<p>My parents are forcing me to apply to Harvard and Columbia. Yeah, i'd like to go to those, but I pretty much have 0 chances of getting in (i'm not exaggerating) and I really want to focus on the colleges that I can actually get into, and not waste my time and money. However, my dad keeps insisting that i'm just "giving up" and "to give it a shot anyway" which is really starting to **** me off because i do NOT want to apply. what am i supposed to do?? my parents think i'm like the best student at my school and i'm not even close...</p>
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not waste my time and money
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<p>Is it your money that's being spent on application fees or your parents money?</p>
<p>If it's the latter, don't worry about it.</p>
<p>its the parent's money, but i still don't feel like getting together recommendations and essays for 2 extra colleges...</p>
<p>Stubborn parents are hard to deal with. It gets worse with age. Hey, I'm dealing with my 91 year old stubborn mom.</p>
<p>Best advise I can give, is to humor them and don't waste your energy fighting this battle. As you probably won't get accepted, it's not going to be a major issue-- </p>
<p>BUT!! You should concentrate on the schools and applications that you are most interested in. Chances are, you will be able to use enough info and essays from those applications to cobble through the application process for Harvard and Columbia.
Concentrate your efforts and energy on those schools that you prefer and have a decent shot of getting an acceptance.</p>
<p>Good luck with mom and dad!!</p>
<p>just saw your response-- wouldn't you be using the same recommendations anyway?? My kids school just made copies of the teacher recommendation and sent them out to all schools. I'm not familiar with Columbia or Harvard essays- but after you apply to 3 or 4 schools, there's alot of basic info on the essays that with a bit of editing you can recycle it and use the essays again!!</p>
<p>They took care of you for 18 years. The least you can do is turn in a couple of applications using THEIR money.</p>
<p>Look on the bright side--I've seen numerous plaints by students whose parents want them to go to community college instead of the more selective school they want and are qualifed for. Compared to them, you don't have much of a problem.</p>
<p>Here's what we did with our oldest:</p>
<p>As part of his eight applications, he agreed to apply to one school that was Mom's favorite, and one that was Dad's choice. Now, these weren't inappropriate schools; we knew he would be successful at them, and they had strong programs in his major. But one school was in an area he didn't care for, and the other school was smaller than what he wanted, and less selective though still in the top 40. So, a little compromising was in order.</p>
<p>The deal was that after he agreed to the two parental choices, we parents had to keep quiet about the rest of the application process! It worked very well - the agreement added balance to his choices, and he could pursue his dream schools without us getting in his business. (When we were too inquisitive, he would remind us of the agreement, and that kept feelings from being hurt.) As it turned out, he was accepted into both "parents" schools, but opted to attend one of his own top choices.</p>
<p>You have to try to see things from your parents viewpoint. They have sacrificed a great deal for your future, and they would like to be a part of it. Be glad that you have such loving and involved parents, and find a way to work with them.</p>
<p>My dad made me apply to Harvard and Yale. At the Harvard interview, I was asked if H was my first choice and I replied that it wasn't --> waitlisted. No such luck at Yale. It was the first of only 2 major arguments with my Dad (the other was when I told him I was getting married). Both times, when it was really important to me, I was just as stubborn as I needed to be (and more stubborn than my dad). Fortunately, I didn't have the kind of parent who'd say,"You're going where I want you to go or I'm not helping you pay for it."</p>
<p>Trust me MmCheezItsYay, your situation is very familiar.</p>
<p>However, my parents and I had this discussion a whole year ago (in my junior year. are you a senior already?), and, after a while and much discussion, they pretty much said "Ok. You don't need to apply to those," but they still want me to apply to at least one Ivy school in our area (the northeast). Currently, I'm planning to apply to Cornell, which my parents decided is just as valid for an uber-elite-showy education as Columbia is, although I don't expect to get into Cornell. It's the easiest to get into though (or so the acceptance rate and certain sources would say), so it might not feel like you're wasting your time if you think you have any chance of getting in there.</p>