Which of the T20 schools have the least driven, intense, goal-oriented students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the problem stems from the fact that top schools don’t really have “different” kids anymore, in the sense that to get in all of these non-hooked kids have long since become conformist and uniform in their supposed “exceptionality”: they forewent sleep throughout high school, spent all of their time on hoop-jumping activities and accomplishments, are overwhelmingly Type-A, and have long since developed sharp elbows to secure “leadership” positions in clubs or anything else they are continuously plotting to be involved in. Put them all together in a college, and it sounds like the pits of Dante’s Inferno to me.

Huh? Do you base this on anything tangible? At the ones my kid toured and the one she chose, it seems the exact opposite. They have an array of kids who really excel in different areas and are deep thinkers. Sure, not everyone, there may be a some Chets knocking around (sorry kids named Chet). Mine is meeting some really interesting people. She does invest in her classes and her art and is social but not into party culture and likes it that way. The students largely seem interested in their academic experience, not elbowing ahead or one more accolade.

But, every school is different, and some do have a more competitive culture. Still, nothing seems to suggest conformist or uniform or hoop jumping.

This just sounds kind of like sour grapes really.

NP here but it’d help those of us following (and making our own assessment) if you said where she’s at school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the problem stems from the fact that top schools don’t really have “different” kids anymore, in the sense that to get in all of these non-hooked kids have long since become conformist and uniform in their supposed “exceptionality”: they forewent sleep throughout high school, spent all of their time on hoop-jumping activities and accomplishments, are overwhelmingly Type-A, and have long since developed sharp elbows to secure “leadership” positions in clubs or anything else they are continuously plotting to be involved in. Put them all together in a college, and it sounds like the pits of Dante’s Inferno to me.

Huh? Do you base this on anything tangible? At the ones my kid toured and the one she chose, it seems the exact opposite. They have an array of kids who really excel in different areas and are deep thinkers. Sure, not everyone, there may be a some Chets knocking around (sorry kids named Chet). Mine is meeting some really interesting people. She does invest in her classes and her art and is social but not into party culture and likes it that way. The students largely seem interested in their academic experience, not elbowing ahead or one more accolade.

But, every school is different, and some do have a more competitive culture. Still, nothing seems to suggest conformist or uniform or hoop jumping.

This just sounds kind of like sour grapes really.

NP here but it’d help those of us following (and making our own assessment) if you said where she’s at school

+1

Non-disclosure causes me to wonder whether or not OP is interested in receiving constructive advice. This thread is akin to going to a doctor and complaining about discomfort in one of the top 15 body parts without further specifics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the problem stems from the fact that top schools don’t really have “different” kids anymore, in the sense that to get in all of these non-hooked kids have long since become conformist and uniform in their supposed “exceptionality”: they forewent sleep throughout high school, spent all of their time on hoop-jumping activities and accomplishments, are overwhelmingly Type-A, and have long since developed sharp elbows to secure “leadership” positions in clubs or anything else they are continuously plotting to be involved in. Put them all together in a college, and it sounds like the pits of Dante’s Inferno to me.

Huh? Do you base this on anything tangible? At the ones my kid toured and the one she chose, it seems the exact opposite. They have an array of kids who really excel in different areas and are deep thinkers. Sure, not everyone, there may be a some Chets knocking around (sorry kids named Chet). Mine is meeting some really interesting people. She does invest in her classes and her art and is social but not into party culture and likes it that way. The students largely seem interested in their academic experience, not elbowing ahead or one more accolade.

But, every school is different, and some do have a more competitive culture. Still, nothing seems to suggest conformist or uniform or hoop jumping.

This just sounds kind of like sour grapes really.

NP here but it’d help those of us following (and making our own assessment) if you said where she’s at school

Ok but most t20s have several thousand students enrolled and they are not a monolith obviously. If some are arrogant, overly competitive jacks, others are more humble or interesting or kind.

The high level stem oriented schools like MIT or Caltech and stem classes in general are going to be quite intense academically with p sets requiring a lot of time every week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Washington & Lee, UCLA, USC, UVA, Vanderbilt come to mind

UVA is not top 20 school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington & Lee, UCLA, USC, UVA, Vanderbilt come to mind

UVA is not top 20 school.

It’s top 25 and no 3 in the nation for public universities

[Anonymous]

Can this thread please not be polluted with this tiresome ranking squabbling? It's dull as dishwater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington & Lee, UCLA, USC, UVA, Vanderbilt come to mind

UVA is not top 20 school.

It’s top 25 and no 3 in the nation for public universities

Again, it's not top 20 school and no. 5 public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington & Lee, UCLA, USC, UVA, Vanderbilt come to mind

UVA is not top 20 school.

It’s top 25 and no 3 in the nation for public universities

Again, it's not top 20 school and no. 5 public school.

No, it’s no 3 on USNWR. Why the bashing?

[Anonymous]

Not top 20 but would Reed be a good choice ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the problem stems from the fact that top schools don’t really have “different” kids anymore, in the sense that to get in all of these non-hooked kids have long since become conformist and uniform in their supposed “exceptionality”: they forewent sleep throughout high school, spent all of their time on hoop-jumping activities and accomplishments, are overwhelmingly Type-A, and have long since developed sharp elbows to secure “leadership” positions in clubs or anything else they are continuously plotting to be involved in. Put them all together in a college, and it sounds like the pits of Dante’s Inferno to me.

Huh? Do you base this on anything tangible? At the ones my kid toured and the one she chose, it seems the exact opposite. They have an array of kids who really excel in different areas and are deep thinkers. Sure, not everyone, there may be a some Chets knocking around (sorry kids named Chet). Mine is meeting some really interesting people. She does invest in her classes and her art and is social but not into party culture and likes it that way. The students largely seem interested in their academic experience, not elbowing ahead or one more accolade.

But, every school is different, and some do have a more competitive culture. Still, nothing seems to suggest conformist or uniform or hoop jumping.

This just sounds kind of like sour grapes really.

NP here but it’d help those of us following (and making our own assessment) if you said where she’s at school

+1

Non-disclosure causes me to wonder whether or not OP is interested in receiving constructive advice. This thread is akin to going to a doctor and complaining about discomfort in one of the top 15 body parts without further specifics.

BS. Unless you're new here, no matter the disclosure there's always someone here who wants more info that necessary: the game is find a way to attack each OP in the most personal way possible. OP may be overly cautious, but it's justified, certainly not evidence of a troll.

OP, if as you report, too many students at elite schools today are Tracy Flicks, we can extrapolate something about parents anxious to get their kid into elite schools hanging on anonymous message boards. The twelve pages of comments bare that out.

[Anonymous]

OP, I’m fairly certain that your kid is at Columbia (my DD recently graduated from there). It’s a pretty miserable experience, and the highly driven, competitive, pressure cooker, Type A, achievement-oriented, Tracy Flick-esque nature of the school makes it an awful four years.

I really regret not allowing my DD to transfer. Please, OP, let your kid leave Columbia. It is no way to spend four years of college.

[Anonymous]

They all will have goal driven students. What you want are people who are collaborative and not cutthroat. I'd read the reviews on Princeton Review. Schools like Brown, Vanderbilt, and Rice might fit the bill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m fairly certain that your kid is at Columbia (my DD recently graduated from there). It’s a pretty miserable experience, and the highly driven, competitive, pressure cooker, Type A, achievement-oriented, Tracy Flick-esque nature of the school makes it an awful four years.

I really regret not allowing my DD to transfer. Please, OP, let your kid leave Columbia. It is no way to spend four years of college.

You are saying that your child is the sole student that was not type A? That is ridiculous. All these elite colleges have agressive type As well represented.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I’m fairly certain that your kid is at Columbia (my DD recently graduated from there). It’s a pretty miserable experience, and the highly driven, competitive, pressure cooker, Type A, achievement-oriented, Tracy Flick-esque nature of the school makes it an awful four years.

I really regret not allowing my DD to transfer. Please, OP, let your kid leave Columbia. It is no way to spend four years of college.

You are saying that your child is the sole student that was not type A? That is ridiculous. All these elite colleges have agressive type As well represented.

And the more relaxed students exist at all of them but obviously would be more rare. These schools are looking to admit driven over achievers.

[Anonymous]

If a relaxed, non competitive vibe is really important...I don't think T20 is the place to look.