Getting In, Part Two

We're down to the nuts and bolts now--filling out forms, dotting the proverbial "i's" and crossing the proverbial "t's." While it's far from clear what "the" school will be, the list is made, and has been locked in (as much as anything in life is really locked in). Now we just have to do the work.
 
Or do we? Clearly, the extensive requirements and deadlines force us to stay focused, to put just getting them done above all else. What I am realizing, however, is that even with a "locked" list, even with so much work that it's hard even to process, the evaluation and discussion piece of all of this hasn't gone away. It still matters what the stories and pictures on a website convey about a school. It still matters what vibe the application process transmits. It still matters that the opinions of multiple generations about the "right" college are all worthy of discussion. So, while getting the work done may be the focus, the passion, the choices, and the discussions are still present. The list may be (mostly) locked, but the decisions don't have to be yet. Because as with most of life, "getting in" is a little about doing what is required, but a lot more about figuring out what really makes sense.