Who Is Your Child, Anyway? From The College Board

Katz, did this come in the mail or did they give it to them at school? I'd like to track down the full article.

It comes in my e-mail. When my daughter took the PSAT they sent a link to join. She gets one and I get one. Mine are geared to the parents and hers is geared to where she is now and what to do for the upcoming years....all about college, SAT's, how to prepare and register. It is really informative. Keeps us in the know.

Do you want me to e-mail it to you. If so send me a pm.

It comes in my e-mail. When my daughter took the PSAT they sent a link to join. She gets one and I get one. Mine are geared to the parents and hers is geared to where she is now and what to do for the upcoming years....all about college, SAT's, how to prepare and register. It is really informative. Keeps us in the know.

Do you want me to e-mail it to you. If so send me a pm.

Or you can go to :: College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements and register- they have lots of great info! We get a SAT question every morning in the inbox- it has become the geeky Darg family challenge.

Or you can go to :: College Planning Made Easy | Inside Source for College Admissions Requirements and register- they have lots of great info! We get a SAT question every morning in the inbox- it has become the geeky Darg family challenge.

Thanks jdarg I couldn't get it to come up as a link. Don't you love having all that information at your fingertips.

Thanks y'all - I'll do the link from home. I only vaguely remember squirt taking the PSAT, and obviously he didn't mention anything to me (and if it was in his backpack, see ya, goodbye).

I get emails everyday from the Collegeboard. Good stuff.

It happens all the time. Somewhere, in their desire to make sure their children get a great education and every opportunity for growth, parents lose sight of who those children really are. Letting go of your own plans for your child's future can help you enjoy the person your child is today. Taking time now to listen to your child's dreams helps you become a trusted ally.

Amen! Our daughter is so smart that everyone, including us, her teachers, and a college consultant we hired in Atlanta, planned for her destiny at an Ivy or MIT. When she showed joy doing art, we just thought of that as an avocation.

She wasn't happy at MIT. Lots of reasons. That cost her time because Georgia Tech didn't accept all of her hours (not the physics "because they teach it differently at MIT"), not all of the math hours ("because their calculus is 6 hours, and we only allow 4" even though Calc I and II at MIT is equivalent to Calc I, II, and III at Georgia Tech), etc.. She changed majors after one semester at Georgia Tech. That cost her time.

Then she told us last summer that all she had ever wanted was to be an art major. She is an art major now and is very happy. Her prof told her today that she is incredibly gifted. We are glad she has found her calling.

But time is money. A year at MIT cost us $40,000 -- they give no merit scholarships because they say everyone has merit if they get into MIT, so all scholarships are need-based. Then the time lost due to changing majors at Georgia Tech, plus the two years to pursue a totally different major.

Bottom line: Ask your child what s/he truly wants to do. Don't assume they want to go to a highly-ranked school just because they can. Tell them that you want them to be happy, not live up to the expections of others. Happiness is more important than prestige.

I realize that this is very personal, but maybe some of you can learn from our mistakes. It will make your child happier, and it will be less costly.

Amen! Our daughter is so smart that everyone, including us, her teachers, and a college consultant we hired in Atlanta, planned for her destiny at an Ivy or MIT. When she showed joy doing art, we just thought of that as an avocation.

She wasn't happy at MIT. Lots of reasons. That cost her time because Georgia Tech didn't accept all of her hours (not the physics "because they teach it differently at MIT"), not all of the math hours ("because their calculus is 6 hours, and we only allow 4" even though Calc I and II at MIT is equivalent to Calc I, II, and III at Georgia Tech), etc.. She changed majors after one semester at Georgia Tech. That cost her time.

Then she told us last summer that all she had ever wanted was to be an art major. She is an art major now and is very happy. Her prof told her today that she is incredibly gifted. We are glad she has found her calling.

But time is money. A year at MIT cost us $40,000 -- they give no merit scholarships because they say everyone has merit if they get into MIT, so all scholarships are need-based. Then the time lost due to changing majors at Georgia Tech, plus the two years to pursue a totally different major.

Bottom line: Ask your child what s/he truly wants to do. Don't assume they want to go to a highly-ranked school just because they can. Tell them that you want them to be happy, not live up to the expections of others. Happiness is more important than prestige.

I realize that this is very personal, but maybe some of you can learn from our mistakes. It will make your child happier, and it will be less costly.

Thanks BR I love that your daughter chose what she really wanted to do. That makes for a much happier person as they live their adult life.

Amen! Our daughter is so smart that everyone, including us, her teachers, and a college consultant we hired in Atlanta, planned for her destiny at an Ivy or MIT. When she showed joy doing art, we just thought of that as an avocation.

She wasn't happy at MIT. Lots of reasons. That cost her time because Georgia Tech didn't accept all of her hours (not the physics "because they teach it differently at MIT"), not all of the math hours ("because their calculus is 6 hours, and we only allow 4" even though Calc I and II at MIT is equivalent to Calc I, II, and III at Georgia Tech), etc.. She changed majors after one semester at Georgia Tech. That cost her time.

Then she told us last summer that all she had ever wanted was to be an art major. She is an art major now and is very happy. Her prof told her today that she is incredibly gifted. We are glad she has found her calling.

But time is money. A year at MIT cost us $40,000 -- they give no merit scholarships because they say everyone has merit if they get into MIT, so all scholarships are need-based. Then the time lost due to changing majors at Georgia Tech, plus the two years to pursue a totally different major.

Bottom line: Ask your child what s/he truly wants to do. Don't assume they want to go to a highly-ranked school just because they can. Tell them that you want them to be happy, not live up to the expections of others. Happiness is more important than prestige.

I realize that this is very personal, but maybe some of you can learn from our mistakes. It will make your child happier, and it will be less costly.

Agreed here on this end. My son announced 2 years ago that he never, ever wanted to do what his dad does (engineering) and sit at a desk all day long. Almost his words exactly. Of course, we already knew that but we had to let him make the discovery.

It's true, we all worry that our kids will be poor and never be able to afford health insurance but the most important thing is that they be happy! Seriously, poor and happy is way better than poor and miserable.

So true - personally, I was "talked into" taking a different path in college by my parents friends. I wanted to study architecture (boy, that would have been a nice career down here!), but got talked into CNC Programming with promises of big money and easy job placement. (Vo-tech)

Right after college, I got the only job I could find within 1 1/2 hours from home - $7 per hour!(1990ish) After 6 months, I was offered $7.50, since I was such a good little employee. Walked out - college wasted. Couldn't stand the pay or working conditions. Still dabble in architectural drafting/ CAD, but without the college education.........

So true - personally, I was "talked into" taking a different path in college by my parents friends. I wanted to study architecture (boy, that would have been a nice career down here!), but got talked into CNC Programming with promises of big money and easy job placement. (Vo-tech)

Right after college, I got the only job I could find within 1 1/2 hours from home - $7 per hour!(1990ish) After 6 months, I was offered $7.50, since I was such a good little employee. Walked out - college wasted. Couldn't stand the pay or working conditions. Still dabble in architectural drafting/ CAD, but without the college education.........

That's really sad woodworker. As a small child I knew what I wanted to be and that was a Prima Ballerina. I could see it...and I believed I would make it there. I wanted to go to school in New York. My mother was always a Cheerleader in school and loved gymnastics, so she wanted me to do that and not take ballet. I hated gymnastics....and that was the end of those desires. Even at 18 I wanted to start, but everyone said I was too old. The funny thing is that taking gymnastics had nothing to do with what my mother did after school!