Thanks so much for the update! I loved hearing the details of the Virginia trip, too! Sounds like he has the makings to be a great park ranger/tour guide/history professor, too!
Wishing him luck on his W&M ED!
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Hello, helpful CCâers! S24 was deferred from ED 1 at William & Mary.
Last year, they rejected 58%, accepted 27%, and deferred 15%. Out of the deferrals, they accepted about 15-20% in regular decision.
He was disappointed, but not surprised and bounced back quickly. His closest friend since Kindergarten also applied ED to W&M and got in. (We are OOS, and his best friend got to know the school through S24âs sisters, who both went there.) S24 went ahead and told their friend group not to worry, that he was okay, and made a joke, so they could celebrate the other news.
I know that this is an opportunity for him to look more closely at everything his other schools have to offer, and consider again where he would be most likely to thrive. He has had three acceptances already, so that helps a lot. Here is the current status of his schools:
Deferred ED 1:
William & Mary
Accepted EA:
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY Oneonta
Roger Williams
Applied EA, no decision yet:
Wheaton, MA
Mary Washington
University of New Hampshire
SUNY Geneseo
Washington College
Hobart & William Smith
Marist
Drew
Also on his list, but havenât applied yet:
Conn College
American
Lafayette
St. Maryâs of Maryland
Considered but unsure:
Gettysburg
Dickinson
Franklin & Marshall
Iâd appreciate ideas and advice for moving forward. S24 is doing well in all his classes, but did get a B in APES for his first quarter. It took him awhile to get used to the way the multiple choice questions are worded, and to figure out how to study for the class. He got an A+ in AP Gov. He is no longer taking his extra time for anything (his choice).
To quickly recap: S24 is a hard-working, even-keeled kid with dyslexia and dyscalculia, who wants to major in history. He is social but not into drinking/parties. He wants to play club Ultimate and intramural sports. Possibly would like a job at a museum or historic site.
Looking for:
- Small classes.
- Traditional campus.
- Not a dominant party/Greek culture.
- Prefers closer to home (NYC area).
Thanks in advance!
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I have a similar kid anxiously awaiting Wheatonâs EA decisions, too! I saw Roger on there, did you get a chance to visit it in person? We visited both Roger and Wheaton on the same day, and they felt very different - Roger came right off her list completely and without a visit it wouldâve stayed on. The guides specifically pointed out which dorms were âwet dormsâ (aka, 21+ drinking allowed) and it was a turnoff for my similarly not-into-drinking kid.
She is also looking for art/education and Roger felt more corporate/business than art/education. (They do have an incredibly persistent admissions rep though, so much that itâs become a joke in our house - 'is that car following us? Is it [repâs name]?")
Thanks for the update. Sorry about W&M but a big congrats on the acceptances. For my kids having an early acceptance took a lot of pressure off the process and I hope that will be the case for your S. I applaud your sonâs maturity in being able to celebrate with his friend despite his own disappointment.
If Catholic schools are OK you might consider Fairfield and Siena. Another school to look at could be Muhlenberg. But I do think you have a well balanced application list and with the acceptances in hand he has nice options already.
Please let us know how things develop.
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We did visit Roger Williams. I didnât go inside any buildings on the tour because we had our dog with us. I got the same feeling you did about the business/law/engineering emphasis. I wish our tour guide had said something about âwetâ dorms, but all he said was that some dorms were more rowdy and students can choose. I would have left Roger off the list, but S24 liked the location because heâs a sailor. He also wanted some more likely schools that are medium sized on his list. Heâs kind of an unusual kid with a unique set of circumstances, so we really didnât know where he would get in.
Now that he got into New Paltz, I think the only schools he would choose above it would be Wheaton, Conn College or Lafayette.
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Thanks, @happy1 ! I donât know that Iâve ever been prouder of S24 than watching him handle his friendâs acceptance. I am trying to channel him when I get down about it.
His take on Catholics was that he would stick with secular schools unless he couldnât find what he was looking for. Kids from our town have gone to Muhlenberg, but theyâve all been theater kids. He loves to watch theater, but these kids have been very different from him. The only PA school that he really loved is Lafayette, which (as you know) has something very appealing. But I think his chances there are very low.
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I forgot to wish @snappity207 's 24 best of luck with Wheaton! Since our kids may be similar, where else did yours apply?
She also applied Lesley (accepted) UNE, and Endicott. But Wheaton is head and shoulders above the rest as far as her preference, and while we are hoping for a CIC tuition waiver, the NPC makes me think Wheaton might actually be doable even if she doesnât get the waiver? The other schools are all CIC schools as well, which is where she focused her search. There is a flow chart of Wheaton+ waiver = YES, Wheaton but no waiver maybe, Endi/UNE only if she got a waiver and Lesley if she got a waiver and didnât get it at Endi/UNE. And then the residential CC if nothing works out 4 year college wise. We have visited Wheaton twice, sheâs met with the admissions rep twice (college fair and then at school) so hoping her demonstrated interest, LORs, choice of major, etc make up for the lopsided transcript. She did EA to all, so we should at least know what is even an option by Christmas, and then crunch numbers.
ETA and yes, mine is an unusual kid with unusual circumstances, as well, which is an extra layer of stress - for instance, I waffle on buying some Wheaton merch (donât want to jinx anything) but I also booked a (refundable) hotel room for admitted students day in a moment of cautious optimism. I will say that the reason Wheaton felt like such a good fit - for her, and to me as well - is because of the quirks - it felt like a place that would be a good fit for her own learning disabilities (ADHD/slow processing) with the open curriculum and 4 class load, as well as letting her explore before committing to a major. She would ultimately like to be an art teacher (right now, anyway), and that art was everywhere at Wheaton was noticed (and that it WASNâT at Roger was also noticed.) Even the accessibility office location looked like a place you would CHOOSE to go, not have to drag yourself to. A million reasons it would be worth trying to make it happen for her if she is accepted. (And I have searched back, it looks like in past years kids learned between 12/18-12/20 for EA.) FIngers crossed!
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We noticed all the student art at Wheaton, too. And it was such a welcoming, homey campus. S24 also has open curriculum in the pro column. I hope your daughter gets the CIC waiver at Wheaton! 12/18 doesnât feel like very long to wait. Fingers crossed for you!
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Thanks! and to your son, too. NM, I see he is EA, too!
Mine did every optional thing, the supplemental slideroom, a supplemental essay on common app about how she has learned and is still learning how her brain works (to explain the GPA), and I assume her essay is ok - she was very private about that with me, but her english class had it as an almost quarter long project. I am just hoping they see HER beyond the B-.
What is your son wavering about re: Dickinson? It seems like such a nice place, with kind students - caveat that we havenât visited in person!
@snappity207 , I think Wheaton is the type of school to look beyond a B- to the whole person. S24 also wrote a supplemental essay, but he didnât submit a portfolio as heâs not very artistic! We had such a positive visit to WheatonâI posted a trip report somewhere in this thread. Iâll be thinking of your daughter as the release time gets closer! 
@sarahbrown24 , we did visit Dickinson, and S24 liked it. The school has that classic college look which appeals to him. Carlisle is picturesque, but for S24, a little isolated. Heâd like to be walking distance from a bigger town, and/or a train ride from a city. Youâll notice that a lot of his schools are on or close to an Amtrak or metro train route: UNH, Wheaton, Conn College, Marist, New Paltz, Drew, American, Mary Washington, and W&M. S24 likes trains 
.
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The Amtrak availability near New Paltz and Marist was one of the biggest pluses for S24 when we visited. We did take Amtrak into the city to see what that trip would be like logistically (and we wanted to have a day in Manhattan 
). S24 loved the train ride, it was one of the most picturesque to ride along the HVR and get that view in comfort.
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We are also waiting on EA from Wheaton as well as ED for a high reach school for D24.
Itâs a terrific school and I was very impressed on the tour, having toured no fewer than 25 schools for D22 and D24 over these past 2 years. We know another family locally whose kid is having an amazing experience there. I think itâs D24âs second choice, but she till has a list of 8 more schools she plans to apply to if the ED school doesnât work out. I donât know why if sheâs happy with Wheaton.
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@beebee3 We love the train, too. Our favorite is to take it going north from the city before sunset. Cliffs rising up behind the HudsonâŠbeautiful!
@ArtMom22 Best of luck to your daughter! For S24, his list of schools got longer than it needed to be because he loves to research and visit schools, and never wants to close any doors.
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Any advice on what to do after a deferral? S24 is writing a LOCI, but we donât know how long/short it should be.
He would like to ask for another teacher recommendation, if thatâs appropriate to send. He had the option to send three and he sent two with his application. He did not send his junior year APUSH teacher (who he also has this year) because he wanted to send his cross country coach (who was his sophomore history teacher), and thought he shouldnât choose two history teachers.
He is happy that he wasnât rejected, but this deferral business is uncharted. Should he call the admissions rep for our area?
Many schools prefer junior teachers.
I would follow guidance of what the school says to do. I donât think an LOCI is warranted as a decision wasnât made. This isnât a waitlist which is a rejection of sorts.
This is just - we need more time before we render a decision. Youâre now in RD etc.
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Yes, if his APUSH teacher is also his teacher this year it will provide more insights for the college to integrate into their decision.
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It wouldnât hurt to send a LOCI. I would keep it short and sweet (AOs are not looking for more essays to read) â he should confirm his interest in W&M as his top choice and (if appropriate) note any accomplishments/awards received after the application was prepared.
In terms of the additional LOR â since it is allowable I donât think it will hurt to send it.
If he does these two things no matter what happens (and I hope he does get in) your S will know he did everything possible to present the most positive application.
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The Marist program looks amazing. In the last few weeks people have been raving about Merrimack and their programs/ support. We havenât visited yet and it was not even on our list until person after person kept talking about it. It seemed like it was a sign from the Universe. I think University of Connecticut is supposed to have amazing programs as well. We have Wheaton, F&M and Clark on our list as well. Senior and same GPA. He has been doing well so far- rejected at one school that was a reach but accepted into 2 schools that are in the top 100 for Universities. Our kids sound similar- my son was voted most likely to join the peace corp in his junior high graduation. (I know U Conn is big, but I also know the stress of finding actually really supportive programs so wanted to add it)
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