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

[Anonymous]

If they are flying out to visit the campus, encourage them to look at the other universities in the area.

[Anonymous]

I love how everyone is assuming the poor girl is not interesting because of what the OP said (who is not a direct relative and probably has minimal contact/real knowledge of her life). She could be a strong candidate for all we know, assh*le relative are rarely good judges of character.

[Anonymous]

Getting shot down by an aunt before she even applies will damage her self esteem and ambition for a long time.

Reaching for the stars with full encouragement of her family is a good thing, even if the college ultimately doesn't accept her.

I was rejected from one "reach" school, and accepted to the other reach school and my safeties. Don't regret that strategy at all. I still reach for things that are probably overly ambitious, and I think it has served me well in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting shot down by an aunt before she even applies will damage her self esteem and ambition for a long time.

Reaching for the stars with full encouragement of her family is a good thing, even if the college ultimately doesn't accept her.

I was rejected from one "reach" school, and accepted to the other reach school and my safeties. Don't regret that strategy at all. I still reach for things that are probably overly ambitious, and I think it has served me well in life.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She'll be lucky to get into Penn State. Not even kidding.

Seriously? She'll get into plenty of decent schools, just not Harvard.

Strong GPAs are a dime a dozen in this age of grade inflation. A low SAT could absolutely get her rejected from Penn State.

[Anonymous]

It can be 'easier' relatively to get into many top schools from a place where fewer kids are applying against others from their own school or area. Like a kid from Hagerstown is in a different grouping than a kid from Bethesda. and who knows, maybe she won some best kite making contest or something "pointy" - you don't know.

[Anonymous]

You're most probably right but there is nothing you can say to them that wouldn't make you sound like a snot so keep quiet and let nature take its course.

If you're friendly enough with them you can point them to one of those websites that correlates GPA and SAT scores with the admissions at certain colleges. That's helpful to just about everyone applying to college.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised to read how many people are OK with some naive brat pissing away $1000 of her family's modest income. Most families in the U.S. don't have $1000 for an EMERGENCY and this girl is lighting it on fire because she's too stupid to realize in the grand scheme of things she's JUST an average white girl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised to read how many people are OK with some naive brat pissing away $1000 of her family's modest income. Most families in the U.S. don't have $1000 for an EMERGENCY and this girl is lighting it on fire because she's too stupid to realize in the grand scheme of things she's JUST an average white girl.

Umm, the OP never said they are struggling financially, and if they are application fees can be waived. And I have no idea why you're calling this girl a "brat." And please note that the OP claims that she previously "worked in admissions." If she had any real cloud, or was an actual admissions officer making judgment calls, she would have said so. And even so, things change over time, and very school to school. I bet the $4000 that the OP would not get her nose into this family's business if it was an extra thousand dollars they were paying for a car or a house. She just wants to butt in and be critical of this young girl. Pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised to read how many people are OK with some naive brat pissing away $1000 of her family's modest income. Most families in the U.S. don't have $1000 for an EMERGENCY and this girl is lighting it on fire because she's too stupid to realize in the grand scheme of things she's JUST an average white girl.

I think the only naive brat is yourself. Projecting your own averageness onto others perhaps? Myob.

[Anonymous]

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.

Sorry you planted yourself in a place where there isn't any.

[Anonymous]

Not only a waste of money but a massive time sink. 10 supplement essays... yikes!

[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".

This just breaks my heart. Hugs, OP, to you and your son. I'm sure he's an awesome kid who will land some place awesome for college that's just perfect for his "uninteresting" self.

[Anonymous]

You are the loser. loser. Who cares what you think. I really hope she gets in for your sake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting shot down by an aunt before she even applies will damage her self esteem and ambition for a long time.

Reaching for the stars with full encouragement of her family is a good thing, even if the college ultimately doesn't accept her.

I was rejected from one "reach" school, and accepted to the other reach school and my safeties. Don't regret that strategy at all. I still reach for things that are probably overly ambitious, and I think it has served me well in life.

And create a resentment that will never die. Gentle suggestions of "That's a really hard school to get into it" are fine. "Don't even try" is bitchy.