VERY concerned about my kid's obsession with Yale & Princeton

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does her school use scoir or naviance? She needs to recognize there are kids with her stats or higher that were not admitted. How did last year’s class fare with admissions? She should have concrete examples of how kids similar to her are doing in this environment.

That's what I was going to say. My kids' public school got three kids into Princeton this year. Before this, it had been YEARS since even one kid got in. The kids aren't markedly different ... the fortunes smiled on our school this year. Good luck to her!

NP. All the kids who got accepted at P this year from DC school had major legacy hooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does her school use scoir or naviance? She needs to recognize there are kids with her stats or higher that were not admitted. How did last year’s class fare with admissions? She should have concrete examples of how kids similar to her are doing in this environment.

That's what I was going to say. My kids' public school got three kids into Princeton this year. Before this, it had been YEARS since even one kid got in. The kids aren't markedly different ... the fortunes smiled on our school this year. Good luck to her!

NP. All the kids who got accepted at P this year from DC school had major legacy hooks.

+100 (and usually not just legacy but additional hooks)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does her school use scoir or naviance? She needs to recognize there are kids with her stats or higher that were not admitted. How did last year’s class fare with admissions? She should have concrete examples of how kids similar to her are doing in this environment.

That's what I was going to say. My kids' public school got three kids into Princeton this year. Before this, it had been YEARS since even one kid got in. The kids aren't markedly different ... the fortunes smiled on our school this year. Good luck to her!

NP. All the kids who got accepted at P this year from DC school had major legacy hooks.

(I'm +100 above) Same was true for Yale - and Yale acceptances were a fraction of Princeton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I personally did to combat this nonsense, which my kid started in 8th grade, was to say we wouldn’t pay more than $60K/year. Like OP’s kid she has great stats but no hook, and she sees ALDC/FGLI students go to these schools from our school and neighborhood every year, so I figured she needed a hard constraint to stay realistic. So far so good.

The problem is that, for non-rich people, it’s one of the most affordable schools other than a military academy.

[Anonymous]

I’m familiar with the fairy tale-style crushes. Even adults get them once in a while. But eventually u remember it doesn’t matter how much you like Kate Beckinsale (and would make her very very happy).To make it work she has to like you back.

[Anonymous]

Have her tour St.Andrews in October.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does her school use scoir or naviance? She needs to recognize there are kids with her stats or higher that were not admitted. How did last year’s class fare with admissions? She should have concrete examples of how kids similar to her are doing in this environment.

That's what I was going to say. My kids' public school got three kids into Princeton this year. Before this, it had been YEARS since even one kid got in. The kids aren't markedly different ... the fortunes smiled on our school this year. Good luck to her!

NP. All the kids who got accepted at P this year from DC school had major legacy hooks.

(I'm +100 above) Same was true for Yale - and Yale acceptances were a fraction of Princeton.

There is no way anyone on this site has that information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m familiar with the fairy tale-style crushes. Even adults get them once in a while. But eventually u remember it doesn’t matter how much you like Kate Beckinsale (and would make her very very happy).To make it work she has to like you back.

+1 But I would have chosen Scarlett Johansson or Rosario Dawson.

[Anonymous]

Dealing with the same, though different schools. I just pretend DS's goal is akin to toddler wanting to be a dinosaur. Like, it's cute, but that's it. Why court rejection?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would go visit a other school with a gothic like campus. If your kid fell in love with those schools after visits, maybe its the college aesthetic of them thats appealing.
University of Vermont, Vanderbilt, Indiana/bloomington?

Vanderbilt is only marginally “easier” to get into than Yale or Princeton, but Vanderbilt and IU were also going to be my suggestions. I haven’t seen University of Vermont or I may have suggested that too. I like these additions.

Also agree that you don’t have to constantly give your kid a reality check. As a PP said, let Yale or Princeton do that! Just help them build their list.

[Anonymous]

I’ve seen U of Vermont, & it’s not going to make anybody forget about Yale or Princeton. Only places I’ve seen with that I’ve-gone-to-Heaven vibe are Indiana, Notre Dame,Wellesley, Miami of Ohio, & maybe Richmond. Also Northwestern when the trees have leaves & the lake is shimmering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does her school use scoir or naviance? She needs to recognize there are kids with her stats or higher that were not admitted. How did last year’s class fare with admissions? She should have concrete examples of how kids similar to her are doing in this environment.

That's what I was going to say. My kids' public school got three kids into Princeton this year. Before this, it had been YEARS since even one kid got in. The kids aren't markedly different ... the fortunes smiled on our school this year. Good luck to her!

NP. All the kids who got accepted at P this year from DC school had major legacy hooks.

(I'm +100 above) Same was true for Yale - and Yale acceptances were a fraction of Princeton.

Our local public has had more Yale admits than Princeton admits for years. The only Princeton admits, and there have been very few, are recruited athletes or URMs. For an unhooked Asian or White kid, it’s been impossible. Guess they need to be a legacy or go to a tony private instead - but it’s not like there aren’t dozens of other schools that offer just as good an education with far less pretense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take her to Yale in February.
Then visit wake in March

If she loves Yale, I really really doubt she will fall in love with Wake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does her school use scoir or naviance? She needs to recognize there are kids with her stats or higher that were not admitted. How did last year’s class fare with admissions? She should have concrete examples of how kids similar to her are doing in this environment.

That's what I was going to say. My kids' public school got three kids into Princeton this year. Before this, it had been YEARS since even one kid got in. The kids aren't markedly different ... the fortunes smiled on our school this year. Good luck to her!

NP. All the kids who got accepted at P this year from DC school had major legacy hooks.

(I'm +100 above) Same was true for Yale - and Yale acceptances were a fraction of Princeton.

Our local public has had more Yale admits than Princeton admits for years. The only Princeton admits, and there have been very few, are recruited athletes or URMs. For an unhooked Asian or White kid, it’s been impossible. Guess they need to be a legacy or go to a tony private instead - but it’s not like there aren’t dozens of other schools that offer just as good an education with far less pretense.

Funny we just looked this up last night. Yale doesn’t give as much of a legacy bump as some of its peer schools. Much less than Harvard for example. Anecdotally this fits with my experience as a Yale alum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take her to Yale in February.
Then visit wake in March

If she loves Yale, I really really doubt she will fall in love with Wake.

Aren't you sure we aren't talking about you here, mom?
Meet with a strong educational consultant who will break it down for you. Spending more time at the Ivies is just feeding the belief. Odds are slim to none.