This thread is vomit inducing.

A few notes:

(1) 20 years ago, when I was applying, kids didn’t apply to every Ivy League and equivalent, so the admission rates were higher.
(2) The extreme focus on computer science and coding has made it harder for kids doing math and science to stand out. When I went to Stanford there were around 70 history majors, now it’s something like 15. Meanwhile the number of CS majors has ballooned and it seems like everyone is gunning to do a startup. Hard to tell one such applicant from another. The kid who wants to become an expert in Eastern European affairs, on the other hand, will probably get a second look.
(3) Grad school is an equalizer—this kid will probably knock it out of the park at #60 (I did a masters at a school ranked around 90 and the undergrad classes I TA’ed were an absolute joke—very easy to get straight As compared with the science and engineering classes at Stanford). Very easy to compete for grad school admission—and most of the PhD and law students at places like Stanford are drawn from state schools anyway.

Yeah, I assume he received good merit. If he wasn't at the level of being recruited, athletics doesn't count for much. Maybe his ECs and test scores were otherwise weak. STEM major no help either.

I think you're making a lot of assumptions:
- that you know everything about his application
- that you know exactly what he wants and where he wants to go and why
- what his family can afford
- what his or his family's circumstances are such that he might choose that university (or his parents might choose it for him).

Your speculation is rude. He will do great! There is a lot to be said for being a big fish in a small pond.

Anonymous wrote: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.

That's why the best elite schools get 15 to 20 applications for every place in their freshman class.

The horror.

Anonymous wrote: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.

Top 60 schools are enjoyable places to study. Male athletes are usually pretty normcore, social, group-oriented people and that type thrives at big, busy, sporty schools. Engineering programs at flagships also have a lot of extracurricular hands-on projects. A person can go as deep into as their studies as their intellect and preferences dictate.

Don’t underestimate how much full pay and intended major matter.

Anonymous wrote:It's probably a great school with a fantastic program filled with students just as smart as he is. People put way too much value on 'rankings' when the reality of colleges is just not that linear.

This, I don’t care what rankings are and wouldn’t look. I want my smart kids at the best fit for them that we can afford.

Who cares about ranking but this is why going to a lesser high school is more helpful. There are tons of smart kids at that school and each college only takes so many from each school.

Anonymous wrote:This is a stupid thread.

Yep!

Dei destroyed smart people

It's probably a great school with a fantastic program filled with students just as smart as he is. People put way too much value on 'rankings' when the reality of colleges is just not that linear.

Anonymous wrote: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.

And this has always been the case.

So he’s going to Penn State from TJ? They have a great engineering program, fun sports, and he probably got money. That is not depressing at all. Your genuine response should be a hearty congratulations.

Yes, the top ranked schools are that competitive.

Anonymous wrote:All of the above. I know a young kid from the neighborhood who turned down admission at higher ranked schools to go to a lower ranked school for the full ride and stipend. Millennials were expected to take on tons of debt to go to the "best" schools possible, younger kids learned from that mistake.

Guess my wife was ahead of her time taking a full ride scholarship to a "lesser" med school and graduating with essentially 0 debt and a great residency. It's not generational, it's just personal choices.