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

[Anonymous]

I'll never forget the school counselor who told me I'd never get into UVA so just forget it. well, I got accepted .. and I marched back to that counselors office with acceptance letter in my hand to show her she was wrong. It was a short conversation, she didn't have anything to say,, and my sassy teenage self left her office staying, 'hey thanks for the encouragement though' Ha!

[Anonymous]

How many elite schools is she applying to and how much are these schools' application fees? $1000 seems really high to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know everyone who got into Penn? That's just silly

I personally don't know anyone who has gotten into Penn with a B. Obviously I don't know all 2500 kids that come in yearly so I'm sure there's someone. But given where I live and work (near Penn), I know at least 5 kids who've gotten in in each of the last 7 yrs --- so in that sample size of 35, they really were all straight A students.

That's your geographic area.

Hers is different. If she's among the best for her area, she could still be just fine grade-wise.

My geographic area is Pa, and so is this applicants. As a PP above says, there can be slight geographic bump ups if she's from a 2000 person rural Pa town in the middle of the state -- but if she's from the bedroom communities of Philly; Pittsburgh; Scranton; Harrisburg -- well then you're an applicant from another northeastern state. The ivys don't have any shortage of applicants from those places, so they have no reason to be considering those with grades that are less than perfect. A transcript with a few Bs (or even more than 1) from Pa. is at a huge disadvantage compared to the same transcript from Wyoming or Montana from where there is huge under representation, or even states like Arizona, Fl, or Ga. from where the ivys get a lot of applications but NOTHING compared to what they get from Mass/CT/NY/NJ/PA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll never forget the school counselor who told me I'd never get into UVA so just forget it. well, I got accepted .. and I marched back to that counselors office with acceptance letter in my hand to show her she was wrong. It was a short conversation, she didn't have anything to say,, and my sassy teenage self left her office staying, 'hey thanks for the encouragement though' Ha!

And then you likely never had to see that counselor again. It's more difficult with an aunt -- when one bashes you at age 17 for something you're dreaming about, no matter how unrealistic the dream -- you don't forget it, ever. And then you have to see her for thanksgivings, Christmases etc. and you constantly feel like you must be tight lipped about the internship you're hoping for, the job you want after graduation, the apartment you're going to get etc. but you don't want to hear her negativity about it.