<p>When I first posted on CC I was VERY worried I had said something that could identify DS, given that he has such a unique EC and no one from our area is applying to the schools he has applied to. </p>
<p>I wasn’t afraid of fellow CCers as I was the schools ■■■■■■■■ for information about applicants. Then I thought to myself, my goodness, if they have that much time on their hands, their school must be in a shambles, and no one is going to want to go there anyway. So then I relaxed. </p>
<p>And I second the thought that the sliver of personal info we share here is worth the abundance of help and support from the posts.</p>
<p>S is getting ready to hit submit on one more regular app and two merit apps. I love the essays he is using on the merit apps, I wish he could somehow have used one of them for the main essay. Two more apps due Jan 1 and then all apps are done and we move onto merit.</p>
<p>D submitted 2 apps today, and will (hopefully) submit the third and final 12/1 deadline app tomorrow. Then she’ll have just one more due 1/15 plus a few scholarship apps. Whew. Even though she’s not done, she’s closer to done and it is a relief</p>
<p>Congrats to Aniger’s S on submitting 3 apps! Agree that the wait will be hard for us and our kids.</p>
<p>I agree that it can be tempting to post lots of details about our kids (we’re so proud of them!) but too many can be a privacy problem. I personally have tried to keep my child’s scores and interests off the public forum, because they would be key identifiers.</p>
<p>So, i just caught up and want to say a big, big YAY to missypie, greatkidsmom, and Will. I hope I’m not leaving anyone out. </p>
<p>It’s been a long week and the anxiety is ratcheting up as we wait for ED results. I keep trying to get my s to do a few more supplements, just in case. How do you motivate your kid if he/she gets rejected from their dream school?</p>
<p>college4three – Remind them that transferring in the future is an option…that sometimes these disappointments help us focus our attention on more important matters…that it’s only a very small percentage of our lives that are spent in college and that good things will happen wherever we wind up. </p>
<p>And if all else fails…remind them that living well is the best revenge.</p>
<p>C4T: I worry about how my daughter will handle an ED rejection also. ED is great when it works out, but can be devastating if it doesn’t. The best thing you can do is to remind your son that there isn’t just one perfect school out there. I tell my daughter that I’m sure she can be happy and succeed at many different colleges. It might also help to talk about kids you know who ended up happy at college despite not getting into his or her first choice. </p>
<p>I think it’s a good idea to try to get him to at least start any supplements that are due by January 1st. Most kids need a little time to lick their wounds if the ED decision doesn’t go well. It’s hard to write great essays right after your self-esteem takes a hit. I think I’d better take my own advice and encourage my daughter to work on the one supplement she would need to do by 1/1. It’s been so nice taking a break from apps.</p>
<p>Novelisto, I liked your response ; however, at my S’s school the kids are required to submit all their apps to their counselors, including RD, even if they are applying to EA/ED schools, by today. Let me tell you, it’s been a real strain to do this on top of his HW and ECs. But I get the counseling dept’s reasoning; they told us at the first college meeting that they do this for a few reasons: 1) it’s hard to write a convincing why U essay when you just got rejected from your top choices; 2) it’s hard to motivate yourself at all on any aspect of the college apps when you’re bummed out; 3) there isn’t enough time betw 12/15 and 1/1 to write and revise well multiple essays; 4) the counselors/teachers will not be available over xmas break for feedback; and 5) (my favorite) it’s nice to have a relatively stress-free December break. While I’ve hated all the concentrated work he has had to do and all the proofing I’ve had to do in the last couple of weeks, I think they’re probably right.</p>
<p>My gosh, congratulations to all the acceptances, particularly to those who are now done! How does that feel? I can’t even imagine it right now.</p>
<p>I agree with the sentiment to get the apps done “just in case” the ED one doesn’t pan out
----while the kids dont like the idea of doing more work…“that might be a waste of time”, it seems to me it’s far easier to stay focused, and work those supplements, cut/paste, add in the info etc - doing it now before the ED answer comes and before the holidays.</p>
<p>BTW, I just googled “RenaissanceMom” and figured I wouldn’t get any response but my own posts on CC. Just didn’t think it would be a common moniker but lo and behold, I never found a link to my own stuff here. There are tons of RMs out there doing lots of different, interesting things! Who knew.</p>
<p>I just thought of other reasons it’s good to get the kids to do the other apps before they hear back from their ED/EA schools. By doing them, I think they better realize that they may not succeed in getting in early. It makes them wrap their heads around that fact in a very concrete way. My S knows he’s doing this b/c he may very well not get in to his top choices. That’s been beneficial in a few ways: psychologically, I think it will lessen the sting of rejection b/c he’s already come to some terms w/ possibly being rejected; he has a sense of some security in knowing that there are already apps of his out there – not all his eggs were in one basket; and finally, while he was pushing out most of his supplements over Thanksgiving break and having to do more extensive research on each school, he fell in love w/ additional schools. He liked them enough to put them on his list in the first place but he’s given them their due. Now, this was possible b/c he was in a good frame of mind, not bummed out. But I think he now knows he’d be very happy at lots of the schools on his list.</p>
<p>all good ideas, thanks. My biggest fear is that he’ll just throw his hands up and say “no more.” I hate being the wet blanket all of the time instead of the cheerleader, but I guess it’s just temporary.</p>
<p>Just googled my user name-nothing there but lots of other pepper’s out there. Never thought about some college looking on here for info-but I guess anything is possible.</p>
<p>Apps are almost all done here. Holding a few to see how the Subject Tests go Saturday. I think we are just about done here. </p>
<p>I don’t know why he scored so well on the SAT but the ST are not in the same range. I get the science-he is only taking the second part of it this year since scheduling problems meant he couldn’t double up on science sophomore year. His teacher even recommended he not take it. The other two (Lit and Math II) don’t make any sense though.</p>
<p>He could still take them in January for some schools but I feel that he’s had enough and he’s “good” enough. The odds at these kinds of schools for a kid like him who is as academically qualified as he needs to be but doesn’t have any “hooks” are probably 1-100 so why stress about it-and he understands that. Therefore, I believe that this Saturday will be the last SAT test he ever takes-and he already told me when he’s done we need to get our Christmas tree-so we shall!</p>
<p>college my son is at that point as well. He missed two days of school with a cold and stomach thing (is this place contagious?) and went back today with all kinds of things due and tests to take. He was trying to study for the Subject Tests as well and I took those books away last night and told him to go to bed. I told him take care of the schoolwork and if he can’t study anymore for the ST so be it.</p>
<p>He’s done-mentally and physically. He bounces back quickly though and by the weekend all will be well.</p>
<p>The admissions person at my older son’s college was familiar with the review I had written for Roanoke. I don’t think the admissions people are looking for students on this site, they are looking for mentions of their schools name and opinions about it. It follows that if you write, “My son applied to Harvard as a back up in case he doesn’t get into Yale”, they might want to investigate a little further. ;)</p>
<p>college4three - I understand your struggle. I think one thing that’s important to remember is that while we are significant supports to these kids, this is a very important early step for them in learning how to handle and move on from something big in their life. Just as we can’t “really” help them when they’re dealing with romantic break-ups or other personal experiences, we’re just going to have to stand by the sidelines during this process, too.</p>
<p>Yes, we’re cheerleaders, but we’re not sitting on the bench with them. And if we sense we’re being “wet blankets,” then we might be keeping a bit too close for their well-being. I think mostly they need us to be consistent, calm and positive - “Life will go on, and you are who you are no matter what.”</p>
<p>I think this is relevant whether they get in or they don’t get in. We all know kids who did get into ED or EA schools and suddenly realized they’d made a terrible mistake, and decided against them. Or even if they loved the school they had to go through a grieving process simply because the process WAS over for them. Maybe over the next few months they had second thoughts, as other kids compiled multiple options. People can always have “what if” feelings and insecurities. </p>
<p>I’ve mentioned that I was deferred from my own ED school, except that in the meantime I’d visited overnight and realized I didn’t want to go there after all. In the long run that deferral led me to the school that changed my life. </p>
<p>We have to frame things positively for these kids, as well as letting them have their day, or week, of grief and doubt if they need it. If it truly shakes them to the core, that is a completely different issue. But these kids should be fine even with a disappointment - they deal with being judged every day, and unless they came from a family where they’ve heard “We all go to X school” or “You’re too wonderful not to go to Harvard, etc.” they know that the process might take some extra work and time.</p>
<p>I know a girl who DID get in EA to a school she realized she didn’t want to go to, and DID throw up her hands to a certain extent about the rest of her applications. She ended up at the state flagship for a year because that’s what she was left with, and she learned a lot there and grew up. And she had the strength to make a transfer application to one of the schools she’d thrown up her hands about. She’ll graduate from there this year, after a wonderful experience.</p>
<p>Ds has the SATIIs on Sat. as well, then he’ll be off with dd and the band to do their final halftime show at the football state championship. Would be nice to top the season that way right? He’s all done with apps 'cept the one that requires the SATIIs and that is just waiting on one quick essay and has till 1/3. If the SATIIs don’t come back so great, I’m thinking that one might just get dropped anyway. I really can’t imagine any adcomms sifting through my screenname to dig for dirt on my ds…getting out a big red pen to mark “PROCRASTINATOR/NO APPENDIX” on the file but then, he doesn’t have any small schools on the list where they might have the time to do that. If someone PMs me, I do get momentary post-traumatic-ID-theft-flashbacks…but then I recover.</p>
<p>So I’m coming back from my aunt’s funeral/luncheon with my parents, and I txt ds that I am almost home - knowing that school just let out. He calls me with a cheery “Hey Mom, well I am parked on the side of the road and the tire blew and is off the rim. What do I do?” So in the rainstorm (yes, it just HAD to rain), me and elderly father are changing the tire because ds “can’t lift heavy objects” for 2 wks post-op. Aren’t children just the joy in life?</p>
<p>amanda - you bring the greatest humor to these experiences!</p>
<p>re: standardized tests. Hurray for being at the end of the road! Best wishes to all who are taking them this weekend. Pepper - forget January. Your S is wonderful as he is, and he should hold his head up and be proud!</p>
<p>I looked through the school calendar yesterday, and it was thrilling to see all of those test dates and think, “Nope, not for us any more!” Of course the AP tests ARE …</p>
<p>No REAL news here, except that the IDs, logins, etc. are starting to arrive. Gives me LOTS more to obsess about! I’m going to send all of the rest of the scores today, too; ACT does seem to be slowing up a bit, and I want wiggle room on those January deadlines.</p>
<p>And the school that we thought was rolling but hasn’t budged for months (with no promised answers until February) might finally have some movement - I logged on this morning and the page looked suspiciously like it was in the process of being updated. </p>
<p>Also starting to get hard info from her safeties/lower matches that she could get some real money offers (we’re only eligible for merit aid), which I know will be exciting for her. Of course all of her favorites will be full-pay. We’re going to be in for some interesting conversations. We’re fortunate that we don’t have to limit her choices, but I know it will matter to her that she could help us financially with this (or earn herself some grad school help with the money saved).</p>
; however, at my S’s school the kids are required to submit all their apps to their counselors, including RD, even if they are applying to EA/ED schools, by today. Let me tell you, it’s been a real strain to do this on top of his HW and ECs. But I get the counseling dept’s reasoning; they told us at the first college meeting that they do this for a few reasons: 1) it’s hard to write a convincing why U essay when you just got rejected from your top choices; 2) it’s hard to motivate yourself at all on any aspect of the college apps when you’re bummed out; 3) there isn’t enough time betw 12/15 and 1/1 to write and revise well multiple essays; 4) the counselors/teachers will not be available over xmas break for feedback; and 5) (my favorite) it’s nice to have a relatively stress-free December break. While I’ve hated all the concentrated work he has had to do and all the proofing I’ve had to do in the last couple of weeks, I think they’re probably right.</p>