<p>A question I rarely see: if you have less than stellar grades and a SAT under 2000, how do you think you would do at an Ivy? Would you suddenly get As and fewer Bs? I would think that students would want to go to college where they have a chance to stand out, get the professor’s attention (and not in a bad way), and benefit from the additional positive attention. The students at these schools study very hard and they’re very good at that. Being a mediocre student at an Ivy is just being a mediocre student. </p>
<p>I know that people say things about having a better network which leads to jobs. That is true but only if you’re doing well among your peers because there are students all around you in that Ivy who have better grades and the professor’s recommendation.</p>
<p>I’m not saying that if kids with great essays and/or interviews and/or glowing recommendations with off day SAT/ACT scores should be rejected. I’m saying that Ivies tend to reject students who have not shown themselves in some way the ability to succeed at their college.</p>