Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

Please tell me there are plenty of other households hovering over their mailboxes these days. The tension level is getting pretty high around these parts and I sure hope some good news comes before the bad.

Also - we are leaving on our probable last "family" spring break this Sunday. Has anyone had any experience travelling with a teen who will probably be dreaming of the mailbox? We have someone picking up the mail, etc., but do not plan to leave instructions to call us about any college packets/envelopes. Is this the correct decision? Any advice greatly appreciated.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 12:21 pm: Edit

Jeez, Mo2, traveling with a teen is such a random experience as it is.

"Correct" decision probably depends on your teen: which will be worse--the free-floating anxiety that comes from not knowing or the degree of bummed-outtedness that may erupt if there's a rejection? (We can assume that acceptances will be no problem, right?)

By Momof2 (Momof2) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 01:30 pm: Edit

Hmmm... like the great majority of people around, I think we will try to pretend nothing is happening and keep our heads in the sand for another week.

Seriously, I guess we'll just wait and see if he wants us to call our friend to go through our mail. If he can handle the wait, so can we. (It's the scholarship thing mom and dad are really sweating, anyway!)

By Wadad (Wadad) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 01:52 pm: Edit

Fortunately we've gotten 3 early acceptances in the past week. So our daughter has gone from "I might not get in anywhere!" to "How am I going to decide?" But it is a great relief to get the first acceptance. She danced around the room shouting "I'm going to go to college!" after getting the first one.

Now to wait until April 1 for the news from the "reach" colleges.

By Momof2 (Momof2) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 02:12 pm: Edit

Great for your daughter - and you! Actually, we have one acceptance and good scholarship offer, but that's from the school "too close to home." It's the exotic variety that we await!

By Thedad (Thedad) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 03:08 pm: Edit

Oh, boy. Just think...I have a whole year to get to this stage.

By Momof2 (Momof2) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 03:37 pm: Edit

Gee, maybe I'll come back and sympathize with you then! So far, the boy is quite pragmatic that wherever he ends up, that's where he is meant to be. (good Presbyterian upbringing, I guess ) Sure hope he still feels that way in a couple of months!

By Thedad (Thedad) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 04:55 pm: Edit

Mo2, I've already figured out that this site is sorta like those "Bride" magazines...with any luck, they're of intense interest only once.

Urrr...once per kid.


Wait a sec...that didn't come out right. But you know what I mean.

By Ctmom (Ctmom) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 07:30 am: Edit

Yes, this household is hovering over the mailbox too! We just returned from our spring break trip, which was *partly* designed to distract!! But for the most part, we too are going through the day to day, pretending there's nothing special about that mail truck! The real anxiety will come the week of April 1...

By Katwkittens (Katwkittens) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 09:29 am: Edit

Thanks Thedad for putting it that way....once per kid.....as that I have a junior, sophomore and freshman...I feel like I have been sentenced for the next 3 years!!!!!! Then I get a break for a year, sort of....next one is a seventh grader now, wow, a break for a year.....OHHHH can't wait!!! They are all doing/completed their apps for summer stuff so its like mini-college apps...JOY! And all their sports junk (apps,recs, junk), my house looks like a PE locker room.....and the boys are big, so all their equipment is big and SMELLY! My truck is full in the back of all their gear as well, yuck! The viewbooks have been pouring in for my junior, it now weighs 47 lbs. of mail....mailman hates our house...he says he is going to get one of those back support things you wear for loading and unloading trucks so he can deliver our mail everyday!
My DD (sophmore) has been getting stuff as well, (sports initiated from universities mostly some arch) so her brother's nose is a little out of joint...HA! bring him down a peg or two!! Didn't help when little bro got an invite for a summer program big bro didn't get!!!! It wasn't just words flying here that day!

By Thedad (Thedad) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 12:12 pm: Edit

A friend of my duaghter's got an acceptance the day before yesterday to UC Santa Cruz, one of the easier UC's. She's now waiting on UCLA, Sarah Lawrence, Smith, and Brown.

Odd profile: virtually no EC's but a first-generation Russian emigre native-speaking Russian with some other positive quirks. Top 10 percent, decent but not mind-blowing test scores.

I'd guess she'll get in to Sarah Lawrence, rejected by Brown unless the Russian department _really_ wants her, and is a coin-flip for Smith (her #1) and a reach for UCLA.

KwK, I haven't even thought of weighing the mail. I may have to collect it into one spot. Right now it's kinda spread out.

By Candad (Candad) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 01:00 pm: Edit

Daughters are great! Mine (and my only child) was accepted by UIUC before Thanksgiving, but she never counts that. Last week she got a likely letter from the director of Duke’s Undergraduate of Admissions. She’s been invited to visiting Duke at the end of this month with no cost of airfare, hotel, and meals. Now she has gone from "I might not get in anywhere!" to "What else will let me in". Then she’ll change to "Where I should go?" as more news coming after April 1.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 04:03 pm: Edit

Amen about daughter, Candad. (Let's see...we've got Candad, Thedad, Wadad, Dadster...and crossed fingers for AnotherDad getting back okay from an unspecified current events hotspot in 4-6 months.)

That's great about Duke. I'm prejudiced against the school myself but when a school that good wants you, it's a good sign and bound to turn your head.

Candad, any idea why Duke has selected your daughter for the red carpet treatment? Schools don't do that but for a very few students...not more than a few dozen at most, I believe. (Can anyone who knows for sure confirm or amend that?)

By Smith (Smith) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 05:09 pm: Edit

Hi Candad,

I'm applying as a transfer to Duke, I just wondered if there was anyhting in particular with your daughter's application that impressed Duke to go to such lengths.

By Candad (Candad) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 11:42 pm: Edit

TheDad,
I guess Washington University in St. Louis has a similar program because the daughter of a friend of mine visited the campus for the same reason last year. Believe or not, quite of few (400 of 16,000) applicants have been invited to “Duke Up Close” program from March 29-31. The activities include student-led campus tour; Trinity and Pratt info sessions; small group seminars with faculty; living and learning at Duke discussion; exploring campus on your own; attending classes; special undergraduate program presentations; as well as meals. I’d like to let you know more about this program should my daughter won’t cancel this trip. She received another letter from Duke today. As one of 23 finalists she’s invited to campus from April 3-6 to competing 8 undergraduate University Scholars.

Smith,
My daughter received a handwriting greeting letter from an admissions officer who was impressed for her achievement. She was so impressed in reading the letter and had the same feeling as her application/essay was read by the officer. She’s a math team member; a director of the French Honors Society; a founder and captain of a social science team; Peer Tutor of Math, Science, Writing, and French; Freshman Mentor, and Star Raiders, etc. She’s been hospital volunteer since grade 10, and had done some summer intern and summer job. She got some awards like National Merit Finalist, State Scholar, National AP Scholar, National French Exams, First place (of pianist) in state Music Association competitions. Her rank is 1/700 with 4.0 GPA (unweighted) from most difficult courses. She took all standard tests in Junior and got 1550+ from SAT I, 750+ each from 4 SAT II, as well as 6 AP tests (and got five 5’s and one 4). The admission officer wondered when my daughter found time to eat and sleep.

By Thedad (Thedad) on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 02:30 am: Edit

Wow, 400!? That's great, though.

Yeah, I'd say your daughter's stats are impressive.
Thank you for sharing.

My daughter would fit in well at Wash U., I think, except that she really wants to be in the Northeast.

By Batman (Batman) on Sunday, March 09, 2003 - 08:04 pm: Edit

Wow, congrats on Duke!

My daughter has been accepted to UVA, Wake Forest, Richmond, and Mary Washington (some kind of honors admission program) so far. Also got a handwritten "likely" letter from Davidson. Most of the early acceptances were due to the scholarship competitions. In order to become a finalist, they basically have to let you know that you're in. So now its not so much about "will she get in", but we are all biting our nails hoping she'll get a good scholarship.

By Autodidact (Autodidact) on Monday, March 10, 2003 - 10:09 am: Edit

Loving these posts, empathizing with sentiments expressed. We, too, make the trek to the mailbox daily with mixed emotions. Does anyone know, if a kid decides to "gap" does their National Merit Finalist opportunity continue to the following year or are they SOL?
Like many others, has full+, full, or near full offers from several colleges- mainly in the Midwest and Southwest--but haven't heard yet one way or the other from her main choices in the Northeast.
Younger daughter swears she's not applying anywhere with an average temperature below 67%--no body fat to keep her warm, and tired of shivering in Iowa. Elder daughter telling her it's a cold world, so go wherever they'll take her and then move to a warmer climate. Gotta love them!

By Medusa2003 (Medusa2003) on Tuesday, March 11, 2003 - 10:57 pm: Edit

Daughter is hoping to shiver in Grinnell, Iowa this winter. She received an acceptance but we are waiting on the financial aid package. She refuses to consider Washington University regardless of the financial aid offer because it is 20 minutes from home. It seems that most kids want a change of scenery!

By Autodidact (Autodidact) on Friday, April 04, 2003 - 09:27 pm: Edit

Medusa, email me, we'll chat about Grinnell.

By Anngold (Anngold) on Saturday, April 05, 2003 - 05:07 pm: Edit

Batman - Would you explain more about your statement, "Most of the early acceptances were due to the scholarship competitions." I'm not familiar with these in relation to specific colleges. How do you apply for these competitions? Thanks.