<p>My take: sympathy. With the exception of a very few individuals, innately gifted with empathy for others, academic super-stars have to be taught good sportsmanship... imho. Unlike athletes, academic stars (who don't play sports lol) don't necessarily have a lot of examples if their parents aren't able to explain or model to them how to handle success sensitively and gracefully.</p>
<p>I'm not going to comment on why the young man chose to apply to so many colleges after his EA at Harvard, but I can tell you why he got into them all: his writing is phenomenal. It makes his hard data (test scores, class rank) pale by comparison. </p>
<p>Look at this excerpt again (thanks, Xiggi, for finding and posting it):</p>
<p>"he remembers the faint paper-thin whispers of folklore of a land he used to know: a land of conical hats poking through vast open rice paddies, and female silhouettes blowing a traditional gown on urban asphalt, the fringes floating in mid air like silver-winged butterflies starving for something better. he is caught up in a dichotomy of two worlds, two cultures: vietnamese, and american."</p>
<p>He has the rhythm of a born poet, understands how to craft metaphors and avoids the tried and trite. His ideas are fresh, if just a bit over-stated (that will improve with maturity and lots of reading at one of those fine universities). He has an original voice and he's a romantic, which I'm betting many of the adcoms are at heart.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, F. Scott Fitzgerald with the added benefit of a cross-cultural perspective and from Texas! Which ad committee in their right minds wouldn't say yes to that? </p>
<p>I hope he goes to Columbia. I would love to someday read his take on New York City.</p>
<p>Would this thread have been started if the student in question had a CC parent (in other words, imagine talking about a "valued" CC parent's child)? I am sorry, but this thread makes me uneasy. </p>
<p>This is a 17 year old kid. He has done well. Enough said.</p>
<p>Maybe some people here are also uncomfortable with this kid because his presence busts a few myths? Like the idea that (a) only kids with absolutely phenomenal stats (perfect SAT scores + Intel winners, etc) have a really good chance of getting into an Ivy, much less several; (b) it's all a crap shoot anyway, so the odds against getting admitted to all Ivies must be phenomenal -- like shooting 7's eight times in a row. </p>
<p>In reality, it may be that there is a lot more overlap in Ivy admissions than most people would like to admit. I know that the Val at my d's school was admitted to all the Ivy's & Ivy caliber school he applied to -- he didn't apply to all 8, but he got into Yale, Harvard & Columbia which is still winning the triple crown of college admissions. Like Tri, he was top of his class and had a good, solid record of EC's, and strong but not amazing SAT scores. </p>
<p>So maybe the reality is that a lot of the kids with the impressive stats who get waitlisted or rejected aren't losing the admissions race because the system is so fickle, but rather they have failed to complete the picture: their recs or writing or interview was weaker than they would like to admit. Drab, uninspired - without the spark that the ad com is looking for. </p>
<p>In other words, despite the high grades and test scores, a significant percentage of kids get rejected from Ivies simply because they aren't good enough. Or at least they fail utterly to put forth anything that distinguishes them from the crowd, other than the exact same litany of high stats and EC participation that every other high achiever presents.</p>
<p>And here comes Tri with his talent with words and a school g.c. who adores him - and in a school of 700+ students you can bet it means something if the g.c. pronounces him as "one of a kind" or the "best" of her career. </p>
<p>And at the same time, with the myth of the impossible odds and competition that permeates this board and puts the scare into everyone had both Tri and his g.c. believing that Ivy admission was such a long shot that he needed to apply to multiple colleges. And if, as another parent suggested, Tri also is saddled with stereotypical Asian parents who think only an Ivy will do.... well it makes sense to me that he would apply to them all. His only mistake is that he bought into the same myth -- that admissions at each is next-to-impossible.</p>
<p>Have to say that I agree with much of what calmom is saying. And isn't it a double standard to impune this kid for announcing his phenomenal results, when this Parent's Forum has three permanant threads for expressly this purpose. Were Quiltguru or Katwkittens being insensitive for sharing their kids' sweep of the ivies? Or what about Curmudgeon's postings concerning his daughter's acceptance and merit bonanzas? They (deservedly) got mega cyber-congratulations. Let's face it: one of the enticing things about this forum is that you can brag about your (kid's) accomplishments in a way that you would never do in social situations. I plead guilty of this as well. </p>
<p>And, I also agree that this students results, like that of a few others, defies the more comforting belief that the ivies are simply lotteries. I remember last year, a student poster got skewered on this forum for saying that he knew a bunch of kids who got into multiiple ivies, and that he felt that those who did truly had a hard-to-define but nevertheless very perceivable spark. (And because he also got into some of these schools, he was severely chastized for having a swelled head). Well, this case is a perfect illustration of that spark (more like fireworks): it's the writing which, more than ethnicity or poverty, set this boy way apart from the pack.</p>
<p>And finally, when he says that maybe others are having this problem, I took it to mean that maybe he's not the only one who's confused among a bunch of offers and feeling overwhelmed with the decision. But, even if part of the reason he posted is to annouce his accomplishments, so what....that's a huge part of what goes on in CC land (in addition, of course to much valuable info sharing and mutual support).</p>
<p>I agree with Momof2inca and Calmom that Tri has a way with words that trumps mere GPAs and stats. I am not surprised that he got admitted to all the schools he applied to, even if they are all Ivies plus Rice. I am a bit surprised that he has trouble narrowing down his list to a few from which to choose. He might not have known much at the time he applied; but he's had time to do a bit more internet research since and to begin thinking about his own preferences. He did not have to even avoid the subject since he already had two acceptances by February. That is the surprising thing to me.</p>
<p>Well said, Donemom. I am very uncomfortable with many of the posts in this thread....this is a kid who has accomplished an amazing thing and was/is in search of info, guidance and, yes, some well-deserved kudos. </p>
<p>That is what we are supposed to be about, I thought.</p>
<p>robyrm:
[quote]
I'm sorry Marmat, but I have to call you on some of this....Every single foreigner I know (and I live in another country) who is considering colleges knows the difference between Harvard and Cornell, Brown and Yale.
[/quote]
Well... I guess, the foreigners thinking of sending their kids to a US college may be quite different from those who just makes a living here in the US... I, personally, had no idea what exactly "Ivy League" means when our DD was applying to colleges. I just knew it's something good academically, expensive and somewhere at the East Coast. Or maybe not. :) By then, we lived in the US for more than 3 years, and (unlike the kid's parents) we are college-educated... And we had the high-speed internet access (which they maybe don't have). Still, none of us had a clue about those differences. See, I was speaking from my own experience... </p>
<p>Obviously, I'm much more savvy now... :D but I was so busy with my younger kids' problems when DD was applying - Tri's parents also have two younger kids, right? So DD was basically left to her own devices (and the admission brochure at her school only listed several local schools). Couldn't that happen to Tri? Do we know that his counselor have ever dealt with an Ivy admission in her career?</p>
<p>
[quote]
if you look at all his posts- not just those most recently...a pretty savvy kid comes to light, in fact.
[/quote]
Oh, that I didn't do. I just looked at the post linked to this thread... and admired some of his writings quoted here. </p>
<p>I just had a hypothesis why his posting (seemingly insensitive) and his admission strategy (seemingly name-hunting) might be not what they seem to be. If it does not correlate with his other posts, this hypothesis is probably wrong.</p>
<p>marite:
I dunno. No internet at home? Superstition (didn't want to jinx it)? Wanted to wait until he is able to make the visits? Or maybe he did some research, but wanted to hear the first-hand accounts, so he posted a generic question everywhere. It does look strange, but who knows...</p>
<p>I completely agree about his essays.</p>
<p>Did you guys really think his writing was great? I'm no expert at all, but when I read that, I thought, "Oh, puh-leaz!" I think someone here used the description "overblown" or something like that. I thought it was <em>way</em> overblown. Isn't cramming too many metaphors into an essay just as bad as using too few? </p>
<p>Also, I live in the Houston area, and I feel sure that the school this kid attends is Cy-Fair High School. Here is some info the school: <a href="http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/tx/other/1710%5B/url%5D">http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/tx/other/1710</a>
You can see that it is a large suburban, probably mid-upper income school. Nevertheless, schools around here are usually not very focused on Ivies. You just don't hear about kids going to the East coast from here that often. Maybe the GC saw this kid as a good shot of getting there though, and she was obviously right!</p>
<p>"Also, I live in the Houston area, and I feel sure that the school this kid attends is Cy-Fair High School."</p>
<p>Nope, that is not the school. Try Langham Creek!</p>
<p><a href="http://schools.cfisd.net/langham/index.stm%5B/url%5D">http://schools.cfisd.net/langham/index.stm</a></p>
<p>timely, I also found the writing somewhat maudlin for my tastes... but I think it was a lot better than a lot of what I've seen. It certainly isn't boring, prosaic, ponderous or pretentious -- and I have to say, a good deal of essays that I have seen students write are. I think a lot of kids try very hard to use their essays to show off their intellectual prowess, and in the process they only manage to bore the reader to death. Especially when the reader is someone who has to read several thousand essays in a matter of weeks. </p>
<p>I am starting to think that the essay is very, very important. And that part is tough, because it is a whole lot easier to study up and do well on a standardized test than to become a compelling writer if you don't have the knack for it. (Though I must say that the Harry Baud "On Writing the College Essay" book is an absolute gem - and if I could get a kid only one book geared to college admissions, that would have to be it. )</p>
<p>Anyway, this kids' apps obviously stood out. Many others didn't. That's the long and the short of it.</p>
<p>Xiggi:</p>
<p>You are right about reminding us of Lindseyjluh--and a few others whose names I can't remember right now. </p>
<p>About the writing. It is a tad overblown, but this kid has a distinctive voice and he is able to make the reader feel his struggle to navigate two very different cultures. Not many 17 years old can do that.</p>
<p>Hello parents.</p>
<p>Someone finally directed me to this thread. I have read what everyone had to say regarding my questions about choosing a specific college. I would like to thank each poster for his/her comments regarding my situation. Whether pleasant or not, I learned a lot from what was discussed.</p>
<p>To clarify some things: I just wanted to say that I had done some research on plenty of schools over the summer. I also attended any school programs made available in my area (College Night, Presentations from schools like Columbia, Brown, etc.) </p>
<p>I knew which schools I liked, and which ones I did not feel would be right for me. (For example, I knew I probably would not be happy at CIT, or MIT. Not to say that they aren't exceptional schools.) I had found interest in all of the schools I applied to. However, I have read so much about the difficult acceptance rates and truly wanted to explore my options and (hopefully) decipher which school I should call home for four years.</p>
<p>With the exception of Stanford, I had submitted all of my applications in September. Currently, I am still having a difficult time finalizing and postmarking my "decision" for May 1st. </p>
<p>I was very surprised to be admitted to the schools in which I had applied to. My G.C. has never written a rec. letter or school report for anyone who has gone to an ivy league school before. Although she will not be back until Wednesday, I am completely thrilled to tell her the great news. She has always believed in me.</p>
<p>I can honestly say that 90% of my school's top 10% go to the University of Texas in Austin. (Texas has an unusual top 10% rule.)</p>
<p>Financial aid HAS and will continue to play a significant role on which school I choose. Money is tight in my family, and I respect my parents' wishes to search for the best deal for our money. As a result, I have applied to many, many outside scholarships along the way.</p>
<p>Although I was somewhat surprised that people were reading my online journal and personal resources (Livejournal, Myspace, etc.), the help I have received over the last couple of days have been invaluable. Thank you, parents, for your help and congratulations.</p>
<p>--Tri</p>
<p>What a gracious response. All the best to you!!</p>
<p>tchiem -- congratulations on your success! I am sure that you will do well with whatever college you choose, and I for one fully understand and appreciate the value of waiting for financial aid decisions before getting too attached to the idea of any one college. Let us know over in the financial aid thread how all those Ivies compare with their awards -- I am sure it will help others to know which schools seem to be the most generous.</p>
<p>Nicely done, Tri.</p>
<p>Congratulations on all your wonderful acceptances and best of luck with your decision!</p>
<p>Tri:</p>
<p>Thanks for posting. It's very impressive that you had all your applications done by September! I hope your financial aid packages are as generous as you and your family hope for. Good luck deciding.</p>
<p>One factor to consider: since you are from TX, closeness to an airport and, ideally direct flights. Offhand, I would say Dartmouth and Cornell might be less desirable from that standpoint. If you are not going to be able to go home on breaks, ask about accommodations/meals during those breaks.</p>
<p>TRI
Congratulations on all your well-deserved acceptances. You could not go wrong with any of your choices, and I hope your visits this month will help you decide on "THE ONE" for you. You are an exceptional person, and your parents are surely very proud of you!!</p>
<p>Please let us know which college you decide to attend! And best wishes to you. You are a fine writer with a distint voice for such a young man. Not everyone is going to get your writing style or think it's great but it resonated with me, and I'm convinced it's what made your admissions' outcome so positive -- not that your stats and other qualities are any less worthy, the writing just makes you stand out. (And I still think Columbia and NY would give you the best grist for the writing mill).</p>
<p>Wow. I read the first two pages of comments and was struck by how mean spirited that some posters sounded. The kid can write, and from the profile information it sounds like he's in a gritty urban school.</p>
<p>Tchiem--you will do well anywhere, but spend some time thinking about what you want to accomplish in college. Do you want to pursue your interest in writing and the arts in college? If so look at schools that focus on those things. Our "artsy" kids in our community tend to gravitate to Yale. I don't know if that 's the right choice, but it is a pattern. Our kids have different interests so I don't know about the other schools you applied to.</p>