Grace has picked up three more acceptances, including one of her top two choices. Even better, that top-choice school has offered her a nice scholarship. Grace also got some not-bad-but-not-really-good news as well. Read all about it below.

Meet the Class gets updated each month from September to May. Each installment features an interview about both the facts and the feelings of where the student is in the process.

Interviews may be edited lightly for clarity and grammar. Names may be changed to protect privacy. 

GRACE ATTENDS A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN MASSACHUSETTS

How was your holiday break?

It was so nice to relax and not think about school for 10 days. I really needed the break to re-set my sleep schedule. Mid-terms are approaching and I need to start studying for them.

As of last month, your "list" was

Fordham (Applied EA)

Hofstra (Applied EA)

Boston University (applied regular)

Northeastern (applied regular)

NYU (applied regular)

Adelphi (accepted!)

Marymount Manhattan College (applied regular)

SUNY Purchase (accepted!)

SUNY Stony Brook (applied regular)

Rutgers (applied regular)

Any news? Most EA decisions were announced in mid-December. What did you hear from Fordham and Hofstra?

I was accepted to Hofstra, Marymount Manhattan, and SUNY Stony Brook. This was very exciting. I was deferred to April for Fordham. Although I realize it means “not now,” that was disappointing for me. However, the day after the deferment, I received a very good scholarship from Hofstra. Although I am filing my continued interest letter with Fordham, this scholarship puts Hofstra at the top of my list right now.

Based on the information you currently have, what's your best-case scenario at this point? What would make you happiest?

I still believe that either Hofstra or Fordham would make me the happiest and would be a good fit for what I want from college.

Are you doing much strategizing about "what if I get a better financial aid offer from a lower-choice school" or are you primarily sitting back until you have all the information?

I consider myself lucky, because Hofstra is one of my top choices and offered me such a good scholarship. I am in a good position right now and I am very grateful.

Does your family have an opinion? What are they hoping for? What's their best-case scenario? When it comes time to make a final decision, how much input from them are you expecting and wanting?

My parents’ position is that they will support me whatever I decide. The decision will be mine, but I do look to them to help me with big decisions. However, they were happy to see the scholarship from Hofstra too. It is a school that we loved when we visited it last year. We are going back for an accepted students’ day in the next few months.

Earlier in the fall, you said that whenever you bring up the costs, your parents say "don't worry about it." Is that aspect getting more stressful now that things are getting more "real"? Or are you able to not worry about it?

Their position is still: “don’t worry about it…let us worry about it.” I have to just let go and let them take it from here.

From my point of view, you really have your stuff together. You applied EA to two schools, finished all your regular applications by December, got your FAFSA and CSS in early...you're on point. Does it feel that way to you? Do you have any regrets or things you know now you wish you knew earlier?

Looking back, I am so happy that I finished all my applications and filed all my financial documents early. It was a lot of work at the beginning of the year (which can be a very stressful time), but I would not do it differently. I could not imagine having all of that hanging over me right now.

Thanks for reading! If you have college admissions questions for Grace, leave a comment or email me. There are lots of ways to get regular updates from Apply with Sanity: like me on Facebook and Twitter, get the monthly newsletter, or connect on LinkedIn.