HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Dear Sisters of our Beloved Jessica (JML)

karen z · 07-22-2013, 10:30 PM

Hi Linn,
It is a HUGE blessing about William Jewel College and a full-ride scholarship. OMG. What I wouldn't do for a full-ride scholarship for my daughter. She has a merit scholarship and we have been given some need-based support but her father and I will still have to come up with a fair amount of funds (which I am a bit concerned about) ! It looks like William Jewel and Ohio Wesleyan have some important things in common - and they are both great schools. They are both liberal arts colleges (which I had personally hoped for), they (like many LACS) are smallish with small classes and great faculty to student ratios (looks like WJ has about 1060 students and OWU has about 1,800 students). And I am guessing the campus at WJ is also beautiful, in looking at the pictures (and they are both out of state-- that is one of the things I am struggling with...... despite the great blessings. I don't feel ready and it is much harder being completely alone). I actually thought that my daughter might have a chance at a volleyball scholarship but (1) she really is not competitive enough and (2) she developed some back issues (lumbar 5) so decided she didn't want to play and possibly be in pain again (she is fine now). I, too, was a bit worried about her high school grades. In my daughter's case her grades in 9th and 10th grades were not the best (she went to a very rigorous private high school that was quite different from her middle school) but she "took off" in 11th and 12th grades and blossomed big time. It was clear that some of the schools that offered her merit money looked at the "whole child" and really rewarded the good things (within and outside of the classroom) she was doing during her last two years (and her standardized test scores were fine) So..............despite all of our other problems (o.k., I am counting not being able to see my daughter daily as one of my largest stressors right now) we ARE very blessed indeed. Our children have gotten into excellent schools and have been given incredible opportunities to flourish. Although Google suggests that the drive from Atlanta to Delaware, OH is about 8.5 hours..............it seems more like 9 or 9.5 hours to me. I am trying to get used to the drive! Have now been to OWU twice (the first visit and the first orientation). I LOVE it there, as my daughter and her dad. I am guessing you may feel the same way about your son's new school. We need to focus on this great opportunity for them (and, of course, visit and Skype as much as possible). So glad that you have found a great therapist. Going to one can help tremendously. Keep going when you can after work and perhaps at some point your therapist might consider therapy through Skype (something my daughter is going to set up for me and teach me soon). Take care and good night.

07-22-2013, 10:30 PM	#34
karen z Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,477	Re: Dear Sisters of our Beloved Jessica (JML) Hi Linn, It is a HUGE blessing about William Jewel College and a full-ride scholarship. OMG. What I wouldn't do for a full-ride scholarship for my daughter. She has a merit scholarship and we have been given some need-based support but her father and I will still have to come up with a fair amount of funds (which I am a bit concerned about) ! It looks like William Jewel and Ohio Wesleyan have some important things in common - and they are both great schools. They are both liberal arts colleges (which I had personally hoped for), they (like many LACS) are smallish with small classes and great faculty to student ratios (looks like WJ has about 1060 students and OWU has about 1,800 students). And I am guessing the campus at WJ is also beautiful, in looking at the pictures (and they are both out of state-- that is one of the things I am struggling with...... despite the great blessings. I don't feel ready and it is much harder being completely alone). I actually thought that my daughter might have a chance at a volleyball scholarship but (1) she really is not competitive enough and (2) she developed some back issues (lumbar 5) so decided she didn't want to play and possibly be in pain again (she is fine now). I, too, was a bit worried about her high school grades. In my daughter's case her grades in 9th and 10th grades were not the best (she went to a very rigorous private high school that was quite different from her middle school) but she "took off" in 11th and 12th grades and blossomed big time. It was clear that some of the schools that offered her merit money looked at the "whole child" and really rewarded the good things (within and outside of the classroom) she was doing during her last two years (and her standardized test scores were fine) So..............despite all of our other problems (o.k., I am counting not being able to see my daughter daily as one of my largest stressors right now) we ARE very blessed indeed. Our children have gotten into excellent schools and have been given incredible opportunities to flourish. Although Google suggests that the drive from Atlanta to Delaware, OH is about 8.5 hours..............it seems more like 9 or 9.5 hours to me. I am trying to get used to the drive! Have now been to OWU twice (the first visit and the first orientation). I LOVE it there, as my daughter and her dad. I am guessing you may feel the same way about your son's new school. We need to focus on this great opportunity for them (and, of course, visit and Skype as much as possible). So glad that you have found a great therapist. Going to one can help tremendously. Keep going when you can after work and perhaps at some point your therapist might consider therapy through Skype (something my daughter is going to set up for me and teach me soon). Take care and good night.