Anonymous
Post 05/29/2026 06:59     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:You stop donating. And every time someone from development contacts you, you tell them "no" and why it's "no."


#1: No one in the development office cares. They will flag you for no further solicitation and move on with their day.
#2: Are you really advocating for a system where admissions are tied to donations? Have you been paying attention at all?

OP, just move on. It wasn't in the cards for your kid.
Anonymous
Post 05/29/2026 06:58     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Well the DCUM approach would be to start trashing the school on this forum at every opportunity.
Anonymous
Post 05/29/2026 06:57     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:Not gonna lie, that’s weird. Does your kid have any possible red flags? Like- any past disciplinary issue whatsoever?


This. Bad lor?
Anonymous
Post 05/29/2026 06:47     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Just do what my kid did. Write the President and Director of Admissions a nice letter thanking them for taking the time to review their application. Let them know you understand life is a competitive process and that as a result of the decision to not accept them, the university is no longer in the running to house their future presidential library.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2026 23:58     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:If your child would definitely enroll if offered admittance, why not do a Hail Mary and reach out to admissions, letting them know this? Explain that your older child loves the school so much and you know that the younger child would similarly thrive there. Can’t hurt!


-1,000

Kid was rejected. You don’t do essentially a LOCI to a school after you’re rejected.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2026 23:57     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:…where you have a current student and then there sibling with uw 4.0, 36 ACT and similar great ecs/recs/activities gets rejected. Having a hard time after seeing a kid with much lower stats get off WL and in. The holistic B’s is not an answer. Older sibling is also thriving and top of class- so it’s not that either.

It leaves such a sour taste in my mouth.


Grow up, get a life, and maybe get a job.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2026 23:57     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:…where you have a current student and then there sibling with uw 4.0, 36 ACT and similar great ecs/recs/activities gets rejected. Having a hard time after seeing a kid with much lower stats get off WL and in. The holistic B’s is not an answer. Older sibling is also thriving and top of class- so it’s not that either.

It leaves such a sour taste in my mouth.


Why would you think the sibling deserved to get in just b/c the older sibling was there?


Because current siblings and ED used to be an almost certain admit if they were equally qualified (but not if sib had already graduated). They used to be treated like “twins” in admissions. Older sib has so many friends with a sib there.


They block listed your family after meeting the older one
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2026 23:47     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
If your child would definitely enroll if offered admittance, why not do a Hail Mary and reach out to admissions, letting them know this? Explain that your older child loves the school so much and you know that the younger child would similarly thrive there. Can’t hurt!
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2026 23:08     Subject: Re:How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid got off waitlist for school I suspect you’re speaking about a few years ago. They are making a name for themselves on campus. There was not a deficiency, just a lack of space. Ignore everyone saying otherwise.


Of course it's not always a deficiency. But if acceptance rates are 5-7%, that means 93-95% of applicants are REJECTED. And of those, majority are actually qualified and have what the school wants. There just isn't space. Now the issue is with parents thinking someone with a 1560 and 4.0UW and 10AP is better than someone with a 1500/3.95UW/5 AP because that is all their HS has (or even if they have more, kid didn't take it). At some point, essays do matter, and yes it's a fine line between acceptance and rejection when I suspect only 5-15% of those applying are not actually "qualified" candidates. It's a numbers game and someone "qualified" should easily understand that

And yes realize that others may actually have a better essay or teacher recommendations or just better life story---these top schools are looking for game changers, including those who have not had all the privileges for the first 18 years of their lives.



+1
People tend not to realize how many qualified students are rejected, and instead only focus on the stats of those who were accepted.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2026 23:00     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:You stop donating. And every time someone from development contacts you, you tell them "no" and why it's "no."

This.
Anonymous
Post 05/28/2026 22:56     Subject: Re:How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My kid’s Ivy takes current siblings as a factor. In fact, on Instagram a few interviewed on one of those roaming campus things I watched lately point blank said that’s why they got in. That this Ivy siblings. It’s an HYP. They aren t all the same on that.


Yes, historically Harvard has been known for this.


No they aren't. Harvard cares only about parent/grandparent legacies, but guess what, siblings have the same legacy parents and grandparents. The only T20 with a strong stand along sibling preference is Vandy.


Actually, Harvard cares only about undergrad legacies (professional schools don’t count) who have given six digits. Ask me how I know.
Anonymous
Post 05/27/2026 13:20     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:Ok, as a mom of twins, I'll share that the twin preference of old is pretty much dead. I have a pair that applied ED this year. They took the boy who had lower grades and passed on the girl.

(Not saying there should be a preference--let's not turn this into a post for/against that)


Different mom of twins here. My twins are both girls and have the same stats, but different majors. They are legacy at DC's school, which is in the T20-T30 range. One kid got in and the other one was rejected.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2026 19:10     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
I love how op has an alter ego that agrees with her in every respect.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2026 18:52     Subject: Re:How to handle being pissed at a college
I called that person a troll that insulted older kid, not OP. Not sure if there were multiple.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2026 18:47     Subject: How to handle being pissed at a college
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Scary, I totally understand why you’re mad!


Oddly, I would have handled it better seeing nobody from the school admitted because it would have felt less personal. Admitting another kid with lesser stats and no connection just leaves such a bitter taste.


You keep saying this other kid got in with no connection. like you think your kid is more deserving bc of a connection?!