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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]College rankings aren't about bragging rights but about more resources, a more capable student body, and greater post graduate prospects.

I don't think it's a reasonable decision to set all that aside - and i think the concept of "fit" is exaggerated (many colleges can fit, and "the right fit" can sometimes be just a euphemism for avoiding character-building challenges.  Let's be realistic:   none of these schools are like boot camp).    I frankly don't understand why the other ("more selective") school that your kid liked well enough to apply to three months ago suddenly isn't a good "fit."   How reliable are 17 year olds' understanding of what they're going to want from college over four years (and whether these colleges would or wouldn't be able to provide it -- unless you're choosing between West Point and Oberlin, many of these student bodies have similar subsets of students anyway)?   If your kid thought the 'more selective' school was a potentially good fit when applying three months ago and doesn't now, how do you both know their mind won't change again in another three or six months?   Are the reasons for their cooling on the more competitive school legitimate (eg, your kid visted a rural SLAC and realized they won't be able to survive for years in an environment like that...), or are they unwarranted (eg, insecurity about how they'll perform -- despite being admitted?) or secondary (eg proximity to restaurants and shopping?   Dislike of gothic architecture?   Not liking someone who went there from their high school?)

You want to be supportive and that's great, but I think you and your kid should have a pretty open, specific discussion about why they want to spend four years (and $) at a school that is judged as offering a not as strong education.   This may be a situation where it's a well-considered and understandable choice, but it may also be just a bout of adolescent anxiety and the best support you can offer is to steer them to the stronger option.

I know it's sort of expected here on DCUM to say "everything your Blessed Precious wants is legitimate and should be supported by you" -- but sometimes it actually isn't.  And i also think sometimes there's too much "you're all winners" pressure here to dismiss or denigrate the college rankings, which shouldn't be slavishly followed (and minor distinctions probably don't mean much), but in the main are actually pretty thoughtful efforts to measure the quality of the educational experience each college provides.

Btw, you use the term 'less selective" in your title.   I'm talking about rankings (ie academic quality).   Not "selectivity" of admissions, which isn't always a reliable predictor of educational quality.

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The rankings are only a guide and really are bogus in many cases.

For instance: the undergrad engineering rankings for USNWR are "based on surveys of deans and senior faculty members at engineering programs".  It's a popularity contest.  I can only imagine the behind scenes negotiations between universities.  
It's why programs like WPI/clarkson/Stevens IT are lower ranked simply because many have not heard about them.  Smaller, not as well known nationally schools will simply not move up in rankings with this criteria.

So we use them as an initial guide, but visiting gives a MUCH better indicator.  And yes, a 17/18yo can tell where they will fit in best.  My kid will do their best if they are somewhere THEY want to be.  If we as parents "force" them into a decision that we think is right they might regret that.

fyi---my own kids all ended up at what I thought was their "top choice" after first visits.  When they set foot on a campus that is the right fit you just see it in their response.  All are succeeding/did succeed at college---I think being at the right place goes a long way to making this happen and most importantly for them to be happy while doing it![/quote]

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