“the microsegment of the top 4 to 5 percent (earning $222,400 to $251,100) fares the absolute worst at t20 admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle class always gets screwed

This isn’t middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle class always gets screwed

Please enlighten us, what HHI range constitutes the "middle class"?

[Anonymous]

Right because they can’t afford it on that low of a HHI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle class always gets screwed

Please enlighten us, what HHI range constitutes the "middle class"?

Harvard admits about 25% of their students from families making less than $85,000. Those are lower income families and families on government assistance.

If you leave out using upper and lower and middle you have everyone between families who are on government assistance and families who are financially stable but not able to pay for college on their own. It’s the majority of people who work and how well a family does on a certain income depends on how many children, cost of living, any special needs or costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle class always gets screwed

This isn’t middle class.

It is when you’re comparing to wealthy applicants. As pp above explained, you need to be rich or poor to get in (unless hooked by URM, first gen, or ROTC) Rich does not mean earning a salary of $490,000 a year, it means wealthy, millions plus connections and legacy type of wealth or at least wealthy enough to pay for a school like Exeter and all the private sports coaching and enrichment summers in between. I realize $500 a year sounds like a lot if you make $85, but it is not rich when we’re talking college admissions. Not at all. It puts you smack dab in the “you have privilege but not enough to help you get in, so we don’t care” category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle class always gets screwed

Please enlighten us, what HHI range constitutes the "middle class"?

Harvard admits about 25% of their students from families making less than $85,000. Those are lower income families and families on government assistance.

If you leave out using upper and lower and middle you have everyone between families who are on government assistance and families who are financially stable but not able to pay for college on their own. It’s the majority of people who work and how well a family does on a certain income depends on how many children, cost of living, any special needs or costs.

The median HHI in the U.S. is $74,580. Try again.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/median-household-income

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle class always gets screwed

Please enlighten us, what HHI range constitutes the "middle class"?

Harvard admits about 25% of their students from families making less than $85,000. Those are lower income families and families on government assistance.

If you leave out using upper and lower and middle you have everyone between families who are on government assistance and families who are financially stable but not able to pay for college on their own. It’s the majority of people who work and how well a family does on a certain income depends on how many children, cost of living, any special needs or costs.

The median HHI in the U.S. is $74,580. Try again.
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/median-household-income

DP now do the median HHI of those applying to Harvard.

[Anonymous]

Because that information is unpublished, you've taken that as license to speculate wildly without any factual support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. We fall into that exact segment (not surprisingly, since here I am on DCUM), and in a way, I'm glad that first DC, who is a freshman in college now, had a bit of a rough patch in high school that knocked them out of any kind of contention for a higher ranked school than just an in-state non-flagship.

Second child is in 10th, and has already expressed an interest in not aiming too high in terms of college admission. I think it's a smart strategy, he can enjoy high school, not aim for perfect grades, and get accepted somewhere medium.

Both of my white, financially stable kids will be fine. But if they were academic superstars, or had spent all of high school gunning for a tippy top college and missed, only to "end up" at the same place they would have if they'd just coasted, that would indeed suck. I feel for those kids, although I guess they're learning early that life is a rigged game, and most things aren't fair.

It’s an interesting take. My kids are very good students but not academic superstars. They weren’t gunning for T20 and I feel like looking back they had a good, balanced, high school experience. While my natural inclination might have been to push my kids to be competitive for my alma mater - observing real life of who and how people get ahead I saw that it’s not necessarily the name of the college that makes the difference long term, it’s the confidence in oneself, ability to adapt and people skills …not just being book smart.

Interesting take indeed. My own DC pushed herself a bit harder than ideal to make the top grades in the tough classes and in her ECs. Ended up w top stats. Did not land in her Ed and we are in RD mode. If she was a little less competitive, I would have pushed her to do less in HS. Hope she isn't burnt out by all of this, especially if RD does not work out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Middle class always gets screwed

This isn’t middle class.

It is when you’re comparing to wealthy applicants. As pp above explained, you need to be rich or poor to get in (unless hooked by URM, first gen, or ROTC) Rich does not mean earning a salary of $490,000 a year, it means wealthy, millions plus connections and legacy type of wealth or at least wealthy enough to pay for a school like Exeter and all the private sports coaching and enrichment summers in between. I realize $500 a year sounds like a lot if you make $85, but it is not rich when we’re talking college admissions. Not at all. It puts you smack dab in the “you have privilege but not enough to help you get in, so we don’t care” category.

This is exactly right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting take indeed. My own DC pushed herself a bit harder than ideal to make the top grades in the tough classes and in her ECs. Ended up w top stats. Did not land in her Ed and we are in RD mode. If she was a little less competitive, I would have pushed her to do less in HS. Hope she isn't burnt out by all of this, especially if RD does not work out.

Is there not value in having studied hard in school, learned the academic material, and developed a strong work ethic, regardless of admissions outcomes?

[Anonymous]

Why that particular segment? You’d think they’d be even less likelier to admit 500k +.

It’s only billionaires and hundred millionaires who can afford to donate 5-10 million to get their kid in. It’s certainly not families making 750k doing that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting take indeed. My own DC pushed herself a bit harder than ideal to make the top grades in the tough classes and in her ECs. Ended up w top stats. Did not land in her Ed and we are in RD mode. If she was a little less competitive, I would have pushed her to do less in HS. Hope she isn't burnt out by all of this, especially if RD does not work out.

Is there not value in having studied hard in school, learned the academic material, and developed a strong work ethic, regardless of admissions outcomes?

DP Of course. But kids are truly burning themselves out doing way more than most adults I know and we have to wonder if it’s worth it. I personally don’t think it is. Especially if you’re UMC and white. Between finances and college admission dept preferences, you’re likely going to end up at a state flagship anyway so enjoy your life a little.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting take indeed. My own DC pushed herself a bit harder than ideal to make the top grades in the tough classes and in her ECs. Ended up w top stats. Did not land in her Ed and we are in RD mode. If she was a little less competitive, I would have pushed her to do less in HS. Hope she isn't burnt out by all of this, especially if RD does not work out.

Is there not value in having studied hard in school, learned the academic material, and developed a strong work ethic, regardless of admissions outcomes?

DP Of course. But kids are truly burning themselves out doing way more than most adults I know and we have to wonder if it’s worth it. I personally don’t think it is. Especially if you’re UMC and white. Between finances and college admission dept preferences, you’re likely going to end up at a state flagship anyway so enjoy your life a little.

This is exactly why I’m not pushing my kids. They don’t have a chance at these schools anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting take indeed. My own DC pushed herself a bit harder than ideal to make the top grades in the tough classes and in her ECs. Ended up w top stats. Did not land in her Ed and we are in RD mode. If she was a little less competitive, I would have pushed her to do less in HS. Hope she isn't burnt out by all of this, especially if RD does not work out.

Is there not value in having studied hard in school, learned the academic material, and developed a strong work ethic, regardless of admissions outcomes?

DP Of course. But kids are truly burning themselves out doing way more than most adults I know and we have to wonder if it’s worth it. I personally don’t think it is. Especially if you’re UMC and white. Between finances and college admission dept preferences, you’re likely going to end up at a state flagship anyway so enjoy your life a little.

But doing well in college usually matters, so studying harder in HS makes one better prepared to do so. Plus state flagships are a much bigger pond and it will be way tougher to distinguish oneself against a larger number of students who are equally if not more motivated.