Any other Ivy League parents finding this funny?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same here. That said, my blue collar brother's family doesn't have the same quality time we had growing up. The economy has changed and things like job stability, affordable homeownership, and high-quality public schools have been lost in many places.

So true! The cost of being blue collar now is very, very high. We grew up in a marginal neighborhood and there were times when my father was underemployed, but the local schools were fairly good. So much of the safety net has shrunk over the last thirty years. Very distressing.

[Anonymous]

Yes, that's why I said that the development office will never agree. Re whether (and how much) continued preferential treatment for legacies is necessary to fund scholarships is a real question. Prior to the recession, a serious discussion was emerging as to whether the wealthiest colleges should be required to spend more of their endowments on financial aid to preserve their tax-exempt status.

[Anonymous]

I'm curious about where OP's kids applied, and where they got in. Was it the so-called big 3, OP? And how do you explain this, if you're so anti-status?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about where OP's kids applied, and where they got in. Was it the so-called big 3, OP? And how do you explain this, if you're so anti-status?

I'm not the OP, but I must say, you imply that the only reason for applying for admission a "big 3" is status and that OP must be a hypocrite for applying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about where OP's kids applied, and where they got in. Was it the so-called big 3, OP? And how do you explain this, if you're so anti-status?

I'm not the OP, but I must say, you imply that the only reason for applying for admission a "big 3" is status and that OP must be a hypocrite for applying.

No, that's not quite right. We applied to privates for reasons other than status, so I'm well aware of and buy into arguments about the many reasons for private schooling. But OP's post is snarky and rude, and is consistent with somebody who's all about boasting about her own education and accomplishments, i.e. her own status. So I'd just like to hear her reasons from her own big mouth.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the let-us-blase-HYP-folks-huddle-together-publicly-and-bond-by-laughing-at-the-fools-who-don't-realize-what-a-waste-our-educations-have-been tone was really perverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious about where OP's kids applied, and where they got in. Was it the so-called big 3, OP? And how do you explain this, if you're so anti-status?

I'm not the OP, but I must say, you imply that the only reason for applying for admission a "big 3" is status and that OP must be a hypocrite for applying.

No, that's not quite right. We applied to privates for reasons other than status, so I'm well aware of and buy into arguments about the many reasons for private schooling. But OP's post is snarky and rude, and is consistent with somebody who's all about boasting about her own education and accomplishments, i.e. her own status. So I'd just like to hear her reasons from her own big mouth.

Hi. 12:11 here. I agree with you that there are non-status reasons for private school (my DC attends a private) and that OP's post was obnoxious in tone and content. I bet she'll say it was not for status she had her DC apply.

[Anonymous]

I'd like to know what Ivy the OP attended. Really tacky to refer to oneself as an "Ivy League parent." I went to Harvard College, but I would never call myself or others by that term.

[Anonymous]

I'd think "Ivy League parent" would be the parent of a kid who went to an Ivy rather than an Ivy graduate that had kids.

And Harvard alumns never refer to themselves as Ivy-leaguers for fear of being mistaken for Dartmouth grads. (Just kidding!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I admit, I partook in this yearly Washington game of, "what school can my child get into?" We did well, but I'm appalled at the desperation I am seeing on this board. Without sounding egotistical, my sense is that most people who are dying for their children to be accepted at these "elite" elementary schools are yearning for the Ivy League stamp down the road because they never had it themselves.

$0.02 that they were the same ones that were lining up to purchase a Baby Einstein video when they first found out they were pregnant.

Going to Harvard or Princeton is NOT a big deal.
Becoming a partner at a law firm is NOT a big deal.

Perhaps I'm ungrateful, or perhaps I've realized the hard way that such pursuits are not really worth the stress and anxiety.

OP here. Gosh what have I started?!
This is going to be quick as I'm in a rush, but to answer your questions:

1.I went to Princeton (actually transferred from another school, as that was how badly I and my parents wanted me to go there).
2. My kid was accepted at Sidwell and Lowell. Waitlisted at Potomac.
3. We are going to go public. Don't want to sound egotistical again but I make great calls and I think there is really only a 10% difference in the quality of instruction between the private schools I applied to and a great public school. The 10% difference should not correlate to $30k. That's why I alluded to the people who do make the investment decision in favor of private schools as the ones who probably bought Baby Einstein videos as well.
4. I respect that being a partner at a law firm is a big deal for many. I think I went overboard on that comment. I don't like my job. As some of you noted I am bitter.
5. I feel bad for the financial burden my schooling cost my parents. They could have enjoyed life more. They never lived in the present. They just dedicated their entire lives to our future.
6. I have taken classes at public universities as an adult for fun and found them to have incredible professors and stimulating coursework.
7. I think an ivy league degree gets your foot in the door and is helpful for your first job. After that, you are on your own.

Okay ladies and gentlemen. I am now out of time. I have to rush to my next meeting. For the record. I'm a GUY!

[Anonymous]

On the bright side, your DC probably won't want to grow up and make partner at a law firm. It's not so appealing an option close-up, is it? But, in the meanwhile, your parents were no doubt proud of your achievements. Nothing in it for you, perhaps, but the generation before and after each get something out of it, LOL!

[Anonymous]

12:14 here. Yup, after watching my corporate lawyer dad, and my NYC law partner uncle, I never wanted to do that myself.

And I'm with you on the 10% difference in education not being worth the $30K per annum cost, for some kids, although not for all kids. I do think there are arguments for private schools, in terms of small classes, extra attention, more social studies and art than kids get in MCPS. For some kids, this is a much better fit than publics.

But DC doesn't need these extra attention and is doing well in art/music as extracurriculars. Which is why I carefully said in my post that "we applied" for privates instead of "my kids go to private schools". DC actually got into a big-3. But DC also got into an MCPS magnet, and we went with the magnet....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:14 here. Yup, after watching my corporate lawyer dad, and my NYC law partner uncle, I never wanted to do that myself.

And I'm with you on the 10% difference in education not being worth the $30K per annum cost, for some kids, although not for all kids. I do think there are arguments for private schools, in terms of small classes, extra attention, more social studies and art than kids get in MCPS. For some kids, this is a much better fit than publics.

But DC doesn't need these extra attention and is doing well in art/music as extracurriculars. Which is why I carefully said in my post that "we applied" for privates instead of "my kids go to private schools". DC actually got into a big-3. But DC also got into an MCPS magnet, and we went with the magnet....

Should add that we did do private school for elementary for one of our kids. For that kid, the private was much higher in terms of educational quality than the local public.

[Anonymous]

People make stuff up on DCUM. For the early poster who said someone got a full scholarship to Harvard...Harvard doesn't give scholarships...just financial aid...so great for the kid if his parents qualified for aid.

For the person who said they transferred to Princeton...Princeton doesn't take transfer students.

What else have people made up? Maybe that they graduated an Ivy...I agree that someone who went to H,Y, or P is going to say that specifically so as not to be confused with a "lower Ivy".

[Anonymous]

This whole thread is bizarre. How many parents still define themselves by where they went to college? Isn't it time to get over that?