I want to hear from parents whose kids chose rigorous, pressure cooker schools

[Anonymous]

If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

At least they find a job. (Or hopefully)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

I went to Hopkins recently and enjoyed it. If you are outgoing, you will do well. If you are too introverted however, it will be harder to make friends. Opposites attract if you will. Hopkins also has grade inflation now. Ended up at MIT for Ph.D. after good grades at Hopkins.

[Anonymous]

These discussions are exhausting. Parent remarks after going on a campus tour: “ The students looked stressed and unhappy.” Meanwhile, they are walking to class. LOL. Keep in mind that some of these tour guides exaggerate their life. Worst tour I ever encountered with my 2 kids was at Princeton. That kid was a pompous a hole who thought he was funny. Instead, why don’t look into the statistics (graduation and transfer rates). My DS graduated from one of the schools you mentioned. Despite the accounts, he did well and has a full career.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

My kid is at this type of school, and is happy because they don’t find it stressful, or too serious. Instead they are finding that there are lots of opportunities to do cutting edge things, so they are excited to be there and try everything out. They also have made many friends, so that makes it fun.

[Anonymous]

After going to a pressure cooker high school, college seemed easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

I went to Hopkins recently and enjoyed it. If you are outgoing, you will do well. If you are too introverted however, it will be harder to make friends. Opposites attract if you will. Hopkins also has grade inflation now. Ended up at MIT for Ph.D. after good grades at Hopkins.

If you went to MIT for your Ph.D., how could your undergrad experience have been recent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These discussions are exhausting. Parent remarks after going on a campus tour: “ The students looked stressed and unhappy.” Meanwhile, they are walking to class. LOL. Keep in mind that some of these tour guides exaggerate their life. Worst tour I ever encountered with my 2 kids was at Princeton. That kid was a pompous a hole who thought he was funny. Instead, why don’t look into the statistics (graduation and transfer rates). My DS graduated from one of the schools you mentioned. Despite the accounts, he did well and has a full career.

Wise you didn’t say the school name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

I went to Hopkins recently and enjoyed it. If you are outgoing, you will do well. If you are too introverted however, it will be harder to make friends. Opposites attract if you will. Hopkins also has grade inflation now. Ended up at MIT for Ph.D. after good grades at Hopkins.

If you went to MIT for your Ph.D., how could your undergrad experience have been recent?

There are students pursuing PhD’s at MIT who graduated in June ‘25.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

I went to Hopkins recently and enjoyed it. If you are outgoing, you will do well. If you are too introverted however, it will be harder to make friends. Opposites attract if you will. Hopkins also has grade inflation now. Ended up at MIT for Ph.D. after good grades at Hopkins.

If you went to MIT for your Ph.D., how could your undergrad experience have been recent?

Maybe they are still at mit?

[Anonymous]

DC is in one. Has a small circle of friends. College life sounds boring but not as hard as reputation. Good internships came easy though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

I went to Hopkins recently and enjoyed it. If you are outgoing, you will do well. If you are too introverted however, it will be harder to make friends. Opposites attract if you will. Hopkins also has grade inflation now. Ended up at MIT for Ph.D. after good grades at Hopkins.

If you went to MIT for your Ph.D., how could your undergrad experience have been recent?

Maybe they are still at mit?

Then presumably it was at least 4-11 years ago -

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your DCs are the type who have succeeded at a pressure cooker high school and ended up at a rigorous college (think JHU, CMU, Princeton, Swarthmore, Georgia tech, UIUC), were/are they happy? Did they eventually get burned out? Do you wish they experienced a more balanced campus life and waited until at least grad school to be so serious?

I went to Hopkins recently and enjoyed it. If you are outgoing, you will do well. If you are too introverted however, it will be harder to make friends. Opposites attract if you will. Hopkins also has grade inflation now. Ended up at MIT for Ph.D. after good grades at Hopkins.

If you went to MIT for your Ph.D., how could your undergrad experience have been recent?

Maybe they are still at mit?

Then presumably it was at least 4-11 years ago -

Maybe they graduated from Hopkins last year and are at MIT now.

[Anonymous]

Swarthmore. Not burned out, but I she does wish that the vibe there was a little more social. She's graduating soon and going on to get a PhD.

[Anonymous]

Kid is a freshman at Georgia Tech. Engineering major. Yes, he's extremely happy and loves it there.