<p>So this fall, when discussing colleges, my mother, out of the blue, threw out that I should definitely apply to MIT, because I would "get in easily."
Now, those who have seen my stats know that I have decent test scores, pretty good grades, decent EC's... but definitely NOT NOT NOT good enough for MIT!
She believed that just because I was a girl with a decent SAT Math score and I was taking Calculus (AB even!), that I would be a shoe-in.
I actually LOL'd.
I still tease her about it today... and she doesn't seem to see what the big deal is.</p>
<p>Bad judgment call #2:
I applied to 10 universities and colleges, most of them on the more prestigious end of the spectrum. I have been accepted to only 1 so far, my sort-of safety... which I have never visited, and it's not exactly known for its academics.
For no good reason, my father is pushing me with a fervor I have never seen before to attend this university! Even though he knows full well that like 8 out of the other ones I applied to are all tied for "first choice" in my mind... and like I said, WE HAVE NEVER EVEN VISITED. He simply thinks that I will get a good scholarship there.</p>
<p>So, how about you guys? Have your parents made any spectacularly bad judgment calls about the colleges you've applied to or have pushed you to/against any colleges for no reason at all?</p>
<p>I think that money should be sacrificed for quality of education. A lot of my intelligent friends (Ivy League Caliber) are going to UF because of the parents and maybe a slightly cheaper college fee. </p>
<p>Go and apply to the colleges that you want to. Good luck! It’s your choice, not theirs.</p>
<p>Your mom is like the many out there that think that their “good student child” will easily get into an elite…not understanding that these schools accept a tiny percentage and are getting apps from kids with super stats and spectacular ECs. </p>
<p>* I have been accepted to only 1 so far, my sort-of safety… which I have never visited, and it’s not exactly known for its academics.
For no good reason, my father is pushing me with a fervor I have never seen before to attend this university! Even though he knows full well that like 8 out of the other ones I applied to are all tied for “first choice” in my mind… and like I said, WE HAVE NEVER EVEN VISITED. He simply thinks that I will get a good scholarship there.*</p>
<p>Your dad’s attitude concerns me, though. Is he worried about paying for college? Is he worried that he can’t afford whatever schools determine your “family contribution” to be? Is he worried that his job might be in jeopardy? There’s a student on another thread whose dad has just lost his job (she’s a freshman in college) and they don’t have the means to continue paying. Your dad may be leaning towards this financial safety school because he’ll feel assured that it is affordable.</p>
<p>Hey…why haven’t you visited your safety school? A school really can’t be your true affordable safety if you have no idea of whether you’d like it or not.</p>
<p>What school is it? Does it typically give large merit scholarships for your stats?</p>
<p>Have your parents said how much they can pay each year?</p>
<p>Sure, it’s easy to be in favor of sacrificing someone else’s money to fund your education, but life is not always so simple or convenient. Your parents not only have to figure out how to fund your education - they also have figure out how to pay for your siblings too and have enough left over for their own eventual retirement. </p>
<p>You might end up wishing your parents had spent a little less on your expensive school and put a little more into their own retirment investments if in their old age they are forced to move in and live with you because their money has run out and they can no long afford to stay in their own place.</p>
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<p>Yes, if you are paying for everyting the choice is all yours. But if your parents are paying then that’s another story.</p>
<p>Kids who just apply to schools that they “want” without finding out what their family can pay are often very disappointed when they have a handful of unaffordable acceptances.</p>
<p>The OP has applied to UMich and at least one UCalif. So, he/she is Out of state for at least one school. If the parents haven’t agreed to pay $50k per year for that OOS school, it’s going to be an unaffordable choice if the student is accepted.</p>
<p>Coureur is right…if you need the parents to help pay/finance where you’re going to college, their consideration is needed.</p>
<p>I think many young people have no idea about how paying for college impacts a family in the short-term and long-term.</p>
<p>Unless your parents aren’t helping to pay because no one payed for them, because it was a government funded program in another country. To me that is a little short-sighted, knowing they can afford it especially since it’s in state. Then it is not me realizing the impact, it’s them not realizing the impact it would have on me.</p>
<p>There is no reason to make a decision before May 1, when you can compare all your choices and the net cost after financial aid. </p>
<p>To make your dad happy, why don’t you go visit the college that he favors? You may find out you like it, or you may find good reasons to cross it off your list.</p>
<p>As far as very selective colleges, many older parents think things are the same as they were 20 years ago. Thousands of students who were accepted to very selective colleges 20 years ago would never be accepted today.</p>
<p>I was denied admission to Yale yesterday and my mom says “Well there is still BU!” Boston University is towards the lower end of my college list >_<</p>