It is getting competitive out there, I think

[gallentjill]

@RockySoil

Some of us are frustrated because the skills you need to get accepted at top schools (self-promotion, leadership at all costs, standing out over fitting in, etc.) don’t jibe with the way we are trying to raise children (humility, modesty, teamwork, honesty, independence, etc.)

I don’t think this is necessarily true. Different “top” schools are looking for different things. Take a look at the mission statement of a place like Kenyon or Oberlin and compare it to the mission statements at places like Lehigh or Princeton. There is a place for the humble, cooperative, quirky, team player. It might not be Harvard, but it might be Kenyon or Bard.