<p>... what would you tell him or her? we're gonna be college-educated parents whose kids would supposedly have an advantage over first-gen applicants because we've been through the process. but how much does being college-educated really help? is first-gen a myth?</p>
<p>what kind of parent would you be? how would you plot a path to eg. HYPSM for your kid, if you're even gonna do that at all?</p>
<p>0.1% acceptance rate, go to your state college boy, go to NUS. Ergh.</p>
<p>i'll say "i didn't"</p>
<p>LOL: I pity the 17 year olds who are charting their future kids' path for HYPMS right now. I can tell you aren't a parent!</p>
<p>My oldest is eleven and she is enamored w/my HYP alma mater. Will she get there? Who knows. Numbers say unlikely. She's an all A student right now but I can only allow her the best opportunities and serendipity will take care of the rest. I'll teach her to excel and encourage her to do her best. HYP won't make her a happy woman or a woman of character. The things that will lead to her happiness and growth in character are the things my wife and I are trying to chart for our kids -- not some diploma.</p>
<p>Yeah, about the first gen thing, EtTuBrutus was basically right. I definitely haven't been planning my ECs around college (I just did what I thought was fun, etc.) because I thought that even if I could go to college, it would be to a local state school. Haha, was wrong about that!</p>
<p>30 years from now everything will be completely crazy- I'll do my best to give my kids some sort of interest and love for learning, and hopefully everything will take care of itself from there.</p>