Disillusioned Parents

[jarvisa]

Congrats on L$C.  It probably just has to do with parent reaction times.  They just don't know what to say.

I've been lucky on the parent trip.  My parents were really disappointed I didn't want to go to med school but then I think realized that it would also be handy to have a lawyer around, as opposed to another doctor.

When I was applying to undergrad, my dad told me he wouldn't pay for me to go to any private schools because he went to a lousy regional university in Kentucky and got into an OK med school and so it didn't matter where I went.

Now he understands the importance of going to a good law school, but since he HATES lawyers he won't pay a dime for law school.  He would've paid for med school though.  Sigh

And just as with undergrad, he makes enough money that I can kiss need-based aid goodbye.  Good thing some schools don't require noncustodial parent information.

[AH]

Just a side note:

No schools should Alec!

This has always been a problem for me cause parents don't pay for me either (though it doesn't really make much difference in my case).  On the FAFSA, you are no longer required to submit parent info. once you are out of UG.  The schools who asked for parents finances on my NB fee waivers, I wrote them a letter explaining they didn't support me at all and they processed my request w/o it.

[jarvisa]

Unfortunately, a couple of the schools I'm applying to require the separate Need Access form, and explicitly require parental information.  It is not a big deal, because most of these schools tend to be overly competitive schools that I would hate.  But still.

Thanks for the tip though. 

[AH]

np, good luck, it is tough in the finaid world!  i have always fund every tidbit helpful, so i pass them on!

[ladylazarus]

I finally just sent my dad to chiasu last night with my numbers so he'd stop talking about how sure he is I'll get into Stanford.  That set him straight.

["V"]

I finally just sent my dad to chiasu last night with my numbers so he'd stop talking about how sure he is I'll get into Stanford.  That set him straight.

*L* I would do that if I were willing to admit my GPA to my relatives faces.

"What's your GPA?"
"Uhhhh bad. Had a lot of crud going on, lucky to have made it out of undergrad."
"It can't be THAT bad."
"Oh good, let's leave it at that then."
"Seriously, what's your gpa?"
"Uhhhh bad."
"You're too hard on yourself, lots of people end up not quite at 3.5"
*Insert me staring* "Yeeeahhh...worse than that. So, what's going on with you guys - any new pets, kids?"

When dealing with my relatives I always just say "uhhhhh bad." and kind of hoped my LSAT would balance me out in my apps, which it really has. But them knowing I did well on the LSAT only serves to convince them more than I must be hiding my 3.49 GPA from them. Suckers! If only you knew how truly terrible it was!!! Whatever school accepts me, will have to let in, like, three 4.0's to average out the black hole that is my GPA.

[sporky]

I'd feel better about my dad's horror at the thought of me attending lewis and clark if it were out of just ignorance...but he's an attorney, and bitter because he has a state job while his brother makes squillions of dollars and went to a way better law school. of course, what he doesn't realize is his brother has to work 70 hour weeks, and his state job is actually pretty cushy. and that lewis and clark is way f*cking better than the school he went to. so apparently I must live out his dreams of highpowered lawyer stardom for him. only my gpa is crap.

["V"]

Sporky,

If it makes you feel better, I bet my GPA is WAY more crap than yours is. I bet my GPA gives your GPA a good, long, laugh.

On a side note: when GPA's mock each other, nobody wins. *insert 'the more you know' theme song*

[sporky]

tenthsphere

actually our numbers are very similar. I imagine them making friends in an after school special.
 
although this "splitter" thing is not new to me. I've had a shite GPA from the 4th grade on, so I'm used to the parental drama. my dad still wants to know why I didn't go to berkeley as an undergrad. and "I didn't do my homework for 15 years" doesn't seem to drive the point home.

and now I have to explain to him that intelligence and success in life isn't measured by what law school you go to...The More You Know....

[ladylazarus]

Heh, well my dad thinks my 3.49 GPA is absolutely fantastic - but that's because he went to the same undegrad school I did, and knows that it actually is very good for that school.  He just doesn't seem to understand how much of a numbers game most of admissions is and that most adcomms could give two cents what school I went to.

And my LSAT score sounds a lot better when I say it's 97th percentile than the actual score.  Stupid December test.