I think the issue is that when people pay $35,000/year for private school, they feel like HYP is the only way to justify the sacrifice.

Of course many from a big 3 school only want Ivies. The cachet of the Big 3 matters to them, ergo the cachet of the Ivy League matters to them. Very limiting, but when reputation is the most important thing to you then it's reputation you'll seek. It's also a matter of out-of-date perceptions. There are people on this forum who have no idea how competitive many schools have become and sniff at Williams and Middlebury or Wash U and Northwestern. Are they ever in for a surprise when DC applies to school.

Yes pp. UMD is fine, but one doesn't have to go to a private school and then go there.

One doesn't have to go to a private school to go to Harvard, either. You seem not to realize that many people choose private school not for the college admissions, but rather for things like fit, small classes, more nurturing environment, etc. There are lots of good reasons to go to private school having nothing to do with college.

UVA is fine if you pay in state tuition, but if you have to pay out of state, you might as well look for a private school.

UVA is a great option, particularly if your kid is chosen as an Echols scholar.

Yes pp. UMD is fine, but one doesn't have to go to a private school and then go there.

PP - what about UMD seems like a waste to you? Do you mean it's a waste for kids to go to private school and then to UMD?

Ivies only pick a few kids from each of the privates in DC. So many of the parents you are referring to OP won't have their kids going to an Ivy even if they want them to. Berkeley is great, but hard to get into as others have said...recruited athletes have the best shot from this area. Many private school kids go to Michigan, UVA, UNC, UCLA and many are even going to UMD now (which seems like a waste to me).

And even great grades, legacy and NMSF status is absolutely no guarantee of getting into an Ivy (or other top schools). The competition is crushing these days.

I am in a pretty competitive field, and I just don't see alot of hyp grads. What are they doing? Think with the end in mind. Ivies are not the end all be all. I just don't get it. I can see encouraging your dc to got to a competitive school, but there are a ton of great schools where people do great things after. Everyone has anecdotes and I won't add more, but ivy doesn't mean everything. Look around at who's running things. It's certainly not an ivy lock.

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you need to school these other parents on the merits of these fine non-ivy schools. Or maybe it's not worth it, so just shrug and leave it alone.

I'd leave it. The schools you are looking at are wonderful places, with lots of competition for slots. I'd be delighted if my child attended any of them. If someone is too snobby to know that, or to look beyond the Ivy label, you're probably better off without them!

Sounds like you need to school these other parents on the merits of these fine non-ivy schools. Or maybe it's not worth it, so just shrug and leave it alone.

I know several smart Big 3 grads at Michigan. At least one kid we know there was a NMSF. Berkeley is super competitive. It is not a new path for big 3 grads by any stretch.

The best advice we got from our non Big 3 college counselor - focus on fit, not the car sticker. Who cares what the other parents think about your child's college choice.

Not sure what your question is, but if you're looking for something to tell the other private parents, tell them your DC has liked being in the Big 3 small pond but is looking for something bigger.

My big 3 DC has no interest in going to any IVY and is pushing for UCLA, Berkely, U Michigan DC definitely has the grades and anticipate good SAT scores based on the PSAT results. In general conversation, I mentioned these schools, and you would have thought I said DC picked a college from a matchbook cover. I am fine with these excellent schools. What is this obsession with Harvard, Yale, etc.? DC would not be throwing her education investment away as one private parent suggested.