Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:34     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
OP he’s probably assuming he’ll be getting a big legacy leg up. That’s what you need to dissuade him from.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:32     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DS is a superior student/athlete/artist/overall human being to his parents who matriculated HYPSM. 20+ years ago when we were going through it, however, college admissions wasn't a nuclear arms race. I'm fairly certain we would NEVER be accepted if we were applying now. I've been trying to drill this into DS's head since middle school, but he's now a junior and still has delusions of grandeur. I cannot for the life of me get him excited about safety colleges. Advice?


he will probably get in via legacy route. don't worry too much


Ummm, do you have any idea how many legacy students are applying? Enough to find some safety schools that the DS would be happy with.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:31     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When he isn't accepted reality will hit. No need to be the one who sinks his ship. Life will do that for him.


This.


I disagree. I’d certainly let him apply where he wanted but it seems cruel not to try to provide context to kid. If he wants to use an ED on a moonshot he should go for it but it’s absolutely better if he has some understanding that’s it’s unlikely.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:28     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Anonymous wrote:When he isn't accepted reality will hit. No need to be the one who sinks his ship. Life will do that for him.


This.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:28     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Anonymous wrote:DS is a superior student/athlete/artist/overall human being to his parents who matriculated HYPSM. 20+ years ago when we were going through it, however, college admissions wasn't a nuclear arms race. I'm fairly certain we would NEVER be accepted if we were applying now. I've been trying to drill this into DS's head since middle school, but he's now a junior and still has delusions of grandeur. I cannot for the life of me get him excited about safety colleges. Advice?


he will probably get in via legacy route. don't worry too much
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:26     Subject: Re:Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Have him look at the college results subreddit with attention to his top choice schools. It’s pretty sobering!
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:16     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Anonymous wrote:DS is a superior student/athlete/artist/overall human being to his parents who matriculated HYPSM. 20+ years ago when we were going through it, however, college admissions wasn't a nuclear arms race. I'm fairly certain we would NEVER be accepted if we were applying now. I've been trying to drill this into DS's head since middle school, but he's now a junior and still has delusions of grandeur. I cannot for the life of me get him excited about safety colleges. Advice?


Are you white?

Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:07     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
He has a much better shot as a legacy. He'll need to apply ED.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:06     Subject: Re:Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Anonymous wrote:Has he looked at scattergrams for his HS yet? My DS is HS freshman and we just got access to ours; too a peek this weekend. Sobering experience.


Edited to add: If he's legacy this may not have as much an effect for him as it did for our kid though.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:04     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Does he need to be excited? Or does he just need to pick a few to apply to. Now that my DS is hearing about "smarter" classmates getting deferred or rejected from their ED schools his attitude about his likelies has changed.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:03     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
have him go visit friends at the schools that kids actually have fun at.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:03     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
When he isn't accepted reality will hit. No need to be the one who sinks his ship. Life will do that for him.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:03     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Soon enough you’ll be proven right.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 14:02     Subject: Re:Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
Has he looked at scattergrams for his HS yet? My DS is HS freshman and we just got access to ours; too a peek this weekend. Sobering experience.
Anonymous
Post 12/12/2022 13:59     Subject: Telling my special snowflake he's not so special
DS is a superior student/athlete/artist/overall human being to his parents who matriculated HYPSM. 20+ years ago when we were going through it, however, college admissions wasn't a nuclear arms race. I'm fairly certain we would NEVER be accepted if we were applying now. I've been trying to drill this into DS's head since middle school, but he's now a junior and still has delusions of grandeur. I cannot for the life of me get him excited about safety colleges. Advice?