Williams ED Decisions went out yesterday

I remember that day, three years ago.

I was in the middle of my giant epidemiological research project, and asked to drive home in the middle of the day to get some papers I had forgotten. While the decisions were in the back of my mind, I wasn't really expecting them until the next day, but I was a little pleased to have the papers as an excuse.

I drove up my driveway, then walked back down to the mailbox. There was a 8.5x11 sized large envelope, and as I reached for it, I was quite worried. I had bookmarked the UGA Foundation Fellows website right AFTER the page that stated I had to send in regular UGA application materials, with the result that I applied for the program without asking for admission to UGA. Oops. I had already been accepted to Tech, but I knew that a small liberal arts college was my best bet.

Yet Cornell had been too depressing, Davidson too accommodating, Swarthmore too self-important, Wesleyan too quirky, Princeton too snooty and uncaring about those without privilege, Hamilton too weak in every area not food related, and Amherst too mean. Williams was the only LAC that I had visited and still liked, and while I was ready to apply to Middlebury, Bowdoin, Colby, and others, I hadn't gotten very far on the applications. I had faith that my recs, Georgian background, and religious activities would provide a hook for admission. Now knowing quite a bit more about the admissions process, I realize that I was being foolish, but at the time, I had a bit of a "Williams or bust" mentality.

I opened the envelope. Out of respect to everyone who will be getting this particular piece of mail, and in the hope that they will share my experience, I won't say what the thing said, but I can say that my first thought upon reading it was not "Yay, I got in!," but rather: "My college is so fly."

I called my parents, went back to school and told a semi-friend that my decision had come; she went home and got her acceptance to MICA the same day. I don't remember much more, but Williams's approval certainly made my January much easier on the nerves as I finished my research project. I also had a wonderful spring semester, which might be the main reason why I remember high school so fondly.