Tricked myself into not being excited for ED school...

College Admissions
#1

Even a couple days ago, I was thinking about how depressed I would be if I didn’t get into Williams. It made me sick thinking about it. Anyway, I shave pent these past few days being anxious and nervous, and wishing I will find good news in the mail. But now I am not as sure about WIlliams.

To avoid disappointment I decided to compare it to my second choice school and see how much better it would be to go to school at Macalester. So I started thinking about how Macalester would be a little less rigorous than WIlliams, how there wasn’t such an athletic emphasis as it at WIlliams, that it is in the city, that it probably wouldn’t be so competitive, and that it seems a little less conventional. I really don’t care about prestige, though WIlliams beats Macalester there.

Anyway, so then I all of a sudden think, “You know, maybe Macalester is better for me.” I was so awed by Macalester and it was my definite top choice until WIlliams offered a free plane ticket to a multicultural program. There I just loved Williams, the feel of being on the east coast (minnesota girl here). So WIlliams moved to the top of my list and I applied, quite sure I would love to go to school there.

Now, I think I would love either school. But part of me is telling me maybe Macalester is better for me. I guess I tricked myself into seeing Williams in a more negative light. I at first did it as a way to avoid ED rejection disappointment but then it kind of became real I guess. Now, I feel that if I don’t get into Williams, it will be okay and maybe a good thing. Maybe it would have been too much of a stresser.

Of course, I’d still be disappointed because I’d have to tell all the people I was deferred/rejected or whatever, but to myself I think I would be okay. Well, I just felt like sharing my rambling thoughts…

I honestly don’t know if Macalester or Williams is better for me. I guess I’ll let Williams Admissions committee decide. The major plus about being accepted ED is I could avoid applying to all the other schools and just focus on scholarship apps.

Okay, anyone else in this same position?

#2

<p>I am not so sure if we have the exact same situation but I had originally applied ED to Wellesley. But I after an alumni interview that kind of turned me off, I tried to stay excited about the college, but started looking at other schools just "in case" I got rejected. Well during this time, my mom finally said that I could go to California (i am in NJ) so I started browsing around and looking at Cali schools. Sure enough, I fell in love with Scripps and the more I read about it, the more I compared it to Wellesley, the more I wanted to leave my Wellesley app and shoot for Scripps. It seemed more laid back, I liked the 5C's etc. Well, I changed my ED app to EA (Thank god I decided all of this before decisions were made) and now I applied ED2 to Scripps College. Thing is, I also applied RD to Bucknell, Pitzer (EA), Santa Clara (as of yesterday :) ), Occidental, Tulane, and of course Wellesley EA. I seem to have fallen in love with all of these schools. Even though Scripps is officially my #1 school, I wouldnt be so upset because all of the above, esp. Oxy and Bucknell, I would gladly attend. Like you said, I will let the Scripps board decide if I am worthy of their admission and if I am not, then I guess I am not meant to be there. Overall, I am pretty happy with my decisions and even though I am a little skeptical (I will never truly know if Wellesley would have accepted me ED), I am glad I withdrew that ED because I would have probably been unhappy being binded there and its an ED space for some other girl who is dying to attend. Good luck with everything. I am finally done all my apps, 7 schools :), now the hard part...just waiting...and waiting..and waiting...and checking the mail box...and waiting...and reading emails..and well you get the idea ;)</p>

#3

<p>Leonesa, I definitely know how you feel!!! I'm in a very similar situation, and I'm glad that I'm not the only one. Originally, I loved both Williams and Wheaton (IL) equally, and figured that I would be just as happy at either. Now, I feel as if I'll be slightly disappointed no matter what the ED decision from Williams turns out to be. It's a catch-22: if I get accepted into Williams ED, I won't be near a major city, I'll be about $50K in debt when I graduate, and I'll have to study 10 hours a day to just be in the middle of the pack. But, if I get rejected ED from Williams, I'll have to tell my family and my friends that I was rejected, be uncertain of getting in ANYWHERE, rush to finish my RD apps for schools that I don't care about, and not have the chance to go to a school as great as Williams. </p>

<p>Actually, now that I think about it... the deferral that I've been dreading may just be the best solution... as long as I get accepted RD. :) I figure... there's such a slim chance of my getting accepted ED anyway, that if I AM accepted, it is only by some miracle. And of course, if I am accepted.. I'm definitely meant to be at Williams. If I get rejected, then I obviously would be better off somewhere else. </p>

<p>So, instead of thinking of this as a catch-22, where either ED decision would be negative... I'm going to start thinking of it as a win-win situation. If I get into Williams.. that would be wonderful. If I get deferred.. wonderful. If I get rejected.. that's okay too. I'm sure that it will all work out fine in the end.. and I'll be happy wherever I end up. </p>

<p>Good luck with the decision Leonesa, and I'm sure that things will all work out for the best!</p>

#4