Grace has got an acceptance and an scholarship from one of her top-choice colleges. She’s also waiting to hear back from another top-choice school. She’s got a few more acceptances as well. You might think Grace is relaxing and feeling pretty accomplished, but she knows there’s a few more months to go. Read the full interview 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

Last month Hofstra was your clear front-runner. You applied early, got accepted, and were granted a scholarship. Is it still number one, or has a month's time changed your perspective on that?

It is still the front runner.  I really loved the school when I visited it and the scholarship certainly puts it at the top!  It has so many wonderful programs and opportunities for internships.  Additionally, it is a medium sized university which is the size that appeals to me.

Did you indicate to Fordham that you're willing to stay on their waiting list? You said you were planning to, but did you send it off or change your mind?

I did fill out their Deferment Form  and wrote a short essay explaining why I was still interested in Fordham. As you may recall, Fordham also was at the top of my list.  I loved both campuses when I visited the school.  It also has great programs and its location in the heart of the city is a plus.   

You're planning on going to an accepted student event at Hofstra. What will you be looking for while you're there? They'll be making their "hard sell" to try to convince you to choose them over your other acceptances. Is there anything they can say or do to make you send in the deposit before April 1st, or do you think you'll keep deliberating until the final days?

I think I will be deliberating until I hear from Fordham.  I know that all schools put their best foot forward during accepted student days.  I already love Hofstra, so the “hard sell” seems unnecessary to me.  I can tell you that my parents would like to see a bigger scholarship.  That would carry a lot of weight with them, and by extension with me too.  Over the holidays, a relative of mine was telling me that he was 42 years old and still paying off student loans.  That really gave me something to think about.

How's school going? Are you still busy with theater? How focused are you staying with classes? Do you plan on taking any AP exams this spring?

Theater is busier than ever.  I have the lead in the Spring musical, so I practice every day. Also, our state has Drama Fest in March for 1 act plays and I have the lead in that too.  I am still keeping up my focus on schoolwork, as Fordham requires my First semester grades.  Also, having good grades is important to me.  I take 3 AP classes and I am going to take the corresponding exams.  Our teachers already have started getting us ready for them.

What other news have you got? Let's run down the list:

  Hofstra (Applied EA, accepted, scholarship granted) 

  Fordham (Applied EA, wait list)

  Adelphi (accepted!) 

  Marymount Manhattan College (accepted!) 

  SUNY Purchase (accepted!) 

  SUNY Stony Brook (accepted!)  

  Boston University (applied regular)  

  Northeastern (applied regular) 

  NYU (applied regular) 

  Rutgers (applied regular) 

Any updates?

The only update is that I was rejected from Northeastern last week.  It was not one of my top schools, so the decision had no effect on me. 

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.