<p>While I know my son would be just as happy at school #2 (a reach/match), we would all be relieved to have the pressure off. I have to admit, going in I had no idea how stressful this would be. Of course, the stress is exacerbated by the fact that there are still a few unfinished applications around . . .</p>
<p>Chocolate</p>
<p>The best way to brace for a bad news letter would be to start discussing what the alternatives are, and to have a rolling admission safety school that isn't an insult.</p>
<p>Theater is a good lesson for this situtation. Sometimes the best actor doesn't get the part, not because they aren't good actors, but because the director had a different vision for the part. If you have ever seen a scatter gram for admissions you would know that some highly qualified people are passed over while people with lesser numbers are admitted. Why? To balance out the orchestra, tennis team, to keep a major alive by maintaining a number of students willing to work in that field and because most colleges believe that their is more learning outside of the classroom if there is diversity on campus.</p>
<p>"if they rejected someone like YOU, they weren't a good enough school for you anyway because they probably admitted students that you wouldn't want to go to school with and if they rejected you they probably rejected others like you."</p>
<p>I'm sure as a mom or dad something like the above really is what you believe but as as student I'd recommend staying away from statements like that. They don't ring true and kinda sound hollow. It sounds like something only a mom or dad would say about any kind of rejection of their child. Admissions is a cold hard numbers game so help your child realize that. We'll all be facing lots more decisions like this as we grow older.</p>
<p>I hate ED even though we didn't go through it. I think SCEA and Wellesley's Early Evaluation (likely, possible, unlikely) are far more humane.</p>
<p>I also agree with NU409. I didn't even have to tell my D...she heard it directly from one of the admissions directors for Yale...there's a certain amount of fluke factor involved. Yale could fill their class three times over with completely different students and yet not have any discernable differences in the classes. It's the same for all the hyper-competitive school, though for some it drifts down to <em>only</em> two complete classes.</p>
<p>You could just tell 'em they're losers, and destined to become drug-addicted homeless criminals. (Whoops! that might have been what happens if they'd been accepted....)</p>
<p>MarylandMom -</p>
<p>Clemson will automatically notify applicants who are admitted to the honors program. No separate application needed (unlike Virginia Tech, which has a separate form w/ essay).</p>
<p>Honors dorm is "first come" for honors students who enroll.</p>
<p>My daughter was recently accepted (Rolling Admission) at her #3 school. We talked about all the positive aspects of going there, as her ED school was a reach. We knew it from the start. As the ED date is next Wed, she asked me last night if it was okay to cry if she was rejected. I told her of course...but then we should move on and focus on her #2 school, as well as all the good things about her #3.</p>
<p>She was notified today ("unofficial web posting, with the letter in the mail") that she was accepted ED to her #1 school. She cried anyway.... :-)</p>
<p>Congrats to your D, wallingf!!! What school?</p>
<p>I prepared my S by showing him the ED Decisions Thread on the Princeton board. Lots of kids with near perfect stats getting deferred. Ouch!</p>
<p>Virginia Tech....she fell in love with it 3 years ago when we took her brother on a tour (we're from NH). It was a reach, because although her GPA is excellent, her SATs were not. I figured, at best, she would be deferred and a long shot....so I have been trying to prep her. If you don't get in one place, then maybe it because they believe you will be in over your head. If they made a mistake - prove it your freshman year at another school and then transfer.</p>
<p>Anyway, it's nice to have it all behind us. But - now I get to look at the butt of a VT Hokie on my screen saver all day....... :-)</p>