I didn't expect to feel so sad...

[Anonymous]

wow, I wasn't anxious at all during the process and felt relatively calm this week. And then today, the slim envelope with the jaunty logo... Not even a WL, just a flat-out rejection. It was a shock, which is stupid-- of course if they only take 25% of applicants (or whatever), there are 2 other moms opening this letter today and only one mom opening an enrollment package. I get it... I just didn't expect to feel so bad about it.

Part of it is that I felt our child was kind of their target market. Plus we had some diversity going for us, and the kid had decent scores.

Anyway, just feeling sad tonight and putting it out there.

[Anonymous]

It's no fun, but with way too many great kids for spots, stuff like this happens.

[Anonymous]

Right there with you. Try to not take it personally. I was not expecting a rejection--thought it would be WL.

[Anonymous]

Feeling your pain - the rejection did sting today. I also was thinking DC would at least be waitlisted...

[Anonymous]

Yeah, it stinks. This whole process is awful. Judging all of these great kids for pre-k and k. The problem is that there should be a wonderful school for every child....

[SAM2]

I'm sorry, OP -- that's hard.

[Anonymous]

Being that we only received one letter today, Sidwell (reject -PK), it has made me extremely anxious about the decision of our 1st choice school that we hopefully will receive tomorrow. I really wish this letter had not come at all today. If it was mixed in with an accept, I would not even be concerned! I am so thankful for finding this forum, I initially applied only at our first choice school and that could have really been devastating. I am waiting for decisions from 4 other schools tomorrow, all very good schools.

[Anonymous]

I can completely relate to OP. In fact, we applied to River School a few years ago. I remember deciding with my husband the night before the letter arrived that even if he got in, we shouldn't send him there because it was an insane amount of $$$ for age 2! And then he got rejected and I was like "what???" I mean, intellectually I was fine. But emotionally I felt the rejection right like a stab in the heart.

And it almost felt worse today! I mean, I could so easily visualize my son in our top choice. I guess I just wanted it so much for him. I want him to have more than I had. And I know its not really rational, but I'm sad. The whole thing is so stupid. I mean, I know that and I make fun of the process and really haven't felt caught up in the frenzy until today.
So I'm also a little surprised at my reaction too.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry OP. Take care.

[Anonymous]

It's hard. We went through it last year and I was very emotionally invested and the rejections stung. This year we went through it again and it worked out at our first choice, but I had a certain level of armor on through the process. Until we had the acceptance in hand, I did not let myself spend time reading the school's website or dwelling on thoughts about how we would work the commute, etc. DH and I didn't even discuss the ranking of our choices until we had the accepts. It made it a lot better, but I don't think I would've had the discipline to do it without knowing how sucky it was the other way.

[Anonymous]

Speaking from experience, the rejection or waitlist (then lack of movement) is more emotional than any rational person would expect. While impossible for you all to believe it now, it will get better and your child will end up ith a great education because of involved parents. This will be a horrible weekend so hopefully, you will find some diversion instead of stewing at home.

We have a sibling accept today and it seems so anticlimatic. Good luck all.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, OP. That rational POV of yours that you cite in your post, the one that was overcome today by emotion, will prevail in short order.

[Anonymous]

I was just mad rather than sad. Sidwell alum whose child was rejected.

[Anonymous]

OP - I am totally with you. I have been mostly calm and rational. But when we got a rejection today for our child for our top choice school it made me so so sad.

We have another very nice option but I am still so so sad about the rejection because it was such a great match for the child (but a very small school and not an entry grade).

I have to admit that having the acceptance to the other school helps me divert my thoughts away from the rejection...but I almost "didn't know about" the acceptance. I was emailing DH about rejection - then about to send 2nd email to say no other letters arrived - when I remembered our mail slot is small and maybe there was more outside the door. And there was!

But still - if I think about that rejection it is so so hard. I am not sure I will feel so bad about other rejections (we are still waiting on 2) because for this particular one, I fear I may be to blame. We went for an extra visit that was welcomed but went all wrong and probably screwed us...I have been trying not to think about it all this time...but now with the rejection, all those thoughts come flooding back. I wish I could take back that visit so so much. Oh well.

I am trying to take the point of view that some things happen for a reason and just hope it was all meant to be in the end.

Commisserating with all others feeling sad - for whatever reasons... Stay strong!

[Anonymous]

Dear Friends: As an "older" parent whose children attended DCPS (by choice) for several years before applying to private please know it's just to crowded at the younger end to possibly take it personally, or take it as a reflection of your child. Its like a marathon...by 7th grade 50% have fallen away for lesser schools or other schools and (in our case) out public-educated child is actually admitted to a private based on much more evidence of readiness for the program. You just can't prepare a 4-7 year old for the randomness.