<p>Congratulations on some great accepts. I think UMD is a great school, and the honors program is frosting on a danged good cake. CofCh is a favorite of mine as is Wm and Mary. She has some great choices. </p>
<p>I ,too, am puzzled about the Bucknell waitlist. I know a number of kids rejected from W&M but accepted to Bucknell, and your D is OOS for VA. You just can't tell sometimes. </p>
<p>My kids lost all interest in any schools that waitlisted them. They dropped them like they were ice cold potatoes when you're not at all hungry.</p>
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<p>a serious and sustained effort<<</p>
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<p>I think it was a poster on another thread who talked about teenagers and their "magical thinking"--rather than putting in a serious and sustained effort to do all you can to make your wishes come true. </p>
<p>Glad that the UMd Honors option is available. </p>
<p>Oldfort had some good advice on another thread about getting off the waitlist (her D had gotten off 2 waitlists in May in a previous year). It included the GC calling, sending an updated transcript, and letters from senior teachers.</p>
<p>I really think the lesson to be learned here is that kids need to do the research pertaining to all schools they may consider. There are many schools were they can do well, fit in, afford with (or without ) merit aid and here's the big one--- get accepted to. We, as parents, have the responsibility to do our homework also. We need to know whether academically or financially how realistic our children's choices are, for often, they do not. I am fortunate that my s felt comfortable attending "any school I applied to", but that was not something that happened randomly.</p>
<p>To the OP -- Thanks so much for posting the results...even if they're interim! It's very helpful to see how these real life "case studies" turn out.</p>
<p>Maybe she isn't sending those wait list follow up letters because she really wants to attend UMD??????</p>
<p>Cindy - Is your D still seriously considering W&M? Or is it UMD Honors for her? If money is no object, I think she would do very well at W&M--selectivity/prestige-wise, it is also stronger than UMD (and not so close to home).</p>
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[quote] We urged her to take the third test anyway (she finally did) and write a letter expressing interest (she never did) ... I practically begged her to add a few more schools that were matches e.g. Wake Forest, Dickinson. Nope. .... I think she messed up in not applying ED on this one, but she didn't decide I was right that Wesleyan was a good fit for her until it was too late. ... Georgetown. .. appears instead to have been a shortage of ambition, I think. ... I think she now understands that she blew it. ...Now I am encouraging her to do a lovely job writing to Bucknell and Wesleyan to convince them of her interest.
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<p>I'm sorry this sounds like a Mom-driven process and Mom-driven disappointment. </p>
<p>Your D. has several good choices and she used the combined safety net + reach approach, and obviously did a good job on the safeties. (By my count, at least 3 to choose from?)</p>
<p>If you want to vent here, fine -- but I hope aren't also telling your daughter that she "blew it". Your daughter has been admitted to several excellent colleges -- you should be celebrating instead of strategizing on how to prolong the agony.</p>
<p>er, perhaps she did make the effort at the schools that excited her. If College Park is not to her liking, she can get a wonderful education in Williamsburg, VA, or Charleston, SC. All the best to her and all the other sons and daughters making decisions this month!!</p>
<p>Thank you for the update and congratulations to your D for her hard work and her successes. Like several other posters, I would also suggest giving serious thought to William and Mary; that is a wonderful acceptance. I know a flagship honors program at UMD would also offer a good education, but there is that added glamor and prestige about William and Mary that may stand her in good stead both as a student in the future.</p>
<p>Nothing wrong with Mom giving a push. She did not do it for her D which I have seen with too many parents. Nothing wrong with Mom venting here about what she wishes her D had done either. The young lady had a mom who gave her advice and even some push, but did what she felt like doing. I think she is pleased with her "catches" as she has some great choices. What is COA these days for W&M oos?</p>
<p>The choice between W&M vs. MD will be hard. W&M is $40,000; MD is $20,000. </p>
<p>I guess we'll visit and see. </p>
<p>As for whether this was a mom-driven process . . . obviously not. </p>
<p>'Cause it would have turned out much differently had my D listened to me. She didn't, as is her right. It looks like she will do fine.</p>
<p>As for dropping the wait list schools . . . nope. She still wants to go to Wesleyan and says she will start working on her letter today and make a big push. I'm not hearing much about Bucknell so far . . .</p>
<p>Looks like she got into her safety (Charleston), her low match (U of MD) and one high match (W&M). </p>
<p>So in this case, it seems like the original list was just fine. We had a lot of people (myself included) early in the thread recommending more safeties. In retrospect perhaps the advice should have been- the list is fine, just work harder on the applications.</p>