<p>Son just recieved deferral letter, and I am trying to find ways to help him move on...without losing that glimmer of hope! He is finding it incredibly hard to finish new applications - anyone have any tips on how to motivate this son who is clinging to his dream school?</p>
<p>Make him cookies :)</p>
<p>It might take some time---he can't have found out more than a few days ago. Best of luck to him (I was also deferred).</p>
<p>I've concentrated on several schools that I would classify as "slight reach/match" schools so I'm not left with a sinking feeling after the RD round. I'll also keep updating my Princeton application in hopes of an RD acceptance...</p>
<p>He'll get over it in a couple of days.</p>
<p>Just keep him on track for this week and by next week those college applications will be flying off his desk.</p>
<p>i know how it feels... and the thread says "How to help son move on... " not "if son will move on"....</p>
<p>Ptonmom.. i think the best way to help ur son to move on at this time is first let him realize that the fact he was deferred doesnt mean he was a weak applicant at all... its just for ED, they use this only 100% yield oppurtunity to get the class established by filling it with really really unique ppl, so that they dont have to wry about this in RD... so tell ur son that even though he is outstanding academically, maybe he just wasn't just one of those unique and weird individuals.....second, tell ur son that deferrals have around 12% chance of getting in RD. higher than RD applicants.. then tell ur son that if he still doesn't get into princeton... princeton is only a small part of life..4 years... even though other places like dartmouth may not be as exciting.. but they will be close...</p>
<p>This is a big challenge for parents... encouraging kids to set their sights high, supporting their decisions, and then dealing with rejection (or in this case, deferral). Most kids at this level have achieved almost everything they've set their sights on, and running into the reality of elite admissions is a real bucket of cold water. Schools like Princeton turn away thousands of truly superb kids.</p>
<p>There IS life after ED deferral (personal experience) - a "second choice" school (I hate that description, as it makes any school other than the ED school sound inferior) may turn out to be a much better fit in the fall. It's going to be tough at first, but try to generate some enthusiasm about other choices. Getting the apps for other colleges done (and done well) is the best way to deal with the deferral - easier said than done, though. Consider planning some visits, too, if there are colleges that your son hasn't visited but are of interest. You may not get the visits in before apps are due, but there's a chance he'll like what he sees and feel that one or more schools might be viable alternatives. Good luck!</p>