<p>I am in the same boat. Saying “anxious and feeling sick” is simply hyperbole. We are feeling the tension or just plain anticipation. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve, unable to sleep, wondering what the morning will bring, and sometimes a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. My D applied to 2 reach schools, should know by this Sunday about her top choice. If she is not accepted she is resigned to the fact that she’ll reapply next year to her top choice and only choice. I support her in that decission. Hang in there!</p>
<p>3kidsatonce, I’m going to pray for you guys. I thought that I was anxious, but three times the amount of Xanax is way too much, JK! I was thought to leave it to the almighty, but I cannot…oh, well, good luck, buena suerte, to all</p>
<p>Thought I’d jump in here. I totally agee with a previous poster about the beauty of getting something in the mail! This portal/sign-in stuff is crazy, because you do read into any subtle changes, and so many schools have different philosophies about it: One Ivy expects you to check your portal, including financial aid, on a regular basis to see if you are missing any paperwork - but they won’t send an email to let you know you’re missing an important document. How was she supposed to know that? Another school - gasp - actually mailed us a letter telling us what was missing. </p>
<p>CC has educated me in many ways with this D’s application process (I have an older daughter but somehow, it was easier two years ago). However, CC can also be a source of stress itself! This D still has seven applications pending, for the more competitive and “reach” schools. It’s hard to keep reading of applicants getting likely letters and advance notice of scholarships and phone calls, when she has received nothing like that yet from her remaining schools. </p>
<p>For intance, one Ivy sent out “likely” letters and an invite to campus to, among others, its female engineering students, but she didn’t get one. 
She’s a great student, too, well-rounded and valedictorian of her class. Maybe I should just close my eyes until April 1 or so! What’s meant to be, will be. (By the way, she is not reading these forums regularly so she is not aware that some in her intended major have already been “pre-accepted”.)</p>
<p>Back when our other’s were applying to college and all of their friends, it was amazing how their moods changed as soon as they got their first acceptances in the mail. That is why we strongly suggest the kids apply to at least one rolling admissions school. Having that first “yes” in October or earlier sure makes the whole process easier.</p>
<p>I just found this thread now. I posted a few days ago on another thread how March is killing me with our daughter waiting for final acceptances and FA packages, our son waiting for grad school notices and a friend of my son’s who has been with us since Nov is waiting for final clearance/acceptance to the Peace Corp. Even though I know the saying about how we make plans and God laughs, I am a planner and all these undecideds are difficult for me. Good luck to all.</p>
<p>ditto the frustration with “portals”<br>
One of D’s acceptances has an admitted student portal which requires student ID to access (supposedly on acceptance letter) only it wasn’t
Also the portal requests come via email to the kid and look like all the other junk college mail that they get. There was a period during the search process where every single random school would send an email inviting kid to sign into portal for quiz, information, etc. After sorting through all those, and still receiving a few stragglers, it’s tough to separate the wheat from the chaff.</p>
<p>Oh - and then there’s the mismatch between what the “portal” says about application status and what other mail says and/or what the published admissions timing is.</p>
<p>MomSix, I’m with you! My D too is an excellent student who’s received not much love yet - acceptances to her two in-state safeties but after that just a bunch of rejections for scholarships, no likelies etc. It’s also a bit painful to read of somebody’s kid who received a huge scholarship for which my D was rejected, and the school isn’t even really on the list of schools being seriously considered. For overwhelmingly great students like that one, clearly this is a thrilling time to enjoy the rewards of their great work, and revel in a bunch of great options to choose from. I wouldn’t want to take away from that, but I’m glad my D isn’t on CC. Trying to be confident that God will send her to the right college for her…</p>
<p>I am so glad to have found this thread! I thought I was a crazy woman, fretting like I have, when my kid seems to not be phased at all. While we know he is in to three good solid safeties with some scholarships, I am feeling so worried about the big schools. Almost at the point of I don’t know what to wish for, especially if a dream school comes through with no/insufficient money. I was good until I realized other people were getting letters of things like “likely” etc…and no us…</p>
<p>It seems like there are so many factors that make it stressful. And coming to the CC board is both a tremendous support and a stressor. I agree with you, Momsix, that hearing about Likely Letters is very stressful. I keep wondering what sets those kids apart who get them, and although I know that most accepted students never get one, it is still stressful to know that my son is not one of those kids who the schools really want. </p>
<p>My son got into three rolling admit schools with merit aid. Since he applied, though, he has changed his mind about his major, and two of the three schools do not interest him because they are weak in the major he wants. The third school has the least amount of merit aid, and we won’t know about need-based aid until April. He is waiting to hear about seven reach schools in April, and if he gets in any of them, fin. aid will be critical. It’s so hard to wait, not know if he’ll even get in any of them, and if he does, if he’ll get enough fin. aid to pay for them. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem anxious at all!</p>
<p>We did this three years ago and admittedly the likely letters from Ivies bugged me but just because a boy doesn’t show stress doesn’t mean they don’t feel it all the same. My S told me just the other day that even though he didn’t attend he will be eternally grateful to Colgate as his first acceptance after being rejected ED from an Ivy. </p>
<p>And the truth is, even of you’re a likely at a school (we don’t call them safeties) its still a nerve racking time. And honestly I think swamping kids’ inboxes with emails is what caused so many of our school’s issues with spam. They ask for parent emails on the application. Would it be so hard to add their names to an email to confirm application or even to say, hey we sent your kid portal info today especially with so much junk mail flooding in at the same time.</p>
<p>Agreed Modaunn, I am starting to wonder what is in my sons email that got lost in the inunudation of 'stuff" No, I know he is stressed, but there isn’t the crazed rush to mailbox like I’m doing…
He is at least more covert.</p>
<p>Never underestimate the value of covert. Girls seem to be, shall I say, more transparent which seems to affect the entire household!</p>
<p>^^ my D never got that memo - I would love a bit af transparency with her. THis late in the game she has finally officially voiced a preference.</p>
<p>Oh Saintfan… You misunderstand. Her transparency has been in her stress level leaving no one in our home unscathed!! Preference for school hasn’t even entered the room yet!!</p>
<p>Okay,we’re getting down to the wire and still no acceptances in our house. Eek!! Anxiety is slowly rising around here. Anyone else?</p>
<p>Sigh, spending way to much time on CC because slightly paralyzed by awaiting decisions. Thank goodness H had to go out of town; he and I were just infecting each other too much. The person who appears least stressed is D and I’m trying not to reveal stress to her, because I think she’s probably affected internally, just not talking about it.</p>
<p>moonrise, is there really no acceptance at all at your house? That must be hard. Best wishes for a good outcome!</p>
<p>We’re trying to “love the safety” since D’s RD applications are all reaches, really, due to selectivity. Had a GREAT exchange of PMs last night with a mom I know on another online forum (not college related). Her S is a sophomore at the state flagship honors college where my D will in all likelihood end up, and has been having an all-round excellent experience including a fabulous internship. Really, who cares about those Ivies. I should get off the computer and do spring cleaning.</p>
<p>It’s true, we have one Ivy deferral and that’s it. Not that we didn’t try to convince her to apply somewhere rolling. Grown up choices=grown up stress.</p>
<p>Moonrise, does your D have any match schools on her list? I know decisions from schools just below ivy-level selectivity should start coming in next week. It’s very likely that even if she is not accepted at sub 10% acceptance rate schools, she’ll have good results at the next tier. This is the most likely outcome for high achieving, unhooked kids.</p>
<p>She has one safety with a 50% acceptance rate. The rest are all below 20%, matches on paper but no sure thing.</p>