

I'll use a real example to illustrate (my son's top college choice).  Tuition+room/board = $45,000.  He's already heard back that he's getting $11,000 from a merit-based scholarship, which brings us down to $34,000.  FAFSA is pending.  Let's say they come back with an expected family contribution of $20,000.   Would that then imply he has $25,000 in need, of which $11,000 is already taken care of, so financial aid would equal $14,000?

What I don't get, and I think is bull#### if I'm right about this, is his scholarship is pretty much worthless.  An average C student, who qualifies for no merit-based scholarships, but has the same financial profile, would be in exactly the same boat.  $45,000 cost of attendance.  $20,000 expected family contribution.  Equals $25,000 in financial aid.  End result is the same.  The family is on the hook for $20,000 in both cases.

So, what's the point in taking 10 AP classes in high school, a 4.0+ GPA, and 34 on the ACT?  It sounds like it ends up meaning nothing.

I hope I'm wrong about this.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I'm sure the answer to my question is buried within these 19 pages, so apologies in advance.

I'll use a real example to illustrate (my son's top college choice).  Tuition+room/board = $45,000.  He's already heard back that he's getting $11,000 from a merit-based scholarship, which brings us down to $34,000.  FAFSA is pending.  Let's say they come back with an expected family contribution of $20,000.   Would that then imply he has $25,000 in need, of which $11,000 is already taken care of, so financial aid would equal $14,000?

EFC is not what the family is expected to pay.  The name is very misleading.  Here is the exact text from the FASFA web site

================================

Note: Your EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive. It is a number used by your school to calculate the amount of federal student aid you are eligible to receive.

 

[NewlyRetired]

So, what's the point in taking 10 AP classes in high school, a 4.0+ GPA, and 34 on the ACT?  It sounds like it ends up meaning nothing.

Off the top of my head I can see many reasons why it is important when compared to a student who did not do these things:

1) Your child will be better prepared for the rigors of college than a similar child who did not take these classes and get these grades/scores

2) Your child will be better able to get into "more prestigious" schools than a child who did not take these classes and get these grades/scores

3) Your child will be more highly considered for non financial based merit aid than a child did not take these classes and get these grades/scores*

4) Your child will be more highly considered for financial based merit aid than a child did not take these classes and get these grades/scores*

*Note that schools have individual aid that goes well above and beyond what FAFSA does.  The FAFSA EFC number is almost meaningless to many schools when they determine their own aid. That is why many schools require you to fill out the significantly more details CSS Profile in which they use to help determine aid that the school itself provides.

 

[CowboysFromHell]

EFC is not what the family is expected to pay.  The name is very misleading.  Here is the exact text from the FASFA web site

================================

Note: Your EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive. It is a number used by your school to calculate the amount of federal student aid you are eligible to receive.

Ahhhh.  Thank you.  I'm still not sure how this will play out, but I sort of think they purposely make it more complicated than it needs to be...

 

[NewlyRetired]

Ahhhh.  Thank you.  I'm still not sure how this will play out, but I sort of think they purposely make it more complicated than it needs to be...

Just wait until you get to the CSS Profile  

It is a million times more in depth than the FAFSA which is very simple to fill out.

 

[CowboysFromHell]

Just wait until you get to the CSS Profile  

It is a million times more in depth than the FAFSA which is very simple to fill out.

I've heard of the CSS, but was told not many schools require it.  My son is applying to state/public schools, mostly Big 10, so maybe that's the difference.  I think I heard CSS was more for private schools?

BTW, that would screw him.  His mom and I are divorced, and he lives with her.  Her income pales in comparison to mine.  My understanding is the FAFSA will not include my income & assets, but the CSS would.

 

[NewlyRetired]

I've heard of the CSS, but was told not many schools require it.  My son is applying to state/public schools, mostly Big 10, so maybe that's the difference.  I think I heard CSS was more for private schools?

BTW, that would screw him.  His mom and I are divorced, and he lives with her.  Her income pales in comparison to mine.  My understanding is the FAFSA will not include my income & assets, but the CSS would.

The CSS wants to know where every last nickle in your sofa is.  Be happy if you don't need to fill it out

 

[The_Man]

I'm sure the answer to my question is buried within these 19 pages, so apologies in advance.

I'll use a real example to illustrate (my son's top college choice).  Tuition+room/board = $45,000.  He's already heard back that he's getting $11,000 from a merit-based scholarship, which brings us down to $34,000.  FAFSA is pending.  Let's say they come back with an expected family contribution of $20,000.   Would that then imply he has $25,000 in need, of which $11,000 is already taken care of, so financial aid would equal $14,000?

What I don't get, and I think is bull#### if I'm right about this, is his scholarship is pretty much worthless.  An average C student, who qualifies for no merit-based scholarships, but has the same financial profile, would be in exactly the same boat.  $45,000 cost of attendance.  $20,000 expected family contribution.  Equals $25,000 in financial aid.  End result is the same.  The family is on the hook for $20,000 in both cases.

So, what's the point in taking 10 AP classes in high school, a 4.0+ GPA, and 34 on the ACT?  It sounds like it ends up meaning nothing.

I hope I'm wrong about this.

Search the financial aid pages of your target schools for Outside and Merit Scholarships. Most schools will let you "stack" financial aid, meaning they'll give you what you qualify for based on need, and then let you stack additional outside merit scholarships on top of that. The schools that don't let you do that are pretty much only the rich schools that claim to "meet your family's full demonstrated need." Those schools figure out what they think you can pay, and then hold you to that amount, and just pocket the outside scholarship money you bring to the equation.

 

[belljr]

Also if you don't fill out FAFSA you won't qualify for govt loans

 

[CowboysFromHell]

Thanks everyone for the responses.  Very helpful.

 

[SteelCurtain]

I'm sure the answer to my question is buried within these 19 pages, so apologies in advance.

I'll use a real example to illustrate (my son's top college choice).  Tuition+room/board = $45,000.  He's already heard back that he's getting $11,000 from a merit-based scholarship, which brings us down to $34,000.  FAFSA is pending.  Let's say they come back with an expected family contribution of $20,000.   Would that then imply he has $25,000 in need, of which $11,000 is already taken care of, so financial aid would equal $14,000?

What I don't get, and I think is bull#### if I'm right about this, is his scholarship is pretty much worthless.  An average C student, who qualifies for no merit-based scholarships, but has the same financial profile, would be in exactly the same boat.  $45,000 cost of attendance.  $20,000 expected family contribution.  Equals $25,000 in financial aid.  End result is the same.  The family is on the hook for $20,000 in both cases.

So, what's the point in taking 10 AP classes in high school, a 4.0+ GPA, and 34 on the ACT?  It sounds like it ends up meaning nothing.

I hope I'm wrong about this.

Many schools will leverage their limited financial aid dollars so the best students will get the best financial aid packages.

Best FA packages = more gift aid (scholarships/grants) and less self help (work/loans)

 

[squidrope]

Every school is a party school

.

 

[Cjw_55106]

Estimated out of pocket for my son's freshman year: $1600. 

 

[CowboysFromHell]

I'm sure the answer to my question is buried within these 19 pages, so apologies in advance.

I'll use a real example to illustrate (my son's top college choice).  Tuition+room/board = $45,000.  He's already heard back that he's getting $11,000 from a merit-based scholarship, which brings us down to $34,000.  FAFSA is pending.  Let's say they come back with an expected family contribution of $20,000.   Would that then imply he has $25,000 in need, of which $11,000 is already taken care of, so financial aid would equal $14,000?

What I don't get, and I think is bull#### if I'm right about this, is his scholarship is pretty much worthless.  An average C student, who qualifies for no merit-based scholarships, but has the same financial profile, would be in exactly the same boat.  $45,000 cost of attendance.  $20,000 expected family contribution.  Equals $25,000 in financial aid.  End result is the same.  The family is on the hook for $20,000 in both cases.

So, what's the point in taking 10 AP classes in high school, a 4.0+ GPA, and 34 on the ACT?  It sounds like it ends up meaning nothing.

I hope I'm wrong about this.

Well, yes, I was wrong on the above.  Now that I am seeing this all play out, it's still bull####, but it's just a different flavor of bull####.

With an EFC of around $11,000, and the above need of $34,000, my son is getting exactly zero financial aid.  He's been offered subsidized & unsubsidized loans, but those have to be paid back, so basically no real help.  This is for a student that has a >4.0 average, AP scholar, 34 on the ACT, athlete, part-time job, community service, etc.

What's worse, it looks like even if the EFC were zero, that would only get him a maximum of $5,000 Pell grant.  Financial aid/FAFSA is a joke.

Bottom line.  College is for rich people.  

 

[MAC_32]

Well, yes, I was wrong on the above.  Now that I am seeing this all play out, it's still bull####, but it's just a different flavor of bull####.

With an EFC of around $11,000, and the above need of $34,000, my son is getting exactly zero financial aid.  He's been offered subsidized & unsubsidized loans, but those have to be paid back, so basically no real help.  This is for a student that has a >4.0 average, AP scholar, 34 on the ACT, athlete, part-time job, community service, etc.

What's worse, it looks like even if the EFC were zero, that would only get him a maximum of $5,000 Pell grant.  Financial aid/FAFSA is a joke.

Bottom line.  College is for rich people.  

Not exactly. This school just awards very poorly. Which is unfortunately kind of common. I wouldn't be surprised if they low balled you to start but nothing additional smells of incompetence. 

Does he have any backup options? 

 

[CowboysFromHell]

Not exactly. This school just awards very poorly. Which is unfortunately kind of common. I wouldn't be surprised if they low balled you to start but nothing additional smells of incompetence. 

Does he have any backup options? 

Yes, the example I gave was his top choice.  It's out of state, which is why it's more expensive.  He is now down to deciding between 2 in-state schools, but they gave even less in scholarship and so far, the same goose egg on financial aid.  It just doesn't seem like all of his hard work in high school is worth a damn.

I did call the first school and talked to them for 15-20 minutes.  It did not sound like they were low-balling.  They gave no indication that there was any chance of more coming.

 

[ffjunk]

Well, yes, I was wrong on the above.  Now that I am seeing this all play out, it's still bull####, but it's just a different flavor of bull####.

With an EFC of around $11,000, and the above need of $34,000, my son is getting exactly zero financial aid.  He's been offered subsidized & unsubsidized loans, but those have to be paid back, so basically no real help.  This is for a student that has a >4.0 average, AP scholar, 34 on the ACT, athlete, part-time job, community service, etc.

What's worse, it looks like even if the EFC were zero, that would only get him a maximum of $5,000 Pell grant.  Financial aid/FAFSA is a joke.

Bottom line.  College is for rich people.  

EFC is not an expected family contribution like it says. It’s a strength indicator. I believe the cut off to receive the Pell grants is 5500.  The whole process is maddening. Where you can make up some money is by asking the college if there are any other scholarships your child can apply for. There are many that are not publicized. You just have to talk to the right people and try to connect with them. If the first person says no, call back later and talk to someone else.

 

[MAC_32]

Yes, the example I gave was his top choice.  It's out of state, which is why it's more expensive.  He is now down to deciding between 2 in-state schools, but they gave even less in scholarship and so far, the same goose egg on financial aid.  It just doesn't seem like all of his hard work in high school is worth a damn.

I did call the first school and talked to them for 15-20 minutes.  It did not sound like they were low-balling.  They gave no indication that there was any chance of more coming.

Are these schools relatively selective?

 

[MAC_32]

EFC is not an expected family contribution like it says. It’s a strength indicator. I believe the cut off to receive the Pell grants is 5500.  The whole process is maddening. Where you can make up some money is by asking the college if there are any other scholarships your child can apply for. There are many that are not publicized. You just have to talk to the right people and try to connect with them. If the first person says no, call back later and talk to someone else.

Semantics, but the Pell line depends on the school. The number you gave is a good estimate, but it's not an absolute. Just depends on how many need based students are enrolled.

 

[CowboysFromHell]

Are these schools relatively selective?

Big 10 schools.

 

[chet]

Let's fire this bad boy back up.  I spent last week in CA with my daughter and saw a lot of schools.

She loved Claremont McKenna but hated Pomona.

She liked UCLA but didn't like USC. 

She liked USD but didn't like UCSD.

This summer will be work on essays and seeing some more east coast schools.  

 

[chet]

My daughter got her ACT results back today and did well--32 composite, 34 English, 29 math, 34 reading and 30 science.  It was the first time she'd taken the test and she will take it again.  She's going to apply to schools that superscore the ACT--for those schools, do they rank a single sitting score higher than a superscore (assuming they're the same score obviously).

 

[Nigel]

My oldest is also starting the process. She went to Gtown, UVA, UNC & Duke last week with my wife. UCLA & USC are also on her list but I really hope she stays east coast. Vandy also on the list and Boston College, my alma mater, is on there but probably her last choice. 

I need to read up on this thread a bit, I’m sure there’s some great info. It’s an exciting time for her but no doubt it will be stressful, and she puts way too much pressure on herself. The cost stresses me the #### out but it is what it is. And I know my wife will be on top of chasing every scholarship opportunity there is - she’s great at that stuff. We’ll make it work. 

 

[NewlyRetired]

if you guys don't want to re-read a ton of posts, ask some questions.  Those of us who went through this might be able to answer some specific questions.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Since this thread got bumped, how did your guys kids who were freshman this year make out?

For my daughter at Trinity, we could have predicted how it worked out.  She studies hard, her teachers appear to love her and she is getting excellent grades but socially (the piece of college she really needed) is not happening.   She never leaves her dorm room unless she has to go to class.  She has no interest in joining any clubs or making any friends.  She even applied and got a single for next year.

 

[chet]

Since this thread got bumped, how did your guys kids who were freshman this year make out?

For my daughter at Trinity, we could have predicted how it worked out.  She studies hard, her teachers appear to love her and she is getting excellent grades but socially (the piece of college she really needed) is not happening.   She never leaves her dorm room unless she has to go to class.  She has no interest in joining any clubs or making any friends.  She even applied and got a single for next year.

Some of the best advice I heard last week was getting involved outside of class.  I've said to my children that the two most important parts of college are academics and social life and being at either end of the equilibrium isn't good.  Good luck to your daughter and encourage her to get involved socially.

 

[James Daulton]

Since this thread got bumped, how did your guys kids who were freshman this year make out?

For my daughter at Trinity, we could have predicted how it worked out.  She studies hard, her teachers appear to love her and she is getting excellent grades but socially (the piece of college she really needed) is not happening.   She never leaves her dorm room unless she has to go to class.  She has no interest in joining any clubs or making any friends.  She even applied and got a single for next year.

My kids first year at the University of Maryland has been great.  She's made a ton of friends, got a 3.75 GPA and seems to have more fun every day.  Plus she's even more all knowing and smarter than her parents obviously so that part hasn't really change.