As spring approaches, there is no time like now for high school seniors. With the thick of winter upon us, that can only mean one thing: College Admissions Notifications. It concludes the period of taking the  SAT 12 times to maximize your super score, looking at your grades and thinking, “I really wish I took Latin seriously”, wondering exactly how one calculates that 4.5 GPA scale, and wishing that your last five activities spots on the Common App were not totally improvised. Hearing back from your number one school and figuring out where you will be for the next four years brings excitement and intrigue that is uncommon in almost any other aspects of life. The Early Action period is even more exciting; it offers the chance to peg down your school early along with the ability to completely shut down and tune out for the rest of your senior year. (Essentially, an AP teacher’s fantasy for their students) I’ve gotten this far and I haven’t even mentioned the best part of early action. The best part is the notification that could most adequately be compared to a tie in sports, also known as kissing your sister.

Walking to your door and looking for the giant envelope that you know should be there, only to discover an envelope of a usual size with a carefully worded message enclosed that goes something like this: “We are so happy for your interest and this is our biggest applicant pool ever! We loved your application and think that you would do a great job at our school, but your accomplishments don’t quite measure up to our standards. You’re also not a total mess like those thousands of kids who got denied. We would like to string you along for just a little longer with no real indication of your likelihood for admission to our school. And remember this as consolation, our admission process is holistic! Also, we had a record number of applicants this year, if we forget to mention that!” On the other hand, it is almost like college admissions offices are doing us a favor. Any senior’s year would be way too boring without the added excitement of a deferral and the anticipation that comes along with it. It’s like they are just saving the excitement for us so that we don’t get too distracted during the school year. And just remember, one day in the near or maybe distant future, sitting in that SAT II testing room for the third time in three months will finally be worth it, I promise.