Funny Guy Friday... 98% is not so bad...

     Funny Guy Friday is written each week by my husband Mark. So, I married a funny guy...
     It can be exhausting... but equally rewarding.
     The college search and selection can be an overwhelming experience for our children. First, they have to research the various options, take part in the open houses, and take entry exams that are supposed indicators of their knowledge. Then they have to fill out applications that often include essays... and then... and only then... they wait for what seems like years for an answer.
     It was not like that for me when I selected a college.
     I had a few schools that were interested in me because of baseball. I received numerous letters... if you consider six to qualify as numerous... from schools that were recruiting me. The final three choices were the University of Maryland, American University and High Point College in North Carolina.
     Now let me be clear: it was not as if I sat around contemplating which school I wanted to attend. It really came down to Maryland or AU. In fact, I think that the only reason High Point showed any interest at all was because my brother had gone there.
     Here was the big recruiting war: I received the letters; I spoke with the coaches on the phone; and then I went back to playing PONG.
     There was no fanfare involved in my final decision. I received a call from Maryland's head coach asking me if I were going to accept their offer. I told him that I had applied but had not yet been accepted into the school. This was at a time when a monkey with a crayon could have gotten into Maryland. He put me on hold and after about three minutes came back on the phone and said... I just called and you are in. I need to know if you are coming!
     Yes, I guess.
     Great, fall practice starts on August 26th... see you then. Click!
     Come to think about it, he did not even seem really happy about my decision, but I am sure he was on pins and needles, so I couldn't very well leave him dangling in the wind.
     I had not even discussed it with my parents. They weren't home when he called, and he pressured me to tell him right then and there.
     It was not going to be like that for my baby girl.
     No sirree. We were going to do our homework... and we were going to select five or six schools of interest... and we were going to visit the schools that made the first cut... and then we would make an informed selection: the Community College.
     That's right, the Community College.
     I thought that Grace and I had a deal. When she was thirteen, she showed interest in the Community College and asked me where she would live if she went there. Right where you live right now sweet stuff! Free room and board and built-in maid service. 
     I knew I was overplaying the maid service angle, but I did not want her to get any "big college" ideas.
     She had said that sounded great to her, so we pinkie shook on it and we made a deal. Alas, when she reached seventeen, all of the sudden she did not want to stay in her own room... with or without the crummy maid service. I should have made her sign a contract!
     The first school on Grace's list was Mount Saint Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland.  Do you know anything about it, Daddy?
     I know it is cold... real cold... and I know you don't like the cold. By the way, it never gets cold at the Community College.      
     My arguments fell on deaf ears. She wanted to make a campus visit. I told Cheryl to take her up there in January or February, so she could get an idea of just how cold it could get. Cheryl complied with my wishes and scheduled a visit late last January. This was perfect because I figured when she started walking around in sub-zero temperatures, she would come crying back to me... with frozen tears, no less.
     Inexplicably... the day that she visited... in late January... the temperatures were in the mid-sixties.  Grace was giddy... Oh Daddy... I loved it. Everyone walked around in flip flops and sweatshirts and it was beautiful. I love, love, loved it!
     Surely, my girl Cheryl would have brought her down to Earth, pointing out some of "The Mount's" shortcomings. Cheryl's response was not exactly what I was looking for... Oh my Gosh! Tell Dad to just send my stuff up here... I never want to leave this place!
     I told Cheryl, Yeah, I don't mind so much if you leave, but I want to keep Gracie home. 
     Cheryl followed up with... Any school she sees now will pale in comparison!
     Hey Cheryl... why, you're throwing gas on the fire! Rip out my heart and stomp all over it, why don't you!    
     Okay, that disaster (my words, not Gracie's) seemed to pass, so we could move on to school visit number two and, chances are, eliminate that choice.
      Gracie, are you going to visit Towson? Are you going to visit Salisbury? Have you completely ruled out the Community College? 
     Yes, yes, and yes! But Mount Saint Mary's is having an open house in November. Can we all go?
     Grace, we need to keep our options open. You cannot put all of your eggs in one basket! There was a lesson to be learned here, and I wanted her to understand: you cannot count on any one thing... you have to stay prepared.
     I think it was starting to sink in when she said...
     Is that a yes? Will the boys be coming with us? 
     Sure, but promise me you will fill out the applications for the other schools.
     I will!
     She didn't. In fact, this was not an exhaustive search at all. This was a laser-like focus on one school to the exclusion of every other school. This was not what I had in mind for my... er... uh... Grace's college search, and it had disaster written all over it.
     Either she was going to get a rejection letter and Cheryl and I were going to have to console a sobbing daughter, or she was going to get acceptance letter and Cheryl and Grace were going to have to console a sobbing husband/father.
     The November visit to Emmitsburg was my first visit to the campus of Mount Saint Mary's.
     Perhaps the most important thing that I learned all day was that the campus is a 90-minute drive from my house. Much closer than I had thought. The other thing that impressed me was the beauty of the campus. I could see how both Gracie and Cheryl fell in love with the place. Although, struck by its beauty, I must add that it never occurred to me to leave my wife behind and set up shop there.
     After spending the day on campus, I felt much better about the school.
     If Grace were going to go away... and not attend the Community College... I felt that this might be the right place. Still, I encouraged her to have a "plan B."
     Although both her SAT scores and her GPA were above average, the competition is tough and they only accept 500 applicants in the freshman class.
     It is possible that you may not get in. Just so you know, everyone gets into the Community College. 
     On the drive home, I was thinking that I would be very comfortable leaving her at Mount Saint Mary's when/if that day ever came. I also knew that there was no way that Grace was going to even consider anywhere else unless she had to.
     Cheryl and I had many conversations about Gracie's college education, and when I expressed my frustrations and fears about Grace limiting her search, Cheryl always pointed out that God was calling Grace to Mount Saint Mary's for a reason. It is impossible to argue with Cheryl when she invokes the whole God angle, but I also thought, why does God have to irritate me while He is calling her?
     With all of that being said, for the first time, I felt 100% comfortable with the idea that Grace will be going away to college. I was at peace with her sole choice... and happy about the distance. But there was still this little detail that involved her getting accepted. We (and by we, I really mean Cheryl and Grace) decided to take advantage of submitting an early application (no formal essay required). We were advised we would have an answer by Christmas.
     This week, she got her answer and Grace will be attending Mount Saint Mary's College next fall. She opened her letter and read the first sentence and saw she had been accepted and stopped reading.  She put the letter down and began to hug everyone, so I picked up the letter and continued to read.
     There was more good news.
     Grace received the highest academic scholarship possible. Although, truth be told, it would seem that every student gets some form of academic assistance. Mount Saint Mary's appears to be the Joseph A. Banks of colleges... an initial high price tag... but always on sale.
     After all is said and done, I think Grace learned a valuable life lesson: sometimes you can put all of your eggs into one basket, and you don't really need to have a plan B. Hopefully, all of her decisions work out as well as this one.
     We could not be prouder of Grace's persistence and her achievement.
     This Thanksgiving season, we are thankful for so much that God provides and among the most precious gifts He gives is opportunity. As I have tried to tell Cheryl, God has called Grace to The Mount and we are sure that He intends for great things to follow.
     Upon hearing the news of his sister's acceptance, Matthew asked if he could have her room when she leaves for school. Of course, an argument ensued and the two of them came to me to settle it once and for all. The answer was simple... Grace, you can keep your room... but only if... you attend the Community College.
     Okay, maybe I am only 98% comfortable with the idea that Gracie will be going away to college.