Comments on: Apples and Oranges and Grapes, Oh My

By: M0therAdm1n

M0therAdm1n — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:21:07 +0000

Thanks for the tip on collegeboard.com and the calendar, Jeane. Congrats to Gabe on getting such a big piece of good news for his 18th birthday – what great timing.

By: Jeane

Jeane — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 08:46:53 +0000

To all the kids who want to slit their wrists over not getting into Harvard, I just wish they’d go enjoy the rest of 12th grade.

Collegeboard.com has a student match function. Your child can plug in his/her interests, grades in major subjects, PSAT or SAT scores, and poof! You get a list of schools that fit, many of which we’d never heard of. Kind of like internet dating. As parents, we knew the geography we would consider so that helped us narrow the field. For 3 weeks last summer we covered, 5000 miles, hitting 12 schools between Boston and Florida. It proved a remarkably useful tool. The whole family felt confident that Gabe would be happy and do well at any of the 7 he ultimately applied to. He got his first acceptance a few weeks ago, the night before his 18th bday. We’re hoping for more in March, but it’s cool if there aren’t. Best SAT prep guide was the “SAT Question-a-Day Calendar,” his Hanukah gift two years straight. $9.99 on amazon.com.

By: jennifer

jennifer — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 23:05:48 +0000

You can be my first client. For you, a special rate.

By: Anne H.

Anne H. — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:11:29 +0000

Since you seem so knowledgeable about this topic, perhaps you could branch out your PR skills to the college market. A new business venture!

By: jennifer

jennifer — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:23:50 +0000

Arlene, there’s an important clue in your comment that will help you narrow your college search. How about STARTING with schools that have a Ritz-Carlton nearby (will there really be money for this luxury when you visit?). Only look at colleges near these locations.
I agree with Emily and kevinlar’s uncle that it’s critically important to find a good match for the individual kid. In the case of Ian, the field was narrowed to art schools – and that made the search so much easier. In the case of Hugh, who is more of a generalist, everything’s on the table.

By: Arlene

Arlene — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:24:50 +0000

I,too,am the parent of a high school junior and I feel your pain. College search. One more stressor in the life of a parent. Me, being a single parent(with a “helper” ex-husband~yes, HAHA)

This year has stressed me out terribly. Have only gone on one major college look-see to Boston, but have many to do between now and June 15, as my daughter goes away for the summer to camp. Tutors every week($),taking the tests($),sleepless nights with financial planning concerns($$$$$$$). In the meantime I tell my daughter HER job is to get good grades, to her damn best on the ACT and SAT tests and have fun when she’s not doing both of those, and we will find the perfect college for her. MY job is to figure everything else out, and pay for it.

“Not fair. Not the job I signed on to do by myself”, I repeat a few times a week to anybody who will listen, including the dog.

Stll looking for THE job that comes with taking care of the good kid/teenager but hey, what about some benefits over here…like some crazy fun, paid health care and 6 weeks of vacation time, a chauffeur, cook, laundress, a patron to pay all my bills, etc.

“Life’s not fair, Mom,” my high school junior reminds me, repeating what I say to her all the time. No kidding. So here’s my best advice today…close our eyes, point to a state and then a town on a map, point to a college in than town, visit, apply, go. And hope there’s a Ritz Carlton or similar to stay within walking distance when you go and visit for the next four years.

By: kevinlar61

kevinlar61 — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:42:46 +0000

One of my uncles runs a college prep business at many high schools in NYC. He has always maintained that matching your child’s personality to that of the school’s is the most important thing in choosing a college. Upon visiting one of the top-ranked prestigious schools, he marveled how unhappy everyone looked. Could it be that the students are feeling the pressure from their Tiger Moms? Or just stressed from trying to live up to the hype of those USNWR rankings?

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:26:13 +0000

The thought of catching that low grade college fever in a few years already has me breaking out in a cold sweat. Thank you for the reminder that there are many good choices out there and not to believe the hype that you won’t succeed if you dont go to one of the coveted USNWR schools. A good kid is going to succeed where he or she is best matched.