<p>Nice to hear all these good things about "my" school. I'll be sure to tell my husband ;). But in fact I know kids who pick Berkeley over Stanford. It is always, of course, in the last analysis, really up to the kid, I think, as Jamimom points out. Again, using only one outstanding example, Natalie Coughlin. I know that I read a profile of her in the paper when she first arrived at Cal. I can't swear it was Stanford that she turned down, but I know that people had argued with her that she should go somewhere else besides Cal, and she was quoted as saying as it was the school where she felt the most comfortable, loved the coach, felt it was where she would blossom. Could anyone POSSIBLY have blossomed any more successfully and beautifully as she did? I know it's just one quite spectacular example, but again I do think it proves Jamimom's point. </p>
<p>Free free free free ride? Must be Olympic or NBA or whatever caliber--that's so great! Tell him/her to come to Stanford :). We need the Sears Cup again (always).</p>