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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Long time lurker needing to vent. DD (20 years old, finishing her sophomore year) has applied to more competitive schools three times (two times as a college student one time as a high schooler) and gotten rejected all times. She’s currently at a private I never wanted her at in the first place.

Back in high school, she was a decent student ([b]mostly B’s, a few A’s, not a good test taker[/b]) but not great, so I knew the Ivies and top-tier schools would be a stretch. But I thought for sure she could work her way up once in college. She’s poured her heart into her first two years at this lower place, taking challenging classes, [b]getting decent grades[/b][b][/b], volunteering, clubs, etc.

Yet every single “higher” school she applied to has shot her down. Northeastern, Georgetown, UCLA, Tulane, UVA, Wake Forest, William and Mary, USC (dream school), UCSD, Irvine, UT Austin, UFlorida, Georgia, BostonU, BostonC, etc. She has one more chance to apply to transfer before she hits the credit limit that makes transferring impractical not to mention the additional semesters of tuition it would cost us. If this last try doesn’t work out, she’ll be stuck finishing at the same no-name place. This feels like the end of the road for her future possibilities, and I’m heartbroken, and honestly, kind of furious.

I understand maybe this is just “how it is,” but I see other kids in her high school class who breezed into brand-name colleges left and right. [b]We spent thousands of dollars on tutoring, SAT prep, extracurricular camps, you name it. She’s a bright kid but apparently not bright enough[/b] for the pretentious and sadistic admissions committees.

Has anyone else gone through a situation like this? I’m trying to figure out if we have any last-ditch strategies, or if I just have to come to terms with the fact that my daughter may have to remain at a school that, in my heart, I believe is beneath her potential. I just want honest opinions and some glimmer of hope. Thanks for reading, everyone.[/quote]

More Bs than As in high school plus not a good test taker means she was no where near the level of the students at the schools you are trying to attain(all basically T30-50), and her grades at her current college sound as though they are less than 3.8 or you would not have used the word “decent”. Transfer students to the T50 from lower ranked schools usually need to have 3.9+, 3.8 minimum. 
She is not the right caliber of student for her aims: she would likely be well below average if one of them let her in. You need to accept the kid you have and help her accept the school and do her best there. People have many great jobs from many great colleges. People who breeze into T50 from high school are a different level. And those who graduate top of the class in all the hard classes and get 5s on almost all AP without tutors are a different level still, and can get into T10/ivy. Each kid needs to do their own best and not chase untenable goals. Let her be. [/quote]

+100

She’s struggling.

We didn’t pay for any of the stuff you did or groom our son.  He was light years ahead from a young age w/out spending hours studying or prepping.  He also was talented in other areas.

Straight As, 35 one sitting/no prep ACT sophomore year and 5s on every single Ap exam. He was accepted RD to Ivies, T10, etc unhooked.

I have seen people make the mistake you are making. They for some reason think they can just transfer after 1 year into much harder schools.  It’s a fallacy.  For example, transfer rate at Princeton is less than 1%.  Ivies are lower rates than coming out of HS.

You need to make peace. She can do what I did, love my 3rd choice. Do well and go to grad school.  It all worked out.  And, yes, a lot of my co-workers are Ivy grads.  [/quote]

It’s the “everyone gets a trophy” mentality.

People expect their kids to get things they want even when they don’t deserve it.  Many school districts started this crap and veered away from anything merit-based….so you get people like OP, e.g., highly frustrated when they hit a wall.[/quote]

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