Ok, as I’m thinking through all the effort D has put into her applications thus far, I’m curious as to what the emotional reality is of having to pull other applications once you receive an ED acceptance.
I think this came up in my mind this morning after D submitted her UC application. (Some of you may remember she was debating - due to housing issues - but ultimately she decided she loved a couple of the schools and wanted to apply.)
So, initially it seemed excessive to me to have 4 additional essays to write. However, after reading her essays, I feel that the adcoms will actually get a much better sense of who she is. I realize her essay on the common app doesn’t really give the same sense. For her common app essay, she wrote about a significant challenge she overcame and it was a good essay but the UC essays also highlighted additional traits such as her leadership ability, creativity, and future goals. :-?
She still has to apply to her ED school and 2 other schools (all common app schools) that would be excellent choices. So I guess I really have two questions:
Does it make sense to think about revising the CA essay at this point to somehow incorporate additional traits? I know she would balk at the suggestion and I’m not sure there’s one question broad enough to do this anyway. I’m thinking she could incorporate some of it in the Why X School supplements but the word count is limited.
If accepted to the ED school, we then withdraw all other apps, how do you cope with the not knowing?!! I mean she put sweat and tears into the UC essays, it would pain me to never find out if they actually made a difference!! (Of course silver lining is there’s a spot for someone else).
I know some of the questions coming, but let me preemptively say a) she has assured me that comparing each school next to the ED school, she would want the ED school. (Much to my chagrin, she’s one of the kids who is “fixated” - don’t yell at me for this and b) please do not turn this into a financial discussion of any kind. This post is all about EMOTION. Thanks and I’m curious to hear your thoughts!!
When my son got into his ED he was estatic and happily dropped all applications yet to file. He was just glad tehn process was over and that he did not have to wait 4 more months to find out where he was going. Before he got in, however, he continued the application process as if he was not going to get in. That is the best route to take. He had filed 5 application when he heard and still had 7 to complete when he got the good newsa
You’re probably projecting — if the ED school accepts, your D won’t care. Might there be a twinge of curiosity? Sure. But as a mom/dad, don’t mention it whatsoever. It won’t matter.
Remember that first boyfriend or girlfriend? Only a distant memory right? Significant somewhat – but just part of your life’s story. Same with this. It ain’t all dat.
it seems like there is a limit to the number of times you can edit the essay after submitting it to other schools, maybe 3 or 5 times. applicant should look into that before customizing it too much for a certain school.
I’m confused about the ED part…did she apply by the deadline? You said she still has to apply, aren’t they all due by now? Is it ED2? My D was so thrilled to gain entrance into her ED school, she could have cared less about whether any other school would have taken her.
D2 did a really happy dance when she was accepted to her ED school. She wanted to delete all of her applications from her computer. I gave her 50% of RD application fees. Both of us were happy. It was a very nice xmas.
I have to say, your stories make me feel a lot better, though I didn’t mention it to her @T26E4 - she expressed the same curiosity to me, I told her it wouldn’t matter.
So now I’m just wondering how she can make her ED2 app a little stronger - any thoughts on the essay topic question?
Just to add to others, when my S was accepted to his ED school, I don’t think his feet touched the ground all the next day. (in his case, he’d only applied to one other school, a rolling admission he would have been happy to attend that he’d already gotten into. He never was curious about what might have happened elsewhere.)
Here’s how your feelings go: You have the grown-up epiphany that getting in doesn’t mean anything. You’re only going to one school next year. Acceptance letters to schools you don’t go to mean nothing whatsoever. No one is ever going to care, ever again, for the rest of your life.
It helps the kids get to this grown-up understanding if the adults model it for them.
If the ED school is her clear first choice that is comfortably affordable, then there should be no regret if she is admitted and then withdraws all other applications.
If there is potential regret in this case, perhaps it would be better not to apply ED.
Based on my ED kid’s experience, you feel happy and relieved.
You chose an ED school you would be glad to attend. You got in. The stress of the college application process is over, and it isn’t even Christmas yet. You know your fate, and it’s one you’re pleased with.
@Hanna, yes of course, that’s logical. But I think it’s human nature to want to see if your hard work paid off. Of course it’s a “collective” effort putting out multiple apps which is how I positioned it to her.
@ucbalumnus agree, I guess I do worry a bit that kids change their minds, but I’ve laid out the scenario of each school side by side she’s confirmed her top choice each time. I will say I was glad we didn’t do the ED1 option, so we had more time to be “sure”.
Also, those that went through this - I can imagine the elation when the acceptance comes in that nothing else matters, so thanks for that!
This may be unique to ED2 kids. Kids who apply ED1 often don’t finish all the other essays for all the other schools. They leave some of them for after the ED decision date.
When these kids get in ED, they have an additional reason to be happy – they don’t have to write any more essays.
My D was accepted ED2 last year to her top choice. She wasn’t ready to commit by the ED1 deadline so had to send all other apps in. She applied to 9 schools total and she withdrew her apps upon acceptance. I think it bothered her a bit when her friends were getting their acceptances. She felt a little like she was missing out on hearing from schools and getting to make a big decision. I told her that applying ED was a big decision. She just made her choice months before her friends. Overall, it was short-lived and she has no regrets about applying ED.
