We are at the same point. He will hear from Ed on Friday and then restart, maybe, or he will get all the rd applications done the weekend of new years after we come home from vacation. Because it ca t be done if it isn’t done at the absolute last second. Save me.
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Kids get burned out. My S24 was a varsity athlete in the fall and has a very rigorous schedule. After writing a bunch of supplements for his early schools, which he did well in advance of the deadlines, he decided that his early schools were good enough and may have just one RD application.
His school required notification by December 4 if transcripts need to be submitted by early January. He’s like, “Do I even need to do this?” We’re cool with whatever he decides.
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My S24 was also a fall varsity athlete (and they went deep into the playoffs this year), and took an intense schedule of classes.
And so we really, really encouraged him to actually do a bunch of application work in the summer before it all started. Which he said he understood was a good idea, but then, nope. He did a Summer Program which was pretty intense, and then captain’s practices started, and . . . .
He has now signed up for a lot of RD applications (not under any pressure, he just decided that is what he wanted). And we talked about how this time he would actually get ahead, doing at least a little each day. And as usual he seemed theoretically on board. But he is also a winter varsity athlete, including matches at quite a travel distance sometimes, and he has a new girlfriend, and he has signed up for another intense schedule, and . . . .
So, it is now days later from the last “this time it will be different” conversation, and still nothing. Here we go again.
But I really do understand. I don’t actually want him to sacrifice his senior varsity seasons, or dump his girlfriend, or stop squeezing the last juices out of the course catalog. And he doesn’t sleep enough either.
But I also know there are times when he isn’t doing any of that. And I am not suggesting he give up all that time either. But like 30 minutes a day? 15? Anything?
Oh well.
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Also in the same boat. D24 will find out about ED, and maybe one EA, next week, and has a list of 11 RD schools, but she hasn’t made a dent in any of the supplemental questions for them. Im not sure she’s even looked. Really hoping for an acceptance to her ED, so winter break isn’t completely miserable for us all.
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It seems like there are a bunch of us in the same boat. Part of me wonders if S24 thinks he’ll be jinxing himself for ED if he spends too much time on his RD applications. Right now he’s submitted 4 total - ED, 2 EA and one RD with no application fee. There are another 6-7 to go and I fear that the list will shrink when the reality of how many essays that is sinks in . . .
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And lest I get too annoyed at the thought of parent-written essays–many of them will be no higher in quality than a student-produced essay! 
(from a cantankerous prof who just turned in her first class’s final grades).
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I think D24 has the “jinxing myself if I work on other apps” mindset. She also has told me several times that working on apps over winter break would be fine, she has nothing to do for that period of time and it would give her some structure and focus. I had to stop saying anything about the RD apps because it was causing too much tension between us. My worries are not her worries. I’ve been occupying myself by cleaning closets, reading, exercising, meditating, keeping myself focused on other things (when I’m not scrolling on CC 
).
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I’ve been decluttering with a vengeance. S24 will be at some college next fall - starting to see the light at end of the tunnel when my house no longer has permanent snail trail of kid stuff 24/7/365.
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We are far from being done but shelved it after Nov 15th. It will make for a busy winter holiday but the break was what EVERYONE needed.
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When D24 procrastinated on her ED/EA applications, I made a point of acknowledging (to myself) that this is her journey, and her applications will truly reflect her whole self (for better or worse), so I just need to step back and let the chips fall where they may. But it does make me a tiny bit nervous not having read any of her essays and having no idea what LORs she submitted. Did she send them all? Did she read up on each school to see how they truly feel about extra LORs and submit accordingly? Did she tailor each portfolio to the schools request? Who knows! Just keeping my fingers crossed for good news soon!
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Same here, as it seems many of us are. I promised this morning I would not bring college up again until the date of her REA decision. God help me.
She’s been hit hard with final essays and defenses that are due next week and I know she’s feeling the stress. I’m doing my best to be hands-off. She only has four more RD apps to finish, and my gut tells me that will drop to two.
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Still over here with no word from any of the EA apps yet. Strangely, I am not nearly as crazed about it as I would have been the first go-around with my D20. Of course, I am that person that enjoys PLANNING the vacation as much, if not more, than going. I love the night before Christmas/Hanukkah, before the wedding, and so on. I love the anticipation and the sense that anything is still possible when nothing as been decided/done yet, kwim? So, it is still all a big delicious TBD for my D24 in my mind, anyway. D24, on the other hand…is getting antsy.
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I fully don’t understand this mindset. In the “it won’t rain if I bring an umbrella, but if I don’t bring one it will” mindset, the more time they spend on RD essays the more likely it is that those essays will be rendered useless when they get into their ED schools, lol.
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S is practising (IMO) too much self preserveration/care aka Senoritis. His theory is that this will prevent him from getting burnt out on the Premed track he is planning on taking. As long as he keeps up his grades, I dont know even how to argue with that.
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I also love the anticipation of upcoming fun/amazing events,
BUT the college process was dreadful.
My concern was that in 1 blink of checking the portal, my DS2022’s hopes and dreams, and hard work for soooooo many years, to just end with a rejection. Something that he has absolutely no control over.
The vacation to the beautiful beach will happen: you paid for it.
The Christmas dinner surrounded by family/friends will happen because you exhausted yourself decorating/cleaning/cooking.
Same for the wedding…
But you can do all you can do for college application, and it’s completely out of your hands.
I dreaded the outcome, even though I’m usually a glass-half-full person.
For every amazing thing that could come out of a YES ACCEPTANCE, the chance that he’s rejected was unbearable.
I am sooo happy that DD2024 does not have a beloved absolute #1 college.
Which, on the flip side, is killing me with her wavering back and forth between her #1 and #2 choices.
Added:
because I’ve been there.
I worked so hard in high school, taking all the APs, regardless if I was interested in them or not, getting every key role in many ECs, chasing my dream: Wharton.
When I was rejected, my whole world shattered. Absolutely shattered.
It took some time, but once I dusted myself off, I would “settle” for Plan C: an affordable college (#2 NYU Stern was too expensive).
I made my life great with Plan C and I love the outcome (I’m sure I would have made it great w/ Plan A also).
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while I don’t subscribe to the “everything happens for a reason” mindset, I DO believe things always have a way of working out, one way or the other. I know D24 will be going to college next year, and it is within her power to make the experience–wherever it is–great.
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I’m probably somewhere in between (and also a lover of vacation planning). S24 already got admitted to one college, so the trip is definitely happening. It is possible he will get admitted to his REA college, but the odds are so long I am not of the mindset that particular moment can ruin the trip. Call it the three weeks in Scotland without a drop of rain scenario–not a wise condition for considering that a great trip.
However, S24 would not be particularly thrilled if he only got admitted to the one college after applying to 15 (as is currently planned). He definitely has some he likes more than others, and if he doesn’t get admitted to the REA school, then the wait for the next decision could get stressful. If there is an ED II school (TBD), then the wait for that next decision won’t be too long. But if not, or he doesn’t get admitted there either . . . well, that trip may land well, but the middle could be bumpy.
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Yesterday S24 checked his linkedin profile and saw a notification that said “someone at UC xx viewed your profile” So I guess UCs are starting their due diligence! That was fun talk at dinner last night. If any kids are on linkedin, myabe pay for the upgrade for a few months, its been fun to see who has been looking him up. 
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Yes to the decluttering, I’ve brought several bags to goodwill these past 2 weeks. And the trail of shoes! Everywhere! I know I’ll miss them though 
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You read my mind and wrote it down here. sigh. I suspect S24 will give up Stanford as well. He hasn’t started any supplemental essays. It is what it is. I wouldn’t want him to go to college so close to home anyway.
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