This year's applicants - please listen

atlantamom
Tue, 31 Jan 2006 09:25:51 +0000

This thread was very important to us. This thread prompted us to encourage our son to expand his list somewhat. Most importantly, my son applied early to two larger schools that he liked that have rolling admissions. He had two acceptances in hand by mid-October and that helped us all relax a little. We also followed up on two visits to schools that we had not planned to visit. All turned out very well, as he was accepted ED to Swarthmore, his dream school. Yet, I can say that had that not happened, he would today be in a better place emotionally as he waited out RD, with his two acceptances in hand, especially his Honors admissions to UMich.

I think that every year a large group of applicants are unaware of how grueling admissions have become. At my son’s HS many top students were deferred this year from the very top universities and LAC’s, in spite of excellent credentials. Almost all of them were surprised because they were not aware of admissions situation. The counselors were surprised because they are not very involved in the process there and are not in the know.
This must be true of high schools all over the country.

I think this thread should be required reading for high school students!