<p>Prayers to you and your girls. This is an already stressful time of year, it must be very difficult to go through something like this.</p>
<p>@W2BeHome, you don’t need to post details. We are all with you, feeling for you and your girls, and all of those involved during this time. </p>
<p>There was recently a tragic car accident in our community, I didn’t personally know those who did not survive, but many in the community did, and I do know one of the people who was very seriously injured (She is reportedly now on the mend.) So many people just shocked by the suddenness and that reminder that things can change in an instant. </p>
<p>It does help us remember to try to keep things in perspective, but the stress of the ‘other stuff’ isn’t easily set aside! Is anyone else finding that your kid has to take breaks from the college application process…not for relaxation, but just to get through school projects and tests. That seems to be where D is right now. A lot of projects due this week, then tests next week. A few of her teachers are doing the kids a ‘favor’ by having them do their projects now, so they don’t have them all piled on them later…but enough of them are doing it, that it’s just piled on now…along with college apps! D has a 12/15 deadline that I am growing concerned about, and she just hasn’t carved out time to email admissions and stay in contact with the schools that like you to show interest. I think she just wants to do that when she has time to really focus on it and ‘get into it’. I hope that is soon!</p>
<p>I agree, it’s a very sad thing to have tragedy associated with this time of year. (Not that it’s ever a good time for that!) W2BeHome, I hope you and your family are helping each other with all the comfort you can give.</p>
<p>Things really are getting down to the wire. This is “dead week” (no team practices, no rehearsals of anything, no club meetings allowed) and next week is finals. Both my kids are halfway between “omg I have so much work to do” and “I can’t possibly get all this done so who cares, let’s go watch some videos of cats.”</p>
<p>And haha, I just saw on Facebook that my D15 posted last night “The Common App site is officially one of my most visited sites on my computer.”</p>
<p>I have tried to continually remind myself and my husband how fortunate we are to be going through this stress. It really is a blessing to be in this situation. We are all healthy, the kiddo has made it to 17 on track to be a productive member of society. All the stress about how many applications to do or what early decisions are coming out is a great example of “first world problems”. </p>
<p>So, dustypig, it is very good fortune to be nagging the kiddo to stop watching youtube videos and study for her physics final :)</p>
<p>Sending prayers, @W2BeHome.
High stress week for many, no doubt. Older kid (grad school) drowning in work. Younger kid (2015) anxious about ED notification expected next week. Lots of regular school work. I am now wondering if there is anything he might be missing (honors stuff, fin aid stuff, “holding” spot at rolling admission accepted place while waiting for ED, etc.)? I don’t do well with uncertainty. His ED school doesn’t have a specific notification date, rather they send out in waves starting who-knows-when (already past the first wave date from last year) so it is it’s own unique drawn out kind of waiting/speculation game. </p>
<p>Yes, that “holding a spot” thing! D isn’t applying ED anywhere, but has a couple rolling acceptances, and won’t have all her answers until April. 
SO, it seems wise to hold her place somewhere, especially since the timing of that seems to determine housing. But I think she need to have all her vaccinations, etc before she can officially hold a spot. Hopefully waiting until after the 1st of the year won’t be a problem. </p>
<p>I know lots of kids will be getting decisions in the next week or so - fingers crossed for our kids!</p>
<p>"Things really are getting down to the wire. This is “dead week” (no team practices, no rehearsals of anything, no club meetings allowed) and next week is finals. Both my kids are halfway between “omg I have so much work to do” and “I can’t possibly get all this done so who cares, let’s go watch some videos of cats.” @dustypig, this really made me laugh out loud. That’s exactly what’s going on here, except throw in a few winter concerts. So many apps/essays to write and really, so little time.</p>
<p>@W2BeHome: Very sorry for your loss. Thoughts are with you.</p>
<p>This will be the last year for the “war room” aka dinning room…named by my sweet children for the bomb that is set off the week before, while studying for finals. It will looks like a paper company in a wind storm with its windows open!!
8-}<br>
Literally for the next 2 weeks we will be eating on paper plates while standing at the kitchen island. I guess we could have saved the money we spent on desks for each of their rooms for the college funds 
</p>
<p>No dead week here. Instead it’s loaded with extra projects, papers and tests. Finals are next week, but new material
Is still being taught. I guess they figure the kids can study on top of all these assignments. :(</p>
<p>You guys picked a great time to starting using the term “dead week”. I still have a sense of humor even though I’m so broken. This thread has been a source of comfort, support, and humor for a long time! You’re all awesome. </p>
<p>I had to call several schools today to see if the recommendation letters had arrived from my daughter’s primary recommender (the person we lost this weekend). It was not fun to do, but I got the information I needed from most schools and now know how to move forward. It looks like some of the schools are sitting on piles and piles of snail mail letters, etc. </p>
<p>W2BeHome, I remember the year my oldest was a senior and one of his math circle friends died unexpectedly. At the memorial service, the father’s words really put things in perspective. He said it didn’t matter where your child goes to college (his son had been accepted EA to MIT); what matters is just loving your children and cherishing the time spent with them.</p>
<p>Take care, ok? And I’m glad you still can find ways to smile-that’s so important.</p>
<p>@W2BeHome: My prayers join others in your loss. It is a reminder as we celebrate the holidays, that nothing (college admissions included) is as important as the moments spent with those that hold a special place in our lives.</p>
<p>omg I’m sorry to have used the term “dead week.” I’m so used to the term I don’t even think about what the word literally means.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Absolutely! All of our little irritants and stresses are actually blessings, because they mean that our lives are so comfortable that this is what counts as bad stuff for us.</p>
<p>It is good to read this and get perspective when I find myself worrying about “the little stuff” (into which I will now lump all of the application drama). My D is waiting for a scholarship decision that she will hear about on Sunday and an EA answer next week. I reminded her tonight about how lucky she is to have several college choices already and to be happy, loved and healthy. I think she had one of those “aha” moments while we talked b/c her nerves seemed to ratchet down quite a bit.</p>
<p>@dustypig - Don’t worry one bit about it! It’s all good. </p>
<p>@W2BeHome adding my condolences and best wishes. </p>
<p>We got a dreaded small envelope in the mail today, except there was nothing to dread because she got accepted to Duquesne with a nice chunk of merit money for her academic performance! She has to audition to get into the School of Music, which I am not too worried about, but they also gave her an additional $5K scholarship for her performance in her music classes, and she will be eligible for more based on how she does at her audition. </p>
<p>Happy day around here!</p>
<p>Excellent news! When we visited a different school in Pittsburgh over spring break last year, I got the impression that it would be a great city in which to be a college student. There’s a nice critical mass of campuses and students and revitalizing downtown and arts scene to facilitate some weekend fun. </p>
<p>I loved Pittsburgh! I was really bummed when D didn’t like CMU. I was at Duquesne with S’12, loved how the campus was right downtown but UP, you could be in the midst of it by taking an elevator down but on campus it felt totally separate.</p>
<p>Do all college students get free bus service or just CMU/Pitt? What a nice perk, I thought.</p>