<p>So in the last couple of days I have narrowed my search down to Wake Forest University and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. I had recieved acceptances or waitlists or rejections from all the 12(!) schools I had applied to and was just struggling to decide.</p>
<p>THEN I recieve another large envelope today with “welcome” written on the front. I had been accepted to William and Mary, and I had never finished the application. I had submitted the common app and supplement and sent my transcripts but had never officially sent my SATs, teacher recs, or application fee because 12 was already way too many schools and W&M was one of the eliminated few. In the midst of my rejoicing this surprise acceptance, my dad mentioned that it was probably a sign. W&M is right in between Wake and SMCM in terms of location and cost and quite comparable in size and prestige to Wake which is where I was leaning. </p>
<p>I just can’t fathom making a decision like this and picking a school I hadn’t even bothered looking at prior to now but it seems somewhat right!</p>
<p>Bethyy - Unreal! Is there a reply card in the packet that you can return so that it would constitute a “contract” of sorts? Hard to believe that you got the acceptance without paying the fee.</p>
<p>I’ve been trying to respond to your original conundrum. I went to Wake, loved it, and think you would too. But I couldn’t justify telling you that your enjoyment of it might be worth the huge cost differential. In middle age however, I’ve looked back and thought “I loved Wake, but growing up in VA, why the heck didn’t I apply to W&M?” It’s got a similar vibe, a bigger name, a grander history, and one of the truly unique settings in American higher education. If I had it to do over, I might very well choose W&M too.</p>
<p>Nope, there was no mention of paying the fee or anything! I’m thinking they just assumed that I paid it and they lost it or something? I really have no idea. I even thought maybe I forgot that I had paid it so I doublechecked on the commonapp website and I definitely did not pay it.</p>
<p>gadad- thank you so much for your honest opinion! and coming from a wake grad too…</p>