Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

Most of the info can be imported from your tax return which makes things easier. You'll need your bank and investment statements to enter that information. It's actually pretty easy. There are help bubbles if you it.
Bank statement as in current account balances, etc.?
 
Any tips on the FAFSA? This will be our first time filling it out.

I was just going to do the whole thing myself. Why do I need to create separate id's and passwords. I was going to enter the site as "the student" and go from there. Is there a section where I would have to log out of the student section and log in as the parent?

Just do not under any circumstances mix up your husband and your student, who may happen to have the same name as your husband, on the form. It creates a BIG mess; the student looks like he has minor children; Pell Grants get applied in error; all the money you've paid the school gets sent back to you; giving the Pell Grants back and amending the FAFSA is not as easy as it sounds. Ask me how I know this. Hahaha (I can laugh about it now.)

The biggest tip - write all your passwords down and keep them someplace safe. DH can't remember/find them most years. I think he finally has a good system in place at year 5 of the FAFSA

Finally, be grateful your child's school does not require the dreaded CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. That thing is like the FAFSA on steroids. But it's been worth it because DS got scholarship grants for his last 2 years of college.

Good luck!
 
DD17 and I went shopping yesterday and ended up meeting DD20 when she got off work. Took her out for supper, went back to apartment to help her choose next semester's classes, and took her grocery shopping. She's still overwhelmed with her course load and work schedule. I don't think Target will ease up on her hours though with the holiday season approaching. So her plan now is to continue to work a lot now and through Christmas break and save up. Then, next semester when she has to an internship, take a break from work and use some of her savings for rent payments. It will be really nice to have her free on weekends again. Hopefully she gets a paid internship, but she does have plenty of savings either way.

Her class schedule is set up nicely for next semester with most classes clustered on Tue-Thur. Since she started the Honors Program, she got to register before the general student body. However, she is not going to continue Honors as the benefits aren't worth the stress. Just have to get through 2 more months of this semester and then maybe smoother sailing.
 


DD will be registering for classes in a few weeks. She has finally (for now) settled on her second Major but...

She is a Marketing Major and has played around with International Studies, Political Science and now Multi Media Journalism. I think Multimedia Journalism is the one. She is working at the campus radio station and training to have her own radio show next semester. She is so excited. She wants to get involved with the campus TV station too. The kids who do production at the TV station got to work with ESPN as production assistants at last week's football game vs Notre Dame.

Here is the problem. To get the 2nd Major, she'd need to take 18 credits from here on out. So far she's only taken 12 credits per semester. We both thought her associates degree would have freed up more room in her schedule than it has. She looked to see if she can just Minor in Multimedia Journalism, but a Minor is not available. Now she needs to decide 1) will she take 18 credits a semester for the next 5 semesters to get the double Major or 2) will she switch Marketing to a Minor and Major in MMJ. She's worried about doing this because Marketing may get her a better job after graduation. or 3) Keep the Marketing Major, take as many MMJ classes as she can, keep working at the Radio and TV stations, and not worry about getting the official MMJ Major. Lots to figure out!

DS, a senior, is in the middle of Campus Job Recruiting. He's applied to 68 companies, had 7 on campus first round interviews, several video interviews and has been invited to 3 Superday on site interviews (an investment management group and 2 consulting firms). Plus he has an offer in hand from his summer internship. He really wants one of the two consulting jobs, and he's really nervous about those upcoming interviews. It has been pretty stressful!
 
Mid terms are done - DD called on Saturday "my English and Bio teachers only give A's, no pluses or minuses, an A is an A, so my GPA is a 4.0!"
I could hear her excitement, she has settled in very well. A few weeks back she declared History as her major with a minor in Biology and just last week she registered for her spring semester classes. She is very much focused on medical school, she really thinks she wants to be a medical examiner.
 


Yesterday DD signed up for housing for next year.
Her roommate this year who was also her freshman year roommate asked her last week if she wanted to change to a room type that would have two single rooms with one shared bathroom and the cost would be less than $300 more for the year. DD agreed to that.
She is going to look into being a RA for next year. I do not think she will get that offer though .
If her friend transfers to her school next year, they had talked about rooming together in an apartment but she will not know till April 2019. Although now DD enjoys the weekly cleaning and food service she receives now. Her choice will be interesting to see how it plays out.
DD came home last weekend and I felt she made out like a bandit. I found several long coats that went past her knees at TJ Maxx and she did like one so that was purchased; her walk for one of her classes is 19 minutes without snow and she said she froze last year. Friday we all went to the movies and she got food out Saturday we shopped at Kohl's and she got longsleeve shirts and we hit the dollar store for a few needs and aldis for a few groceries. Saturday afternoon she mowed 3 yards for cash. Saturday night she went to grandmas For her sewing needs. Sunday she hung with her brother in the morning. And the way back Sunday we ordered flannel sheets for her college bed. We ate supper there and she had asked me to make her taco meat to take back with her. And I had a dead banana so she got banana muffins with walnuts. She took a lot of winter clothes back with her. And her small room humidifier . An she took a router that we had - and now she has better Internet signal in her room.
She has a couple of groups of friends now that she does things with. Her classes she feels like she understands them. She takes advantage of office hours when she needs them. She did state she chatted with a counselor one day last week because she really was sad because BF Is in military this year. She gets to see him next month. The counselor told her she seemed focused on the fact that she knew she would miss him when she left from the trip and she seem to be missing the point that she was going to get to see him . Weirdly she said it was like a aha moment. Weird I say because her BF and I told her this.
I suffer from headaches and migraines, I had a headache for several days in one month so I started meds this year to help prevent them. DD mentioned Thursaday that she had headaches every day for one month so on Saturday I did have her blood drawn only her vitamin D level was low which can cause headaches so now she will take vitamin D every day. Hopefully it will help. And she hopes to get her flu shot today.
 
Bank statement as in current account balances, etc.?

I know some people wait to fill out FAFSA until after they pay the spring tuition bill so their bank accounts are lower- just something to think about it if applies to you. I paid all my bills for the month when I got my pension check and then filled out FAFSA.
 
Thanks for the FAFSA reminder. We've never received any need based aid from the thing, but still have to submit it for the kids to be eligible to apply for merit based scholarships. Guess we better get on that, especially since DD may be about done with the collegiate athletics thing. If that's the case she'll need to find some other scholarship money, or get a part time job, or move to a less expensive apt complex, or some combination of the above.
The perks for being an athlete have been really nice, but I think we're all questioning whether the time commitment and pressure are worth it at this point. It will be interesting to see what DD chooses to do.

The time in school sure is going quickly isn't it?
I asked DD how she'd feel about not being able to register early with the athletes if she gives up her spot, and she said that won't really be a big deal as an upperclassman, which she'll be the next time registration rolls around again. Seems our babies are rolling right along! ;)
 
This post isn't about my sophomore DD, but about my senior DS's job search. I figured I'd share because our 2021 kids will all be there in 2 short years. Time FLIES!

DS is a Finance major. Last year at this time, he was interviewing for Summer Internships. Finance kids work mostly in 4 areas: investment banking, consulting, wealth/asset management and corporate finance. He decided he didn't want investment banking and while he was really interested in consulting, he didn't feel qualified for the consulting interviews, so he focused on wealth/asset management. He also applied for a few corporate positions just in case. He got a few interviews and a Super Day with a mutual fund company in Charlotte, NC. That was the internship he really wanted, but he didn't get it. Instead he got a great corporate finance internship with a Fortune 200 company in our city. He did very well there, made a ton of money this summer, and they gave him a nice offer for full employment with a great salary upon graduation. But he wasn't sure if he wanted to stay in corporate finance, so he started the campus recruitment process again this Fall.

It has been a very stressful two months. He applied to 68 companies, got 8 on campus interviews and several more phone/video interviews. He decided to focus mostly on consulting and wealth/asset management this time around. He was invited to 5 Super days so far (2 consulting firms; 1 investment firm; 1 large commercial bank, which he turned down because it's in Buffalo, and he didn't want to live somewhere that snowy; and Aldi Grocery Stores for a district manager position, which pays a boat load of money but is in a bad location, so he turned it down).

He was really starting to stress because the offer he has from the Summer Internship program expires on Oct. 31st. Yesterday, just 1 week before his offer expired, he got an offer for his dream job - EY (in Commercial Consulting) in the city he really wanted to be in with a really nice salary. He is over the moon excited!!! The craziest thing is that he figured a job like this was a long shot as it's such a competitive industry to break into. He couldn't get near the mobbed EY booth at any of the career fairs or receptions. He just went online, applied through his school's link, recorded a video interview (which he did in his kitchen wearing boxers shorts on the bottom and a suit on the top). He didn't think anyone would ever bother watching, but a week later he got an email inviting him to fly to Dallas for a Super Day. Once he got there and attended the reception the night before, he realized he was there with 60 other kids! And this was just one of their scheduled Super Days - so many kids! The next day, he had 3 interviews (1 case, 2 behavioral). He felt really good about the 2 behavioral interviews but said the case was really hard. He flew home and waited. He had resigned himself to taking the Summer offer, but then yesterday his dreams came true. When he told me the great news, I was so happy for him that I burst into tears.

It's what we all want as parents, for our babies to be happy! And employed!
 
This post isn't about my sophomore DD, but about my senior DS's job search. I figured I'd share because our 2021 kids will all be there in 2 short years. Time FLIES!

Congrats! What a good feeling! For my DD she will be there in 7 short months as she will be done with her community college program. Really hoping she can get work right away in her field and not have to go back to Target. She needs an internship for next semester and has applied for one. No idea when we will hear back. Wish they would just tell her right now. I think it would be a good one and a convenient location. I'm sure she needs to get on applying for others but she's still so swamped with work and school.

I've been encouraging her to drop a stressful class that she does not need but I'm not sure I'll be successful. It's Intro to Honors and she's already decided not to continue Honors next semester so it's pretty pointless. But, for the class project they decided to do what's essentially a Graphic Design project and she's the only GD major in it so the bulk of the work is falling to her. Hence, the stress, but also the feeling she owes it to the class to stay on. At one point she said if she just got one more part done she would feel better leaving them to handle the rest but I don't know if she'll ever get up the nerve to drop or not. She hasn't even started on her individual project and for her own mental health I'd rather she not have to do it. 17 credits plus 25-30 work hours is too much and she doesn't want to cut back work either.
 
DD applied for her room next year with a roommate of this year, they told me they can share a bathroom and them each get their own room, and I said yes I know I asked you last year if you wanted to change to that type of room, moms we know nothing. DD says one of the roommates is a germ fighter so she does extra cleaning with Clorox wipes, I say - you go girl. The girls don't see each other a lot, one is a cheerleader and she is gone all day and evening long and is gone for weekend games. The germ fighter is quiet. And she already knew the one roommate. She said someone did have friends there loud one night to curfew but no issues among them. She did apply for a RA position next year and she said she made it to round 2, I really don't think she will get it, she is not catholic and it is a catholic dorm but its a good experience for her.

She had a midterm tonight and during the day another student said Aw man we have TAM tonight and another student said what do you mean and are you kidding me? DD said the guy apparently forgot the midterm test was tonight and it is 25% of your grade.

Our plans were to go to Disney over winter break and today we learned DD BF from the navy will be here 4 days of our vacation so now we need to decide if he comes with us or we drop the first days of our trip. DH knew this could be a possibility when he picked the dates of the trip, we have him on our Ressie now but I worry that his family would be mad. They have a different family dynamics from ours. They don't seem to celebrate holidays but I would be hurt if my kid did not want to visit with me so I don't want to remove their person from them. I don't think he plans on going home to them at all, he seems to plan on staying with us for his break. For our trip we have great dining Ressies and FPs but DD BF doesn't actually do theme parks and with the holidays it would be super busy.
 
I went to Boston last weekend to see my daughter for her birthday- took her and the boyfriend out to lunch and dinner then left and stopped at Foxwoods casino for the night (I get free rooms there so it was worth the drive-plus it is on the way home)-won 250.00 and left in the morning. Will see her again on Dec 14th when she comes home from school for 3 week break. She is going to look at a sublet apartment next Monday for May and June-her dorm closes the end of April but her job doesn't end until June 29th so she needs a apartment for 2 months. She is applying to a RA job next year, they get private rooms so she is all for that plus free room and meal plan. She would lose out on her work study money but it would be worth it, with her financial aid all we pay is rom and board so if she gets the RA job it all would be covered. She loves it in Boston, this may be the last summer she comes home (and this is only for 6 weeks this summer)- next year she works until the end of June then is taking summer classes starting the beginning of July.
 
DD did quit Honors and she's feeling good about the extra time on her hands! Other homework has let up a little too. She's home for her sister's musical this weekend. I want her to call and follow up on her internship application!

It's been a little touchy with the roommates lately. One called a roommate meeting a week or two ago and basically the purpose was to scold DD for shutting her door too loud, leaving crumbs, leaving dishes dirty, not taking out the trash enough. DD has been taking 17 credits and working 30 hours so she didn't have time to wash dishes after every meal but she would only leave a single plate and fork in the sink to get to later. And she is the one that was always taking out the trash and buying new trash bags, sweeping, etc. She really is quiet, responsible, and tidy. Their apartment looks like no one lives there but one in particular is adamant everything be spotless and silent. DD was unsuccessful in defending herself at the meeting as two kept talking over her. The four of them have divided up into 2 against 2, fortunately one is DD's BFF so she has an ally in the apartment.
 
I'm jealous of all of you that get feedback from your college students. Whenever I ask my DD how classes are going I get the response, "Fine." How were midterms? "Fine." Arg! "Fine." can mean, "I got an "A" all the way to, "I failed that test." She has always been very secretive about grades and I no longer check them during the school year.

@yeahdisney, when are you in WDW? We will be there from 12/29-1/9. My DD and her BF may be joining us and I have a room at the Dolphin for them for 5 nights and they are on our MDX with FPs. They are also planning to go to Costa Rica in January so if they come we're footing the whole bill and my DH is not wild about paying for "the boy".
 
I'm jealous of all of you that get feedback from your college students. Whenever I ask my DD how classes are going I get the response, "Fine." How were midterms? "Fine." Arg! "Fine." can mean, "I got an "A" all the way to, "I failed that test." She has always been very secretive about grades and I no longer check them during the school year.
My DD doesn't share much, she too is rather secretive. I get a lot of "fine" "good" etc as well and have never checked her grades. In the early years I didn't have to, in the high school years, I never felt the need and now that she is in college, I was not granted that access.

My BFF has a daughter that is 1.5 years older than my DD. The girls grew up together until about 8th grade, then we moved but they have sporadically stayed in touch. My BFF's DD will get more out of DD in one text than I will in a month of texts LOL, so my BFF's DD keeps me informed.
 
My DD doesn't share much, she too is rather secretive. I get a lot of "fine" "good" etc as well and have never checked her grades. In the early years I didn't have to, in the high school years, I never felt the need and now that she is in college, I was not granted that access.

My BFF has a daughter that is 1.5 years older than my DD. The girls grew up together until about 8th grade, then we moved but they have sporadically stayed in touch. My BFF's DD will get more out of DD in one text than I will in a month of texts LOL, so my BFF's DD keeps me informed.
Mine had a rough first Freshman year in HS. She had a teacher who acted like she was teaching freshmen in college her first semester and then she tore her ACL her second semester and got pretty far behind. I admit I watched grades throughout HS. I do have access to her grades now in college but I don't check until after the semester is done because the work during the semester is hers alone to figure out. She doesn't like that I check after the semester is over but (1) she lied to me about her grades last year and (2) we pay 100% of her bills. I'm not a "tiger mom" who demands straight A's by any stretch of the imagination but I do expect to be told the truth.
 
I'm jealous of all of you that get feedback from your college students. Whenever I ask my DD how classes are going I get the response, "Fine." How were midterms? "Fine." Arg! "Fine." can mean, "I got an "A" all the way to, "I failed that test." She has always been very secretive about grades and I no longer check them during the school year.

I just wrote a whole response back as to how my daughter doesn't give me a lot of feedback either - but then my post got all screwed up so I'll just say that I know how you feel.
 
My DD and I communicate a lot through text or she fills me in when we visit her. She lives with 3 other girls and was hating the living situation and wanted to move out. She finally had enough and called a 3rd house meeting and addressed issues. I was shocked because she is more on the quiet side but had enough. I don't blame her. When we go to visit her she pointed out certain things she had issues and I totally agree with her and told her she has valid complaints. Out of the 3 roommates 2 are messing and inconsiderate and don't respect boundaries and space. The kitchen has been messy and gross when I've gone over. Stove top is nasty, pile of recyclables, dirty dishes, counter not wiped off, fridge leftovers for days, rotten veggies. I told my DD that's one way to get ants and bugs. She said she cleans up after herself and only uses her air fryer, She washes her dishes and cleans up when shes done. My SS is taking 16-18 units, goes to school all day m-th and has observations on Fridays. Her 2 roommates are super messing and don't clean up, don't wipe down stove top, leave dirty dishes and leave a pile of recyclables pile up in the kitchen and leave leftovers for days and don't clean out there rotten stuff until days after juice is flowing from the bag. Both of those roommates only have a total of 2-3 classes and go to school 2 days out of the week and they dont go home on the weekends. My DD was annoyed because she has a busy schedule and still cleans up after herself and the other two don't. She addressed all those issues and the bathroom. My dd and her roommate share a sink and the other two share a sink. Well their counter is full of stuff and dirty so they use my DD's side of the sink and counter leaving a mess. No respect!

When my dd called the meeting, one girl(messy , drama,Miss attitude) was being rude but my DD stood her gorund. Her roommate(they share a room) backed her up and so did the 2nd roommate and she even aplogized. The 4th roommate is the main problem. I guess the following day she told my dd that she would clean up and try and keep it clean. My daughter main point was if we clean up after ourselves, our place will be nice and clean and there wont be any issues, if we take pride in where we live by keeping it clean and respecting boundaries. She sent me a text of the clean spaces the following day-lol!

I told my dd some people were'nt raised to be clean. We arent neat freaks but dang that kitchen was bad!! poor dd said she never felt so grossed out! Its fair to say she wont be rooming with those 2 girls next year-lol! She's hoping to put in for RA or academic mentor to get her own place
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top