<p>All of my "US" cousins live in texas... Well two of them were both valedictorians, and went to harvard. One just graduated, is going to Baylor medical and one is just going into harvard. Not only that, but another cousin in texas got accepted at this prestigious research program at MIT that only allows 40 kids in the nation to get in! That means that she is 100% guranteed to get into MIT!</p>
<p>I'm a good student, but not as good as grades as my cousins! Plus, I'm from a wealthier family they are... Does it mean that kids from poorer families will work harder than kids from wealthier families because they know they have to work hard in order to succeed? Also, like my mom says that if I don't get into ivy league it will bring shame to the familiy because we are richer and get more help and all of my cousins are going to top tier ivys and MIT and Stanford</p>
<p>To tell you the truth, it DEPENDS on you. If you want to go to a good college, you just work hard. If you don't want to, then you don't go to a good college.</p>
<p>By any chance, is that "prestigious program" RSI? I read that it's more like 70% get into MIT and it's not guaranteed. That's just what I heard though. Not sure.</p>
<p>I'd feel pretty darn pressured if I were you too. And I agree with what PUNKiiE said.</p>
<p>it almost has to be RSI...but I don't think it's 70%, I think it IS almost a guarantee...RSI means you are one of the best science students in the nation, it would be hard to believe that MIT wouldn't accept you unless you completely fell apart following the program.</p>
<p>It is RSI and that's really awesome for him, but there are many other great science students who don't even know about it.</p>
<p>There should be no shame brought to your family if you do not go to an Ivy League university. The disparity between Ivy League insitutions and other universities is much smaller than what it was before, I think. There are tremendous students from all state universitites and community colleges.</p>
<p>If you want to do engineering, you don't have to go to MIT/Caltech. Rose-Hulman, Cooper Union, and Olin are all great...</p>
<p>Also, undergrad doesn't matter nearly as much as grad...</p>
<p>< Also, like my mom says that if I don't get into ivy league it will bring shame to the familiy because we are richer and get more help and all of my cousins are going to top tier ivys and MIT and Stanford ></p>
<p>This isn't your mother talking. It's the Academic Performance Cult Kool-Aid. I stopped drinking it years and years ago, but what disturbs me is that today's believers drink FAR MORE of the Kool-Aid than I ever did back in the day.</p>