Only if your kid got into an Ivy in last 5 yrs. - how'd you do it?

[Anonymous]

Yes, I agree. If your child is not a mutant he or she will require guidance, teaching, mentorship and direction as an infant. And it's no surprise that parents will guide children in the activities they know best (e.g., swimming, science, music, math) and are experienced at...or outsource to camps, tutors and musicians.

Some on the board have likened this to packaging for Ivy. Others not. So what? It's a good thing for the children. I don't care about the motivation.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I agree pp. Children love learning all sorts of things and are sponges at young ages. I don't get why a number of the DCUMers seem to either mock this or resent this. Children are capable of much more than adults think. It's not "Ivy packaging" as some have pegged it...it's just preparation for life.

[Anonymous]

The good thing about DCUM is that no matter how much the haters hate on us (the packagers), we know what we are doing is right for our children.

[Anonymous]

Well I agree with your sentiment pp...but I still don't consider helping children develop as "packaging" but rather preparation for life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My advice

1. Go to an Ivy yourself. It helps if you are brilliant and passionate.

2. Meet and marry another brilliant and passionate person at your (or another) Ivy. Perhaps one whose family is a major donor. And who is either an amazing artist or a star athlete.

3. Go to a different Ivy for grad school.

4. Have a brilliant and passionate child with your brilliant and passionate spouse.

5. Encourage said child to find her passion, work hard, and do things well. Let DC watch you and your spouse follow that advice. And send your child to a school that shares those values.

6. Genes, environment, legacy points up the wazoo, that's your best shot.

A friend noted that her mistake in the college admissions process for her child was not spreading her own schooling around. Should have known not to attend the same school for undergrad and grad school. The alternative is to marry an Alaskan native or whatever that first category is on the standard diversity listing. And of course produce perfect offspring.

[Anonymous]

I think packaging what's organic is great. If it comes from the child, more power to you in the application process. If it's imposed on the child, it doesn't feel pure. The passion component is critical.

[Anonymous]

Yes -- agree pp. If parents would just shut off the tvs, stop buying some many computer games for kids, have dinner together, and expose their kids to a number of different things -- the kids will find their passions on their own. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I'm 12:01 and that was my approach! Very limited TV and NO FACEBOOK and the computer is in a main room and he does not IM or chat whilst doing homework in fact rarely at all. Also we hit the library every few weeks to stack up on independent reading. I read to my son when he was four weeks and he plays select soccer (that is one of his two passions, it chose him) and he has another major passion that we help him cultivate. Will he go to an Ivy? I really don't think so. He's not an overachiever. He makes the Honor Roll but he is not gunning for the 99th percentile track. And guess what? I DO NOT CARE. There are 20 or more colleges I could see DC at. I'm sure he will get into a decent one! I want him to enjoy his high school years. (He enters ninth grade next year.)

[Anonymous]

Agreed then -- limit tv and computer time. Some people think it takes a fancy strategy to do well -- it doesn't not. It's really quite simple -- the work however -- is not.

[Anonymous]

Yup. I had no TV and the kids get no TV during the school week. Only TV and radio in our house is in the cold basement. No TV in the master bedroom. Computer time is strictly controlled. We have sit down meals in my household. This is the dictum from the dictator. When the kids are independent they'll have the where with all to do as they please. Thus, if their passion is TV, video games and Wii, it is curtailed in my home. We nip this passion right in the bud! We all like that since the kids, in the meantime, have developed other passions like reading, sports, music, arts, languages and math. These are passions we prefer to cultivate. Sorry to disappoint you all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 12:01 and that was my approach! Very limited TV and NO FACEBOOK and the computer is in a main room and he does not IM or chat whilst doing homework in fact rarely at all. Also we hit the library every few weeks to stack up on independent reading. I read to my son when he was four weeks and he plays select soccer (that is one of his two passions, it chose him) and he has another major passion that we help him cultivate. Will he go to an Ivy? I really don't think so. He's not an overachiever. He makes the Honor Roll but he is not gunning for the 99th percentile track. And guess what? I DO NOT CARE. There are 20 or more colleges I could see DC at. I'm sure he will get into a decent one! I want him to enjoy his high school years. (He enters ninth grade next year.)

College professor, here, and I like this attitude. I think that the children who are HAPPIEST at college (socially, academically, and personally) are the ones who are at the school that best meets their interests and needs. Ivies are great for some (and each Ivy is different), but not for most. After all, isn't what we want for our children that they be happy and flourishing human beings?

[Anonymous]

It's great to preach -- but start another thread. That was not the OP's question.

[Anonymous]

It's great to preach -- but start another thread. That was not the OP's question.

Another poster: What is this? If you have nothing to say or add silence yourself.

[Anonymous]

Et tu Brutes pp!

[Anonymous]

Va te faire foutre!