<p>Two years ago at this time, you could have peeled me off the ceiling I was so anxious with S #1. But we got an early Chritmas present with his EA acceptance. </p>
<p>We're hoping for a repeat this year with S#2. I'm not nearly as anxious this time. Everythings always seems to be easier the second time around. S doesn't seem stressed, but anxious to get a reply. He'll be very disappointed if it's not good news. I don't have a plan to deal with that, except that I'm encouraging him to encourage him to continue to work on his other apps.</p>
<p>I'm very nervous! But my (first-born) son is cool as a cucumber (at least on the surface), so this is my issue only. Thankfully other apps are out the door.</p>
<p>This is our FIRST experience and I am so anxious that you CAN'T peel me off the ceiling...I'm stuck!</p>
<p>My friend told me that according to her calculations, I will definitely combust. She doesn't think it is possible to live in the suspended animation that IS waiting for EA and also the triple-fast time that IS the process of trying to complete all the other apps. <em>lol</em> I think I have to agree with her.</p>
<p>Honestly I haven't been through anything this grueling since childbirth (six times!)!</p>
<p>Someone, tell me this WILL come to an end, either way....~berurah</p>
<p>Tension isn't bad for me because I'm not too anxious to see what it's going to cost me if he's admitted.</p>
<p>I thought son was cool until this evening. He was grumped out when he came in from and I made a comment about it. He said to expect him to act this way until the 10th.</p>
<p>One thing I kept thinking the first time was how could I deal with months of anxiety waiting for RD when the relatively short EA/ED wait was killing me. I think what makes it difficult for parents is that we don't want to see our kids go through what for some is the first major disappointment in their young lives.</p>
<p>My house is a bit crazed, although still normal. My mom is constantly counting down to EA (as this will be her first and ONLY time a child gets accepted or deferred or rejected from a 4-year-university).. she's excited, anxious, yet.. she's calm.. I don't know if that makes sense, but...</p>
<p>Every day she reminds me I have 13 or so days left before my Georgetown acceptance/deferral comes. But she has "firm faith" that it'll be an acceptance. So does my counselor. </p>
<p>I guess I'll wait and see.</p>
<p>In Korean we have a phrase.. it literally means "if your attitude and behavior are good, then good things will happen to you" -- I don't know the exact translation, but I think that's about it. Hopefully, this rings true.. :: crosses fingers ::</p>
<p>We just got back from a week's trip to Rome. I was hoping that would somehow lessen D's stress about her ED application and my hopes seemed to be fulfilled as the subject of college never came up during the trip. I couldn't believe it when the first thing she said when getting into the taxi to bring us home from the airport was, "Two weeks til I hear whether I'm getting into college!"</p>
<p>My normally laid-back, easygoing S is going to drive myself, my DH and the dog crazy until the ED decisions are announced at Duke. After his after-school activities and homework, he spends time on CC commiserating with other ED'ers. All are trying to predict when the on-line decision will be available. Thank goodness we didn't have to go through this last year with my D - she applied EDSC to the school of her dreams at the end of August and 2 weeks later she was in.</p>
<p>Every year we spend the holidays at a lodge where the same families stay every year and the owners have one daughter the same age as my oldest and one a couple years older. Senior year it was slightly irritating, because while my daughter didn't apply anywhere ED, the girl her age did, and already knew where she was attending, and we just wanted to forget about post high school for a while. Since the older girl was already attending a prestigous LAC there was lots of talk about college at the dinner table.
My daughter decided to take a year off from school so the next year when we visited, she still didn't know where she was going to college ;)</p>
<p>With two applications in (one EA), one well underway, and the last being another common app, my son is taking a break from the process. I think it's good for both of us to clear our heads and maybe, if we can concentrate on other things, the next week and a half will go quickly.</p>
<p>We're waiting for S's EA decision that comes out Dec. 15 or so. If he gets in, we'll still need to wait to see about merit aid there and about decisions at other schools, which won't be until spring. So the decision we get in the mail won't be as final as some of you will experience. S spent the last couple weeks working and thinking about two match/safety state school applications, which helped pass the time for all of us. He has four more apps to go (two super reaches and two likely's). This is a weird month with time dragging on the EA decision and speeding by on getting these last 4 apps done, plus holiday preparations and activities... S seems pretty laid back about all of this, as is H. I can't wait to find out the EA decision; the closer it gets, the more excited I get! Crossing my fingers for all of us here!!</p>
<p>S received a large fat envelope Priority Mail. He naturally assumed it was from his ED school and got excited. I told him to look at the return address. Turned out it was from a top prep school encouraging him to apply. He's a true senior, so they're a little late.</p>
<p>The funny thing is that last year I started thinking that if he'd gone to a school like that they would have been able to usher him in to wherever he wanted to go. Now I feel it's not going to matter.</p>
<p>My interviewer for my ED school told me not to expect a "fat envelope," because the school does not mail other forms with the ED acceptance letter. Of course, by the time I get the letter I will most likely already know in what category I ended up, so it won't be a huge deal.</p>
<p>As for decisions, which I will know in less than a week, I think my parents are more nervous than I am. I'm the oldest child (and oldest grandchild for that matter), so the whole family is emotionally involved, which made Thanksgiving a bit awkward. Good luck to all of you and your children. :)</p>
<p>One would think that things would be somewhat "relaxed" around here, my S applied under rolling-admissions to 3 top-notch schools (their engineering schools). He's been accepted to all 3 (just got his acceptance to GA Tech today). But, until Dec 15 arrives, we'll all be living on pins and needles.</p>
<p>I went onto Penn's campus today to pick up a few "hopeful thinking" items for him (which I hope to give to him on Friday). I wound up hungry and had dinner with 6yr old D in one of the restaurants on campus. I noticed things about the students and school that I had never really noticed before.
1. I was suprised at how well dressed the students were....girls in heels, nice slacks, designer tote bags (looked like a Burberry fashion show); guys in blazers, new jeans, turtlenecks - like a Polo ad.
2. Kids were running around with open laptops, turned on, just moving from place to place in between typing paragraphs which were visible on the screen. Laptops everywhere.
3. Locust walk was lit with tiny white lights in the trees...like a winter wonderland. Beautiful.
4. Lots of frat houses on campus. I never really noticed them before (not sure how I missed them with the huge letters on the front).
5. New restaurant: Cereality....a cereal restaurant. Wait staff wears PJs-fun looking..
6. Even though it feels like it's about 30 degrees here, the campus is busy, busy....people are everywhere. I see why my son likes the "vibe". I've usually visited in summer months, so spending this much time on campus while school is in session really made it feel more alive...and BIG!
7. The view of downtown Philly is amazing from Penn....so close but just far enough to appreciate the skyline lights. </p>
<p>For the first time ever, I got chills as I drove under the big overpass that reads "University of Pennsylvania" (right by the hospital) as I arrived on campus. The place felt differently to me than it has ever felt before.....like everything was more colorful, vibrant and energized than I can ever recall. </p>
<p>Until today, I had been less convinced than my son that this was the place. He's been certain all along. I've been less sure. Now, I'm certain that this place would be FABULOUS for him....and I'm now MORE nervous than ever:) The dress of the students threw me off a little...but my son, with his flip flops and shorts in 10 degree weather, will probably shrug it off. </p>
<p>Now I know why my son won't set foot on campus until after the 10th. It's too amazing to be "cool" about.</p>
<p>Momsdream
I did sort of the same thing for my daughter - I ordered some "gear" from the bookstore of the LAC she applied to ED (it is too far away for me to go in person) and had it delivered to a neighbor's house, so she would not see something coming to our house from the school. I "hope" to give it to her for a holiday gift (but it is returnable, if necessary, and she would never know I had ordered it). I'm glad you are feeling so positive about your son's first choice school!</p>
<p>I did ask if the stuff was returnable :) I do feel good about it. But, given the chances I know the odds are against him. At the same time, I'm feeling like this is going to happen for him. If it doesn't, I shoudn't be surprised...but will be (if that makes sense). I bought him a grey and navy hoodie (the really nice, thick one with the big, stitched letters), a key lanyard, and a small bear wearing a Penn shirt (from his little sister-she picked it out). I also bought his GF (who is applying ED as well) a shirt and a bear wearing the shirt. My 6 yr old D bought a bear for herself (ya know how 6 yr olds are!) and a navy zippered Penn hoodie. For myself, I got the pleasure of shelling out $180 for it all :) A sign of things to come!</p>
<p>Motheroftwo, I'm rooting for your D at her top choice. Here's to Friday!!</p>