"Let's face it. Everyone here wants the Ivies for their kids" . . . Is this true

[Anonymous]

Dear Holier than Thou Above,

A lot of people in DC would like for their kids to go to the best colleges they can get into. What's wrong with that. If you want your kid going to MK -- it's your choice. But, some of us would honestly like for our kids to go someplace better than we may have. Or, for people who did go to someplace great -- maybe they'd just like for their kids to enjoy similar great experiences.

Isn't that the whole point, though? Your child can still go to the best college for them, someplace great and have a "similar great experience," and not go to an Ivy League school. I went to a state school because of money, and I LOVED it. It was still very special, and very great.

A good student has LOTS of options for special, great college experiences. The choices are much wider than the Ivies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear Holier than Thou Above,

A lot of people in DC would like for their kids to go to the best colleges they can get into. What's wrong with that. If you want your kid going to MK -- it's your choice. But, some of us would honestly like for our kids to go someplace better than we may have. Or, for people who did go to someplace great -- maybe they'd just like for their kids to enjoy similar great experiences.

Holier than Thou, here, as you put it.

YOUR experience may not be your child's experience. Ivey doesn't necessarily mean better, if it's not meeting your child's long term goals. Try to see past the name of the school.

[Anonymous]

I don't. So it's not true. It only takes one!

[Anonymous]

Why not let the child decide where he/she wants to go to school? Provide a budget parameter of what the family can afford and let the child pursue his/her own future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not let the child decide where he/she wants to go to school? Provide a budget parameter of what the family can afford and let the child pursue his/her own future.

Because kids sometimes make stupid decisions and this one is costly enough (on a number of levels) for parents to insist on retaining veto power. I had a niece that went to Northeastern because she wanted to be in Boston and to go out a lot. Would I have subsidized that? Hell no. She had a state school alternative that was much cheaper and vastly superior from an educational standpoint.

It's not just a matter of budget parameters but a question of what you're getting for the money. I'll happily pay for a great private school (with great defined in relationship to the DC's academic interests/abilities and career goals -- it's not a generic preference for certain name-brand schools). But not for a mediocre one when there's a better public option.

[Anonymous]

I went to Havard, but wanted to go to Tufts. Hated Harvard. I dont want that for my child.

[Anonymous]

Why did you want to go to Tufts?

[Anonymous]

If you are into hard sciences and engineering, the Ivies are not always the best.

[Anonymous]

Tufts over Harvard? Yikes.

[Anonymous]

Tufts is really great for some majors and is hard to get into now

[Anonymous]

That's why I asked why. There can be good reasons to prefer Tufts and not-so-good reasons. If my DC could make a compelling argument for a counter-intuitive choice, I'd let her make it. But I'm not going to provide a six figure subsidy for her to do something stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would love for my children to have the CHOICE of attending an Ivy League school. Sure, they may decide another school is a better fit or has a stronger department in some area of interest, but come on - who doesn't want to get into Harvard or Standard and have the option of attending one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

What's the point of your child going to Harvard if YOU are the only one benefiting from it? Sure you can say, "MY CHILD goes to __________", but what's in it for your child? Parents like this kill me...All just for the pretige. Stop living through your kids.

And why are you intentionally mis-reading her post? She even capitalized the word CHOICE to make it clear that she wants it to be her children's choice.

[Anonymous]

I am a bad mother. I just want my kids out of the house

That is all

[Anonymous]

Why did you have them? I don't even think it's funny to joke about something like that.

[Anonymous]

To answer the original question: No, it's not true. I do not see my child at an Ivy.