<p>Well, the time has come for me to come out from the shadows. I've been eavesdropping for close to a year, but now "I" have a question.</p>
<p>My D applied ED to Mt. Holyoke, and was deferred. No problem.</p>
<p>Last night she logged on to her account there and to her amazement was an "admitted students" link. When clicked on, HUGE red letters say CONGRATULATIONS!</p>
<p>Additional details about being "accepted to the class of 2010" tons of links to various things (housing/accepted students weekend/course catalog, etc.).</p>
<p>She's bouncing all around the house (taking me along for a few twirls in the process)!</p>
<p>However...today someone over on the Mt. Holyoke board (here on CC) says they got the same link, and yet yesterday received a "waitlist" letter in the mail. </p>
<p>Would a school be THAT insensitive? A waitlist is NOT an acceptance (especially when last years stats show 0 from the waitlist were enrolled). Or is it?</p>
<p>Your thoughts, parents?</p>
<p>Now to help my D relax until her letter comes. This could be a really sad week. She has other amazing offers, but you could imagine the let down.</p>
<p>Call the school on Monday to clarify. At the very least, they should know if they have that kind of problem with their web site. It's possible someone hacked in and thought it would be funny, you know.</p>
<p>Not insensitive, just careless. I guess to U admin types, the web is new? It's interesting. I can get to the admitted students web page, and I can assure you I have no connection to MHC.</p>
<p>I would clarify, but I also would imagine that the snail mail took longer than the email & it is possible that waitlist notification was sent before the decision to admit.</p>
<p>I don't know, I guess we'll know soon enough, but this college applying/waiting seems to really get to some kids, and I don't envy them. </p>
<p>This kind of thing happening is simply cruel. I know some school sites will be overloaded this week and likely crash from the crush.</p>
<p>In my day, when dinosaurs roamed the earth ('77), I applied to one school, sight unseen, was accepted, went, had a blast, got a decent education. No SAT prep, no anxious waiting. </p>
<p>I applied to Mt. Holyoke RD and my mom showed me that "congratulations" link a few days ago. MHC is one of my top choice colleges and I think that it's really, REALLY unethical and very misleading of the college to give everyone access to that site. </p>
<p>My mom found out about the CC website only a few days ago and by reading all the posts and threads I think she's become more anxious about my getting into college than I have ever been. Like you she only applied to one or two colleges, no SAT prep, no essay, no jumping through hoops of fire, got in, and had a great college experience. And frankly, I think she's HORRIFIED how stressful and complex applying to college is for me and my peers. </p>
<p>Honestly, I think the most damaging part of applying to college is how kids throw around and compare their "stats". My mom and I have come to a consensus that getting into college is really just a crap-shoot and a rat race, and sure, I could have taken more AP classes, or retaken the SAT until I was sent home is a straight jacket, but I just tried to work hard and be happy in high school, so if I'm not "good enough" for Mount Holyoke, or the other 40K schools I applied to, then I can't blame myself.</p>
<p>Anyway, I hope your D does get into MHC. good luck!</p>
<p>Best of luck to you as well. Please come back and let us (ok, me) know how it worked out for you. Who knows, maybe you and my D will be at Mt. Holyoke afterall.</p>
<p>Just a quick update...My D wouldn't contact the school, instead she's chosen to be patient until the official letter is received. Nothing so far. She says the suspense is driving her crazy!</p>
<p>First of all, welcome to being an active poster, "just"aMom! And second, congratulations on the e-mail message.</p>
<p>Your and your D's experience reminded me of a former colleague who received both an acceptance and a rejection letter from the same college. This was in the days before e-mail, etc. So, even the official letter could be erroneous, in which case your D should contact the school for clarification.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Honestly, I think the most damaging part of applying to college is how kids throw around and compare their "stats". My mom and I have come to a consensus that getting into college is really just a crap-shoot and a rat race, and sure, I could have taken more AP classes, or retaken the SAT until I was sent home is a straight jacket, but I just tried to work hard and be happy in high school, so if I'm not "good enough" for Mount Holyoke, or the other 40K schools I applied to, then I can't blame myself.<<</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Thank you all for letting me vest, and share this experience.</p>
<p>Today my D got her "big letter" acceptance to Mt. Holyoke. Tears of relief initially (it was a reach school for her), and now the big decision. Mt. Holyoke (which was her first choice, hands down) or a lesser known LAC that has offered a wonderful opportunity to study in London for her 1st semester.</p>
<p>As I've told her there are no wrong choices here, just different ones. She is definitely someone who will make her own experience and take the best and run with it. She's a great kid with much going for her.</p>
<p>glad she got the news-:)
I think Holyoke will have wonderful opportunities and I think there is a lot to be said for experiencing college at your college</p>
<p>The first semester at college (heck, the first few weeks at college) are important ones where connections are made and friendships are struck. I don't know if I'd want to be away during that first semester. . .and have to come in new at the beginning of second semester. But London is tempting.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your D's acceptance, "just"aMom.</p>
<p>I was waitlisted by MHC and DIDN'T have that link on my ISIS account. However, I WAS able to access that page when given the link externally. I think it's a slightly screwy server that's to blame...</p>
<p>I am glad that the "official" good news finally came to your house. I agree with ellemenope regarding studying abroad the first semester for the same reasons that she mentioned.</p>
<p>Actually kathiep, yes, it's Arcadia. The spring break program (one week only) you've linked to IS for all freshmen to participate in, however there's a small percentage of incoming freshmen (10-15%) that are offered their first semester abroad. My D is among those. It's based on incoming stats, which in her case, are high(ish) for their school (but still a reach for Holyoke).</p>
<p>My D has been a traveler her whole life and began independent traveling at 15 (I have family scattered around the globe). She's heading to Israel for the first 6 weeks of summer on a study program, with a full scholarship granted by one of her employers (she works 2 jobs). </p>
<p>For her, the idea of traveling and studying abroad for the first 6 months out of high school is a huge appeal. She's not at all bothered with the concept of joining in her home campus mid-year; as she says it, there'll be friendships made with her study abroad peers and they'll have a different kind of bond and issues they can deal with together. But she adores Mt. Holyoke, and felt "at home" when we visited in Oct.</p>
<p>We'll be visiting Arcadia next week, and that should help her (or make things more difficult).</p>
<p>justamom, I can certainly understand the travel appeal. When we were looking at colleges for my daughter, the chance of studying abroad was a big part of her decision. Since she was planning (and is) to be an ed major, it's sometimes difficult to fit one in. Fortunately, she's been able to wiggle into a Spanish immersion study abroad to Peru this May. We looked into a Arcadia a little bit (it's pretty close to us and an ex-neighbor was teaching there) but their majors didn't work for my son and my daughter dismissed it as being too close. Sure sounded good to me!</p>