<p>Moonrise - so glad to hear someone else is feeling the same pressure I am!</p>
<p>I’m doubly anxious because S has been SOOOO stubborn with this whole process. If I could write 100 things not to do when applying for college, he’s probably done about 89 of them. I can’t even get him to send a simple email to these schools to update his application or let them know that he’s really interested even though he didn’t interview at a couple of colleges (he’s a really shy kid, and interviews really make him nervous - he only did the ones from colleges that had alumni contact him). </p>
<p>He’s been his own worst enemy, and it worries me quite a bit. He thinks everything will be roses and unicorns, but all I can see are painful thorns and pointy horns!!</p>
<p>D had one EA acceptance (BC Honors) in December and was pleased. So, she decided to let us collect all the mail in March and check her email that month as well. We weren’t to open anything, but merely to respond to any email that required an immediate reply (ex: missing info, etc.). She wanted to sit by the computer on 4/1 after the last was supposed to be received and open everything (17 total) all in one big swoop. She likened it to tearing off a band-aid. Her classmates, parents, and teachers were shocked at her patience. The anxiety that month for DH and myself was indescribable. I am so happy DS will have a different approach/different set of schools!</p>
<p>Megan, thank goodness we’re not the only ones! Sounds like your son and my D are very much alike. Her attitude is that she’s worked so hard all these years that she’s not willing to settle for anywhere but the best. I hope that works out for her, we all know it very well it may not. Eek!</p>
<p>So, what do we say if it doesn’t work out? You worked hard for learning’s sake? If you reach high, you do fall sometimes? We are proud that you didn’t settle and took an easy way out? At what point, reaching high starts to look Don Quixotesque?</p>
<p>We were pretty chill in our household until quite recently. D already has one outstanding EA acceptance in the bag, so getting blanked isn’t a concern. But over the last few weeks she’s gotten more and more fixated on a particular favorite choice, which she’ll hear from in mid-March. It’s definitely going to be a real blow if that doesn’t come through for her. She’s knows on an intellectual level that she’s going to be fine no matter what, but for the first time in this process, I’m convinced there’s going to be plentiful tears in our household if she gets a particular rejection. That’s definitely upped my stress level.</p>
<p>If it doesn’t work out we will just pick up the pieces and scramble I guess. We definitely won’t say “told you so” though we will be thinking it. One of her schools is a good safety but it still only has about 50% acceptance. A few people I’ve mentioned her safety to have looked at me incredulously and said “that’s one of my kid’s reach schools”. So that’s made me doubt a bit. And I’m just keeping my mouth shut now…lesson learned.</p>
<p>S only applied to 4 schools, one a definite reach, one a safety and the others low reaches. He narrowed his list of 8 or 9 schools down, despite my objections. Wish he had one match. He’s in at his safety with merit. I am very stressed, and hoping for the best, but these are his decisions. I do think he will do well and it will work out wherever he ends up.</p>
<p>S2’s heart’s desire from the moment he set foot on the campus spring of his junior year was UNC- CH. I knew it was a selective university, but had no idea how hard it was to be admitted as an out of state student. So from April to the following late January when the EA admissions were posted, I continued to say, “Honey, stop worrying. You’re a great student, and it’s just another out of state flagship. Of course you’ll get in.” It wasn’t until after he got the “Congratulations…” email that I realized how hard the OOS admissions were. I’m really thankful that I was obliviously positive that whole time. I think it kept him calmer as he waited. And it certainly kept ME calmer.</p>
<p>moonrise - I’ll be saying “I told you so” too (at least in my head) when those rejections start coming in. I’ll probably be more upset about it than he will actually. All we need is one acceptance - right? </p>
<p>Our safeties are reaches for others as well, but he showed a lot of love to the one he really likes, and I’m hoping that will be enough. If he gets rejected there, we may be in trouble.</p>
<p>YES!! The waiting is about to kill me. I really just want the whole thing to be over. My S was deferred at his#1 ED school and has since had 4 acceptances with substantial merit with FA packages that are excellent, which is a HUGE relief to us…the parents. BUT… my S I know is still hoping from an acceptance from his #1 school… and I am not optimistic. I know he will have some fine choices in the end and will be happy wherever he ends up so I should just relax… but it is SO hard. My newest thing I am fretting about is that he will get into a lot of his matches and then have to fly all over the country to decide… IN ONE MONTH!! But, I guess that would be a good predicament to be in:-))</p>
<p>Have you guys met my mother? She’s being very cool, but I know she’s stressing as much as I. </p>
<p>After getting a no from my ED and a host of acceptances that would be fine, I’m still waiting for the school that I would truly love…a reach. Proves there’s a reason the ED didnt work for me. I’m ready and would be happy attending my safety and transferring, or not. Hakuna Matata</p>
<p>It will all be fine. Relax, parental units. Rejection.hurts, but life goes on. </p>
<p>Thanks for weighing in chargers IDK about other parental units but my stress is tied up in all sorts of practical stuff (can we afford what he wants) and emotional stuff too (did I do a good job as a mom? I kid you not, i think we all have had that thought even as we know how ridiculous it is :))</p>
<p>I don’t know if I’d say we’re feeling nervous or anxious at our house. I think we we’re just impatient. I feel like we need to know so D can plan her last round of visits. April is going to be a hectic month already with all her sr year responsibilies. It sure would be great to know which schools she needs to re-visit so we could plan accordingly. (Not to mention I need to ask time off from work.)</p>
<p>Just wish I knew whether I’m going to be helping dry some tears, salve the wounds of rejection and expressing even more love for her safeties, or scrambling to make travel arrangements. D refused to visit any of her OOS RD schools, adamant that she could figure out the desirable reaches without visiting and she was not interested in touring any school without an offer in hand. Parents were OK with this point of view, but of course if she actually gets an offers, she’s really going to need to visit.</p>
<p>This is our second time through and the last time was so much easier as we had two ED in hand. Ended up going to an Ivy that he got into RD. This second go round is so much different. No ED app’s and all reach schools (except the state college where we are waiting to hear about acceptance into the honors program which is super competitive). Our gut tells us that rejection will rule the day, but at least he knows theoretically not to take it personally. Wish we were going on a spring break trip to take our minds off of it, but not in the budget if we also wanted to save $ and time for admitted student trips…</p>
<p>It started as “What are you worried about? you can get in anywhere with your scores!” despite our explanations to the contrary. The ED deferral stopped that at least.</p>
<p>now it’s, “But you got a full tuition scholarship to [safety], isn’t your decision made?”"</p>
<p>So yes, we are waiting for 4/1 for the “one” and hoping for the $ to make good things happen.</p>
<p>SOO liking that I’m not alone on this thread. IRL people seem to think I’m nuts.</p>
<p>Someone on here posted that her bright son was telling people that he wanted to be a Phoenix, which I found amusing. Someone asked me what my son wants to do, so I answered that he wants to be a Phoenix. After the shocked look, the question was: What do you think about that? I love gullible people. Try that line; it gets great reactions.</p>