<p>I wish the best to you and your family.</p>
<p>Ditto. My thoughts are with you and your mom, too, OP. Just make your call (decision) , and then make the call to admissions. They’ll understand.</p>
<p>I lean toward deferring for a year, and then deciding whether to go to Wellesley or a school close to home. I think the admissions people at Wellesley will be very understanding of your waiting a year. At the end of that time you will have a better idea of how your mom is doing. </p>
<p>I’m sorry to learn of your mom’s cancer recurring and wish her and all of you the best.</p>
<p>I too wish you and your family the best. I didn’t realize the school was Wellesley. If that is the case, they DO grant leaves of absence for matriculated students. My guess is they will be VERY understanding of your situation. </p>
<p>As NSM said…do what feels right for you and your family.</p>
<p>Northstarmom makes a valid point that cancer can be a chronic illness rather than an acute medical crisis. It might help you to have a serious talk with your mother’s doctor about what she’s going to need from you.</p>
<p>A family friend had a recurrence of cancer in his DDs senior year, she had been looking at private prestigious schools back east and instead chose to stay in the local area and attend a middle of the road, not really prestigious, public school.</p>
<p>Thankfully, 8 years later he is still alive, she made lots of memories and, while I don’t know what she missed back east, she is a med student now, so things seem to have worked out okay.</p>
<p>The financial aid, though, is a real concern.</p>
<p>I think I would also ask them if you can delay a decision until spring when you see how your mom is doing. Maybe she is in remission by then? Even so, you may decide you want to be closer, or it may feel okay to be back east. Only you will know, but you should take some time to think about it. If you do not attend in the fall, perhaps a gap year and deferral will allow both situations their due time?</p>
<p>I beleive NorthStarMom gave you some excellent advice. I would not consider a gap year given the situation but would look for a college much closer to home. However everyone has their own priorities.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you</p>
<p>As a parent, if I were in this situation, I would like my child to go to the college as originally planned. It seems like such a terrific opportunity: to watch him/her give that up on my account would literally kill me.</p>
<p>Perhaps delayed admission is the best option available if it is possible. I can’t imagine a college that would not allow a student in this situation to delay a year and entering the college later with the same FA.</p>
<p>This is just my two cents. Perhaps OP should also find out what her mother’s wishes are.</p>
<p>I’m a mom with cancer. I’ve had friends question why I “let” my kids apply to schools all over the country when I am ill. Nothing has made me happier the past seven years than to see my kids grow up into fine young men and to see them launch. Talk to your mom before making any decisions. </p>
<p>Many hugs to all of you and hopes for successful treatment.</p>
<p>To be honest I think it would help your mother more to know that you are financial taken care of vis a vis the financial aid from the ED school.</p>
<p>“I was recently accepted ED to my dream school about 3 weeks ago with $0 parent EFC.”</p>
<p>Note the “0 EFC.” Even with wonderfully generous financial aid, if the student wishes to see her ill mom reasonably frequently – that could be very difficult to do – both in terms of time and money – if the student has to travel across country to do so.</p>
<p>One of my close friends was on a medical fellowship in Chicago while her mother was in San Francisco with cancer. My friend flew to see her mother once a month. It was expensive, and difficult to do in terms of the time. Friend came from a wealthy family, so the money wasn’t a problem, but it and the time involved would be a problem for the OP.</p>
<p>Depending on one’s family and personal circumstances, one’s dream school may change.</p>
<p>OP – really think about this: If it ends up that your mother becomes very disabled or has a much shorter lifespan than people normally have, would you regret it if due to your being far away in college, you weren’t able to be around her much?</p>
<p>I do agree with the poster who suggested that you talk with your mother’s doctor. Realize, however, that your mother will need to give the doctor permission to talk to you.</p>
<p>You also can learn a lot by reviewing Internet sites including this one, which is Lance Armstrong’s Foundation: <a href=“http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.khLXK1PxHmF/b.2661019/k.8FE9/Cancer_Support.htm[/url]”>http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.khLXK1PxHmF/b.2661019/k.8FE9/Cancer_Support.htm</a></p>
<p>It also offers free telephone support to cancer survivors and their families.</p>
<p>What CountingDown said: talk to your mom first. </p>
<p>Best wishes to you and your family.</p>