The Wai(yay)ting Is the Hardest Part

<p>(with apologies to Tom Petty...)</p>

<p>My daughter is a nervous wreck, has been physically ill a couple times. If she doesn't get in I don't know what it's going to be like over here. Meanwhile, a good number of her friends/colleagues have heard already from their schools. A number of them have been admitted, parading into school with their new college sweatshirts. Which just makes her feel worse.</p>

<p>Called some friends of ours,their twins are both in exactly the same boat, and the same state of mind. The dynamics in that family might really be a mess if they both don't get in.</p>

<p>She's just sitting on her other applications, hoping she doesn't have to submit them. If it turns out she does, there's going to be frantic, rushed activity; not done right, or in the right frame of mind.</p>

<p>C'mon colleges can't you just get this over with already? This is the 21st century, ever heard of email? Apparently some of your competitors have!!!!</p>

<p>Competitors? We don't need no stinking competitors.</p>

<p>Once you apply to a school with binding ED, they have no competition!</p>

<p>Awwww, monydad, I <em>do</em> remember this well. <em>sigh</em></p>

<p>In our case two years ago, the EA results brought bitter disappointment, and at the time, my son was pretty devastated. BUT...I am here to tell you that in the end, everything worked out more beautifully than we could have ever hoped! </p>

<p>I am wishing for your D that her ED dream comes true, but if it doesn't, DO NOT LOSE HOPE! Redoubled efforts can be quite effective! :)</p>

<p>Let us know how it goes, and BEST OF LUCK! ~berurah</p>

<p>I sure know how you feel. A year ago last night was the decision date for my son's ED school. I was a wreck. I was glad he was away at boarding school, so I didn't drive him crazy. He got his decision online at 5pm and sent me the link by IM. I was overcome with happiness and relief that it was OVER! While he had other good options if it hadn't worked out, it was really a time of joy in our family. I hope you get to experience the same, but if you don't, it just means it is postponed and you will get to do it in the spring.</p>

<p>Less than 5 1/2 hours and I'm not sure if my heart or brain can handle it (taking bets on which gives out first).</p>

<p>Good luck to all waiting for ED/EA decisions. We'll be thinking of you!</p>

<p>Don't let it kill you, babe. Don't let it get to you.</p>

<p>Thanks JHS.</p>

<p>For whatever reason, every time I think of "waiting" I think of that scene in The Simpsons when Homer is waiting the 72 hours before he can get the gun he wants, and as he sits there every imaginable target passes by in front of him. It's funny, really. I also think of Homer's response when someone says, "Now we play the waiting game." Homer says, "I'd rather play Hungry, Hungry Hippos." Me too. Okay, so I've now killed another hour.</p>

<p>Waiting's over, he's in, Yale Class of 2011.</p>

<p>congratulations Burn This.</p>

<p>Congratulations, from the mother of one classicist to another! :)</p>

<p>Well, we get to wai-yai-yait for another 3-1/2 months. And finish those other apps, which will be a treat with a very sad boy.</p>

<p>JHS:</p>

<p>Ouch. Very sorry to hear that. I usually feel a bit better after sleeping it over. It may work with your son. Would a collective CC hug make him feel better?</p>

<p>Congratulations, burnthis!</p>

<p>JHS</p>

<p>My condolences. I do believe things often work out for the best, though this is no time to tell your son so, or maybe for you even to hear it from me (sorry if so), but there are so many great schools out there and more of them deserve a chance at your son.</p>

<p>BurnThis:</p>

<p>Congrats!</p>

<p>BurnThis~</p>

<p>A huge CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!! How fabulous!!!!!</p>

<p>JHS~</p>

<p>I'm <em>really</em> sorry to hear this.....we were in this position two years ago. A very defeated kid and lots of apps to tend to. The wait was hell, but the prize was sweet. Wishing y'all much success this coming spring! ~berurah</p>

<p>I'm sure he will pull himself together. But a collective CC hug would mortify him no end. Following his sister's lead, he regards CC as a pit of obsession and despair, and I'm not certain they're wrong.</p>

<p>My biggest issue with him right now is the wallowing he is doing. There's a girl he likes, who obviously likes him back. (Amazing how easy these things are to see from the Olympian heights of parenthood.) He's loving his angst so much he can't bring himself to move the relationship along. Talk about something that could cheer him up! But no, it's not the season for cheer. I just hope she's still interested when he comes out of his funk. What a waste of his senior year!</p>

<p>Thanks to all for the congrats! Many of you have been a huge help to me over the last year. And JHS, when I was waiting I checked the EA boards from last year, and looked to see where the deferrals ended up -- each one ended up at a fantastic school (I'd say Ivy or Ivy-ish, but don't want to be flamed). Forty-eight hours of wallowing seems about right, then back to the apps for him. Good luck!</p>

<p>JHS:</p>

<p>Okay, no collective hug (I was afraid he would recoil). Maybe a virtual drink for you, though.</p>

<p>As long as he has put in all his requests for recs and transcripts, he can afford to wallow a bit more before he tackles the next round of essays. It takes time to process rejection or deferral. He'll bounce back and write killer essays just to show 'em!</p>

<p>By 8:00 last night he was basically fine. Why? All of his close friends who had applied to SCEA schools had been deferred, too (with the exception of one boy who, objectively, was probably the strongest candidate of the bunch, and whose acceptance to a different school didn't threaten my son that much). So he hadn't lost any status in his circle. I guess he cared a lot about that. Sigh.</p>