Oh, the Places You Will Go

And so it begins.

We’ve been visiting colleges with Tabitha for a while now, particularly as her senior year approached and then started.  She and I spent a weekend in October on a tightly-scheduled three-city tour of campuses, in fact, and last month I devoted an entire afternoon to the mysteries of the FAFSA and then wrote about it here.  You hafta FAFSA, as they say, though you don’t hafta enjoy it.

She’s been sending in applications over the last few weeks, with more to go out in the very near future.  There’s quite a list of places she’d like to apply to, and our basic position has been that she should apply to all of them and see what happens.  She has good test scores and grades, and a list of extracurricular activities that would impress anyone.  I figure she has a good chance of getting in most places, and why not apply?

I do think it’s harder to get into most colleges today than it was when I was applying.  I’m looking at the kinds of things they ask for and the things people tell me that these colleges are expecting and you know, I don’t think I could have gotten into my alma mater if I had to meet those standards.  It was a simpler time.

As to the money, well, again, apply.  The sticker price can be shocking, but you never know what financial aid they might give you.  As my dad always said, “Go ahead and apply.  If they want you, they’ll buy you.”

So wheels are spinning, is what I’m saying.

Today she got her first official acceptance.

We knew it was an acceptance for a couple of reasons.  First, it came in a big, richly colored, folder-sized mailer rather than a simple business-like envelope.  And second, yesterday we got an email from this particular college giving us a head’s up on the financial aid package that would be coming our way soon.

Way to tip your hand, guys.

But you know, this is marvelous news!  And it’s an important thing.  Tabitha has worked hard to get to this point and while this is just the next step rather than the end it is important to take time to recognize the achievement in front of you.

Congratulations, Tabitha.  I’m proud of you.

I also know that next year is going to be really, really strange.  And when Lauren goes through this same process in a couple of years, it is just going to be even more strange.  But you know, that’s why you raise kids – so they can grow up and become independent, mature adults who can go out and make their way in the world on their own.

Still going to be a wreck, though.

So I’ll celebrate today, and let the future worry about itself when it gets here.

It’s a good day.