<p>I find it slightly odd that pretty much every parent in this forum has a child in either an ivy league school or something very close to one. I've been reading through some of these posts and all I hear is parents bragging about how their kids got into Harvard, princeton, UPenn etc.. I don't recall seeing a post for a kid that is going to a lower level or average school (by that I dont mean low level, I just mean lower than the top schools in the country.) To me, it seems like many of the parents on this site are parents of preppy private school kids. This provides for totally biased and one-sided discussions and questions. I am starting to get aggrivated by the arrogance of some of these posts (Ex: I cried and ran through the halls of my son/daughter's high school when I heard he/she got into Princeton.) I find this arrogant and unnecessary to do or to post. I'm sure there are others on this site who feel the same way; outsiders because their children aren't rich, private school kids or geniuses at a public school. Personally, I"m sick of their "I"m better than you" attitude.</p>
<p>I think the reason you see that imbalance is because a) the homepage for this site purports to provide advice to those seeking information about Ivies, so it is going to draw more from that audience to begin with, and b) because only the information and opinions of those who post is seen (see my thread about lurkers)</p>
<p>What is that new bumper sticker? "Be the change you want to see in the world" or something like that. There will be fewer posts from Ivy-seeking parents when the others post more. Simple as that.</p>
<p>Thanks for the insight.</p>
<p>"There will be fewer posts from Ivy-seeking parents when the others post more."</p>
<p>Then too, we won't be hearing from schools that don't have ED/EA or rolling admissions for a while yet.</p>
<p>It does seem the forums are quieter than this time last year, especially for the schools outside the top 100.</p>
<p>Let me jump right in here. My son just got accepted to a great college that doesn't even show up in the "top 500 ranking". There is actually a similarly motivated thread but taking a much more tactful approach than yours started by BHG. I think this forum has attracted a lot of like-minded parents that are going through the extremely daunting task of getting their kids into an Ivy league school. I also have found some posts a bit over the top, but why rain on their parade, or crap in their threads? (At least you had the decency to start a new thread!! :) ) Many or these parents, through their experience with Ivy admissions, are a wealth of information that they generously share with ANYONE who asks! (nicely) </p>
<p>I think some people wrongly interpret as arrogance or rudeness something which is more akin to single minded obsession and extreme emotionalism at the result, which is either "my life is over" or "this is the most wonderful moment of my life". I am willing to step back and indulge some people in return for the great information and supportive atmosphere of this forum. :)</p>
<p>oh, and p.s., the obvious: Ivy posts are at an extreme right now with ED starting mid last week, Princeton letters being received today in NJ, and HY next week!!!!</p>
<p>Devilsrule, my D, the only one in college at the moment is at a small Catholic college in the midwest. I have mentioned that quite a few times. There are a number of posts here that refer to colleges that are not in the top 25. But it certainly makes sense that the parents and kids who are applying to the most selective schools are the ones who dominate the CC scene. Most college, the vast, vast majority are not that selective. It is only when you are applying the the very few that are selective, that things start getting crazy, and kids with sterling resumes and stats are rejected. So those in that crowd are very intense about upping the odds, getting the info for these top schools. If you are applying to Penn State, a fine school, one of the top flagship state schools, and a school that is the alma mater to more kids that half the ivies combined, the formula for getting into that university is hardly a mystery, and there are few "tricks' involved. UPenn is a different story. When you look at what kind of students are rejected, accepted, deferred, it is hard to make rhyme or reason in many of the case as to what happened. Hence the research and interest when that is an option a student wants.</p>
<p>Jamimom wrote the post, better, than what I would have written. There are only about 150-200 colleges for which getting into is significantly stressful and which aren't pretty much strictly numbers (GPA, scores) driven. This site self-selects for students/parents for those 150-200.</p>
<p>I think there should be two distinct sections in the parents forum: one for the ivy league schools and one for everything else. This would make it alot easier to find some helpful info in the parents section.</p>
<p>Devilsrule, I think you are going to get into BU, Rochester, and Lehigh. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thank you. I hope that you are right.</p>
<p>Devilsrule, THere are plenty of parents here who have kids looking at and applying to less competitive and well-known schools. Do a search and you'll see many discussions of just such schools.</p>
<p>I am interested in the experiences of everyone, both those looking at highly selective schools and those looking at smaller, less selective schools and big state universities. I agree that we can lose perspective on this board. I have to remind myself that this is a select group of students and parents. Nowhere else does someone consider a 1350 a "bad" SAT score or does a father write "nothing to brag about) about a 228 PSAT score. Just as with everything else, take the good and leave the rest. This is an incredible forum with lots of wisdom and insight. I am proud of all the kids. Karen</p>
<p>Consider me one whose kiddos are not interested in the Ivies. DS is at BU. DD is looking in the south.</p>
<p>Devil; There is a funny Ivy business which extends far beyond this forum. It's the business of mentioning "your" Ivy as often as possible. </p>
<p>When my S was off on GAP year and unlikely to meet anyone associated with CC, I told his story freely. Now that he is back in the US, I avoid the mention of his school and I haven't told much about his experience. Nor will I post stats or apps for younger S. For privacy.</p>
<p>Ivy parents and graduates don't feel the same way. That's why this board seems skewed but proably isn't. The Ivy celebrity is to be announced at every opportunity. It's part of American culture. Kind of a weird part, but certainly not personal. You shouldn't let it bother you.</p>
<p>I guess I don't have that on my radar as much as some others. My daughter likes her school very much, even though she is having to take a year off to "fix some things"
We know several kids who are attending Ivies but I don't really pay attention to the school names, except for her friend that is attending Harvard. Sorry but the only schools that register as Ivies to me are Harvard and Yale. Not even Princeton counts.
I can't get over UPenn not being a public school, I know someone who passed up Cornell to attend Evergreen state college and my elderly neighbors grandson played basketball at Cornell so I think of it as a "Jock" school. Brown I frankly never heard of until JFK jr graduated and had such a hard time passing the bar, and Dartmouth I equate with their native studies program. ( and Animal House)
So while I admit that when my daughter was younger and she was in the point 0 3 % I thought of Yale sweatshirts, when it came time to look at colleges the only schools "back east" I mentioned were women's schools. Hey, if it was good enough for Kate Hepburn!</p>
<p>Why can't you ever get over Penn not being a public school? Sorry to invade this thread parents, but I just got into Huntsman and I love Penn and I don't understand why the above poster "can't get over UPenn not being a public school"...Meh.</p>
<p>Although I will be attending an Ivy, my college search was definitely not one of the "Ivy or Bust" sort that seem to be so prevalent on these boards. This was the only Ivy on my list, and quite frankly, I did not expect to get in at all. That specific school was not my focus after sending in the application. I'm completely thrilled to be attending that school, but not for its name, but instead its fit for me and the absolute comfort that I felt when I spent time there. It just happened that the school that clicked for me was an Ivy.</p>
<p>NJres, absolutely love the phrase 'crap in their threads'. </p>
<p>There are plenty of posts that are irritating on CC. I particularly dislike the overly long posts in the parents forum, the over use of "quotes", and the extremely sappy posts. That said, I am just as addicted as many others. Sure, there are plenty of people whose goals, backgrounds, and situations differ from mine, but that is what is good about discussion groups; its an opportunity to cheaply see some other perspectives</p>
<p>Get used to it, Catch22. That is a cross that all Penn people have to bear. In fact when you are in Nittany country, the only Penn that exists in people's minds is Penn State!</p>
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<blockquote> <p>To me, it seems like many of the parents on this site are parents of preppy private school kids. This provides for totally biased and one-sided discussions and questions.<<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>My D is attending an Ivy League school, but we are strictly a middle class family. She attended a large public high school that has a large minority enrollment and a distinctly mediocre academic reputation. And I know there are other parents on this site whose kids also go/went to ordinary public schools. So I think it's pretty safe to say that you are not hearing solely the perspective of the rich, the priviledged, or the prep school set. You probably need to rethink the biases you think you detect in the conversations here.</p>