Ever disappointed when you look at lists of where kids are going to college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm hoping that within the original post is a carefully crafted, embedded dig at a particular person and/or school because otherwise this is just sad, WTF stuff.

Why is it WTF to point out that a college list isn't impressive?

Because it took OP 8 paragraphs and 512 irrelevant details to say what you said in just one sentence.

Oh please if OP hadn't put in the caveats about finances and about how an Ivy degree isn't the be all/end all -- you'd be jumping down her throat saying "the only reason those kids are going to Millersville is because they can't afford UPenn you're so classist."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now I realize that an education is an education and that if you eventually want to go to med school, there is probably no difference in going to the College of NJ or Harvard for your bio undergrad studies (in terms of what you learn), but like many I am an admitted prestige-whore with 2 ivy degrees.

Just checked out a list of where the class of 2014 from my old public high school is going and while it's fine, it's not anything worth celebrating. Of 500 graduating seniors, a handful are going to "top" (per USNews and the major rankings scales) schools -- 5-6 going to Penn; 1 to Gtown; 1 to Stanford; 1 to Dartmouth. The rest -- the list consists of the College of NJ, Rutgers, Mulhenberg, Millersville, Temple, Drexel, Penn State etc.

Before I get flamed for picking on people because of money -- this is a public HS in a wealthy part of NJ where kids routinely drive 50k vehicles to school; and those who are going to the PA state schools and to private schools like Drexel are paying quite of bit of money still because they are either going out of state or private. Sure some of the kids staying in NJ may be giving up better schools elsewhere for a full ride at Rutgers but lots of them are still spending 40-50k+ on mediocre schools.

Is about 2% of the class at the top schools "normal" -- it could be the top 10 that are going to the above listed schools? Given the acceptance rates, it probably is but why isn't there a greater emphasis to get top grades in high school and get into the highest rank school that you can get into and financially afford? That name/degree sticks with you for life and while I realize it isn't make or break -- there is something about saying that you're an MIT grad that has a credibility for life that you just don't get if you say you're a Millersville grad.

Twice as many kids going to college, and the number of slots at the top schools hasn't gone up appreciably.

[Anonymous]

Twice as many kids going to college, and the number of slots at the top schools hasn't gone up appreciably.

This. Schools that were not that selective when we were kids have moved way up the list today. I was surprised at how much things had changed when my first started the college application process.

[Anonymous]

OP - I'm guessing you do not have kids who are trying to get into college right now. If you did then you would know that times have changed! With the ease of the Common App and other applications with online access the number of applications schools receive is incredibly high. Therefore, the competition to get into ALL schools has risen. Trust me - I just went through the process with my oldest and am dreading it with my younger ones. My kid had a great resume all around, but wasn't accepted at many schools that would have been dream schools. Wait listed at some and rejected at others. Luckily, got accepted to some and was able to make a choice. Has chosen a school in the NE which I'm sure you would look down upon, though. It's not an Ivy….


Also, I totally disagree with the PP who indicated that parents are not pushing their kids to do well in school and not pushing them to push for better higher education. I don't know where your exposure to kids is, but it doesn't match where I see kids. Not only at my own kids' school, but also with nieces, nephews and friend's kids around the country. The expectations for kids in high school is a lot higher now than when I was in school and the expectations that they try for top schools is just as high.

So, OP, I would try to educate yourself about the pressures that kids are experiencing these days. It's not so easy to get into schools now as it was when you were applying. Also, schools change over the years. The schools you and I would have dismissed many years ago are now considered great schools.

[Anonymous]

I think OP was tipsy when posting. No way this is a sober post.

[Anonymous]

My family, on multiple occasions, has chosen free (merit scholarships) state educations over ivy/duke because the cost benefit analysis of an engineering degree/accounting/eduction, don't seem to make sense. It's nice to get accepted though.

Are you really going to pay for ivy to be a teacher/nurse/pt?

The accountants/engineers/lawyers do just fine with their non ivy degrees/free education. Do you really need to make more than $400k/ yr.

Also, we have many restaurant owners/chefs in the family.

No desires to be politician/lobbiest (except we do have 1 politician in the family).

[Anonymous]

I think that OP could have phrased her post differently. When I look at the college lists, it hits home for me just how much things have changed and how hard it is now for kids to get into schools. I try to keep telling my kids (in middle school) that there is a college for everyone. And yes, I can't believe that their peers talk about college at this age!

[Anonymous]

OP, when you applied to college I'm going to guess that you had an SAT score over 1400 and a GPA of 4.0 or better (if weighted). Would it surprise you to know that plenty of kids in my son's enior HS class have these credentials and didn't get into a single Ivy-level college? Times have changed.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, OP, but you need to get a life. I know you only want the best for other people but have you considered that maybe you're not the best judge of what that is?

[Anonymous]

I am a little surprised at how many folks choose State U, or expensive we accept everyone private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, when you applied to college I'm going to guess that you had an SAT score over 1400 and a GPA of 4.0 or better (if weighted). Would it surprise you to know that plenty of kids in my son's enior HS class have these credentials and didn't get into a single Ivy-level college? Times have changed.

This was me - Ivy undergrad & grad. Now I interview applicants and it's amazing how many highly-qualified students don't get in. My children are still in elementary school, but I'm already trying to adjust my expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My family, on multiple occasions, has chosen free (merit scholarships) state educations over ivy/duke because the cost benefit analysis of an engineering degree/accounting/eduction, don't seem to make sense. It's nice to get accepted though.

Are you really going to pay for ivy to be a teacher/nurse/pt?

The accountants/engineers/lawyers do just fine with their non ivy degrees/free education. Do you really need to make more than $400k/ yr.

Also, we have many restaurant owners/chefs in the family.

No desires to be politician/lobbiest (except we do have 1 politician in the family).

Fascinating. And anyone would be interested in this drivel about your family because...

[Anonymous]

OP, believe it or not, a lot of the schools you list churn out some very high performing graduates. Not everyone at an Ivy is going to be a Supreme Court Justice, head of a Fortune 500, white shoe lawyer, or CEO of Goldman Sachs. Life does not work that way.

[Anonymous]

OP, I graduated from a top high school back in 2004. The reality is that when over 50% of your class applies to an Ivy League, 50% isn't going to get in even if they have the scores. I did end up getting in to 1 out of the 3 I applied to, but ended up going to a non ivy school because the program I wanted was structured better there.

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure if disappointment is the right word, but I know that I was not alone in being “shocked” as the matriculation at my DC’s Big 3 private school became evident to me (after more than 7 years at the school). Though the school doesn’t publish a matriculation list (and certainly doesn’t make any promises), I’d been led to believe that most of students matriculated to Ivy caliber colleges. It’s now clear to me that a majority are not even matriculating to Top 25 schools. We’ve adjusted to this reality and have calibrated expectations accordingly, but it was a shock at the time. My advice to anyone who considers matriculation lists important is don’t trust anecdotal “word of the street” information – most of it is wrong.