<p>My Son was deferred last year, and was heartbroken. He had not filled out a single application, and the week before Christmas, he filled out the balance of his 9 applications (which was miserable). He also let Dartmouth know that after doing all of these applications, he still wished he were going there- and what he had done his senior year that might make a difference to them.</p>
<p>By the end, he got many yeses from great schools, and felt great about starting his freshman year elsewhere. Dartmouth was still his dream but he hadn't held out a lot of hope. He logged on several hours after the regular decision deadline (his buddies at school had all checked, and none had gotten in)- just to check. To his shock and surprise, the answer this time was "Welcome to the Class of 2011". So it does happen- and if it's what you want, don't give up and make your senior year count.</p>
<p>Nice message, point well-taken. Some other mom posted (mythmom, I believe) saying that only about 10% of those deferred last year were eventually accepted. </p>
<p>I think another, more likely, phenomenon will take place. If spurned (deferred), some of us may fall in love with a new suitor and, if eventually embraced by D, may not (again) roll over for them.</p>
<p>Is anyone looking out of the corner of their eye for a replacement lover yet???? Williams and Brown are winking at me. Affairs of the heart are very fickle.</p>
<p>Cllgemom brings up some really good points to work on your other applications. If accepted ED, you can have a great shredding party. If deferred or worse, rejected your head may not particularly be in the best place to work on applications.</p>
<p>Balletgirl also brings up a good point :eek: , when your dreams are dashed, you have to be ready and willing to dream a new dream.</p>
<p>I will give an example (I know that balletgirl hates antecdotes, but I am going forward anyway). </p>
<p>Two of my D good friends was deferred during the ED round and got picked up during RD (as a matter of fact, they all met at the Williams admitted student days, saw each other again at the Amherst admitted student says and decided to attend Dartmouth together). </p>
<p>One of her best friends was waitlisted during the RD round, decided to attend the honors program at her flagship state U (full-ride) and got picked up off the waitlist andis now a happy senior.</p>
<p>There is a CC poster who applied for the class of 2009. He was deferred ED, waitlisted RD and got picked up off the waitlist (decided to defer admission) but is now a happy 10.</p>
<p>Yes, admissions like love can be fickled as D has a sorority sister in attendance who is a legacy (both parents attended) and when her sister applied (thinking she's a legacy, with a sibling and Dartmouth has a reputaion for liking siblings) the sister was flat out rejected.</p>
<p>But after all has been said and done, you will end up where you need to be. You will be happy and do great things and the whole application process will be a distant memory.</p>
<p>Sweetheart, I love stories (anecdotes)!!!!. I just find them difficult, especially in the area of college admissions, to derive generalizable truths from them. Too often, they are one step removed from urban legend. </p>
<p>While they can serve as a temporary balm for hurt emotions, they are insufficient upon which to base a strategy. </p>
<p>Better to expect the best and prepare for the worst. Big happy face - :)</p>
<p>One last note. He is a happy '11 at Dartmouth- and is doing really well, but the best way to prepare yourself for the yes/no/maybe so that will greet you online soon is to send/fill out a few more applications, and feel like you have options and are mentally prepared for any news you get.</p>
<p>I think he was genuinely disappointed about ED, but he was also pretty upset he had cram all those applications into a few weeks!</p>
<p>I am shooting to get all my other applications prepped by end of week, dedicating all day Thurday and Friday to this. I do not want to have to do them if I am in an emotional swale.</p>
<p>my applications are done.... wanting perhaps.... but done. not one student has ever been deferred from my school.....ever. it's bliss or the axe!</p>
<p>thank you for the anecdotes, sybbie. i appreciate everything you share with us and you are an incredible asset to this forum. please continue to impart your wisdom and stories! i <3 you. :)</p>
<p>Yesterday, I took the SATs for the last time. In the event that D doesn't come in for me, it wouldn't be bad to raise my scores 50-80 points.</p>
<p>I have been using my postings on CC to sharpen my critical thinking, reading and writing skills. This is in lieu of the silly SAT practice tests to which I've developed a physical aversion.</p>
<p>I hope I used "swale" correctly. I used it because I liked the sound of the "al" in it and emotional.</p>
<p>It sounds like you are in good shape. Whatever happens I am sure it will end well.</p>
<p>My son was extremely laissez faire about the college process and things had always come easily to him. I think it was good for him to go through the semi-rejection of deferral, and it reenergized him to really take advantage of his senior year. A part of me wonders if this would have happened to the same extent had he gotten in. We did find out after the fact from his college advisor that he had had a great junior year, but his sophomore year was just OK, and that Dartmouth wanted to see what he did with a very very difficult senior schedule (he went to a very tough prep school, and his schedule was ridiculous)- needless to say he did well with it and excelled in other areas. I think Dartmouth did him a favor by deferring him, and he walked in better prepared and wanting it more. </p>
<p>Perhaps this is another perspective to anyone who might be deferred, so that perhaps it can help you see the positive. I guess I am sort of a "glass is half full" person.</p>
<p>Good luck, I'm sure it will work out (because you will make it).</p>
<p>I really appreciate your support. I am generally "a glass half-full person" too and I think I'm prepared if the glass gets knocked around next week. </p>
<p>I definitely agree that it is often useful to double-down just a bit more and go the extra-mile, especially when things are the most difficult. I have learned that in ballet, figure skating and in academics. There are many "games of inches."</p>
<p>BalletGIrl: Are you majoring in literature or writing? :p</p>
<p>I have already started on my other applications. Well actually if you don't get in your <em>dream</em> does not end there. Transfer! Atleast I am going to do that!</p>
<p>I <3 Sybbie, rainmama & VeryHappy too! :) If I happen to attend Dartmouth I might take all of the parents on the board for a AOC trip! (AOC - Ajay outdoor club! :D)</p>