The population has increased so there are more high achieving kids. Top schools can’t accommodate them all so they go elsewhere. This is not complicated.

The only depressing part of this story is that it bothers you, OP. Get a life.

Anonymous wrote:MIT has never cared about athletes

NP. They recruit significantly.

There is also a push where kids want to go to SEC schools, state schools etc. Without getting political, do you think those elite east coast schools look fun to a normal kid who has been paying attention to the news over the past year and a half? Many are like “no thanks” I’d rather focus on sports and beer like a normal college kid.

Do you know what other schools he applied to? Did he need merit money? Is he underspending in undergraduate because he needs additional money for grad school? What were his SAT scores? My point is, you can’t interrogate the kid, but there are probably good reasons for his selection.

Anonymous wrote:Kid is a great athlete, went to TJ high, perfect grades, STEM major. 20 years ago he’d be going to MIT. He tells me he’s going to some state school ranked about 60 is us News.

Is it really this competitive??

Many of the top schools are admitting less than 5% of applicants. You can be perfect and not stand out from 5-10 other kids who look exactly like you.

Seniors are better off researching a variety of schools and finding those with the setting and curriculum strengths that suit them best. Their Ivy apps have a much lower chance than a coin toss regardless what they have done.

Anonymous wrote:This is a stupid thread.

+1

The kid will be fine. Ranked 60 - oh no.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kid is a great athlete, went to TJ high, perfect grades, STEM major. 20 years ago he’d be going to MIT. He tells me he’s going to some state school ranked about 60 is us News.

Is it really this competitive??

Did he tell you why he chose it? Or are you just assuming he couldn’t get in elsewhere?

+1. Also, it’s become pretty common for kids to apply and choose schools a level down from what they can get into because that’s where they’ll get merit aid / more FA. Kids are recognizing that the top school name on their diploma generally isn’t worth being way more in debt than having another school’s name, especially for undergrad.

This is a stupid thread.

MIT has never cared about athletes

Why is this upsetting?

You know the US News ranking is fixed and not based on competitive measures. The pay to be listed or bumped up is real.

Anonymous wrote:Kid is a great athlete, went to TJ high, perfect grades, STEM major. 20 years ago he’d be going to MIT. He tells me he’s going to some state school ranked about 60 is us News.

Is it really this competitive??

Did he tell you why he chose it? Or are you just assuming he couldn’t get in elsewhere?

A lot of top schools are filled with athletes, children of CEOs, legacies or college professors kids. They are also small and not a lot of open slots.

Not many kids are getting perfect grades at TJ. Not sure I would believe he got straight A’s.

Kid is a great athlete, went to TJ high, perfect grades, STEM major. 20 years ago he’d be going to MIT. He tells me he’s going to some state school ranked about 60 is us News.

Is it really this competitive??