Getting accepted and not being able to go because of $$.
At least the school still wanted you.
or waitlisted, accepted than not being able to go because of $$.
“Getting accepted and not being able to go because of $$” - AGREED
We live in an area where everyone is expected to ‘go away to college’ and so I find myself explaining to friends that my daughter will be staying in-state rather than attending her dream school in TX due to my refusal to take on astronomical loan debt. Even with the generous aid from the TX private college, I can’t take on the $24K/year loan debt as a single mom. And her dad refuses to contribute to her college education unless she attends the university in the state where he lives.
I also agree - Getting accepted and not being able to go because of money.
My parents did offer to pay for me to go to Brown, but I’m still considering the offer because although we are ABLE to pay, me and my twin brother paying 50k + every year for the next 4 years will surely affect their living. It is a dilemma… (didn’t apply for FA cuz Brown’s need aware for internationals)
I don’t agree. I was accepted to my first dream school, and I may not be able to go because of lack of FA. The decision has not been made yet, and I have already cried multiple times. However, getting waitlisted at my other dream school was more upsetting to me. I don’t know why, though!
@OP: Omigod… We are thinking the same thing. I’m hoping and praying that everything works out financially so I’m able to attend my dream.
Yes yes yes! When I saw this thread, I thought what could possibly be worse? But yeah that is. I got accepted to NYU-Poly, which is where I wanted to go for undergrad and grad, but the price was astronomical! So I chose a small LAC in my state where I can customize my major, have great opportunities for research and internships, and will maybe reconsider poly in 2015.
Happened to what I thought was my 1st choice safety…devastated.
But then I got into my 1st choice reach, so whoot!
Financial aid appeal denied… looks like I won’t be going to my dream school. My parents are still making me visit, though. 
This is happening to many of my friends. It’s devastating, frankly–one of my friends cried with happiness when she was accepted to her top choice, a well-regarded private, because she’d thought she’d be stuck going to our huge State U. Now it looks like she’s headed there anyway: her finaid package is about 10k/yr short of what her family can foot. And she’s not the only one :/.
Being waitlisted at your 2nd 1st choice for one reason and one reason only; because you needed financial aid.
And then getting into your real first choice and not being sure if you can actually go because of money issues
I know people too at my high school that can’t go to the school they wanna go to because of $$$, which just completely sucks!
Being rejected is much worse, trust me. My son is brokenhearted. I would much rather have him decide not to go because of a financial decision than be rejected.
Getting rejected is pretty painful, but I think what makes the rejection worse is reading comments from others who got into your dream school and they aren’t even even interested or considering the school. This happened to D, and I advised her not to read CC, because it makes it worse. Of course I didn’t heed my own advice, and even to this day, I still go to the forum for this one particular school just to see what is being said.
I find it frustrating that there is not a better way for admissions to really measure how much a kid actually loves their school and really wants to be there and will do almost whatever it takes to be at that school, as opposed to the less than enthusiastic kid who could really care less. When I read comments like “I haven’t even visited and don’t know if I would even like that location” or “Well, I guess I’ll go there for a year and then transfer to xyz university” it just makes me cringe. In some ways, and this is just speaking as a mom who is hurt because her kid was hurt, I want to laugh at the school and say they are getting exactly the students they deserve. But as the parent who took my D to visit said school and saw the joy and excitement in her face, it just makes me sad.
Mostly just venting here…D will be attending another university that was also high on her list, so I guess it all worked out. But I’m not too proud to admit that everytime this other school plays any sport I will always root AGAINST them! HA! 
being accepted, able to afford the school, but parents have changed their mind about allowing their child to attend the school (because of distance)
a lot of this speaks to the importance of parents and applicants sitting down and having a good heart-to-heart conversation at the beginning of the college application process, about expectations and reality
My S has worked so hard in HS; never taking his eye off of the ball for even a second with a dream school in sight. He was deferred/denied there, denied at #2 & #3 choices. Waitlisted at #4 and accepted at #5, 6 & 7…2 of which are his safeties. He is devastated and trying very hard to fall “in love” with school #5. Meanwhile, a classmate has been accepted at his #1 and will not be attending as he is a legacy kid for another school…he applied early just to see if could get in. This, of course, adds insult to injury and my S is just miserable. I think that this is a terrible way to finish up an otherwise, stellar HS career. I have read that this has been an exceptionally difficult, competitive year for college admissions…even the college counselors are scratching their heads at some of the results this year. If this trend continues, this process will be become more and more unhealthy for these kids!
I was rejected to my first choice, got into my second choice but can’t attend due to $. I wrote a fin aid appeal but doubt it will be accepted. I was waitlisted at choice number three and accepted to four others, all of which I considered safeties. Two of my safeties will be unaffordable, and one is a large public school with some classes of over 700 students. I just deposited to the other choice, a private school that gave me a huge scholarship and a fat grant. I never thought I would end up there, but it goes to show that you don’t always get what you want in this world. I’ve been trying hard to fall in love with this choice, but it’s true that the school I got into but can’t attend is still on my mind more than anything else.
<h1>1,2,4 were my recruited baseball schools. Didn’t get into 1 or 2. Got in to 4. Had to decide to hang up the cleats, go to 3.</h1>
I disagree. At least when you’re accepted, you feel like you’re good enough. I got rejected from schools 1 and 2 and waitlisted at 3. So I’m going to 4 (on a full ride) and I’m trying to make myself love it, but there’s no matching #1. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel “good enough,” no matter what people say.