<p>Once you've made up your mind, look everyone in the eye with confidence, tap your chest lightly, and say, "The heart has its own reasons." Act like you know something they don't.</p>
<p>That's what I do whenever nobody understands me, which is often.</p>
<p>It's hard to say on CC. These forums are filled with incredibly talented people who have the stats and the skills to make it to schools like HYP. They dream above and beyond and chances are they will go to a school that's highy ranked. We also need to factor in pressure from parents.</p>
<p>In my opinion, an ivy is an ivy. Chances are they would choose Cornell due to it's name. </p>
<p>Advice-wise, I'm sure people would try to make sure that this student has visited Cornell and that he/she likes the environment and everything about the school.</p>
<p>SHS_Spartan,
Unfortunately, you reinforced my point. Prestige is a powerful (and sometimes misleading) force. </p>
<p>I only used Cornell’s name for illustrative purposes, but regardless of which Ivy college you are referring to, if the student thinks that they would be happier and more fulfilled at a “lesser” ranked college like Lehigh, BC, Tulane, etc, then IMO that is where they should go. That is the advice you have been getting throughout this thread, so why should it be any different if the names of the colleges are changed?</p>
<p>No...I'm just saying kids on this forum would automatically lean toward Cornell because of its name. Not saying it's bad, if they're happier and such at Cornell, by all means they can go.</p>
<p>And the advice the kid would receive on this forum would be geared towards happiness and fulfillment.</p>
<p>I'll tell you this, Spartan, Cornell is not ranked highly in the "happiest students" ranking list; it's a pretty high stress school. The kids at the University of Tulsa are happy. The kids are the University of Indiana are happy. If you have found a school where you will be happy, to for it.</p>
<p>If it helps your high school conversation sanity, have a favorite thing about your major there or about the school or your major program that they can't "top" - for example, no other school can claim Bill Nye the Science Guy and Timothy "Turn on, tune in, drop out" Leary as alumni - or for example, you have spoken to a professor in your intended major and really clicked with him or her. As an earlier poster noted, next year when you are at WSU, you will be surrounded by others who chose WSU.</p>