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<p>I agree, which means that a student does need to do their research; you and I don’t disagree there.</p>
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<p>This is where we are not seeing eye-to-eye. Applying to colleges is like buying a car and haggling with the salesman. The goal – at least for those who need financial aid, like my family – is to get your kids into the most prodigious school which also offers them the best price. In my kids’ case, the cost of attendance at Harvard and Yale with financial aid is cheaper than sending our kids to our state school, so it was a no-brainer, not matter what the fit. Call me cynical, but finding a good ‘fit’ is for those who can afford to pay the full sticker price. The rest of us are looking at the bottom line and are constantly making trades between brand names (that hopefully will open doors and help your kid find a great job upon graduation) vs. what you have to pay.</p>