Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 21:46     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:I don’t know what to say, OP. At my kid’s private all the acceptances were SCEA, REA, ED and EA. My kid (top flight) got in nowhere RD and IVY day was a complete bust. Only solace was that his friends experienced the same. Just prepare your kid in advance


Same here. Ivy day was a giant bust at our top private. 95% of the top20 acceptances were early. There was one RD Ivy admit.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 21:44     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Unlikely to get into more than 1-2 reaches even if very strong.
Odds.


Yes, this was my kid last year. Applied to about 15 reaches, got into ONE (a second tier Ivy).
Did really well with state EA schools.


Just be prepared for a lot of waitlists and rejections. The more you mentally prepare for this, the better.


Same for mine. 1 admit to a private T20.
A lot of WLs too.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 21:04     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:I don’t know what to say, OP. At my kid’s private all the acceptances were SCEA, REA, ED and EA. My kid (top flight) got in nowhere RD and IVY day was a complete bust. Only solace was that his friends experienced the same. Just prepare your kid in advance

What? Which school is this? We have about half/half, with RD a little bit more acceptance.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 21:03     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
I have been pleased with the process so far. Although I made sure my child applied to a range of schools and I limited the number of reaches. We honed in on strong targets and likely reaches. So far they’ve been admitted to one reach.

Apply wisely. Keep finances in mind. I see so many students applying to schools they have no chances at. I feel for them.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 21:01     Subject: Re:Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:I just feel bad for my DC. He has seen most of his friends get in EA and ED to top 20 / Ivy and Ivy + schools and I don’t think he will get into any top 20 schools in March. He feels less than already. My heart breaks for him because I know he will be upset.


That's why you need to adjust yourself first. How you perceive the whole process will impact his perception of himself. You need to look at the long term. Don't be fool by this process. It is not meant to find the best anyway. It is meant for satisfying the institution needs.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 20:59     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
I don’t know what to say, OP. At my kid’s private all the acceptances were SCEA, REA, ED and EA. My kid (top flight) got in nowhere RD and IVY day was a complete bust. Only solace was that his friends experienced the same. Just prepare your kid in advance
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 20:36     Subject: Re:Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
I just feel bad for my DC. He has seen most of his friends get in EA and ED to top 20 / Ivy and Ivy + schools and I don’t think he will get into any top 20 schools in March. He feels less than already. My heart breaks for him because I know he will be upset.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 20:33     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:Unlikely to get into more than 1-2 reaches even if very strong.
Odds.


Yes, this was my kid last year. Applied to about 15 reaches, got into ONE (a second tier Ivy).
Did really well with state EA schools.


Just be prepared for a lot of waitlists and rejections. The more you mentally prepare for this, the better.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 20:22     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:Have been reading some posts recently. Lots of complains about "American college admissions rat race". Reading posts here makes it clear that top schools are unattainable to most kids.

In March, there will be disappointment, a lot of disappointment. One after another. I think DC will be okay with that. I may not be. I am mentally preping myself not to expect much from March. One single reach hit would be good news (DC got in two targets EA). Just one! And that would not be any different from hitting 5 reaches in a row. DC is just attending one.


Why you may not be fine? You are not the one facing the entire rat race from college to workplace to housing to dating to survivals. Your kid has a long way to go. College is just the beginning. Hope you are not one of those parents treating kids' college result as your parental success. No it is not.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 20:20     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
What's a "reach"? Target?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 20:10     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:Have been reading some posts recently. Lots of complains about "American college admissions rat race". Reading posts here makes it clear that top schools are unattainable to most kids.

In March, there will be disappointment, a lot of disappointment. One after another. I think DC will be okay with that. I may not be. I am mentally preping myself not to expect much from March. One single reach hit would be good news (DC got in two targets EA). Just one! And that would not be any different from hitting 5 reaches in a row. DC is just attending one.


Fingers crossed for your DC. If I were you though, I’d prepare myself for DC attending a target. College admissions are not really about the students, are they? They are about the colleges and their institutional priorities. If your kid doesn’t get in, that doesn’t mean anything other than they were not picked by a college to fulfill that priority. Your DC can still go on to be a success. In fact that might be something I’d look into — people who attended normal schools but are really successful. It’s tough to watch our kids go through this process and I firmly believe they are more resilient than us mommas.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 20:08     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Unlikely to get into more than 1-2 reaches even if very strong.
Odds.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 19:54     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:Have been reading some posts recently. Lots of complains about "American college admissions rat race". Reading posts here makes it clear that top schools are unattainable to most kids.

In March, there will be disappointment, a lot of disappointment. One after another. I think DC will be okay with that. I may not be. I am mentally preping myself not to expect much from March. One single reach hit would be good news (DC got in two targets EA). Just one! And that would not be any different from hitting 5 reaches in a row. DC is just attending one.

I am in same boat OP
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 19:43     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Anonymous wrote:Have been reading some posts recently. Lots of complains about "American college admissions rat race". Reading posts here makes it clear that top schools are unattainable to most kids.

In March, there will be disappointment, a lot of disappointment. One after another. I think DC will be okay with that. I may not be. I am mentally preping myself not to expect much from March. One single reach hit would be good news (DC got in two targets EA). Just one! And that would not be any different from hitting 5 reaches in a row. DC is just attending one.


I would focus on being excited for the 2 targets your DC has already gained admission to in EA - congrats! That is already awesome. Have him look at courses, dorm selections and youtube videos. Reaches are just that, reaches. Essentially random lotteries that are too scarce and unpredictable and may not even be good fits. Focus on where you are already in, not the unlikelies. Congrats to your DC - he/she's going to college!!
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 19:37     Subject: Reading posts here makes me nervous about March
Have been reading some posts recently. Lots of complains about "American college admissions rat race". Reading posts here makes it clear that top schools are unattainable to most kids.

In March, there will be disappointment, a lot of disappointment. One after another. I think DC will be okay with that. I may not be. I am mentally preping myself not to expect much from March. One single reach hit would be good news (DC got in two targets EA). Just one! And that would not be any different from hitting 5 reaches in a row. DC is just attending one.