<p>Okay, so I was wondering what everyone will be doing on March 10. I know I will wait for the mail, just to make it more exciting.</p>
<p>So what would you do if you were accepted to all the schools w/FA if you need it?
What would you do if you were rejected from all of them?</p>
<p>I'll start.</p>
<p>Accepted: Scream (possibly puncturing a window in the process), jump uncontrollably, then hug my parents and spend the whole day giddy and hyper. There will be ice cream :)</p>
<p>Rejected: Stare in shock for a second, burst out crying, then spend the day in bed. I will be very depressed at all the time I spent on apps. There will be intermittent crying throughout the next month. Then, I'd have to go to public school.</p>
<p>This post is for all you kids who think it would be the end of your world if you don’t get into any of the schools you wished for. First, it is not that you weren’t good enough because the fact of the matter is that most of you are very qualified. Every year I hear AOs say how hard it was to choose from all the wonderful applications. As we all know, FA applicants are at record numbers due to the economy and these numbers will be a reason why many don’t get in.
But this is what I told my two children on March 9th- Be lucky that you have a public school to go to. There are many children in this world who don’t have that option. So although you may not like your local school, remember that at least you have one and make the best out of it. There are children in this world who envy what you have.</p>
<p>That wasn’t the answer I was looking for, but thank you for support anyway. Much appreciated, because I’m under so much stress lately with interviews coming up, essays to write, recs to ask for, grades, EC’s, etc. So tired. Thanks for the perspective update I really needed that.</p>
<p>Here’s what actually went down chez SevenFamily last March:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>After SPS online notifier was positive (checked in AM, before school), we gave hugs all around and my wife and I gave a collective sigh in relief.</p></li>
<li><p>After getting the “thick” SAS package in the mail, SevenMother brought it on her afternoon school pick up and they called me from the car. I think I made SevenDaughter read the letter to me word for word. We probably made some comment like “Well, now it gets interesting…”</p></li>
<li><p>After seeing Choate online rejection (at home, after school), we were all basically “***, Choate?” But still psyched for her admissions and about having options.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>If she had not gotten in anywhere, we would have been psyched to have her at home for 4 more years, but I’m sure she would have been sad for at least a few days. Heck, I think she WAS sad for a few days anyway knowing that she’d probably be going to be moving out in a few months…</p>
<p>Accepted: First of all I have to say that what a wonderful, wonderful scenario it’d be if I were accepted to ALL of the schools with ALL the FA I need. Too good to be true, really. Anyway, I’d probably tear home from the mailbox and spend half and hour continuously screaming and hyperventilating and hugging every solid person/dog/object. For the next few days, actually.</p>
<p>Rejected: I’d probably be in denial for the first few days. I’d apologize to my family for dragging them through the whole process without any success. Then the depression will set in. But since there’s nothing I can do about it anymore… life will go on… even if I do have to go to a school where boys write the names of their favorite metallica bands on the back of their jean jackets in permanent marker. No, I don’t want to think about that.</p>
<p>CherryRose, haha. I’d have to go back to a school where people carve dumb things into desks like “fresher than ever…” then ppl respond with things like “your hawtt” (spelling errors intentional)</p>
<p>Accepted: Be amazed that I was accepted at all these schools especially after I calculated that I had a 0.01% chance of being accepted everywhere. Jump around. Be a little hyper for the next few days. Then I’ll be a little annoyed that I’ll have to choose between 5 schools. (I’m hoping that I don’t get accepted everywhere…I don’t want to attend 5 revisits)</p>
<p>Rejected: (hopefully…I think I’ll end up going into a huge depression) Be in denial like CherryRose. Get mad at myself for “wasting” all that time on essays and interviews like OP. Then be a little happy that I’ll be going to public schools with all my friends :)</p>
<p>DD: Rejected, stoic expression, cries for an hour, then asks for comfort food (sushi). Mom: thinks about burning down the campuses for putting rejections online and hurting kids feelings. Rejects same once the righteous indignation subsides and loads up on sushi and dumplings :)</p>
<p>DD two days later: Thick packets from schools arrive (why aren’t they Fedexed?), stoic expression, quietly reads all the information, big grin creeps up face, immediately checks airline schedules for revisit days with her dad. Tells mom she can’t go because she’s already seen the schools during interviews. Mom: considers flying out on a separate airline in disguise, decides to respect DD’s wishes, gets back at DD by telling her the revisit dress requirement is a skirt and blouse (bwa ha ha) and then settles for text message updates from the Dad through the day that read “wow!” and “amazing” and “can we go here too?” Pigs out on sushi while waiting for DD to make up her mind on which school to choose.</p>
<p>It’s a roller coaster for sure. And btw - a number of the CC posters were rejected first year and got in the next year. So if rejected or waitlisted at all choices, grieve, pig out, and then TRY AGAIN! </p>
<p>This is going to sound strange, but once the applications were safely in the mail, all of our family conversations around school next year began with “If you don’t get into boarding school, you’ll be able to__________<strong><em>” and “one advantage if you’re home next year is that you’ll be able to </em></strong>__________________.” Our sense was always that boarding school was a long shot, mostly because we needed so much FA–and we tried our best to mentally prepare our kid for the worst possible scenario. I think it’s good to do that so that you’re not completely destroyed if things just don’t work out.</p>
<p>That said…I’ll never forget that quiet grin on his face when he woke up at 6 am and got that congratulations email from Exeter. The rest of the news, good and bad, really didn’t register. </p>
<p>So I’d add a scenario:</p>
<p>What will you do if you get into ONE of the schools that your really, really want to go to…</p>
<p>And maybe:</p>
<p>What will you do if you are rejected and waitlisted everywhere?</p>
I really needed that.</p>