a final warning to high school students in the college admissions game

[Anonymous]

I just want to give him a hug. Poor kid.

[Anonymous]

I don’t have time to read the 800 comments on his YouTube video. What sort of things is he referring to when he talks about how awful people are there?

[Anonymous]

This was the same sentiment my good friend had to say about Princeton in 2000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really feel for this young man who seems kind and thoughtful and a little heartbroken. I hope everything gets better for him.

+1

[Anonymous]

My heart aches for him because he’s clearly so sad and unhappy. 😢

AND I admit that I’m curious about the specifics that were missing from the video. What makes Princeton students “bad” for him? He talks about valuing the experience - what exactly has experienced that upset him so deeply?

I’m not doubting or questioning that something caused him to be disappointed and very at Princeton. But I genuinely don’t know what it is. His fellow students being cold or fake? A few classmates? A lot? And how so? Is there something specific about Princeton that caused this? And what did he mean about Brown and maybe Penn being “weird”? Examples of poor student behavior or institutional issues that make things “weird”?

Did anyone learn more by reading the comments? Any insights?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Imagine what it takes to get into Princeton as an unhooked student. Imagine what those kids are like. Then put all those kids together in one school. Let the horror movie begin.

My thoughts too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My heart aches for him because he’s clearly so sad and unhappy. 😢

AND I admit that I’m curious about the specifics that were missing from the video. What makes Princeton students “bad” for him? He talks about valuing the experience - what exactly has experienced that upset him so deeply?

I’m not doubting or questioning that something caused him to be disappointed and very at Princeton. But I genuinely don’t know what it is. His fellow students being cold or fake? A few classmates? A lot? And how so? Is there something specific about Princeton that caused this? And what did he mean about Brown and maybe Penn being “weird”? Examples of poor student behavior or institutional issues that make things “weird”?

Did anyone learn more by reading the comments? Any insights?

Many people in the comments commiserated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Imagine what it takes to get into Princeton as an unhooked student. Imagine what those kids are like. Then put all those kids together in one school. Let the horror movie begin.

I've been saying this for a while...

A group of risk averse, marketable perfectionists, mostly from UMC suburban homes? I know some of you think that's paradise, but I pity you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My heart aches for him because he’s clearly so sad and unhappy. 😢

AND I admit that I’m curious about the specifics that were missing from the video. What makes Princeton students “bad” for him? He talks about valuing the experience - what exactly has experienced that upset him so deeply?

I’m not doubting or questioning that something caused him to be disappointed and very at Princeton. But I genuinely don’t know what it is. His fellow students being cold or fake? A few classmates? A lot? And how so? Is there something specific about Princeton that caused this? And what did he mean about Brown and maybe Penn being “weird”? Examples of poor student behavior or institutional issues that make things “weird”?

Did anyone learn more by reading the comments? Any insights?

Many people in the comments commiserated.

Yes, but some, especially those at Brown, disagreed with his assessment. I really feel for him, but find the vague judgments, especially about other schools, should not be taken as fact. They really undermine his whole confessional, and I worry that the judgments will lead to blowback for him. I worry about his mental health more knowing this is public and so many classmates are seeing it. They are all "bad?" If only he had shared his feelings without the judgments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for this kid, but he is really conflating some personal experience and rumor with an absolute. When he goes on about other schools, it really chips away at the quality of his assessment. How can he know what campuses are like? His claim that Brown is "weird" and "bad" feels loaded and is unsupported. I've had 2 kids at Brown, and it has been mostly collaborative and supportive in its environment. What a strange assertion.

Yes, I feel that he is suffering but he doesn't give me any specifics. My husband and I attended Ivies and my oldest may, despite my personal reservations, but other than his sadness, he isn't convincing. Duke is great and Princeton is terrible?? I would like to understand this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel bad for this kid, but he is really conflating some personal experience and rumor with an absolute. When he goes on about other schools, it really chips away at the quality of his assessment. How can he know what campuses are like? His claim that Brown is "weird" and "bad" feels loaded and is unsupported. I've had 2 kids at Brown, and it has been mostly collaborative and supportive in its environment. What a strange assertion.

Brown is weird. Everyone knows that.

[Anonymous]

My guess is eating club culture at Princeton is pretty toxic, especially if you don’t get into one.

[Anonymous]

BWAHAHAHA!! No thanks. I'll do my own research and make my very own opinion. Save the social media bs.

[Anonymous]

You do know you can transfer - right? I do not feel bad for anyone who just whines and doesn't try to do anything about it.

[Anonymous]

Schools like Princeton aren't for everyone. People struggle in a lot of situations, not just at Princeton, and we need to support and love them.
Parents, students, and high schools all need to stop the arms race that is college admission - it's wasted energy.