<p>old but wise, since I am paying $200,000 for my son's college I told him he has to take my idea of a good education: Greek plays, ancient philosophy, math, science, astronomy (to give a sense of man's place in the order of things), music or art, foreign language, another culture, political science or economics, biology preferably neurobiology, history and literaature,</p>
<p>Can you add or comment?</p>
<p>As a current senior in high school, I believe that intellectual exploration and professional preparation are both the purposes of college. I think it's important to find some balance between them. I'll be attending an Ivy next year, and I didn't pick it because it was an Ivy, but that was definitely a benefit when making my choice. I know that it's statistically likely that if I work hard enough, I will be able to have a very good salary for the rest of my life. However I also realize that the next for years will really be my last chance to be a student, so my aims aren't totally pre-professional. I want to take as many classes as possibly on obscure things I'll probably never get a chance to learn about again.</p>
<p>I think teens should stop trying to merely "get in".... like me, they should be trying to get full rides based on merit.... that takes alot more work than some ivy giving away a full need based scholarship to anyone</p>
<p>but the harder the classes u take in highschool... better prepares some ppl for college... some kids take tons of ap's and can't hack it at all...</p>
<p>That's a ridiculous statement. Not everyone could get full rides on merit. In fact, very few people could be so high and mighty as you because there simply isn't the money. And what about people that want to go to schools that don't offer merit? Why are you so bitter?</p>
<p>Taking a 100,000 dollar loan to go to an ivy, is dumb..... ppl should try to do will on SATs, APs, EC, Leadership ect... to get merit scholarships especially if they want to go to grad school...... there are a lot of "not so intelligent ppl" that can easily get into an ivy.....</p>
<p>ramaswami: As one who has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars putting my own children through college, I can certainly relate to what you said in Post #41. However, my approach (which is not necessarily the right one) was to give my children suggestions and guidance regarding what they should do during college, but I did not mandate that they adhere to my suggestions.</p>
<p>My reason for letting them determine what their college experience should be like rather than mandating what they do in college was this: I viewed my children's entrance into college as being their entrance into adulthood and independence. It was a time for them to make their own decisions and accept responsibility for their decisions (good or bad). Part of becoming an adult involves your children making mistakes and sometimes falling flat on their faces! The important thing is that they learn to get back up, dust themselves off and learn from the mistake they have made. It's part of the growth process.</p>
<p>During the years I was a parent of students in college, there were dozens of situations in which I was tempted to dictate to my children what they should do; instead, I had to remind myself that I had to "let go." The result: my children experienced tremendous growth during their college years. They are confident, not afraid to take risks, have great decision-making skills and are very independent. Yes, they will often ask my advice, but ultimately they do things on their own.</p>
<p>Interestingly enough......many of the decisions my children made during college - ones that I totally disagreed with - turned out to be the best decisions they ever made!!!</p>
<p>Because of technology (cell phones, text messaging, e-mail, etc.), the current generation of teens has been more connected (literally) to their parents than any generation in history. The result: parents have been more closely involved in their every move. The cell phone has been called "the longest umbilical cord." The result: we have created a generation of "bubble wrapped" kids, in which we parents want to make sure that nothing ever goes wrong for our children. As parents, we have to recognize that we have a duty to "let go," even if it results in our children making mistakes along the way.</p>
<p>Final word: If we continue to closely monitor or dictate our children's moves once they go away to college, we are giving them the message that we don't view them as adults and don't trust their judgement.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Plus the fact that you learn a lot more from your own failures. Cliche but true.</p>
<p>Chioma, what about people who get the merit scholarships and then decide that with FA packages at Ivy, they can afford to bypass the merit gifts and allow someone else to go to college on the merit scholarship?</p>
<p>Lots of merit scholarships get redistributed to (in a sense) 'waitlisted' scholarship candidates should they be turned down at first. If you can afford the cost of an Ivy, and your parents support the decision, where is the problem with attending? I know I saw some of my friends get picked as alternate candidates for certain scholarship offers I turned down. Perhaps they didn't get the exact ones I specifically gave up, but I know some people out there did and are now able to go to college with a full ride or full ride+ while I am also able to go to college with, of course, not a free ride, but a manageable cost.</p>
<p>Everyone who picks a college has a different financial situation, and you shouldn't have blinders on and think your way to decide which college to attend is the best while other ways are "dumb."</p>