Regular Decision is taking so long - we have moved on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is what the early or rolling app colleges are hoping for. Your kid is falling right into their trap.

It's not a trap. Kid's get more interested in schools they know they are already accepted to. Smart move on most schools part. My kid had a "summer before senior year---hell no I'm not applying to a T50 school, don't like where it is" to "ooh, let's add that school as it seems like it has everything I want (size, ability to switch majors, great engineering and great for my major) except location isn't the best and they have EA with results in Dec and no extra essays, and my SAT/GPA are at ~80% and it's a true target that I have a good shot at getting into" Kid did 1 online session/tour and no other demonstrated interest. By xmas, this school and their real safety/likely were the only schools they had heard back from (except the deferral from ED1). They got into both of those with great merit. It was mid-late March before my kid heard back from the rest of the schools they really cared about (heard from 3 other safeties and was in). So my kid had 3 months with only 2 acceptances (and an ED1 deferral), so we encouraged them to research both schools and talked them up. We knew they'd likely get into their 2nd choice, but just in case we wanted them to go in being excited about the school they hadn't visited and was a better school than their safety/likely.

My kid went from Dec: I'm attending my safety, don't want the better school in not best location (Case) to (in early January) I'm attending Case because it is a better school than the safety and other than location it's an amazing school to let's compare my 2nd choice and Case once they got the acceptance in late March. In the end there was no comparison, my kid loved the other school and it's the better fit (and it's still not the most exciting place/town). But mentally they were prepared to be excited for their other 2 choices because as a parent it's my job to help them prepare for possible rejection and to be excited about the amazing choices they have. Spend those 3 months researching the options you know are possible so you are prepared to make a sound decision if there are no other acceptances. Remind them they applied for a reason---My kid even decided to add this school at the last minute after initially rejecting, so they realized it would be a good fit (maybe not the best but a good fit and it's a great school).

[Anonymous]

I just said the same thing in the Syracuse post. We had a great visit last year, but my DS has moved on with his EA options.

[Anonymous]

My dd got rejected at her ED1, deferred and then waitlisted at her next favorite and into her third choice RD. She has two other acceptances and four schools yet to hear from but says she is committing to school no. 3. I may wait until we hear from all before paying deposit, but think we are done.

[Anonymous]

OP - I hear you - this process is long. It's great that your DC has 2 schools they love. In the end, it's all about match. The opportunities exist as a wide variety of schools. Don't pay attention to rankings because I'm sure they'll do great at whichever school they decide feels like their new "home".

[Anonymous]

Its a long process, but the gaps in timing of acceptance/deferral/rejection have been a good time to rest, re-evaluate, update lists with merit aid etc. For our family the EA application process for stressful, then we have sat back and waited, discussed interest and certainly schools have dropped off the list - but those that dropped weren't because of RD but rather the lack of merit and the cost of the school. We have a strong 4 remaining - but we aren't rushing to put in a deposit until after the accepted days at the top 2. To us this part is the enjoyable part - our kid is thinking about what he wants, doesn't want, what he likes, etc.

[Anonymous]

We are intentionally applying to several rolling schools for DS next year. He has about 5 or 6 he truly loves and can see himself attending so I feel like if he gats a few acceptances under his belt early and goes back for a second look and really likes them , then he will be done and not have to wait for RD. I don't see anything wrong with that.

[Anonymous]

It's a long process, but I promise it'll be over soon. Keep the faith.

[Anonymous]

It’s been a long process. If you applied rolling admissions in August and by September got accepted to at least one school, then got accepted EA in December to several other schools waiting to hear from RD schools in March just don’t feel as exciting. Any school that don’t give a decision by March 31 my DD is moving on from them.

[Anonymous]

It is such a difficult process. My DD applied EA and was waitlisted from her top 1 school and accepted to her top 2. As she was waiting to hear back about the top 1 school, she attended the admitted students day for school 2. Over the next couple of months, she liked school 2 more and more. After another visit, she knew that she wanted to commit to school 2, even before hearing back from school 1. She finally heard back from school 1 and was accepted. I wasn't sure what she would do, but she still feels like school 2 is where she wants to be.