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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I would suggest a well chosen summer camp/program/etc. that could align with a choice of major or area of focus.  Even if it looks a little "pay to play" it could give vocational insight.

I would let your kid know that the lack of ECs is making him uncompetitive for top schools and that's his choice.

But he will probably be able to excel at a state flagship if he's a good student.

I would recommend you have him watch Youtube videos about schools that aren't the usual suspects (not Ivy, not UMD).  Ask him to pick out some schools to take a closer look at over the next two years.  Find out why he picks the ones he does.

I always recommend Pitt.  It's my undergrad alma mater.  You can go anywhere for grad school with a Pitt degree and high GPA.[/quote]He wants MIT and you are recommending #70 U of Pitt?  We only use Pitt as a last safety on our list.  [/quote]

PP.  Pitt is a great school. You can get into any grad school if you do well there.  I got a free ride at Michigan's MBA after Pitt and some work experience.  My best friend went to Harvard Law.  My husband got a free ride to Georgetown for grad school.  Lots of people want MIT.  Only a few get accepted.[b]  I hear Pitt is popular with TJ students now.[/b]

You are free to decide what is a safety.  But watch out for being rude.  If your kid picks up that attitude, it may come back to bite them.  Most high-powered workplaces have determined and excellent employees from a variety of backgrounds.[/quote]

You hear this from whom?

Your experiences post Pitt are irrelevant unless you are 22 years old.[/quote]

PP.  Pitt has only improved its metrics since I went there.  This is true not only in admitted student metrics but also in trends in the amount of National Merit Finalists attending. I looked into it thoroughly last year for my kid who is now a freshman at Michigan (where we are in-state, so it's cheaper as well as my grad alma mater). Much of the core part of campus (ex. Cathedral of Learning) is historical and I have visited in the past 2 years.

I also get the alumni magazine and read about the current campus activities, building projects, and prominent alumni.

Pitt is a major research university with lots of STEM and medical activity for those who are interested.  Many of the richest donors are engineer entrepreneurs who started their own companies out of Pitt Engineering. As in $10s of M gifts.

I get it, PP.  You just want to be a snob. There's really no fighting that.  Good luck to your child with MIT and please take Pitt off your list.  Sounds like you wouldn't be proud to have your kid there, so truly no reason to have them apply as a safety.[/quote]

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