<p>@flowers, the best you can do is love C and hope for the best. Be strategic, figure out if you have any leverage (if that’s what C dreams of) and mediate expectation.</p>
<p>When I was at Exeter it was probably true that BS gave students an edge - and in a way - it certainly leaves them better prepared for the transition. That was back when there was only morse code, smoke messages and pony express.</p>
<p>But holy smokes - the internet, texting, social media, etc. has leveled the playing field and pushed a lot of people to consider schools they wouldn’t have dreamed of years ago - including colleges. And the more the media talks about how hard it is to get in (Harvard for instance) then reveals details about the new “no-cost” tuition plan for lower middle class families - the more people want them - squeezing out the traditional applicant pool. It is cheaper for many local families to go to Harvard than to go to local or state schools at that income level. </p>
<p>Even boards like this may be making things worse since there are thousands of people who lurk but don’t post, then take the information and use it to strengthen their applications. Kind of makes me wish we’d taken this year’s crop underground for those “strategy” discussions based on how harsh the waitlist situation has become.</p>
<p>The turning point for us was looking at lots of schools and finding out there were options that were wonderful - in fact so wonderful - D kind of got the “been there did that” feeling once she rotated back for her obligatory interview at my school. Nothing new to discover after summer school.</p>
<p>So pray and realize that while a lot of students don’t get in - others do. He’s still got a chance at DH’s school. Hope springs eternal.</p>