You gotta be KIDDING moments

[you be betty]

Originally posted by Graace:
  a fairly flexible credit system, in terms of requirement distribution and the application of credits to different categories of study, etc.  [/QB]

i.e. Brown  

[kookiemnstr8]

Originally posted by Chaz, Lover of all Beings:
  Ever consider paying for school yourself and going wherever you want?
 
 You say this is a good compromise but it doesn't sound like it to me.  Work your ass off for 12 years just to go to some over-priced snooty school you never wanted to attend in the first place.

The thing is that my parents aren't the ones pushing me to apply to a snooty school.  Its the environment that surrounds me thats pressuring everyone.  However, I'm not going to apply to a school where I don't think I would be happy, regardless of the name.  Harvard, arguably one of the most respected, snooty names in academia, rubbed me the wrong way when I visited.  I couldn't see myself there, and no matter how many times people tell me that with a Harvard degree you're set for life (not true anyway), I won't apply there, even if I knew one hundred percent I would be admitted.  
 
 I would love to be able to pay for college and take some of the load off of my parents' backs.  They have another child to send too.  However, I'm so so lucky to have a set of parents who have worked really hard to put away money for my education so that I won't have to spend my twenties and thirties paying off student loans like they did.  I'm eternally grateful for that.

[kookiemnstr8]

Originally posted by you be betty:
   

Originally posted by Graace:
  a fairly flexible credit system, in terms of requirement distribution and the application of credits to different categories of study, etc.  [/b]

i.e. Brown      [/QB]

Duh.  I want to go there so I can take a neuroscience course just for curiosity's sake and not have to worry about acing the final.

[Bags]

Even if notification is on the internet (of note, all the OC kids got letters in the mail, so they could dramatically carry them to their rooms/throw them away/stash them in a drawer), it wouldn't all be on the same day.  Berkeley notifies the same day as Brown?  Doubt it.
 
 Every generation of kids thinks "it's harder now than it's ever been."  Trust me, we all thought that in 1985.  
 
 And I also was looking at 20 or so schools that a lot of kids look at, with low acceptance rates relatively.  You know what, I think I would have been happy anywhere I went.  But you can't tell that to a 17 year old, I understand that...
 
 But, that said, there are literally hundreds of amazing schools that will nourish your intellect and surround you with amazing people.  Oberlin, Davison, Hobart, Dickinson, Skidmore, Reed, Union, Kenyon, Trinity, Colby...
 
 Betty, you're obviously talking studio art rather than history or art or art theory?  They've got studio art at I think every school my friends went to (Vassar, UNC, U of Fla, Colgate, Emory, Clemson).

[Bags]

Originally posted by Graace:
  Plus with the costs of college already being so high, they'd prefer not to have an expensive plane ticket to pay for every time they'd want to see me.

It's usually more expensive to fly to Detroit than San Francisco from DC.
 
 Parents.  I still don't get 'em.

[you be betty]

Originally posted by Chaz, Lover of all Beings:
   

Originally posted by you be betty:
  I don't have a choice.  I also don't think it's the worst thing in the world.  I've been lucky enough to be born into a family that can afford to pay for a snotty East Coast school for me, and to have the opportunity to excell in a great high school.  I don't mind working hard in school - I enjoy it sometimes, I do.  The only thing that sucks is the stress, and feeling that you're expected to do these great things all the time.  I feel like a caged up little robot.
 
 How would I afford to pay for my own college?

Grants and loans and scholarships......loads of people do it.  And you're right it certainly isn't the worst thing in the world, as long as you don't mind feeling like a caged up little robot, to use your own words.  Not trying to give you a hard time, I'm sure it's not easy.
 
 Just don't say you don't have a choice....that's the one thing we all have. [/b]

Except, you missed my point.  I WANT to go to Brown.  I really, really do.  I want to go wherever the hell I can study art and make my parents happy.  I can tell you right now, I don't want to get involved in the whole student loan bit.  I'm not talented enough to get a scholarship to an art school.  And art schools are more expensive and probably the worst idea if I were going to go somewhere to defy my parents, because supplies are almost as expensive as the education itself.  
 
 I mind feeling like a caged up robot sure, but I've gotten kind of used to it.  I've figured out what I can do on the weekends to make me happy, as long as I keep my grades up (hi, 9:30), I've found a nice release, and I've got about as much independence as I can get without living alone.  I'd rather bite my lip for the next couple of years and just proceed to work my ass off, than really defy any parentals or piss anyone off.  When it comes time to apply to college (and I've got another year), I'll make sure I'm somewhere that I can be happy and do my arts/academic thing.  Right now, the only places I can do that are two of the top schools in the US, so I have to keep getting straight A's in order to ensure that I'm at Duke or Brown, or something of the sort.  And I think I'll be just fine  

[Venerable Bede]

thank you betty and grace for your thoughtful responses. . but again, you aren't making these decisions, you are being forced to make them by someone else (be it parents or friends).  maybe its just the culture of d.c./east coast (i grew up in california and wanted nothing else but to get away from the west coast and my parents- course, i'm back in california, so much for that), but i just couldn't imagine giving or receiving such pressure to conform to other people's wishes.
 
 again, that's probably half the reason most of us actively participate on this board- we are conforming non-conformists.  geez, i can't remember the last time i used conform so much, next thing you know i'll start using the word grok and use it correctly.

[nkotb]

That's not very rock n' roll at all...
 
 See what happens when the kids listen to Death Cab instead of AC/DC?
 
 

Originally posted by you be betty:
 I'd rather bite my lip for the next couple of years and just proceed to work my ass off, than really defy any parentals or piss anyone off.  

[chaz]

Fair enough.  Keep up the hard work.
 
 Like I said, don't mean to give anyone a hard time.  
 
 And remember, your Uncle Chaz never cracked a book in high school and flunked out of college in 3 semesters.  And I've got really nice house in a great neighborhood with great schools, great wife, great kids, nice career, nice toys...all without ever doing any school work at all!!!

[Bags]

For parents to pay for your college education is a gift, and you should be eternally grateful.  Sounds like you both see that, which puts you ahead in the game (that would be the game of life).  When I saw friends around me in their twenties and thirties dealing with student loans, I understood how great/helpful/generous it was that my Dad put me through.  I don't think I realized it at the time (and it's hard to realize, especially at particular schools where you can be surrounded by kids with enormous wealth and privilege.  Shit, I went to school with one of Rupert Murdoch's kids!  Oy, that was very hard sometimes...).
 
 Good luck to you both, but just in case, you can be happy a lot of places!    

[you be betty]

Originally posted by Bags:
  Even if notification is on the internet (of note, all the OC kids got letters in the mail, so they could dramatically carry them to their rooms/throw them away/stash them in a drawer), it wouldn't all be on the same day.  Berkeley notifies the same day as Brown?  Doubt it.
 
 Every generation of kids thinks "it's harder now than it's ever been."  Trust me, we all thought that in 1985.  
 
 And I also was looking at 20 or so schools that a lot of kids look at, with low acceptance rates relatively.  You know what, I think I would have been happy anywhere I went.  But you can't tell that to a 17 year old, I understand that...
 
 But, that said, there are literally hundreds of amazing schools that will nourish your intellect and surround you with amazing people.  Oberlin, Davison, Hobart, Dickinson, Skidmore, Reed, Union, Kenyon, Trinity, Colby...
 
 Betty, you're obviously talking studio art rather than history or art or art theory?  They've got studio art at I think every school my friends went to (Vassar, UNC, U of Fla, Colgate, Emory, Clemson).

I am doing studio art (with my specialty being in figurework).  Photography in my spare time, too.  HOWEVER -  I want to go into fashion design.  There is no fashion class at whitman either, so I'm also doing our extracurricular "fashion society" in my spare time.  I just designed and made 11 full outfits, from scratch, for a show.
 I've wanted to go into the fashion industry ever since I was in fifth grade sketching dresses at recess.  My grandma was a relatively successful dress designer back in the day, too.  It's just one of those things that I've known I want to do.  I used to do a lot of the singing and musicals, too, but I backed away from that in the last couple of years because I've felt that I held slightly more talent in the fashion department.  So I'm just singing and playing shit now in my spare time.  Anyway.
 The PROBLEM is that, 90% of the schools out there that have great programs have nada about fashion design or merchandising.  And, most of the schools with fashion courses available are the real hardcore art ones: Pratt, Parsons, FIT, RISD, FIDM, etc. etc.
 
 My parents want me to get a general college education before I do fashion, so I have a college degree.  They tell me that a degree from an art school will land me nothing but art-related jobs.  They also know that I have the grades and background and capability to go to law or business or med school, if I really wanted to.  They want me to have something to fall back on if I fail in the fashion industry, or change my mind.  Perfectly understandable.  
 BUT, they also say that it wouldn't be such a bad idea to go to a traditional university, and do the Pratt or Parsons or whatever thing for grad school.  But you know what?  I'm not getting any younger.  I know that I want to do this, and I have the determination, talent, perspective, and balls to become a great fashion designer.  And I'm not afraid to say that.  So, why not do both?  I'd like to do both.  As of now, the only schools I am aware of with partnership programs are Brown, Duke (which we just found out about about a week ago), and Wash U.  Brown was the first one I found out about with the partnership with RISD...and RISD is one of the best places to go for a great fashion education.  So that's my story.  I wish it were as simple as just finding a school with studio art.

[eltee]

Originally posted by Chaz, Lover of all Beings:
   

Originally posted by you be betty:
 
 How would I afford to pay for my own college?

Grants and loans and scholarships......loads of people do it.  And you're right it certainly isn't the worst thing in the world, as long as you don't mind feeling like a caged up little robot, to use your own words.  Not trying to give you a hard time, I'm sure it's not easy.
 
 Just don't say you don't have a choice....that's the one thing we all have. [/b]

You gotta be kidding me moment: I'm at college for a month - parents call "Honey, we decided you are paying for school."
 I think, "Damn, I should've gone to NOVA."
 I paid for it. (Albeit, working over breaks and paying bills into my 20s...it's paid for though. )
 Note: fashion/art are the most expensive majors!

[you be betty]

That's right.  They don't call 'em starving artists for nothing.  Tubes of paint are already about $8 a pop.

[kookiemnstr8]

Originally posted by Bags:
  Even if notification is on the internet (of note, all the OC kids got letters in the mail, so they could dramatically carry them to their rooms/throw them away/stash them in a drawer), it wouldn't all be on the same day.  Berkeley notifies the same day as Brown?  Doubt it.
 
 
 

December 15th, that's generally the magic day.
 
 Believe me, I'm counting down to it.
 
 Oy, college.  I just want to get in and go.
 
 On another note on the same topic. . What did you all feel was aspect of your college experience that had the most impact on your overall final impression of it?

[Venerable Bede]

Originally posted by Graace:
 
 On another note on the same topic. . What did you all feel was aspect of your college experience that had the most impact on your overall final impression of it?

i don't know if this is the answer you are looking for, but. . looking back, i am amazed at how fondly i think of the town that my college is located.  obviously, that's simply because of the good times i have associated with living in that town, the people i met, and the friends i made.  the most enjoyable parts of my college experience were going to bars with friends, driving to austin for concerts, and driving around the texas country-side, just wandering around.
 
 academically. . .well, that's a bit harder to say.  i found a great desire in learning about medieval history, and have tried to continue my interest in it ever since.  i made friends with people that were interested in many different things, and wanted to learn, mainly because we were all liberal arts majors.  as such we had a great disdain of business majors (except for econ. majors, at least they were thinking, we reasoned).  
 
 there is also alot of personal growth that i experienced while in college- first taste of freedom (mine was tempered because i went to religious university), being resonsible for your own actions, and so forth.  i mean, you are paying the college to learn, so if you aren't going to classes, then you are wasting your money.  the funny thing about it. . you don't realize how much you've grown until you've left (be it personal, spiritual/religious, world perspective, et al.).
 
 however, what i most wish i could say is that i remember the drinking. . alas, i cannot remember most of those nights.