<p>As the Dec.31/Jan. 1st deadline looms for many schools, it makes me wonder - should my S have applied to more schools? More reaches? More....anything???</p>
<p>He applied to 6 - only one is really a reach in terms of admission. 5 replies already, all accepted and most all "decent" merit $$$. </p>
<p>S seems satisfied. He wasn't interested in going too far from home - the idea was "cool" but not really tempting and probably just so overwhelming to figure out "where" to apply. He didn't want "big" so we stuck with generally "small".</p>
<p>But sometimes you second guess. You wonder, have you played your cards enough? </p>
<p>I suppose it might not be "too late" for some schools, but aren't most except "rolling" by Jan. 1st????</p>
<p>Anyone else wondering if "this is enough"?????</p>
<p>Congrats to your son on getting five acceptances, and merit aid to boot!</p>
<p>When geek_son had two safeties bagged and was waiting on his ED decision, I had the same worry for a while – but his safeties were not true safeties, in that he didn’t like one and didn’t know the other. With five acceptances in the bag, if your son likes all of them and has money to attend any one he chooses, I’d call it a day and let him enjoy his Christmas break and the rest of his senior year.</p>
<p>Aside, from my experience and that of other moms I’ve compared notes with: Don’t expect “squeeeee!” from a son over college admissions. He may in fact feel much more emotion than he demonstrates. If he says he’s happy with his choices, he’s probably quite happy with them. Ask him whether he’s thought about which one he’d most like to attend, and watch his reaction. Does he smile as he’s thinking about it? Does he talk mostly about the positive aspects of each one? If so, he’s set.</p>
<p>Its not too late if he wants to do it. If you want to reduce stess, you can try your luck sending the apps a few days after the deadline. Most schools don’t really care if you do this because they are dealing with such a large volume of applications anyway that if there are a few stragglers, they probably won’t even have processed a fraction of the ones that came in on time by the time they arrive.</p>
<p>Wow, he already has 5 in hand with good merit money? Why would you apply to any more. My daughter has none in hand and has applied to a lot more than 6. If she had one in hand I would be ecstatic. Five? I’m so jealous.</p>
<p>Five schools he LIKES, with acceptances in hand AND money? Sounds like a young man who knows what he wants and who crafted a terrific list! I know your anxiety, too – have had it with both kids. I asked each of them – </p>
<p>“If you had your choice of any school out there, not withstanding $$, the odds, etc., what would it be?”<br>
“Are there any schools you’d be sorry you didn’t apply to come April?”<br>
“Are there any other schools like XXX you want to consider?” (i.e., a schools with characteristics/vibe/whatever similar to one’s favorite)</p>
<p>Both dropped a few from their lists after EA and both added one.</p>
<p>You’re there and we’re here…so, what does your parental Spidey-sense say? At the last minute my D applied to several more schools. It seemed to me at the time she might have been shedding some of her early (restrictive) parameters (didn’t like urban, didn’t like anything but LAC’s). She changed a lot between the summer between 11th and 12th and when she set off to college. Things were moving fast. Schools she wouldn’t have considered became possibilities so she threw some apps out there. And really, but for that “sense”, I wouldn’t have suggested it.</p>
<p>Edit: I sometimes wonder what her school list would have looked like a year later.</p>
<p>Some fine, small schools (you said he liked small) have Jan. 15 deadlines for RD. With the excellent security now in hand, you might both look at those online today. Decide whether it’d be a lark to “stretch” and apply for one or two for curiosity. Why not? It doesn’t undercut all the great results he achieved thus far. Bravo. If he gets accepted to those, there’s still time to visit before decision date on all, correct?</p>
<p>Most of his schools are small private “lesser known” schools in Ohio or Michigan - IMO, fine schools though!!! His reach is well-known - and he (as well as his parents ) realize he may not well get in - but that’s a “reach” right???</p>
<p>He is my 2nd one to be applying to schools - I just want to make sure he has no regrets. And as you said, he seems VERY happy with a few of his schools. And yeah, he’s a male. :)</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, is there a list anywhere of schools and app deadlines? Would be interesting to see…I’m drawing a blank on seeing one if there is…</p>
<p>Yeah Cur (re post #8)… but didn’t your d. end up attending the school she loved from the beginning, which also gave her a full ride scholarship? And didn’t most of the reach schools that accepted her offer need-based packages that fell short of the mark?</p>
<p>To OP – it seems to me that it makes sense for your son to quit while he’s ahead. Another way to write your question would be: "My son has been accepted with merit money to five colleges and is happy as a clam. He’s only waiting to hear from one reach school. But its strange that things are so calm around our household. What can I do in the next few months to annoy my son, ratchet up the anxiety level, and make our whole family stressed out and miserable? </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>I think that what you really need to do now is tell your son how proud you are of him! Encourage him to enjoy his senior year and to relax and have some fun his final semester.</p>
<p>From a student’s perspective -
The only thing that I wonder about is what would happen if, come March, he finds out he was rejected from his reach? Will he still be happy, knowing that he has 5 great choices, or will he be disappointed, especially considering many others around him may be receiving acceptances at the time?</p>
<p>I agree with whoever mentioned that a number of colleges (including some well-known LACs, I believe), have January 15th deadlines. I personally think there’s no harm throwing in 1 or 2 more if he’s interested and you can get everything like teacher recs and the like together on time.</p>
<p>Why dont you let HIM ddecide? If he feels like he wants no regrests and still wishes to send out a few more apps, then he obviously has your support! Tell him to apply to all the schools that he loves, he doesnt need any safeties.</p>
<p>And if he feels like he is very happy with his acceptances, then let him enjoy his senior year. </p>
<p>What would I not give to be in your son’s position! <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>Wish me luck people, I’m getting a decision before the 31st, and my resolution was to get accepted at at least 1 college in 2009!!!</p>
<p>It’s going to be hard enough deciding among 5 or 6 acceptances. I think you’ll find that almost any school you add at this late date will be superfluous. Focus on narrowing down the list and visiting if you haven’t done so.</p>
<p>My first child applied to one ED school and was accepted. My second applied to ten schools (three EA), was accepted to five, and in retrospect, would never have attended four of these. Now, my third child, a HS junior, is compiling her school list. Our lesson learned is to apply ONLY to schools you would truly attend if accepted. Try to be sure about this in advance with campus visits, the interview, your interview of students (and professors), **************.com, etc. The number will be variable. My daughter will apply to 5 schools.</p>
<p>For all Common App schools, application deadlines and other basic facts can be found here. There are a reasonable number of schools with post-Jan 1 deadlines.</p>
<p>I suggest listening to Geek Mom (post #4). Talk with your son and watch his reactions. If he’s not worried and appears to enjoy contemplating being at one of his accepted schools, then I don’t think you have to worry!</p>
Ask him whether he’s thought about which one he’d most like to attend, and watch his reaction. Does he smile as he’s thinking about it? Does he talk mostly about the positive aspects of each one? If so, he’s set.</p>