<p>I’ve learned that some questions get asked OVER AND OVER AND OVER (go to the finaid section to really see them!).</p>
<p>But I’ve also learned that folks are kind and will continue to offer their advice.</p>
<p>I also am now a member of Rue La La.</p>
<p>And my daughter would NOT even know about her college were it not for a poster on this forum.</p>
<p>I haven’t been on here years, but since I’ve been on I learned what ED is.
Then I learned if you are accepted this way you can’t get out of it.
Then I learned you could get out of it.
Then I learned you couldn’t get out of it.
Then I learned you could get out of it.</p>
<p>Repeat above three thousand times.</p>
<p>Hilarious, bovertine. :D</p>
<p>I’ve learned that no two 3.5 GPAs are alike.</p>
<p>People are always eager to help, 98% of them mean well, the other 2% end up being mean.</p>
<p>I’m fairly new to the forum, but here’s what I’ve learned:</p>
<p>1) There is a tremendous amount of collective knowlege here
2) There is farm more posturing, carefully disguised bragging and flat out concern for social status that I ever knew existed.
3) Nobody thinks your kid is as smart as you do.
4) Never try to impress anyone on an internet forum because there are three experts who will tell you how wrong you are as soon as you click the “submit” button.
5) Most conversations are better handled in a PM
6) Some folks can be incredibly generous and insightful.
7) No matter how well intentioned, if someone can be “offended” by your post, they will be.</p>
<p>Dad II, it sounds like you now have a lot to share. Hope you will.</p>
<p>“The biggest lesson I learnt from my time on CC is that my personality is not suitable for online forums. I like to brag and I dont lie (most of the time). With those two characters, I tend to give out way too much personal information…”</p>
<p>I can relate. It doesn’t really pay to be totally honest on an internet forum unless you are Mother Theresa, and I’ve yet to see any of her former posts.</p>
<p>Ding! Ding! We have a winner!</p>
<p>I have learned much and gotten a lot of excellent support – on the application process and once our kids are at their Us. Have “met” many wonderful folks with remarkably few “■■■■■■.” I particularly like Parents Forum & Parents Cafe.</p>
<p>While limbwalker’s point 2 and 3 maybe true for some people, in my relatively short time here I’ve learned that a lot of parents have a surprisingly realistic grasp of their kids limits and shortcomings. I admire those that come here and are willing to discuss various problems they have with their kids (and admit their own mistakes) because I think that is what is most helpful to others. Plus, these more honest parents help those that tend to put blinders on, because they show that it’s okay to criticize your kids and recognize their faults.</p>
<p>S applied in Dec of his jr year in HS, before I discovered this site. Given that he did not have Eng IV, it was predictable that his application would not be viewed favorably by many elite colleges, but the tech schools would be more forgiving. There were schools he applied for that would not have been a good fit, and others (like Harvey Mudd) that he should have applied for.</p>
<p>The year S applied was the one fondly known as Yale Massacre. His close friend had his sites on applying Yale ED for following year. I showed him this board, and he shifted to another college, and got in ED, with full financial aid.</p>
<p>Mostly, I’ve learned what colleges are better or worse with LD, Aspergers and other issues, and pass that info on to the adolescents I work with. I’ve learned about MANY colleges that I have never seen.</p>
<p>Now that S is applying to grad schools, I convinced him to apply to 2 “match” programs. Frankly, both of these schools are in liveable areas, with more affordable housing costs than his reaches. Since some of the reaches accept 10% of applicants, I’d prefer he cast a wider net.</p>
<p>Even though there are a few CC participants who respond with hurtful comments, by far people are far nicer and caring than not.</p>
<p>The Cafe is a community of bright, witty people</p>
<p>I’ve learned that a 3.8 gpa and 28 ACT score made for a very stressful application process with my daughter.
I’ve learned that I am not alone with my 2.9 son.
I’ve learned that there are many great schools for kids like him - and he’s been admitted to 6 of them so far.
I’ve learned that bright high school students, when given an anonymous forum, can be really hard on each other.
I’ve learned how nice adults can be in that same forum.</p>
<p>Going on cc will make you crazy when you see the kind of statistics many of these kids claim to have. It is a harsh dose of reality to find out that your smart kid is by no means as smart as some of the others. The dreams you had of the Ivy League when the kid was in diapers are quickly dashed by going on this web site.
Not sure if it is helpful or just makes you nuts.</p>
<p>lucymom, I think it’s helpful. And go read the stats at the U of Chicago EA thread on the U of Chicago board, or the where did the 3.6 GPA kids get in thread, it will make you feel better. There are good colleges for all sorts of students.</p>
<p>After some initial shock the first couple months, I learned that even though there is a preponderance of parents and kids who appear amazing there is also a big chunk with above average kids like mine and vast knowledge about colleges in every spot in the country. There are really smart, articulate parents that make me think and make me laugh and those that have a depth of patience and compassion I will never have and of course, there are few posters young and old alike that I can never agree with or are really “out there” on the continium but that is the reality of our society. And I wish there was automatic spell check before I post LOL.</p>
<p>I’ve learned that college confidential is addicting.</p>
<p>I have so far learned from College Confidential . . .</p>
<ol>
<li><p>. . . that standardized tests are completely useless and should be banned, unless they show that Americans are dumber than Finns and Koreans, in which case they are 100% accurate.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . that there are such things as “the lower Ivies,” and that they should be ashamed of themselves.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . what Grinnell is.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . that it is not ironic to seek a diverse college environment with no preppies.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . that prestige is either the most or least important thing in the entire world.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . that your extracurriculars are a little weak.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . that you can get a great education anywhere, man, I mean, they all use the same textbooks, but it is so completely obvious that Rice is better than Vanderbilt.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . that “pre-professional” is an insult.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . that Loren Pope didn’t present the whole story.</p></li>
<li><p>. . . that it is completely absurd to use any criteria in the selection of a college other than the gut feeling of a seventeen year old on a 45 minute tour.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Yikes. My oldest is only a sophomore in high school. Imagine all the things I’m going to know ten years from now!</p>
<p>Angry Dad, that’s my nominee for post of the year. And even if we’re only 1/52nd of the way through, it’s going to be hard to top! :)</p>
<p>Angry Dad, more! more!</p>
<p>Angry Dad, feel the anger! I love it! </p>
<p>I’d also add (as a liberal) that if a liberal kid wants a liberal environment, the choices will be a-plenty, but if a conservative kid wants a conservative environment, he’ll be asked why he doesn’t want to spread his wings!</p>
<p>In the spirit of Angry Dad ( are you really angry? 
), I’ve learned:</p>
<p>That anyone who even considers applying to H,Y, or P, is a word that rhymes with “more.”</p>
<p>That only LAC’s are where the “real” students are (that + U. of Chicago), and that all else are pretenders.</p>
<p>(This is all tongue-in-cheek, guys; no one needs to get offended. 
)</p>
<p>On the serious side, I like post 34 and will chime in on appreciating the range of talent & compassionate voices. I enjoy vicarious celebrating in successes & satisfying journeys.</p>
<p>I’ve also learned a ton of abbreviations and emoticons. :)</p>