“Did you hear anything from anywhere yet?”—This is the most asked and answered question I have come across since mid-March.
Sure, a lot of you out there are getting this same inquiry, or at least that is what I would like to believe–that I am not the only one suffering. For those of us who are transferring, putting the application packet together may be one incredibly painful procedure, but the pain does not end there. Transfer applications have a lot more ways of torture, and among the long list is the wait for admission decisions.
The most annoying and wearing part now is really about two things: Waiting to hear from schools you are dying to get into that don’t come out with admission decisions until June and the art to disclose just the right amount of information to everyone you know (and don’t know) who are suddenly curious about your future. While there really is nothing we can do about the former, all sorts of awkward moments can certainly take place when it comes down to the latter. Here’s one I have had.
Scenario: When you talk to friends who are also transferring.
You have shared all sorts of information with them, from how to write the best personal statement to who to ask for a letter of recommendation to which way you should mail your application. You vented to them when you were fed up with your never-good-enough personal statement. At the time, they were the only ones who understood what you were going through and all your conversations revolved around college transfering. Now that many schools have already sent out admission notifications, you just can’t help but want to know if they got accepted, and that is the trickiest part.
Of course, the ideal case is that he/she is accepted and you congratulate them, leaving your curiosity satisfied. But if he/she hasn’t heard back, you can either sound concerned (if phrased nicely) or borderline nosy. It depends a lot on the personality of the person you ask. Finally, if you are not so lucky and he/she is rejected, be prepared for the awkward dead air and try to switch the topic as quickly as possible. It is one thing when they bring it up themselves and the complete opposite if you are the one venturing that question.
College transfer is irritating in every way and sadly, we have no choice but to deal with it. While the wait for the bulky packet (and not a flimsy letter) is hard, you can always look forward to the three-month summer vacation when you spend two-thirds of the time lying on the couch with all your gadgets, snacks and TV remote within reaching distance. So until that much anticipated offer comes through, happy waiting and may the odds be ever in your favor.