X is for eXciting, eXhilarating, eXperience

It’s time, ok it’s way past time, for another Blogging Through the Alphabet Post.  Last night our family, especially 17 year old BooBear eXperienced an eXciting and eXhilarating moment.  Just before dinner the phone rang.  The caller id surprised me.  Was it spam?  Was it a prank?  Why would *they* be calling and why at this time of night?

Who was it?  My daughter’s first choice for college.  But before I share more let me back up a few months or longer.  When BooBear entered high school as a freshman she wasn’t really planning on attending college.  At least not a formal brick and mortar building with regular classes.  Somewhere around the end 10th grade she decided that maybe, just maybe she would like to go off to a university.

She knew she wanted to study music.  The playing and practicing of the piano consumes much of her time.  The instrument owns her heart and she wants to share that love with others. 

She began to research colleges, universities and schools of music.  She needed to explore what kind of degree she wanted.  She wants to teach music but not as a school teacher but instead have a private studio where she can share her love of music.

She also knew she needed to take a serious look at her high school plan and think about taking the big bad scary SAT.  She began to study and prepare for the SAT using College Prep Genius’s SAT PREP program that we reviewed for the crew awhile back.  She took the test the first time at the end of her junior year.  She took it a second time in the fall of her senior year. She narrowed down her choices and filled out a college application or two. 

We thought we had all of our ducks in a row.  Transcript ~ Check,  SAT scores ~ Check,  Academic Recommendation ~ Check,  Senior Course of Study plans ~ Check.  

We studied the entrance requirements for her first choice college.  We re-worked her senior classes to include some suggested electives and I cleaned up subject/course titles to more accurately match the format of the university.

But we hit a glitch. We waited and waited for *some* word.   Nothing.  No fat letter of acceptance.  No skinny letter of rejection.  She applied for and auditioned for music scholarship.  We knew they had to have the application for admission because otherwise she would not have been given an audition slot but the audition came and went and no word.

Taking responsibility for herself she contacted the admission office.  They were waiting for the SAT scores.  Oh dear.  Those were *supposed* to be sent automatically by the College Board right after the tests were taken.

BooBear paid the fee and had the SAT scores resent to the school.  The admissions office sent her an email stating that they had received the scores and we would have an answer within a month.  A MONTH!  30 more days of waiting!!!???!!!

In the meantime we had started using College Common Sense (read my review here.) and had completed the FAFSA and with the hope of college still on the table she began searching for private scholarship opportunities.  She’s working some with March deadlines.  Living in a holding pattern.  Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

So back to last night.  The phone call.  Remember we have NOT heard a word from the college.  No fat letter.  No skinny letter.  My daughter answered the phone.  I wish I had taken pictures of her face.  You see, it was the Dean of Admissions calling to tell her that they had reviewed her application and they were pleased to tell her that she has been accepted and based on her “good grades and test scores” has been awarded a scholarship.  The details will be in the fat letter that should be on its way to us.

The scholarship is an academic one, a merit award.  We’re thrilled.  We are eXcited.  What an incredible eXhilarating eXperience for a senior in high school to get a phone call saying “yes we want you and yes we’re going to give you some money towards attending.”  She’ll still need more financial aid but wow.  She earned an academic scholarship.  I feel like I’ve been completely validated as a home education parent/teacher.  I think I might just have done something right.