This is one profession he doesn’t want to consider because he doesn’t like long path and probably doesn’t want to become a typical Asian stereotypical physician wannabe.
@Pizzagirl His point is that no one can predict his odds to be happy and successful so why not try proven method. It’s not like that most of Ivy grads are unhappy, broke or failures. Neither all state or second tier routes are guaranteed sources of joy and contentment. If it works out then great, if it doesn’t then he’ll be fine going to to any good college but not giving up without trying.
You know youth has that naive arrogance that if you work hard then you can get whatever you want. You shouldn’t let naysayers and road blocks of wealth, class, system, race, religion, gender, connections or biases to deter you from path of your choice. Only experience can teach you that you can do everything right yet not achieve the result you seek and that paths you may not like can take you to better destinations.
Honey. It is HIM that determines whether he’s happy and successful. Not a college. You two have some really warped views on the “magic dust” that a college brings. A college doesn’t make you happy. It doesn’t make you wealthy. It doesn’t make you a success. You do that yourself.
Do you seriously think that if we gathered up the alumni of the top 20 schools and then compared them to the alumni of (say) schools 40 - 60 that there would be a material difference in happiness or satisfaction with life? Sure, maybe the alumni of the top 20 would make a little more (skewed heavily by some minor fields that everyone on CC seems to pretend are really important) but do you not think that the majority of schools 40 - 60 are graduating perfectly fine people who go on to lead perfectly fine and happy lives?
To be honest, the only stereotype you are exhibiting here is the stereotypical Asian belief that the “college makes the man” and that there are major differences as you step down the ladder.
“This is one profession he doesn’t want to consider because he doesn’t like long path and probably doesn’t want to become a typical Asian stereotypical physician wannabe.”
Again, too much emphasis on what others think.
If he has a passion to be a doctor, he should shoot to be a doctor.
If he doesn’t, then he shouldn’t.
End of subject.
You don’t forego pursuing an interest that you have because you’re afraid of “becoming a stereotype.”
He isn’t interested in medical profession so that discussion is fruitless but I do agree that he should care about what he likes, not what others may think. I must admit that I worry about that too and should set a better example. As long as him trying to get into a more selective college, he has a right to try but not to prove his worth but because he wants it for himself.
If he doesn’t want then he doesn’t want. If he doesn’t want because he doesn’t want to become a typical Asian stereotypical physician wannabe, then it’s his choice, even if he has a passion.
He shouldn’t do anything because others claim that he should for whatever reasons.
Whether following one’s strongest passion or not is also one’s choice.
He wasn’t necessarily afraid. He simply “doesn’t like” to become a stereotype. It’s a valid wish to define one’s life. People do all sort of crazy things that are sometimes useful to achieve this goal. There is a difference.
Middlebury and CMC are not Ivy League. Neither is NYU.
If he thinks his future is paved better with an Ivy, he is considering the wrong schools.
No, but Middlebury and CMC are the same darn thing as an Ivy for all intents and purposes.
PG I agree! But the OP specifically said “ivy”.
I’d be interested in what these three schools have in common for the OP kid.
He is mainly nterested in HYSP schools but those 3 choices are his plan C after rest of the Ivies. Obviously NYU because he likes NY, CMC because if you get into one you get access to all schools and he may get merit scholarship there. Middleburry is just because his friend’s sister went there and then off to Harvard for masters and had great stories to tell whenever she visited home.
So are you saying that NYU is his safety school? Is it financially a safety too?
I think Midd and CMC are far better than a Plan C.
And ALL the Ivies? They are very different schools. What is he looking for beyond the ivy cache.
NYU looks like a safety for his credentials but yeah price tag is an issue as I don’t want to pay that for NYU.
MB and CMC are great but everyone has diffrent priorities. He may get some merit money there.
To be honest, he is not looking beyond the Ivy cache at this point because he isn’t clear about his major or profession so just looking for places that offer a wide range of options.
oh please. Every flagship public university in this country has a huge, wide range of choices of majors, and courses. The Ivies don’t hold the exclusive rights to having a wide range of choices.
The Ivies are very different schools. I live in Ivy country, and we have family members who are grads of all of them. There is a huge difference between Columbia and Dartmouth in terms of location. There is a huge difference between Brown and the rest of the Ivies because of the Brown open curriculum. There is a huge difference between Harvard located smack in urban Boston…and Cornell which is in a small town.
And regarding NYU…good luck. It costs $72,000 a year. They give lousy need based and merit aid in most cases.
CMC and Middlebury give primarily need based awards. Not very many merit awards at all.
And you already know that those Ivies give NO merit aid…but I guess it’s worth it to pay any amount for a diploma with an Ivy name on it.
If the main reason for 6 AP’s are for the Val, and he can afford a little less course rigor, is there a room for switching an AP to an easier AP?
AP Art History can be easy to someone who had watched most of The Great Course’s art history lectures. Or else can be very time consuming with little benefit in admission over some easier AP.
If he hasn’t taken prior US History, it can be also very time consuming with lots of essays and memorization,
So I would try to replace both or either of them to an easier AP.
But then I don’t know your son and he might well be able to handle all 6 AP’s easy and prep for tests too.
Can you share his 4 years course selections, with planned for senior year? That would give better ideas.
Also, for plan C, or safety schools, finance (either being able and willing to pay, or likelihood of high FA/Scholarship) is as important as the student’s ability to be accepted. If you would be asked to but is not willing to, then NYC is not a safety school for you no matter how much your son loves NY.
My junior is taking 5 APs and 3 other classes. Her sister did something comparable and it was a lot of work but there was adequate sleep, family dinners, and usually an hour or so of family time. Thankfully, our school does not have a val and so we don’t have this horrible atmosphere, and I actually have no idea whether any of her friends–who she thinks of and refers to as “friends”, not “competitors”–are taking any more APs than she is. I am confident, based on my prior experience, that some of them will be taking a study hall, which at our school is ranked more rigorous than arts classes, and therefore I already know that she will be “behind” quite a few students when GPAs are calculated.
Looks like you need to tell him your financial constraints and run some net price calculators. And he needs to find some actual safeties where both admission and affordability is assured.
Personally though, I think focusing on AP’s for val is a horrible idea as well. An applicant may end up with worse profile even with val. My daughter’s school has lots of interesting non-AP courses and she is likely to take only 8 during sophomore and junior years (likely 4 each) to be competitive for UC schools, and perhaps 1~2 in freshman and 2 in her senior year.
My offer is that if he gets into a highly selective school then I’ll pay. If not then we’ll look at merit awards from plan B schools and state flagship. However, it has to be a place that he is excited about.
Refresh my brain. What are his "plan B schools?
My guess is you wont be seeing significant aid from any of his Plan C schools.
But back to,the schedule.
Even all the Ivies don’t expect ALL AP courses. And taking ALL AP courses even with all A’s will NOT guarantee you admission to these Ivy League Schools.
One hypothetical question. If one has 4.50/5.0 GPA and takes 6 AP courses while other who has 4.48/5.0 GPA and takes 5 AP and study hall then who’ll end up with the higher GPA? If both score let’s say 97’s on all exams.