<p>Well, we should know D’s Olin fate in 3 or 4 days. Definitely feeling tense. That girl is officially INVESTED. More and more, I think that if she gets in, that’s where she’s going–not certain yet, but that’s my read as of now. The poor girl is going to be home on break the day that the magical UPS truck does or does not roll up. We’re going to have to think of something for her to do so she doesn’t just sit home wringing her hands all day.</p>
<p>The consolations I’ll make sure she clings to in the event of bad news are:
-She’s got other great options that tens of thousands of kids would give their i-teeth to have, and
-She’s got no reason to feel any regrets about the how she handled the process. She gave it her best shot, and that’s all you can ask. </p>
<p>Hopefully, that’s a speech I’ll never have to give. Okay–just felt a need to vent. I’ll stop now, since it’s tough to type with my fingers crossed.</p>
<p>Rayrick - we’ve been in your shoes so we understand. Our hearts and hopes are with you.</p>
<p>Hoping for that UPS truck to stop at your house, Rayrick…try to keep your fingernails intact this week ;)</p>
<p>I feel for her! It was way easier for me way back when. If there were any forums I didn’t know about them and I don’t think I knew with any accuracy what day the package might or might not arrive!</p>
<p>[The</a> OLINformer](<a href=“http://blogs.olin.edu/olinformer/]The”>http://blogs.olin.edu/olinformer/) Decisions are made and on their way to your house. Wishing you good news. Keep us posted.</p>
<p>Oh, believe me–OLINformer updates do not go unnoticed by me! Not clear yet whether they actually mailed them out today, however. Time will tell. If we don’t have an answer tomorrow, than I would think certainly by the next day. It will be nice to have it behind us. I haven’t been sleeping too soundly the last couple of nights.</p>
<p>ACCEPTED!!! Many thanks to you all for holding my hand through all this! WoooHoooo!!!</p>
<p>Hooray!! Big congrats to your daughter, Rayrick, and we hope she makes the decision to matriculate at Olin!</p>
<p>Yahoo!! Welcome to the family!!</p>
<p>Certainly nice things worked out this way. Would have been kind of a thudding anti-climax after all my chattering on these boards over the last few months if she’d been denied :)</p>
<p>Thanks for all your kind words!</p>
<p>That’s terrific news, rayrick! We would have been ready to help you through your decisions regardless of the outcome. But reallllllly glad that Olin is an option!</p>
<p>Congratulations, rayrick! Olin sounds like a fabulous place!!!</p>
<p>Well, the UPS truck brought my DS a waitlist letter. I would be happy for DS to defer for a year but he is disappointed. Does anyone have experience with going to Olin off the waitlist? Do students ever get pulled from the waitlist for the current year or should they assume that they will have to wait a year to attend?</p>
<p>Looking for ways to encourage DS with what I consider a good opportunity-</p>
<p>Maybe someone can speak to more current years, but as for the waitlist, it depends. For instance, out of the original 30 partners, 3 were from the waitlist. Whereas the class of 2008, a very large number of students were taken off the waitlist (I have no idea why this year was like this).</p>
<p>One question, does everyone on the waitlist get guaranteed deferred admission? The function of the waitlist has not remained constant so I’m not sure what it is now. Assuming he is guaranteed deferred admission…</p>
<p>To my knowledge only 4 students deferred admission from last years class and will start with the class of 2016. Closer to 20 students deferred for the class of 2015. Clearly admissions accepted less students last year to make up for this, but I would think they lower number of deferred students will increase the number taken off the waitlist.</p>
<p>I would also say, students who take deferred admission and still choose to attend Olin tend to get a LOT out of their Olin experience. Students who take a gap year in general seem to get more out of college. Something about the break between high school where every little thing matters and the rigors of college. If your student is interested, I’m sure admissions can get him in touch with Olin students who deferred their admission and find out if they regretted it or not. What they did during that year, etc.</p>
<p>3kids - sorry for your son’s disappointment and your sadness. We feel for you. We understand. Being on the Olin waitlist is in no way a reflection of anything other than there are just not enough spots for all the qualified kids. Approximately 20 kids (I’m sure someone will post the exact number) in the current freshmen class at Olin are gappies. Many of them discuss their experiences on the Olin blog. Check out their stories. I haven’t heard of one that said it was anything but a fabulous experience. Some travel, some work, some go to other schools, some go to other schools and stay there. I know you can’t see it right now, but you are not at Decision Day yet. A lot can happen between today and May 1. Feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>I’ll add my voice to the consolations, 3kids. We did a little advance contemplation about what D would do if waitlisted, and the gap year concept was certainly something we were willing to entertain. I’ll also add my voice to the general sentiment that most kids seem to have a really good experience with gap years, and colleges seem to be increasingly fond of them as well, because the kids often arrive on campus more mature and motivated.</p>
<p>There’s a part of me that thinks my own D could benefit from a gap year, despite not having any external compulsion to do so. She’s a bit burnt out after four demanding years of rigorous high school curriculum and a busy schedule of ECs. She’s kinda running on fumes at this point, to be perfectly frank (though I don’t know that her condition is any more acute that typical senioritis–hard to know as she’s my first senior). I’m hoping she recharges over the summer and the excitement of being at college fires her back up, but I think the notion of having her take a year to cleanse her spirit a bit and do something entirely different is actually fairly attractive. She does too. I wouldn’t say it’s likely she’ll do so at this point, but it’s still on the table.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your supportive words. I would be happy if S will take a gap year. His older brother and sister refused to take a gap year before college but both took a gap year after college. One is now in grad school, one applying. It was so nice for them to work and travel. It helped them to be clear about their career paths.</p>
<p>joyjoy1321: The waitlist letter did confirm that he can defer to the class of 2017.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestions to check out the blogs for other student’s experiences. I will recommend that S contact some kids who deferred.</p>
<p>3kids - There is also a FB page for the Class of 2016 that your DS can join and connect with current Oliners and future Class of 16/17 classmates. Several W/L kids there already.</p>