<p>I agree shutterbug. I think it's more me than my son. He is awaiting all RD decisions and thus so am I. April is jam packed, but things really slow down right in the middle of March (spring break) when we are off the merry-go-round. I wish I could flip flop the activities and just be super busy right up until April 1st-ish.</p>
<p>lol shutterbug you sound exactly like me! My son is the same type as yours. He's so busy with the heavy work load and EC's that he doesn't have time to agonize over the college results too much. I do feel a slight undercurrent of tension, when the subject comes up and he has a 'what if I don't get in anywhere?' kind of thought. The reason I love this site so much is that I can indulge my fixation here without reminding him. The last week of March is going to be nuts!! I may have to carry my laptop around with me so I can connect to CC!!!</p>
<p>As SBug TTmom Andi have shown in each family there seems to be someone designated to suffer anxiety of waiting during the month of March. It seems that this is most often a parent and not the child who is applying. In our family I am the DS, and you are right CC is a convenient outlet that keeps us from driving our families crazy.</p>
<p>D has spring break the last week of March and 1st week of April. We're trying to make plans for the second week to re-visit schools where she is admitted. Of course, we don't know what schools that will be. There won't be any other time due to other conflicts.</p>
<p>I like to plan activities up to a year in advance. It is very hard for me not to be able to do that. Who knows money-wise where we will be (will merit come through??)? ACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is also so strange to not know where your kid will be leaving for in the not too distant future....guess what, it's March 5!!! :-)</p>
<p>Hi all - one of my strategies is to stay busy - I need distraction, as I can feel my tension level increasing on a daily basis as the mail arrives. It's nice to know that others are feeling the same way. My son is definitely checking the mail every day, not something he usually does - so I'm trying not to be too anxious, to further add to his anxiety level..</p>
<p>I'm also thinking in terms of his "safety" school acceptance, and picturing him there, just in case.</p>
<p>Son doesn't seem to care at all, but I must confess I look forward to the mail. It has felt like a very long wait. I'm also pretty concerned that if we suddenly have to plan to re-visit someplace we won't have much time...</p>
<p>We're also in the middle of planning a big trip for June, that has really helped to keep everybody's mind off the college thing.</p>
<p>So do colleges send ad mail to all their applicants before decisions come out? Isn't that a waste of money, since most of those applicants won't even end up going? I was under the impression they only sent mail if you were likely to get in.</p>
<p>I've heard of people getting mail (publications and the like) after they've been rejected, so yes...maybe the colleges are just trying to clear out their dated stuff! It would be nice to think that it was a good sign, but I don't think it really means much positively or negatively.</p>
<p>We(my parents AND I) are dealing with it by going on vacation and forgetting about it. The last two weeks of March will be spent on a beach in Cabo. We thought about visiting schools during my break but figured that I won't have decisions so why go, fall in love with a school, and then find out you're not accepted. It would be terrible. Plus, I've briefly visited most of the schools I applied to and don't want to do an indepth visit(overnight and classes) until I find out that A) I'm and and B) I can afford it.</p>
<p>but isn't it great not having to get the mail? already picked up and on the kitchen table every day when we get home. now if only we can get those trash cans taken out....</p>
<p>Yeah, its a beautiful thing when you can see the kitchen table again, better yet even have a meal on it without having to rearrange a bunch of stuff out of fear of throwing away something important</p>
<p>Well I've honed my skill at Frisbee by sending the zillions of envelopes from unwanted colleges into the recycling bin...I guess I'll have to get more careful about screening them at the end of the month</p>
<p>anovice & bandit & kdos:</p>
<p>I always have things plannd out way in advance, too. We have several summer threads started with changes occuring based on the different start times of the schools.</p>
<p>We actually planned a visit to the current (subject to change) #1 choice for a few days before decisions are posted. That seemed fine, but now that I am locking in the plans, I realise the extreme brutality of spending two days visiting a school and team and coach, giving up a portion of your spring break to do so, and falling in love with the place, only to find out 36 hours later you're noit in. We are changing our plans, now, to react and visit the day after acceptances are out, a brief and far less satisfactory time to do so, due to our spring break ending and the team being gone on the weekend. It just seems smart not to visit a school and THEN find out you are not in. Since it is one of those top 20 type schools, chances are slim!</p>
<p>Oh how well I remember! Hopefully, at this time next year, all of you will be as happy as we've been with the final outcome. Our son was deferred EA and then ultimately rejected from his first choice school - twenty minutes later he had the online acceptance from his second choice schoool (Duke) and the transition from disappointment to such releif and joy in that short time span is something I'll never forget. What an emotional time! Our son is so happy with his current situation that his "second choice" school is definitely "first choice" in his mind now. Best of luck to all as you wait and support your child through this decision time.</p>
<p>I'm a senior right now, and things are definetely picking up. Cafeteria discussions about college are starting to work their way up to their peak when nobody talks about anything else. Not to mention that I'm finding the red star that I posted on various threads more and more as we get closer to april - not sure if that's a sign or a cause of my tension.</p>
<p>thanks for the encouragement dak. It's reassuring to hear from someone who has taken the ride on the rollercoaster and is now off and standing on firm ground.</p>
<p>Somemom,</p>
<p>My son has also chosen to wait to visit a college or two until after acceptances and financial aid offers come out. Then he should be able to narrow it down to one or two that he needs to see to decide about.</p>
<p>The good news: He got an email today saying he is accepted to the Music School at University of North Texas--one of the best schools for trumpet in the nation and one at which he was NOT expecting to be accepted. Waiting becomes easier when you have an acceptance or two early!</p>
<p>Wow, great news, Susantm, congrats to your son! The waiting <em>is</em> easier when there's an acceptance already in-hand.</p>
<p>I thought waiting would be easy with acceptance in hand, but it's not. Partly because of financial aid, but mostly because I realize dd does not at all have her mind made up.</p>