Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I do think it is important for parents and kids to be realistic about college choices. I talked to someone recently whose child had just graduated summa cum laude from Vanderbilt. And both parent and child are still disappointed that the child didn't get in to Harvard.
That happens a lot: it's human to know that the odds of one's child's getting into Harvard are low yet have high hopes for one's child and STILL be disappointed about the rejection after all those years. I guess this hasn't happeend to you yet? It hasn't happened to me (yet?), but I can imagine how it must feel.
It hasn't happened and it won't because neither of my children will apply because it is totally unrealistic. We are going through the process for the first time next year and so far i think have a pretty realistic list any one of which DD would be happy to go to. To me that is important. The idea of being disappointed 4 years later after the child has excelled at an excellent college seems really depressing to me.
Isn't there a difference between your friends' being disappointed in their son's summa-level performance at Vanderbilt (not the case, I'm sure) and their being disappointed, as they stated, that he didn't get into Harvard four years ago? I don't see why the latter disappointment should necessarily be effaced by his later success at the school he did get into. I just think they are human. Maybe your child's not getting into the first-choice school would not be as disappointing for you as it has been for your friends, but perhaps there is some disappointment in your life, in some area other than college placement, that has been as lasting as a wound, the memory of which could help you understand how your friends feel?