<p>I agree with and appreciate ptc’s commentary, but answer NO to the Q posed in the thread title. I have found CC parents to be a blessing, and not at all depressing. :)</p>
<p>We did find CC just in the nick of time and benefited immeasurably; perhaps that’s why I feel immensely more grateful than troubled. DS has wonderful options for fall that we would have known nothing about without CC. There are hard realities, yes. But I kiss the ground (ethers?) that CC parents walk upon!</p>
<p>The goal of this website is to help people avoid making the following posts in the future:</p>
<p>“I hate my college and I want to transfer. It is nothing like I expected.”</p>
<p>“I was rejected from all of my favorite colleges, and now I have to go to a college I hate.”</p>
<p>“I fell in love with a college, but can’t afford it, and I don’t have any other good choices.”</p>
<p>“I used up all my savings and ran up too much debt in my first 2 years of college, and now I have to transfer to a college I don’t like.”</p>
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<p>Just keep in mind that most people who spend time on this website are above average in college credentials, and have above average incomes. Just notice how few comments are posted about the huge number of colleges that are less competitive in admissions.</p>
<p>The most depressing aspect of CC is the realization that despite reading about all these kids that are smart enough to get into multiple top20/Ivy/etc schools or kids with awesome SAT’s, grades, EC’s, and the like, we as a country are headed nowhere…</p>
<p>“Just keep in mind that most people who spend time on this website are above average in college credentials, and have above average incomes. Just notice how few comments are posted about the huge number of colleges that are less competitive in admissions.”</p>
<p>If I keep the above in mind and realize that just because I’m not ready for a throwdown about why this top school is better than that top school and take the good advice while ignoring the parts of CC that horrify me (some of the chance threads, some of the intense parents), then I don’t find CC parents’ forums depressing. I like them very much. But I do think one must be mindful. It can be a daunting place.</p>
<p>I’ve found CC to be very helpful at times and depressing at other times. Some of the tips I’ve picked up here were invaluable and not available anywhere else. Overall, it’s a positive site and that’s why I keep coming back to read up on the latest posts!</p>
<p>It’s not depressing. It’s scary. I have shat myself many times whilst reading these boards. My D just visited Vandy. She likes it. I’m considering looking at my life insurance policy. Lol</p>
<p>Walker1194, reading Vandy’s latest admissions stats will depress you. Straight from their admissions blog, 25% of their accepted incoming freshman had perfect test scores. My son had coaches (not D1) advocating for him, with very strong grades, test scores and ECs, and he was denied. But he’ll happily be attending University of Michigan next Fall.</p>
<p>I credit CC with helping me find a great LAC for My S1. His stats were not strong and HS guidance counselor baically wrote him off. He is absolutely flourishing and has 2 great internship options - both with Fortune 100 companies. </p>
<p>I credit CC parents with helping me through the emotional turmoil when my S2 with perfect stats got rejected from MIT. He opted for our state flagship honors engineering program on full merit scholarship and as a freshman was awarded a research grant and has been offered a summer internship. </p>
<p>I always smile when H or boys say "Mom, can you ask your friends on CC what we should do about…
</p>
<p>(where is the key for the letters before and after “Y” on the IPad keyboard?)</p>
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<p>I agree. It’s only depressing if you find reality depressing.</p>
<p>Reality should drive positive change after you accept it.</p>
<p>I feel very sad for the people who come here only AFTER falling into the many traps and pitfalls on the road to a suitable, affordable college choice for their kids.
I wish I could send some people a time machine, so they could go back to their kids’ sophomore years and start over more wisely.</p>
<p>I feel very lucky I stumbled across this site when my daughter was early enough in the process that I could make very good use of the information and advice.</p>
<p>Lots of eye-opening reality checks, but also lots of very concrete and constructive input on steps to take.</p>
<p>“like” Oh ya, it is very very depressing. OP, hand shake.</p>
<p>Nope- not depressing. Its real life in microcosm. The good, the bad and the ugly. The laughs, the stories, the volumes of helpful people who know something about everything. Its my “go to” place for tons of information, and to whine when I need to. Its only depressing when some ■■■■■ comes in to stir up a little trouble. But that can be entertaining too. So its all good.</p>
<p>speaking strictly for myself here – but the only depressing thing about cc/parents forum is the amount of time I’ve spent here over the years…</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone’s replies to my post with the somewhat deliberately provocative header. Yeah, I never learned enough coming here as long ago as I did. And, yeah, while i recognize that most people who come here are already in a small cohort of Americans (families with kids who are likely to go to college and who are involved enough to want to do research on all aspects of the search and who likely have household incomes well above the national norm) I still feel extremely average in this above average crod.</p>
<p>Obviously there is a lot of frustration in my post, which goes beyond anythin that CC is suppose to remedy. Wearing my fog-covered glasses, I’ve looked at the end of high school as the end of stage of parenting and a new beginning for my three kids, and the reality has played out differently, because the cost of college has just escalated beyond anything I was able to do with my personal finances to make sense of.</p>
<p>And although I know that the financing of a college education is nowhere like what it was when I went to college, it still frsutrates me to know that at least two of my three kids knew all through high school that going to college meant going into debt – more debt than I ever faced going to a private university a couple of decades ago – and probably taking five or six years.</p>
<p>And yes, I am frustrated with the number of colleges we visited that offered amenities (health clubs, extreme variety of food choices and dorm choices) all in a competitive race with other colleges and all amenities that added to the final bill presented to parents.</p>
<p>It’s like financing a second home that you never get to spend time in.</p>
<p>Rant over – I am glad that CC is here for all college-interested families and I will continue spreading the word – especially to families with kids in junior high.</p>
<p>Chicken :)</p>
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<p>Just out of curiosity, what parameters do you use to qualify yourself as average on CC? How would you define someone to be above or below average?</p>
<p>I don’t think ptc considers him/herself “dirt stupid” or “dirt poor” .</p>
<p>Depressing? In a couple of situations. When perfectly fine schools are dissed or dismissed because they’re not exclusive enough. And when I realize with all these marvelous other kids out there, mine aren’t nearly as exceptional as I’ve led myself to believe! </p>
<p>Otherwise, I love cc, even though I will not have kids heading to or even considering most of the schools discussed here. I especially like the fin aid board for its sound, no-nonsense advice and the parents board for the level of discourse.</p>
<p>What I’ve found fascinating since being on here since 2004 is how MUCH the college selection environment has changed financially from then til now.</p>
<p>Back then (only 8 years ago!), top-of-the-top out-the-door cost was about $45-$47K, probably NYU or Williams. And with the economy still going great guns, there was little if any concern from parents about how to pay for it, with student or parental debt just not being much of a topic. And merit aid was a LOT more common at top schools it seemed.</p>
<p>NOW, top costs at those schools are in the mid-50’s, the economy has been in the tank for 4 years, and there are legends of posts of 4.0, 32+ ACT students getting zilch in merit aid at ranked universities. It also seems that need-based aid to those chosen few for the top-20 privates get a lot more publicity, jealous or not, than before.</p>
<p>A different landscape to be sure. BUT…that ‘love thy safety’ credo still holds true!</p>
<p>Yale - COA $73K, try that.</p>
<p>With Yale now costing 58K(as per their list), and in 2008 it was below 46K. If trend continues 73K looks like will happen by year 2016/17.</p>
<p>Interesting trend I noticed this years graduating class our local HS, one of the brightest group of students school has seen in recent memory, overall more top ranked schools and IVY acceptances. Bar the IVY acceptances, very very few are taking the prestige over value for money. I was rather surprised.</p>