THE BYU VS. ...NOWHERE
My senior year at Jordan High School began. My schedule consisted of AP Calculus, not my best subject but it looks great on a college application, CP English, Advanced Art, Cheerleading, Dance Company, accounting, and whatever else was required at the time. The buzz of applying to college and ACT scores dominated conversations. Who got a 35 and who retook it until she got a perfect 36 just to beat her nemesis... and me with my adequate 26.
The time came and we all sent in our applications, letters of recommendations, ecclesiastical endorsements, essays, and hours of service plus extracurricular activities that dominated our time. Tina, Jeani and I planned to be roommates and sent that information in as well. I was going to the BYU, as Doyles do, and never thought another thing about it.
One day a thick envelop arrived from the BYU, excitedly I ripped it open to find out that I had been accepted into HOUSING and would indeed be roommates with Tina and Jeani. Nothing from the BYU admittance office though. As others received acceptance letters from Harvard, Utah State, Notre Dame, even the very same BYU, I still waited...not in a worried way waited, just in my normal "it'll work out" waited.
Weeks passed. Nothing.
Finally a letter came. LATER. WAY LATER. "You have been placed on a waiting list for BYU". Hmm. Not what I expected. So I had housing but not schooling. At this point all application deadlines, for other schools, had passed. For the first time it crossed my mind that I might not actually get into the BYU. Even as I write this, I feel that thick heaviness in my chest - what if?! It was truly inconceivable. It sounds silly, but I was going to BYU and never believed that not going was even a possibility. I made jokes with everyone, "BYU just wants me to live there, I'm that great" and we laughed.
I knelt down and prayed to my Heavenly Father when the doubts started creeping in. I tried to be open to the Spirit and listen to His plan for me...praying it was to go to BYU, but also trying not to be bossy with my prayers. I prayed for months. Yes, months. I didn't find out until MAY! My acceptance letter finally came!!! It said something like "if you start in June (summer term) you may come to our great BYU and continue as a regular student through the fall!" Oh I couldn't contain my JOY!! What a relief, who cares that I had to start a week after graduation, I got IN!!!
This was no small answer. It was a miracle. I believe in miracles.
My senior year at Jordan High School began. My schedule consisted of AP Calculus, not my best subject but it looks great on a college application, CP English, Advanced Art, Cheerleading, Dance Company, accounting, and whatever else was required at the time. The buzz of applying to college and ACT scores dominated conversations. Who got a 35 and who retook it until she got a perfect 36 just to beat her nemesis... and me with my adequate 26.
The time came and we all sent in our applications, letters of recommendations, ecclesiastical endorsements, essays, and hours of service plus extracurricular activities that dominated our time. Tina, Jeani and I planned to be roommates and sent that information in as well. I was going to the BYU, as Doyles do, and never thought another thing about it.
One day a thick envelop arrived from the BYU, excitedly I ripped it open to find out that I had been accepted into HOUSING and would indeed be roommates with Tina and Jeani. Nothing from the BYU admittance office though. As others received acceptance letters from Harvard, Utah State, Notre Dame, even the very same BYU, I still waited...not in a worried way waited, just in my normal "it'll work out" waited.
Weeks passed. Nothing.
Finally a letter came. LATER. WAY LATER. "You have been placed on a waiting list for BYU". Hmm. Not what I expected. So I had housing but not schooling. At this point all application deadlines, for other schools, had passed. For the first time it crossed my mind that I might not actually get into the BYU. Even as I write this, I feel that thick heaviness in my chest - what if?! It was truly inconceivable. It sounds silly, but I was going to BYU and never believed that not going was even a possibility. I made jokes with everyone, "BYU just wants me to live there, I'm that great" and we laughed.
I knelt down and prayed to my Heavenly Father when the doubts started creeping in. I tried to be open to the Spirit and listen to His plan for me...praying it was to go to BYU, but also trying not to be bossy with my prayers. I prayed for months. Yes, months. I didn't find out until MAY! My acceptance letter finally came!!! It said something like "if you start in June (summer term) you may come to our great BYU and continue as a regular student through the fall!" Oh I couldn't contain my JOY!! What a relief, who cares that I had to start a week after graduation, I got IN!!!
This was no small answer. It was a miracle. I believe in miracles.
No comments:
Post a Comment