D20 just got her first rejection letter. UNC Chapel Hill. It kind of blows my mind, as in my head she is a Rockstar in everything she does, it was a terrible stretch money wise, but I didn’t think there was a chance she was not getting in…
@WasIDremin Very sorry. I know it must sting. UNC is a reach even for many In state students and much more so for those OOS. I am sure she will have many great options.
@WaslDremin Are you OOS? If so Chapel Hill is a major reach school for everyone because of the OOS cap.
@WasIDremin sorry to hear she and/or you are disappointed but at least you will not have to make a difficult decision about the money part.
@MBNC1755 Yes we are out of state. We were aware of the difficulty getting in from OOS, but I guess I underestimated how holistic their application process is. She never did let us read her essays. Oh well in the end it is just another reason to go to one of the schools that are much more affordable.
@Wasldremin It is very hard and, yes, UNC is very holistic but it sounds like your daughter has wonderful options and more affordable is always good!
@WasIDremin Is your D20 still thinking Nursing? Curious why UNC-CH if it’s expensive and doesn’t have direct entry? I mean, the well is nice and all, but… 
@bigmacbeth Yep still Nursing. The “prestige” of UNC had her dazzled more than anything. I am never sure why any of the schools stay on her list other than the ones I put on for her because of NMF money. I am pushing for a Florida school because of the Benaquisto scholarships but she is leaning very heavily toward UK right now.
@WasIDremin Sounds like UNC did you a favor…
We’re still trying to figure out our next steps with visiting.
S20 has gotten accepted to 4 schools, waiting to hear from 2 deferrals and 3 RD. (Also 1 rejection but that’s not on the table anymore obviously!)
He wants to go to compare their home basketball games and see the college towns for the schools he’s in.
I’d prefer we went in April after he has heard from everything and can really make a decision. I also think there might be value in going for one of the organized accepted student days (For example, Kelley Direct Admit Day) But of course this giant puzzle doesn’t work.
Do I take him to the basketball games, and try to fly out again in April if he really needs to decide? Do I skip the accepted student stuff? He’s already toured all but one of the schools. He loves big schools with sports which is why he wants to see their games. He was deferred from his top choice, which is why he’s so torn with the ones he’s gotten into.
What do you think?
@NYC2018nyc I would take him to a game. If you take him to Assembly Hall at IU, he’ll be hooked. They are playing pretty good ball this year. Of course, they don’t have much of a football team…ever. This is, of course, if it’s not too much of a burden, financially. Any that you could move higher on the list, or remove from the list, would be good IMO. Are the 3 RD schools higher on the list than what he has been accepted to?
@WasIDremin D20 was waitlisted from UNC this weekend. We are also OOS so knew it was a stretch, was by far the most expensive, and although a great nursing program - isn’t direct admit. Even with all that it stung quite a bit more than expected - esp as an alumni myself. D20 was sad for a bit but seems to have shrugged it off.
That was the last school we were waiting on so she is starting to focus in and I think she has it narrowed down to her top two - UTK and Clemson. We have 2nd visits to both planned in the next few weeks and I will be VERY happy once all this decision making is over!!
@bigmacbeth Can confirm. We just went to the IU vs MSU game last week. It had been a while. It was amazing! What is most valuable, perhaps, is that there are so many students present in the same place at the same time. Any student would easily be able to gauge the culture in this environment.
@NYC2018nyc One of mine still has IU on her list. I’ve heard that “direct admit day” is pretty impressive. So I’d try to do one of those, if you can. We will be there in a couple of weeks. Having done a general IU tour, I would avoid that one for decision making purposes. The direct days are best… or maybe “red carpet days”.
D20 has 5 acceptances so far — UMichigan, Ohio State, Miami of Ohio, Temple and URichmond. And waiting on 4 RD apps, all super-reaches — Penn, Brown, WashU, and NYU. She’s applied mostly as a Math major, except for NYU (where she applied to Tisch for Musical Theater directing) and UMich (where she had applied to a dual degree program in LSA/Math+SMTD/Musical Theater; UMich admitted her to LSA, but not SMTD).
We’re in a bit of a lull this week, between EA and RD decisions, but D20 definitely does not have senioritis. I’ve never seen her work so hard and have so much fun doing it. She directed a school play in the fall, in the midst of application season, and with straight A’s in a heavy academic load. And now she’s writing and directing a musical that will open in a couple of weeks. Last week, we drove down to NYU for an artistic review with Tisch. With that behind her and all her RD apps in, I thought she’d have a chance to breathe. Went into her room last night and she smiled and said, “I’m learning French on Duolingo!” (She’s done Spanish in school since pK.)
My D20 has her last gymnastics invite tonight, followed by varsity conference/regional/sectional in the next 2 weeks. Then her gymnastics career will be over. She’s going out with a bang this year, her best year ever…a lot of it is because she has avoided injury. Many girls push themselves to do slightly harder skills, but then get injured, or are inconsistent on all 4 events because they fall. D20 has learned that slow and steady, and safe, is the way to go. It will be a little sad for her to walk away, but she will pick up another sport at college that she can have fun with, or maybe start dancing more. She’s having a great stress-free senior year.
@bigmacbeth does your D compete for her high school or a club team (or both)? My D19 is a gymnast too. She is doing club gym in college, but she also picked up another sport and dances more. Ha!
@milgymfam D20 just does HS gymnastics now. She did club up until HS and then switched to HS-only. She was tired of the club grind, and she has liked the camaraderie (and shorter season) of the HS team better. She doesn’t plan on continuing with gymnastics at any level in college because of what it does to her body. She’s looking for a healthier alternative. She has dived throughout HS as well, and that is an option to continue at a club level in college. She has gotten interested in racquetball lately, too, so is going to try that over the summer.
@bigmacbeth it sounds like she is hanging up her grips at the right time for her- no regrets is what every gym mom wants for their kids. The combo of gymnastics/crew/dance hasn’t been very kind to my D’s body, tbh, but she just isn’t ready to let go of any of it. She is really good about PT and knowing her limits so I just support her from afar. Best of luck to your D in college!
@milgymfam Thanks. D20’s top choice is a large Big 10 school, and even THEY don’t have a women’s club gymnastics team (or is it not affiliated to college?). What school does your D19 go to that they have a club team? That’s cool.
@bigmacbeth my daughter attends Haverford. They have a gymnastics club, but not an official naigc club team. She is registered as an individual with naigc for comps and has been “adopted” by the UPenn club team. They keep her in their meet email loop and have offered her to join their transportation/lodging to meets they attend.