<p>paulaturcotte – I think you are trying to paint this as your dad being guilty of overly simplistic thinking and his view may be a bit more well reasoned than that . I must tell you, if you were my daughter and you had a choice between Duke and UVA I would also try to convince you to go to Duke.</p>
<p>The kids I know who apply to the Ivys and have a chance of getting in also apply to Duke, Vanderbilt and GeorgeTown because they are such excellent schools but a little easier to get in. Some of these kids have indeed been rejected from the Ivys but have been accepted to Duke, Vanderbilt or George Washington and their parents have paid the full price of admission for them to attend.</p>
<p>Now I know UVA is arguably the best large state university in the country, but it is still a large state university. No where in this thread have I seen that you have visited either school. Have you visited either of them?</p>
<p>If you visit both schools and you still want to go to UVA then that is where you should go. If you were my daughter in the end I would leave the decision up to you. But give your dad a little credit, there are worse things that a parent can do than try to send you to Duke.</p>