Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Guest blogger SURPRISE!

Wow, it's that time again. Seems like yesterday B was asking me to do a guest blog and now I'M BACK! Bet she didn't expect one like this.

S here reporting for duty.

First of all, I need some help. SS is a senior this coming up year. He wants to go to college (Yeah! He will soon be going to college. Can we say travel for B & I?) but I'm a real idiot when it comes to this stuff.

He is really awesome at music and wants to be a music teacher plus he wants to do marching band in college. So I'm asking for help from you. What questions do I need to ask the prospective colleges to help me, help him make a good choice? Do you have any general advice about getting accepted or getting scholarships?

I hope you can help.

B's bloggy anniversary just passed so I want to wish her a Happy Bloggy Anniversary! I enjoy reading her posts daily and hope there are many more to come.

Actually this is her 300 post! To celebrate both occasions I am giving away a $25 Amazon.com gift card to one of you guys.


Just like B does, I came up with a couple of ways to enter:

If you leave me a comment helping me with my college issue, then you get your first entry.

I REALLY need your help.

You can get an extra entry if you follow B. (She said to make sure you leave her a comment for all this so she can use Random.org - whatever that is.)

You can get 3 extra entries if you Twitter about the giveaway. (Again, I'm clueless about this Twitter stuff, but B says to put this in.)

Finally, to get 5 extra entries post your own blog telling people about my giveaway. (Make sure to leave a comment. B is nagging me about this.)

You could have 10 entries total, which gives you pretty good odds at winning. B says you HAVE to leave your email though.

B will choose a winner on Sunday because it's Father's Day.

I know this is probably not what she wanted for her guest blog, but it is what it is. Maybe if she's good, I'll give her a present too.

Boomchickawahwah.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here are your random numbers:

59
Timestamp: 2009-06-22 13:20:38 UTC


Congrats Susan! I've sent you an email and you have 48 hours to reply!

38 comments:

Denise Grover Swank said...

Hey S! Always good to see you here. First of all, my boys didn't exactly excel and reach for their full potential in high school so their choices were much more limited. You reap what you sow, right? I recommend making an appointment with your son's band/music teacher and ask him/her what you should be looking for. They will definitely know.

Hope that helps!

Denise Grover Swank said...

And OF COURSE I follow Brandy! With my eyes closed even.

The Four Week Vegan said...

I would recommend talking to his current band director and any other people you know in that line of work (does he have a private instructor for his instruments? Are you close to the owner of your local band store?). These types of people are key as they have btdt and will know which schools are good places to start. The band director will more than likely be writing a letter of recommendation for your son to accompany those college applications. How are his grades and his SAT scores? If not good, have him work on it. I have been told that a Princeton Review class for the SAT is SUPER helpful though costly.

Have your son try http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/adv_typeofschool.jsp my daughter had fun with it - matches you with colleges.

My dd will be a junior this coming year, so I totally understand how you are feeling.

The Four Week Vegan said...

I follow Brandy already, so I hope that gets me an entry :)

The Four Week Vegan said...

I tweeted it - I don't know how to link you to it though.

April said...

Hey S, I have know idea about the college thing. I got an automatic scholarship for graduating a year early but then I went to a junior college. I think the best advice you can get about scholarships is to talk to the school counselor where he goes to school now. So that is my advice. Does that count? Also, I am already a long time follower.

April said...

Oops, need to put it in an extra comment.
I follow Brandy already! :)

Amy said...

Sadly, I never went to college, but I would say talk to the guidance counselors at school and maybe visit the college websites for more info...that should do it, thanks for the chance to win and kudos to you for your guest post!

Amy said...

I follow! :D

Anonymous said...

Look at you all having a giveaway and shit.

Hmmm...college advice huh? I never went. Husband went and got his Bachelor's a couple of years ago but it wasn't for music.

When in doubt, google that shit.

http://www.uscollegesearch.org/music-colleges.html

There's a link for you.

Also, when he narrows it down, you should definitely visit his top choices. To get a feel for them first hand.

That help any?

Anonymous said...

I already follow your lovely wife.

Anonymous said...

I tweeted that shit.

Anonymous said...

Tweeted it.

Anonymous said...

aaaaaand third but not least, tweeted it.

and I will put something in my next blog post about it too. And the guest post post too. Sorry about my mess up.

Jayme said...

Guidance counselors, band teacher and a little patience. I never went off to school so I have NO idea where to even start myself but I assume those people would DEFINITELY know what to do :)

Jayme said...

oh and I most DEFINITELY follow ;)

The Royal Family said...

advice... well I don't have any.. I would be clueless too.. .my advice is ask someone else.

Jen said...

I got no college help. Sorry but I want to be entered into the contest anyway, pleeeeeeease.

Jen said...

Oh and I am also a follower.

Lula! said...

I follow no one.
Seriously.

Well, Jesus and Jason Statham, in that order. But they don't blog, so...

And the college stuff? Make good grades, get a scholarship, attend school in a music town...NYC, LA, Nashville, New Orleans, etc. And save lots of money, cause those are expensive places.

Sorry I'm not much help.
Boomchickawahwah!

Unknown said...

I would follow but unfortunately I never get to twitter. I have too much going on. But I will always leave some bloggy love!

Shannon said...

I still have 10 years before I need to start thinking about my kids getting into college... so I have no advice for ya. And being a college dropout myself, I don't think you'd want any of my advice!

Way to go on 300 posts! Mine is coming up soon, too ;)

Bomchickawahwah.

Shannon said...

I follow!

Aleta said...

I'm following this blog already - woo hoo.

Nice to meet you, S.

About college ~ get thee to a counselor at various colleges. Find out about the curriculms involved. Look into the education field and also speak to the music professors. Most importantly though, seek out a good counselor, they will help not just in getting your son into the college, but throughout the college year process.

Lorie said...

Of course I am a follower.........

Lorie said...

By the way, I also mentioned your giveaway on my blog... www.theprincessandtheladybug.blogspot.com

Around all my complaining...much, much pain!!!!

So pick me, pick me, pick me, as I can use a pick me up...hehe

Sorry S, don't have any suggestions for colleges....

The Four Week Vegan said...

Hey Brandy, I blogged about it - although part of me wants to keep it all to myself - better odds that way :)

http://toomanyhats.ahiafamily.net/2009/06/i-thought-about-keeping-it-to-myself.html

Roxane said...

OK so I have ALOT of advice about college.
1. My experience was that MOST counselors don't know what they are talking about.

2. If I had to do it all over again, I would go to a Community College first. Because it's cheaper, the "basic classes" are the same, and it gets your mind ready for a different kind of learning. Also if he decides to switch his major most of those classes will be transferable.

3. You can save a BUNDLE on books. Go to the bookstore, get the ISBN # off the back of the books he needs and then go to allbookstores.com and enter it. That website compares the prices of the same book to a million websites. Used books are the BEST!

Hope this helps :)

Roxane said...

I follow you like a moth to a bug zapper!

CaraBee said...

I second the recommendation to talk to his band teacher. He could point you in the right direction. My only advice is grades, grades, grades. They are so important when schools are reviewing potential students.

PS - I follow you.

kel said...

Newbie here! I just started following! Love your blog!

Carey-Life in the Carpool Lane said...

I wish I had better advice about the college question...I'd say to check with SS's guidance counselor. Their job is to give guidance after all, right?

Carey-Life in the Carpool Lane said...

Oh, and I follow...

Anonymous said...

Okay, I just blogged your giveaway. And just so you know, when I get the linky up, I'm gonna put you guys in there first since you got er done first. How you want it? S for Not Your Average Soccer Mom?

Angie H. said...

Most band directors will be able to tell you which colleges offer the best in band scholarships. I know the school my son just graduated from in his senior class there were several that received band scholarships. Check and see if there is a Career counselor at his high school; they will be able to help with appling for scholarships or at leasting telling you where to begin looking.
Hope this helps.
Angie H.
Soso, MS

Em said...

Check out collegeboard.com which will help him narrow down schools according to what he wants to study. Try to visit schools during the summer, and look not only for school-sponsored scholarships, but for outside ones as well. There should be a ton for music (try fastweb.com to start).

And figure out what also matters in terms of location, size of school, cost (of course!), and other options available in terms of minors, extra curricular activities, etc.

Good luck!

e.estt[at]yahoo[dot]com

Susan said...

I agree with everyone else. Check with the band director or school counselor.

Good luck!

susan0684@gmail.com

The Royal Family said...

I am posting your giveaway now.

the buzz,
brandy