<p>Dropping out is cool if you go on to make billions. Otherwise, if not so sure.</p>
<p>MM - </p>
<p>Thanks, :-)</p>
<p>Til, but how do you know in advance if you're going to make billions?</p>
<p>Because his dad made millions and he has the family business and the trust fund...........</p>
<p>It also helps if your Mom serves on a board with the Chairman of IBM, who then enters into a very favorable contract with your startup company that has no product except one it just bought cheap from someone else.</p>
<p>Two years ago, S turned down EA at Yale to accept a Morehead Scholarship at UNC. The decision process was painful for all since it had been his dream school since ninth grade. I can honestly say now that it was the best decision he' s made thus far in his life.</p>
<p>EAmom and I can't put Yale stickers in the back windows of our cars but seeing how incredibly happy he is has made it very easy for us to get over. In hindsight, and with the understanding we now have of the incredible opportunity that he has been given, it should have been a "no brainer."</p>
<p>Can you explain why it was a "no brainer"?</p>
<p>It is hard to adequately describe what "being a Morehead" means in a few short sentences.</p>
<p>When he was senior in high school one of his mentors told him it was a "no brainer" after he was accepted EA at Yale and asked "ok, so now what do I do if I do win the Morehead?" His comment was "at Yale you'll be one of 1300 but as a Morehead you'll be one of 40." At the time we didn't fully get it either.</p>
<p>After visiting UNC in April of his senior year, meeting the staff of the Morehead Foundation and meeting many of the amazing kids who were already Moreheads I had an epiphany of sorts and I became comfortable giving up our dream of having him attend Yale. It finally became clear that the minute he set foot on campus he would have a built in fraternity of sorts of about 150 other kids very much like him. He had a group of professionals (the Foundation staff) who were not only there to nurture and mentor but also were heavily invested in his future success. He would receive none of this at Yale and would indeed just be one of 1300 (granted a very special 1300, but still just one) new students.</p>
<p>The mentoring and care that is shown for the kids on a daily basis is beyond anything we ever anticipated. They truly have a home base/safe harbor at the Foundation with caring adults to make sure that they are doing well both academically and personally. I can't go into particulars in this forum but suffice it to say that our experience has exceeded any and all expectations.</p>
<p>Then there is the summer travel and experiential learning component which allows them to essentially chart their own course and seek their own dreams....no kidding. We are truly blessed to have been offered this incredible journey</p>
<p>Many years ago I turned down much more prestigeous schools to attend Bates, a small LAC I knew would be a better fit for me. While there I met my husband, who had also chosen Bates over Ivies, in his case because Bates offered a much better scholarship package. We both had great college experiences and were able to stretch ourselves and take on leadership roles that at more "desireable" schools would probably not have been available to us. Years later, with good grades, recs. from profs. whom we had had the opportunity to get to know quite well, and a list of meaningful college ECs we both applied to Harvard for grad. schools. While I know my mother had fun subtlely "dropping the H bomb" after we were both admitted to Harvard, my husband and I are actually most proud and fond of our college experience. We learned a lot at Harvard, but we grew the most at Bates.</p>