Thank you TomQ. All read post #73. The other students were genuinely happy for this kid. We had a graduate that made it into H and most of the other colleges he applied to. Everyone, even the other kids rejected, were happy for him as he is very bright kid and even though he definitely had a hook as an immigrant and lower income. I saw a bit more sour grapes about the kids that got in above their level based on athletics.
RE: #47 @LIdadof3 I did not mean to suggest that all full pay families are wealthy or do not sacrifice. My family, like many on CC, falls into the so-called donut hole in which we do not feel like we can afford our EFC and still save for retirement. We chose less costly options and, yes it was frustrating that we both work hard and still could not afford to send our kids to their first choice, >$60K per year schools.
However, we are far from poor. If a family can afford full pay with sacrifice and have the ability to get loans or send a kid to a still costly merit money school, they are still in a better position than a kid that is eligible for high levels of financial aid. Assuming, of course, they aren’t emptying retirement accounts or taking loans thye will not be able to pay back out of future earnings.