I remember that experience. With our youngest, the most selective universities' acceptance letters came the latest in the acceptance month.

Not college but my daughter made it into an arts school for high school. She was very nervous and excited as the acceptance rate for the visual arts program is 30%. Good luck with your daughter.

Good luck with the acceptances Ginny.

I don't agree that the school doesn't matter. What the kid does matters a lot but the school matters too. That was our experience with our kids and my experience as someone who was involved in making hiring decisions at a big company that could be selective with offers.

Getting into one's top rated school choice doesn't mean the work is over (it's just begun in any event) and getting into a lesser choice doesn't mean future options are necessarily limited. But every little thing can help.

I'm assuming that it's one of the last three that she actually wants?

Yes, these are stressful times.

Actually, she already got into two of the schools she is most interested in, but until we hear from all of them, she doesn't know for sure. We haven't visited them all. That's partly why I'm anxious to know the results. I may or may not have to make plans for trips to more "admitted students days" in April. And she knows not to get too attached to a school that may be out of our price range. Fortunately, while she did apply to some pretty selective schools - and yes, sheilajoyce, they seem to take the longest - none is an Ivy. Applying to an Ivy is a whole other level of anxiety.

wow! we would dying if we didn't know by now... we were lucky. oldest went to play softball and knew in October of senior year where she was going. my other 2 knew by December of senior year. their schools had rolling admissions. i would be so stressed waiting till April 1st...

i think 9 is a lot ...my 2 only applied to about 4-5, oldest was recruited so totally different scenario....but maybe it depends on her major....

Good Luck, Hope she gets to go to her #1 School!!!!

I thought 9 was a lot, too, but the Registrar at her high school said that 9 is not unusual, and many kids apply to more than that. Her high school may be on the lunatic fringe, though. At some of the colleges, she was applying to specific small programs. She could get accepted at the school but not into the program.

DD was on the waiting list for 2 medical schools. 2 weeks before the semester started she got the call, out of state. We went that weekend to find her an apartment and a roommate. Moved her the following weekend.

But now she is a pediatrician!

That was such a stressful summer for all of us.

that happened with my youngest, got into the school but not the program. some majors/schools are very selective. she did get into the same program at her current school, but then after her first year, changed her major. Ugh!!! i told her after that, no more changing b/c u will have classes that can't be applied to another major., which means more time/$$...she is settled, thank God!!!

oldest changed her major 3 times!!! Grrr... if she would've know then what she is doing now, she would be done this year!!! she has 1 1/2 years left in Grad school. but we are just happy that she is happy. loves what she is doing so its worth it!!! (already doing field work)...

that's always the bottom line. if your child is happy, then you are also.

That's the thing about looking for these special programs: what are the chances that that is the major you'll end up with? At least changing after the first year, like your daughter did, doesn't necessarily set you back. My friend's daughter studied opera performance - with a minor in music ed - at a really good conservatory, then got her masters and various certificates at another top institution. After all that, she decided that she doesn't want to teach kids and doesn't want the life of a professional opera singer, which is admittedly very difficult. She has managed to parlay her education into a very good marketing job which requires her to make presentations, and she still has gigs for churches and with a band. I keep thinking about her happy ending. But it did cost my friend a ton of money. We've encouraged our daughter to apply to liberal arts schools, so she can end up studying whatever. We do believe in the value of just getting educated.

we told our kids(2 of them) to apply to schools with a lot of majors so if they changed it, at least the school had so many that it should be able to accommodate them. another thing we did was ask them what they didn't want to do. it really helped them to narrow down what they did want to do. i know it sounds crazy but it worked. what junior in HS, really knows what they want to do for the rest of their lives??

we also asked: do u want a small/medium/big school? country/suburb/city school? far away/not too far/ close....anything to narrow it down., its so overwhelming and stressful, they need all the help u can give.

absolutely, so much value in education...in today's world, you have to a minimum of BA degree. most want master's or more...its crazy. i am seeing some of my kids friends/classmates with no direction and they are just floundering,, so sad. if u are not the "college" type, go learn a trade but do something!!!

best of luck to your daughter. these are trying times but she seems to have her head on straight, so the first hurdle is over. it all works out for the best in the end, its just getting there that's difficult :)

Not a kid but a grandson. He applied to 13 colleges all up and down the east coast. From UNC to University of Vermont where he is heading right now for a visit. They offered him $68,000 over four years plus an athletic scholarship. Of the 13, only one rejection. He hasn't heard from Cornell yet. Ten family members have gone to Penn State , but he wants to run track , and the smaller schools have offered athletic scholarships. He ran in Manhattan last week and did very well running with the fastest kids in the country. 4:17 mile. Time is dwindling down, and he has about five weeks to make his decision. Right now William &Mary is number one in his book, but we'll see after Vermont. You're allowed to be wined and dined by five colleges. Gee, things have changed since my day, and my kids too, for that matter, and not in a good way. Such important decisions kids have to make which will affect their whole life. Everyone in our family met their spouse at college.

Lily, most of my generation in our family met spouses in college. However, I find that this younger generation is getting married after college and starting their careers. They marry later for various reasons these days.

Lily, my stepson went to William and Mary Law School. He loved it, and we loved visiting him. It's a beautiful area, and Colonial Williamsburg is great. As Jon Stewart (another alum) would say, "Go Tribe!" Burlington is wonderful, too, though. He'll have a tough decision.

Back in 1492, when in HS, had B-C average grades... really more on the C side. Was told by guidance counselor that I should apply to a state college in HOPES of being accepted... that was the plan anyway. In ONE week got accepted to 2 state schools that I had never seen before and had to go on road trips to pick one! Honestly, deciding factor ended up being distance. Only financial aid was result of Dad's income, not scholarships available, one school 100 miles away and the other about 250. I doubt my educational experience would have been mush different at other school, though wouldn't have been able to get home as often.

Grandson LOVES U of Vermont, but got a text that Boston U wants to see him. Decisions, decisions decisions...Poor kid.

@ Lily - re UVM: What's not to love? When we toured the campus, my husband and I had the same thought: "I wish I could go here!" My stepson went to Cornell undergrad, and he loved it there, too. Your grandson will be spoiled for choices. It will not be easy, but he's looking at all great schools. He can't make a bad choice.

My grandnephew got into UNC Chapel Hill. Huge sigh of relief because he only applied to four schools. He was rejected at one and accepted at a state school (his safety). He is still waiting to hear from Duke, where both of his parents went, but I really don't think he will get in. We'll see.

Gosh, I wish I could do it all again. I think. I sure studied a lot.

One of my dds is in the process of deciding which grad school she will attend in the fall. It sure was fun to do none of the guiding this time around, only wait for the results. She's attending a couple of open-houses in the next two weeks to firm up her decision. The only down-side for her is the loan burden she will be assuming; otherwise she's very excited to finish up the process.

Yes, the undergrad college entrance process has become EXTREMELY stressful for most kids and their parents.

I tried talking to grandson and family on their way back from Vermont but no coverage in the area they were in, but I did hear the first sentence and saw the text that they offered him $25,000 a year in addition to the $68,000 over four years. I think the last was the athletic scholarship, and the other the academic. This would be a no brainer for me. College fund they established for him would completely cover everything and then grad sachool leaving him with no debt. If he goes to Wm & Mary or Cornell, it will only cover a year and a half as an out of stater.