<p>We did not dwell much on the rankings, but the kids certainly do, and that puts added pressure on those students who have the potential of landing admission at a top 30 school. We have had this chat with our son, who is a senior. Sometimes, he feels compelled to apply to a top school – because that’s what his classmates expect him to do. That is added pressure to a life that includes lots of APs, lots of Ecs, a part-time job and yes, college applications. I do admit, however, some of this might be because we live in a rural area, and while everyone wants the best for my son, it does make his senior year a little more stressful. His classmates just assume that he will land at … pick the top school. It’s because their focus is narrow. They do not understand the competition or what it takes to be at those schools.</p>