<p>My son has been in a funk for the last two weeks. I can't wait until the college decision is over. My son is stressing over which school to attend and which other school will accept him. He comes home every nite and runs to the mailbox and then it is up to his room. He starts surfing his top two choices college data sets and calculates his chances of getting in. Hopefully his moods improves after May 1 and a decision is made. Anyone else going thru this?</p>
<p>My D was moody until she got into one of her top picks, she had 3 other schools that had accepted her early but since she didn't want to go to any of them she just kept looking toward the last two. So they all to some degree have gone through the same thing. Once they get beyond the decisions their focus and mood quickly changes to the more positive aspects of I'm going to college in 3 months. I hope that he does have a good backup plan and given he doesn't get into his top schools that there are some safety and match schools he will be happy to attend. The concern here would be if he is looking towards for schools that aren't really realistic for him and that he doesn't like any of his other choices.</p>
<p>Trey, I could have written your post. My son has been unbearable this entire month, but he finally heard from UCSB and he was accepted. He's like a different kid.
Best advise I can give you is be patient with him. This "waiting game" is extremely stressful and borderline cruel. I just made sure he kept himself occupied....work, basketball, spring break trip, etc.</p>
<p>Good Luck. I feel your pain.</p>
<p>Sympathies to the families going through this.</p>
<p>Suggestion for those not yet there and wanting to avoid this situation (a mantra on the Parent Forum, but very relevant there):</p>
<p>Find EA and/or rolling admissions schools that your kid would really like to attend and that are matches (maybe safeties) for them. Get those apps in early. Have acceptance(s) in hand in mid-December. </p>
<p>This strategy changes <em>everything</em> about the college decision process. Especially changes the month of March.</p>
<p>jmmom, I agree with the suggestion to apply EA or rolling admission, however like everything else in life it doesn't come for free. My D applied early to several schools as they suggested during the summer visit's. Predicting where they have the bar set for EA is next to impossible at most of these schools, for many schools it is very high. When they don't accept you for EA they generally defer you to the RA pool vrs denial and in our case asked for mid term marks to access senior level performance. So given that we wouldn't be able to have that sent out to February it has taken until March to get the decisions back, but they have all been positive. This purgatory of deferal drove my D and us as Parents nuts, especially when she applied back in Sept/Oct so you have to be a little careful with the mid December date.</p>
<p>I don't know which is worse. To have a kid who is stressing over this stuff, or a CFWTANW. (Child for whom there are no worries.)</p>
<p>Not even a Senior yet. And she's been moody for 6 yrs. Life's always a rollercoaster around here. But seriously, I know what the OP is saying. I was just speaking yesterday with a friend who has a Senior and an elem. school child who was awaiting decisions (and rec'd rejections!) from elem. schools. I was empathizing with her even before decisions came out, telling her that I so hate this time of year. Been through it multiple times with my children (private elementaries, private high schools, private colleges), watched others go through it, & we have a full agonizing year+ more. You wanna just take a vacation & learn the results when you come back. I think my own mental health would be at stake if I had to do this with a 3rd & 4th child. (Or I'd say: "You know what? You're all just going to the local State U down the road.")</p>
<p>Today I have to go visit & provide comfort to above family whose Sr. does at least have 2 EA positive decisions, but that hasn't helped much with the still pending college results.</p>
<p>I know it's not feasible for all colleges (particularly the Elites) to have rolling admissions, but it was an idea on the What Would You Change thread that I also had. I hate this D-day thing: so ultimate, so "final," such a 'test' of whether you make the grade. It reminds me so much of audition results.</p>
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I don't know which is worse. To have a kid who is stressing over this stuff, or a CFWTANW. (Child for whom there are no worries.)
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<p>Weenie, I'm LOL. I have one of those, too! I'm the one who's watching the mailbox!</p>
<p>Actually, I'm a bit more stressed out than usual because of these "dribs and drabs" schools, referring to how they release their decisions. For instance, the University of Rochester has been sending out acceptances for about three weeks now. Binghamton is also doing that this year. Then you can point to the early writes, likely letters and "love notes" that top candidates have been receiving. It's good for the kids who do receive word early, but it just makes it harder for the kids (and parents) who are glued to CC and waiting.</p>
<p>Would it be better if we there was no such thing as CC and didn't even know these things were occurring? Nah!</p>