Online Tools for the College Bound

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Ten Fantastic College Values Too Many People Probably Overlook

Beginning early last summer, our family embarked upon a labor of love to help Philip find a great value to study biomedical engineering. In the process, we came across some great values worth sharing with our broader readership. While you should certainly look at your state’s university system as well as prestigious private colleges that offer generous need-based and merit scholarship, here are some hidden gems that are also worth investigating.

Engineering College

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Less to Reflect Upon

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Our Boys are now Men

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Nothing Beats a Great Kids Sports Season

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A Landmine in the College Application Process

During the summer, Philip and I researched schools offering Biomedical Engineering programs and Philip likewise worked on his college essay. Going into the school year we felt like Philip was ahead of the curve with a short list of schools from long-shot to safety and everything thing else in between. We were on schedule to apply “early decision” to his Ingram University, as well as “early action” at Evans Tech when we were blind-sided by an unexpected obstacle.

What a (Seventh Grade) Girl Really Wants

Chloe is now in the seventh grade. A generation ago, this would be the first year of Junior High School. Today it is the second of the three years of Middle School. Typically, the girls pull ahead of the boys in stature and reading skills while the boys pull ahead of the girls in math. Nearly all the girls are using bras and menstrual pads. Likewise, most of the boys are experiencing the effects of a significant increase in testosterone.

Recovering from a Sudden Relocation

By the end of sixth grade, Chloe, Katherine and Robbie seemed inseparable. While Chloe had many other friends, Katherine and Robbie were her primary friends. The summer seemed mainly focused on things they would be doing together. There were plenty of sleepovers along with campfires at Robbie’s house and horror movie nights at Katherine’s house. The girls were comfortable and the parents liked the friendships.

What We Can Read While Washing our Hands

Philip and I arrived two hours early in Oxford Hills for a Sunday evening admissions presentation by Ingram University, which was quickly becoming Philip’s first choice and long-shot school. I had brought a book; Philip had brought Ingram’s large glossy brochure as well as an SAT Preparation guide. We ate a fast food dinner and then Philip asked if there was somewhere more comfortable we could wait. I selected the Oxford Inn which was just three miles from the upcoming presentation.

I Want to Communicate Between These Extremes

Sometimes and in some ways, the difference between Philip and Chloe is particularly pronounced. It is more than just the gender and age difference, although those differences play a significant role of course. This summer, the difference between my two teenagers is most pronounced in the way they want to communicate with their parents.

My Favorite Holiday

Holidays are special. For most kids, three holidays stand out. Halloween stands out because of the costumes and the night-time candy adventure. Presents make Christmas (or one of its December alternatives) stand out. And finally Independence Day stands out thanks to the fireworks. Of these, my favorite holiday as a child was Independence Day, and it has remained my favorite holiday into adulthood.

Middle School Boys in a Pack

National news this month includes the strange story of an online video showing a pack of middle school boys bullying an elderly bus monitor. The bus monitor maintained that individually these were nice boys. She was probably telling the truth, but packed together these boys turned into something very toxic.

Nine Ways the Best Colleges Resemble Hogwarts

Despite the very silly-sounding name, J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry pulls at the heart-strings of Western culture and perhaps even taps into a deep primal longing. While Hermes High School will always hold a special place in Philip’s heart, my hope is that his undergraduate experience will prove to be the best part of his late adolescence. In short, I not only want him to earn an education that will launch him into a successful adult professional life, I also want him to spend four years at a place that resembles Rowling’s Hogwarts.

Post #135: This Blog is Growing Up with my Family

Just under a year ago, I posted my one hundredth blog entry and celebrated the accomplishment with a summary description of what this blog has been about and what I intended the blog to be about going forward. For forty-four months including this month, I have been committed to delivering three posts each month. They chronicled the most interesting things I observed as a parent and the kinds of things I was thinking about as a parent. Three posts per month worked for a long time. But I have come to the conclusion that time has ended.

Selecting and Targeting the College Long-Shot

Less than two weeks remain of Philip’s junior year at Hermes High School. We now have the scores from his first attempt at the SATs and finals will quickly establish his grades and grade point average going into any early notification college application process.

While Philip is correctly focused on the home stretch of his junior year, I have been quietly compiling data on colleges. Amelia and I are pleased to see that Philip’s SAT scores came in high enough that he can be reasonably certain about getting into Sierra State University, so long as he does not screw up and delivers a well-assembled application early in the admissions cycle.

The Angry Divorced Father

In the Lacrosse Semi-Finals, Hermes faced Conquistador at the Cabrillo High School Stadium. Volunteers at the gate ensured there was a price for admission to keep up funding for the best high school stadium in the County.

I’m already looking forward to seeing Hermes face Conquistador next year. The team has a fantastic new coach as well as several great players who I once coached when they were tweens. Lastly, Philip’s friend Carson (who wasn’t eligible to play this season) will be back in gear as one of Conquistador’s top players. With this year’s game, we knew Hermes would slaughter Conquistador. Next year—with more than two thirds of the top players from Hermes graduating in a few weeks—will be a very different match-up.

It is Hard to Make Firm Plans With Middle Schoolers

Heather is progressively becoming a better friend to Chloe. Before the most recent Middle School dance this past Friday, Stephanie invited Chloe, Heather and just one other girl to put on makeup. Heather was also a Patty’s sleepover birthday party in December and Chloe’s Halloween party. But just a little over two weeks ago, a casual observer might have concluded that Chloe would never want to speak with Heather ever again.

Important but Not Central

With Philip, a whole bunch of things are happening at once. In addition to his junior year of high school being filled with all sorts of important near-year-end tests and assignments, he needs to think about his lacrosse team, Prom, his driving test, the SATs, visiting colleges and completing the volunteer hours he will need to officially log with the school in order to graduate.

On College and College Visit Road Trips

A year ago, during Philip’s sophomore year, I took Philip on a tour of the local state university that is less than a half hour’s drive from our home. It has a beautiful campus, and has a respected biotechnology program which is Philip’s intended field of study. But the visit had only a small impact. This month, we have taken Philip to visit two schools a more substantial drive away. Between age and distance, we observed a much greater impact.

A Good Captain Makes a Good Team

This Year Hermes High School’s Lacrosse Coach named four Seniors as Team Captains, including Conrad and Bruce. Over the years I have watched these boys on Philip’s Team grow up. It has been nice watching Bruce grow from being the star player to being a true leader. But the beacon of great leadership on the team this year is unquestionably Conrad.

Seeing A Movie at the Midnight Opening

The Hunger Games trilogy has caught on fire among teens, tweens and their mothers. About a week before the cinema release, Joshua and Debbie were at our house when Debbie exclaimed, “I’ve got a great idea! Let’s all go see the opening midnight showing together!” Something about her idea resonated.

His First Vehicle

The student parking lot at Hermes High School tells much without uttering a single word. Estimate the number of vehicles and one can estimate what percentage of the student body is in the driver’s seat each morning heading to school. Over the course of any school year, I would estimate it grows from a little over 40% to just shy of 60%. Factor in the number of students who live walking distance from the school and it would be safe to say that roughly 80% of driving-age students have easy access to either their own vehicle or their family’s second car.

The Civilizing Effect of Women

For years now, Carson might have been best described as Philip and Joshua’s immature friend. Carson’s awkwardness was always announcing itself in some way. He would be the one who could be counted upon to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. When Philip and Joshua would be settling down, Carson would be unable to sit still. When Philip and Joshua were trading jokes, Carson would stumble over himself to throw in something funny but never seemed to hit the mark. In an attempt to get the attention of Debbie, Katie or any of the other girls, he would try acting effeminate and could not understand why his efforts had no positive impact.

An Emotionally-Healthy Non-Dating Friendship

It was morning break at Hermes Middle. As students exited their classrooms the campus quickly transformed from a quiet, serene set of buildings into an eruption of activity and movement. Chloe navigated from her classroom to her favorite break-time hang-out spot with kids walking in both directions. She walked forward as if on auto-pilot, saving her mental energy for the bantering that would be happening soon once she settled in her favorite spot with her friends.

Less a Child but not More an Adult

We still have the digital photos from hosting Philip and his peers for a party at our house two summers ago. Three then-fifteen-year-old boys Philip, Joshua and Kevin were lined up on all fours. Then-thirteen-year-olds Debbie and Katie got on top of them, and finally with the help of Chloe and Ashley, tween Abby got on top to form a pyramid. There were plenty of smiles, laughs and snapping cameras.

Drivers of Short Term Contention

Gayle and Chloe have continued their friendship from the previous summer but the two have few close friendships in common. As such, Chloe continues to find herself at odds with Gayle’s more possessive friends like Britney. Recently, a girl named Natalie seemed to be the one wanting to put a wedge between Chloe and Gayle.

The Weekend Between Semesters

I think high school is harder for kids now than it was when I was in high school. The big difference is the student-teacher ratio. The teachers care. But when they have that many more students, something has to give. A second factor seems to be competitiveness. There seems to be more work and less forgiveness for mistakes.

The Impact of an Allowance

Toward the end of fifth grade, a new girl named Robbie (which is short for Roberta) appeared in Chloe’s class. She quickly became friends with Chloe and Katherine. Over what remained of fifth grade, into summer and then into middle school Chloe and Katherine integrated Robbie into their friendship. One of their favorite shared activities has been watching horror movies. Chloe and I watched Chloe’s first R-Rated movie, The Exorcist over the course of a few evenings during the summer. From there Chloe’s enjoyment of horror movies has continued.