Anonymous wrote:I just have a perfectly nice regular kid. Not a stellar athlete nor a drama maven nor a superstar all APs academic - just a regular old good kid.
I am feeling just - tense - with so much college noise. Hooked/unhooked, legacy, etc etc - just - it's all so much. I do not remember it being this way when I was growing up. I'd been coming to this board and just seeing the posts make me feel geared up. Is anyone else feeling like me? I wouldn't call my kid "awesomely average" (I know that's a Facebook group) but just not like - "special" in the way it feels like you need to be now either? Like he's just a well-rounded kid who does some clubs, plays a sport at a decent but not standout level, and is nice with plenty of friends? Where are these parents, where are my people?

This is such an American (DMV) thing. In most other countries, 99.9% kids do not have these hooks, legacy, athletes, etc. They're doing well as long as they are learning.

Anonymous wrote:I just have a perfectly nice regular kid. Not a stellar athlete nor a drama maven nor a superstar all APs academic - just a regular old good kid.
I am feeling just - tense - with so much college noise. Hooked/unhooked, legacy, etc etc - just - it's all so much. I do not remember it being this way when I was growing up. I'd been coming to this board and just seeing the posts make me feel geared up. Is anyone else feeling like me? I wouldn't call my kid "awesomely average" (I know that's a Facebook group) but just not like - "special" in the way it feels like you need to be now either? Like he's just a well-rounded kid who does some clubs, plays a sport at a decent but not standout level, and is nice with plenty of friends? Where are these parents, where are my people?

At the end of the day, it is the good, mentally healthy kid who will do great in college and in society. Life doesn't stop at college admission. If a kid is smart, hard-working, and finds what they like to do, they will be fine. Plus, there are so many factors that matter much more than college, e.g., internships, relationships, etc. Just relax and leave the kids are who they are.

This is my kid, OP. I’m not worrying about all these top 30 schools. I know there is a school out there for every kid, he’ll find one that is a good fit. It may not be a big name school, but that’s ok. I want the school to be the right fit for him.

OP, your kid sounds super!

Please feel blessed to have a smart, well-adjusted, functional and social teen. Many people who do matriculate to extremely selective schools have very developed skills academically, often narrowly so. It's what makes them so "pointy" and easy for admissions officers to admit. But AOs are running a business and have certain priorities to adhere to which skews the admitted pool in a certain direction. That's fine, but maybe not who your kid wants to be surrounded by for 4 years.

Realize that not all kids getting into so-called top ten schools are well-rounded in the way your kid sounds. I'm sure there have been days they would have gladly changed places with you!

College is just a 4-year temporary stop in the long marathon of life. And there may be more school (grad, professional) later on. Your kid sounds like has skills you want long-term. And there are so many colleges who want to admit your DC.

I have 3 like that and I read here because it’s informative sometimes but otherwise I don’t engage. I have a senior who is super excited to go to a school that many people here would turn up their noses at so I don’t bother. (I was one of the first few posts on the 2026 Acceptances thread before the more competitive schools started releasing decisions.) But those types are exactly what my awesome kid is trying to get away from and I don’t blame her at all.

Anonymous wrote:I just have a perfectly nice regular kid. Not a stellar athlete nor a drama maven nor a superstar all APs academic - just a regular old good kid.
I am feeling just - tense - with so much college noise. Hooked/unhooked, legacy, etc etc - just - it's all so much. I do not remember it being this way when I was growing up. I'd been coming to this board and just seeing the posts make me feel geared up. Is anyone else feeling like me? I wouldn't call my kid "awesomely average" (I know that's a Facebook group) but just not like - "special" in the way it feels like you need to be now either? Like he's just a well-rounded kid who does some clubs, plays a sport at a decent but not standout level, and is nice with plenty of friends? Where are these parents, where are my people?

I am with you OP

Anonymous wrote:I just have a perfectly nice regular kid. Not a stellar athlete nor a drama maven nor a superstar all APs academic - just a regular old good kid.

No worries, he can still go to a regular good old college.

Anonymous wrote:I just have a perfectly nice regular kid. Not a stellar athlete nor a drama maven nor a superstar all APs academic - just a regular old good kid.
I am feeling just - tense - with so much college noise. Hooked/unhooked, legacy, etc etc - just - it's all so much. I do not remember it being this way when I was growing up. I'd been coming to this board and just seeing the posts make me feel geared up. Is anyone else feeling like me? I wouldn't call my kid "awesomely average" (I know that's a Facebook group) but just not like - "special" in the way it feels like you need to be now either? Like he's just a well-rounded kid who does some clubs, plays a sport at a decent but not standout level, and is nice with plenty of friends? Where are these parents, where are my people?

I’m with you OP. Stay off of DCUM and find 1-2 close friends with preferable slightly older kids who have been through the college process recently to take to. Or, just take everything posted on here with a grain of salt; there’s no way to verify its accuracy.

Based on this board you would think every kid is going to Top 20 or otherwise, community college

Your kid is gonna be just fine, OP. Sadly, the most frequent and loudest voices on this board only want to complain about the opportunities available at 50 to 60 total schools, max, and the perceived injustices that frustrate their kids’ abilities to land one of those coveted spots. Hence the gatekeeping of prestige and the railing against anything that looks like holistic review. If you and your kid take a reasonable approach to applications with realistic reaches, targets, and likelies that your kid can see themselves at, things will work out. You have to keep in mind that the popularity of some schools is on the rise and factor (yes, SEC darlings) that in to your process. That said, I firmly believe that if you follow those rules and position fit over prestige, this process needs to be not make you and DC miserable. Every time I see a post asking about kids who didn’t get in “anywhere” my first thought is they have no one to blame but themselves.

Anonymous wrote:Most kids are like your kid. Stop reading DCUM.

You need a reframe if you think your kid isn't special (everyone should think their kids are), which doesn't mean they all "deserve" a certain school.

My kids are very special and they're at awesome schools that wanted them.

Most kids are like your kid. Stop reading DCUM.

OP, you need a reality check
Do you know -just how many colleges- there are out there?

High school students who are college-bound will go to college. Even students without Honors or AP classes can get accepted, somewhere.

I just have a perfectly nice regular kid. Not a stellar athlete nor a drama maven nor a superstar all APs academic - just a regular old good kid.
I am feeling just - tense - with so much college noise. Hooked/unhooked, legacy, etc etc - just - it's all so much. I do not remember it being this way when I was growing up. I'd been coming to this board and just seeing the posts make me feel geared up. Is anyone else feeling like me? I wouldn't call my kid "awesomely average" (I know that's a Facebook group) but just not like - "special" in the way it feels like you need to be now either? Like he's just a well-rounded kid who does some clubs, plays a sport at a decent but not standout level, and is nice with plenty of friends? Where are these parents, where are my people?