This is the current trend in the college application process: apply to many more schools than necessary as a hedge, hope for as many acceptances as possible and maximize financial aid. This student merely carried it to an extreme. Ridiculous.
Cash that check. She can buy a big house and fancy cars now. She should sue the school district if she cannot cash the check.
Being accepted to all eight Ivies is much more impressive.
The high schools love this kind of thing. Every year the local schools announce (brag) about the amount of scholarship money their Senior class has earned. They do not mention that some kids are offered money from more than one school, some are need based, etc. It is very misleading, but they do it because they want to look good.
I agree that this is a huge waste of time by the student, GC , teachers who had to write recs as well as adcoms.
“Tennessee State University is one of her top choices” - What a waste to add so many other schools.
It’s May 28. Wasn’t the date for choosing a college May 1?
Particularly because it appears she’s an auto-admit at TSU.
It looks like an article from a content farm. Totally ridiculous.
Personally, I think next time there’s a nutty “how many did you apply to” thread, @moooop should claim 148. Imagine the ruckus.
I’d have to question the qualification (or the sanity) of her high school college counselor… @-)
Everyone agrees - shut the thread down …
Wonder if the school she picks will try to publicize the fact that she picked it over 148 other options. Colleges can be shameless in spinning irrelevant facts…every school seems to be #1 in something, whether it’s the highest 8-year graduation rate among all colleges in the Florida panhandle, or the most successful school in Alaska at getting grads into graduate physical therapy programs. My favorite is the U of Windsor in Ontario (across the river from Michigan) which always bills itself as the southernmost university in Canada–so it enjoys the same balmy weather as the tropical paradise of Detroit.
@ looking forward, I was accepted by 148…but I applied to many more than that. >:)
I wonder out of 149 college how many truly affordable options does she have?
I wonder if any of these colleges will institute a small application fee due to behavior like this. It sounds like this type of behavior is something that the HS clearly promotes with their “Million Dollar Scholar” emphasis.
"Her goal was to become a Million Dollar Scholar, a title her school uses to encourage students to apply for scholarship money – either through merit programs or privately – to help them go to college. If they earn at least $1 million in offers, they are presented with a symbolic check at graduation. "
It looks like the school and GC actually encourage this behavior.
ETA: Oops, didn’t mentally process shortnuke’s post above. D20’s school only counts the scholarships from the colleges where the students actually plan on attending.
Hey, when I was shopping for a new car, I was offered something like $200,000 in discounts. Is that impressive?
Ah, charter schools…
As others have pointed out, sadly, she may not have a single school that is genuinely affordable for her family.
I sincerely hope that that fear is not realized.
@moooop, you needed to issue a beverage alert with #31! “The tropical paradise of Detroit…” =))
Sadly, many people outside of “the know” will think this is impressive. And worse, they may encourage their kids to try it themselves. What a waste.
Unfortunately the tuition bill will NOT be symbolic.