@HRSMom i think he definitely knew he would get into a bunch of the schools… he’s very accomplished (34 ACT; 1540 SAT), but i don’t understand why he applied to nineteen other schools after he was accepted to stanford rea, especially since he explained stanford’s been his dream school since he was extremely young. i’m pretty sure he just wanted to set an example for how younger students of color can achieve anything if they work hard? i’m honestly not sure…
that’s not a bad reason…
@HRSMom i didn’t insinuate it was…? that’s just what i gathered from the article on why he did it, lmao…
I didn’t mean you thought it was. Just puzzling, and that makes some sense i guess.
Why put yourself through all the work right?
Maybe all his other applications were ready to go, and he had waivers. He may have gotten college counseling through the Breakthrough Collaborative - I don’t know if the one in his city provides it, but the one I volunteered with provided admissions, scholarship, and financial aid application support. So he may have spent a good amount of time over the last year getting those applications ready to go. Maybe he wanted to keep some options open – my kids didn’t make final decisions until after accepted student days.
Which thread is that?
And a reason why the number of waivers should be limited. Is it fair that this student got 20 waivers while another student gets none and would have to pay $2000 for the applications and scores to be sent?
Maybe applying to all those schools just felt good. He worked hard. He wanted to measure himself against his peers. I don’t think it’s particuarly odd in today’s admissions climate.
As for financial aid being sold as “full rides,” it’s misleading and muddies the waters for families just starting this journey but he accomplished something big and having a low Efc doesn’t change that.
I’m assuming he wasn’t matched through Questbridge since he would have had to withdraw his other applications. Hope he finds the success he desires.
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or some other parents without any FA paying full fair for their kid, not necessarily “rich” I work 2 jobs (only Sundays off) and my spouse works FT so one full salary can go to paying Pomona’s tuition.
We’re not rich by any means, and it takes us 3 jobs to pay 2 college tuitions without any FA.
I have a feeling I too am paying for someone else to get a “free ride.” I often think I should stop killing myself working so many hours, then maybe too we can get some FA. We thought no applying for FA might give some advantage to our kids getting into a good school. It may have, but we’re certainly paying the price now, and for another student.
The annual “I got into all 20 of my elite colleges” student…It’s always a URM kid though. Never a ORM student, why is that?
@preppedparent
Someone is in serious denial.
You might want to go to one of these great schools and learn about your unacknowledged privilege.
Given that the true cost of attendance at many private schools is above full tuition cost, nobody is paying for someone else’s “free ride” technically. Thank donors who have contributed to endowments over generations.
Don’t know how true cost for 1 student can be above $70,000 a year. That’s an urban myth. And yes, I went to one of these great schools, and know all about my privilege. I have the distinct privilege of working 6 days a week, some 12 hour days, so I can pay for college. My point is some of us full pay parents are not jet setters. We’re not rich.
@preppedparent , there was a white student last year from Kansas, I think, who got into a bunch of tippy tops and chose Stanford.
“the all 20” type story is always URM. But yes, I imagine there are some just plain “given no special advantage” kids who get into more than one elite. I’d like to see elite college admissions be a little more even handed across all students who deserve it.
The laws of economics are pretty simple.
If a significant portion of a college undergrad population pays full price and another significant portion gets full support through financial aid (not merit aid) then the full pays are subsidizing the financial aid kids. This is undeniable.
Whether you find it socially acceptable or desirable is another story. But, schools have a budget that must be paid. If they chose not to use the endowment to finance the financial aid takers, the cost for the full pays would be smaller.
This is an undeniable fact.
Yeah, I know economics darn well, but thanks for attempting to school me. 
You’re wrong, BTW.
Many privates, especially among top schools, use their endowment to lower costs for all.
http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Documents/Facts-About-Higher-Education-Financing.pdf
Good news is that one can always attend a public school if they don’t wish to pay private school tuition. One does have choices.
Do schools lower the cost for all using the endowment? Of course.
However, it is certain that the budget, which is one large fixed number, would be the same with or without the financial aid takers. Therefore, If you built a class that consisted of full pays and no takers and the endowment still contributed (as mandated to keep tax free status)… the cost to the full pays would be smaller.
Therefore, the full pays subsidize the takers. There is no way to deny this or massage this.
It may still be considered desirable for schools to finance the takers for the social benefit. But, that is another question.