Let naive family waste $1000 on apps to elite colleges or set them straight before flying out?

[Anonymous]

Not helpful at this point and likely to piss the parents off and hurt the kid. So don't do it.

If she hasn't applied to safeties and you know of schools they can afford that have late deadlines and/or non-demanding applications and are good fits, then it might be worth pointing them out (in a "hey, it's like winning the lottery to get into those schools these days, but did you know X has a great program in Y and its admissions process is a lot more predictable" kind of way).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have a high school senior with a strong GPA but completely mediocre SAT (not a national merit semifinalist) and no hooks. Nothing interesting about her at all. They think she's going to get into Harvard because she has almost all A's at her mediocre school. They're so clueless but I didn't want to be the pessimistic in-law from the big city.

I would keep my mouth shut and let them see for themselves how that strategy works out.

[Anonymous]

[flash]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harvard looks for geographic diversity. She might be a stronger candidate than you think. Regardless, MYOB.

lets call this for what it is.

geographic affirmative action.

and it needs to go away.

Oh, boo hoo. So sorry your kid doesn't qualify. The school gets to choose the kind of student body it wants to have. That includes kids from everywhere. Too bad for your snowflake.

[Anonymous]

In March and April they'll be blaming blacks and Spanish kids for taking her spot. Watch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sound like an ass OP. MYOB

+1

[Anonymous]

I wasn't a NM finalist (or even a semifinalist) and I got into Harvard. And graduated summa and went on to an ivy law school and again graduated summa. I remember a neighbor telling my dad he was wasting money letting me apply to Harvard. ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a son with mostly As and a few Bs. His SAT scores were good, but not spectacular.
He played football all 4 years and did no other extracurriculars.
I can't tell you how many people in the past six months, when talking to him about college, told him how "uninteresting" he was.
It's an incredibly hurtful thing to say to a teen. And mean. Cruel.
Mind your business. The kid will find his way like every other kid, without your "help".

Yeah, people are awful. My son is overwhelmed by all the outside talking that he's shut down and won't have the actual conversations we need to have with him (i.e. lets plan a college trip for spring break). He played a different sport, but is otherwise similar to your son, who I'm sure is a great kid. My kid isn't a loner, but he isn't a joiner, either, and found clubs uninteresting.

I wish him lots of luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wasn't a NM finalist (or even a semifinalist) and I got into Harvard. And graduated summa and went on to an ivy law school and again graduated summa. I remember a neighbor telling my dad he was wasting money letting me apply to Harvard. ?

Prick! My guidance counselor told me I was arrogant and full of myself to think I would get into an ivy league school. Like you, I graduated from one and went on to more elite schooling.

[Anonymous]

You sound like a special kind of asshole, OP. You just think you're best person on the planet, don't you? It's absolutely not your business and you know it.

[Anonymous]

How much of a hardship do you think $100 is to the family. If it's a big deal to them I think mentioning how hard it is to get in like one of PP suggested is a good idea. Or maybe a story about a "friend's" kid with silimar stats and how disappointed that family was.

Oh and I don't think having realistic expectations about how competive the process is puts the girl down.

[Anonymous]

I worked admissions as well. They don't want your opinion or they would have asked for it. It is hard being in the field and knowing the realities but we need to know when to step back. There is no harm in her applying. And they sound savvy enough to figure out a safety if needed.

[Anonymous]

Presumably this child has a college counselor at school and he/she is being blunt with them. But sometimes even they get steamrolled by pushy parents and then you just have to let the chips fall where they may.

I err on the side of saying nothing except "Good luck!" But if you feel you must engage, may inquire what her counselors are suggesting, what kinds of prep work she's been doing, etc. Truly though, it sounds like there is nothing that will change their minds so just let it play out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wasn't a NM finalist (or even a semifinalist) and I got into Harvard. And graduated summa and went on to an ivy law school and again graduated summa. I remember a neighbor telling my dad he was wasting money letting me apply to Harvard. ?

Prick! My guidance counselor told me I was arrogant and full of myself to think I would get into an ivy league school. Like you, I graduated from one and went on to more elite schooling.

Where was this? Did you go back to the counselor and hear his reaction to your admission?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wasn't a NM finalist (or even a semifinalist) and I got into Harvard. And graduated summa and went on to an ivy law school and again graduated summa. I remember a neighbor telling my dad he was wasting money letting me apply to Harvard. ?

How old are you?

[Anonymous]

OP sounds like that one asshole in every family everyone knows about but no-one wants to confront. I hope you find peace in your older years OP. I'm sure there were people that thought there was nothing interesting about you as well when you were growing up.