As a alums of two elite schools, my wife and I cringe at the intensity of the entire application process and feel for our kids, the kids of friends, and for all kids and parents who have gone through the uniquely horrible process. A silver lining has been that we have embraced the local public university and have enjoyed watching D#1 engage in cool major that would have likely been impossible at super Type A schools. A second silver lining is the the extra engagement I see in the kids. I think it took us both more time.
Wild to know both kids did so superbly relative to us and to doubt that they will have half the chances we had.