<p>POIH, Pizzagirl is spot on for many parts of the country. I know of several families who would want their children to go to UGA vs. HYPMS. The idea of their offspring going to Harvard instead of UGA would send their ancestors turning in their graves.</p>
<p>Not everybody is chasing the most elite prep school/college.</p>
<p>edit: Speaking of the Beverly Hillbillies, at least they were people who cared more about each other than status, what prep school, what U, what high paying internship. Just saying.</p>
<p>GA2012MOM: I explained that there might be wealthy families who are unaware of elite colleges. Itās like some one finding a diamond and will realize the value of it iff know what diamonds are otherwise itās just another stone.</p>
<p>bopambo:<br>
Yes, I have read this too about Santa Clara. But yet it remains on our list because Iāve actually heard more comments about how nice the kids actually are. Additionally they have the great biz program S2 is looking for and the financial aid we need.</p>
<p>bclintonk:
I can definitely relate to what you are saying since we too are from the Midwest. And maybe thatās part of the reason why Iām so worried about finding the right fit. S is used to āMidwest niceā so I want to make sure his new surroundings donāt totally throw him for a loop. </p>
<p>Regarding the blank stares you mentioned ā we fully expect to experience those again the same as we did with S1. However S1ās private school was still in the Midwest but outside the circle of the same 4-6 schools everyone in our area sends their kids. Funny though, until I started researching for S1 I have to admit that I had never heard of Carleton and Macalester ā and Iām just a few hours south!</p>
<p>LOL, vinceh! But it is often true, and not in a sarcastic way. A lot of times, people have a preconceived notion about thingsābut when they actually experience it themselves, they find that their preconceived notions were all wrong.</p>
<p>As was noted earlier in this thread, one of George Bushās twins went to Yale. The other went to Texas.
Their uncle Jeb Bush also went to Texas.</p>
<p>Iām originally from the midwest. Pizzagirl and bclintonk are spot on. GA2012ās comment, āNot everyone is chasing the elite prep school/college.ā is true.</p>
<p>Not erveryone is chasing privates because many canāt afford themā¦Easy to say ypu donāt want to attend a particular sxhool if you realize you have no way to pay for itā¦</p>
<p>In this nominally full-pay family (FA with two in school), there ARE no credit cards disbursed to the little darlings. No cars, either. They take out Staffords, work during the school year and summers, and one covered a full year just on external scholarship $$. Textbooks and all spending $$ is on them. Want to work in another city for the summer? That job had better pay the summer rent ā we canāt subsidize it.</p>
<p>They knew that in middle school when we talked about the the CountingDown Family EFC Plan, and they knew that they would have substantial buy-in. Have yet to hear a word of grumbling from either of them. They feel pretty darned fortunate. DH and I are proud we could do this for them, after having been zero EFC kids ourselves who were cut loose by our families when we each went to college.</p>
<p>That said, one of my kids said there is not a lot of money-flaunting at his school, and the other one has noted that there are some mighty big flat screen TVs that were moved into dorm rooms. At the flagship I attended, sorority dues were more than tuition. Promiscuous wealth felt more obvious there than at either of the privates which my kids attend.</p>
<p>I miss my hot-air popcorn maker. The microwave stuff is so salty/butteryā¦</p>
They wonāt repeat the mistake in their next generation.</p>