Why are you parents so intense?

[jhk43]

Its amazing how hardcore some of you parental figures are about college admissions for your precious 17 yr olds. Why?

I graduated from a top ivy a few years ago. the ivy degree opens doors to some extent. However, many of my h.s. classmates who went to good public universities are doing just as well as my ivy colleagues.

Harv*** grads:
Investment banking
Medical school
Law School
Graduate School (harvard, mit, etc)

Umich grads:
Investment banking
Medical school
Law School
Graduate school (harvard, mit, etc)
entreprenuership (much more common amongst state school grads)


Why place so much stress on your child? Great opportunites exist for state school graduates, I promise you.

[theripcurl1969]

true........

[jhk43]

http://www.bus.umich.edu/EmploymentP...tType=BBAGrads

Company Number of Hires
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. 12
UBS AG 11
Goldman, Sachs & Co. 10
Credit Suisse First Boston 10
PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP 8
Target Corporation 7
Ernst & Young LLP 7
Ford Motor Company 6
Deutsche Bank AG 6
Accenture Ltd 6
A.T. Kearney 5
General Electric Company 5
Microsoft Corporation 5
The Bear Stearns Companies Inc 5
Citigroup 4
The Boston Consulting Group 4
Deloitte Consulting 4
CIBC World Markets 4
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. 4

[fireflyscout]

jhk, I agree with you - there are great opportunities at state universities. However, I came to these boards to find out information about other colleges. I already know a lot about the state schools in Texas, and can easily discuss them with most people I know. It's not as easy to have a knowledgeable conversation about LACs, which is why I'm grateful this board exists.

[jhk43]

http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/jobsi...ules/allco.htm

Look! same jobs!

Yes, there are a few smaller elite financial firms that recruit exclusively at harvard. Yes, they pay about $200K after about 4 years. Yes, only the top harvard grads get these particular jobs. Yes, your child's life will be miserable as an analyst at one of these firms.

and yes, i know friends who are at these firms who did not graduate from harvard (think: pepperdine, providence, etc). They got their foot in the door as backoffice assistants. 4 years later, they are bonafide hedge fund associates breaking 200k.

Interestingly, I know more people from lesser schools at these elite firms than ivy grads. The ivy grads are stuck at the bulge bracket firms making about 70%.

[MomofWildChild]

jhk43- I'm wondering why YOU are here on this forum!
You are missing the point. Most of the interest in colleges and the application process has little to do with what career opportunities our kids might have when they graduate. We are seeking information to help our kids select a school that is a good fit for them in ALL ways. There is a wealth of information on this forum- about big schools, little schools, athletic opportunities, music performance opportunities, merit scholarships, gap years, prep schools etc. What makes you think it is about getting into Harvard and/or about getting a Wall Street job?
[comment edited out - JEM]

[MrsP]

As a parent new to this forum, I don't know what you are talking about. I've already had help today from parents who are guiding us toward finding a good match. Not everyone is interested in Ivies. I wouldn't want mine to go to one if he could get in. It would not be a good fit. There are many schools other than enormous public schools and elite schools that would be just fine for my child.

[chocoholic]

jhk43, how on earth did you come to your conclusion? Have you read through all of the threads on both Parent Forums? A whole range of topics is discussed, from politics, to 'B' students, college visits, vacations. None of the familiar voices here seem geared towards "how to get into Harvard" etc. We give advice, quarrel, and learn a lot.

Which Ivy did you go to, and why?

[jhk43]

Take a look at the most recent threads.

These are ACTUAL thread titles:

Who is "smarter"? The Val or the top test taker?
What are the Lifetime Advantages of Attending Top Colleges
What Extra Curricular Activities (ECs) Top Schools REALLY want


Momma - What makes you think it is *not* about getting into Harvard?

[jhk43]

hey choco

i applied to two college, umich and harvard early action. cost my family about 40k for me to attend H. I could have gone to umich for free + 8000$ stipend. I chose H because I wanted out of MI. Yes, it was that simple for me.

[jhk43]

"Most of the interest in colleges and the application process has little to do with what career opportunities our kids might have when they graduate." - MomofWildChild

I hate to disagree with you Momma, but the point of college is to prepare your child for employment. Yes, you can also use college to "learn stuff" but that in itself does not pay the bills.

Comment edited out for courtesy -- Mod JEM

[MrsP]

Why are you so angry? Do you feel like you wasted your time at Harvard?

[soozievt]

You chose Harvard cause you wanted out of Michigan. Guess what? Others choose Harvard for reasons also that have nothing to do with what job H might get them later on! You are hardly unique for picking a school for reasons other than job prospects that it might be a ticket to!

These forums are HARDLY about just getting into Harvard. No offense to Harvard. Disclaimer: I went to grad school at Harvard. Neither of my children applied there. Great school though if it fits what you are looking for and of course, if that is the case, if you get in.

By the way, as someone (a parent) who has read these forums for nearly four years and who is also a college counselor at CollegeConfidential, it is clear to anyone who has been here a long while that the forums delve into a wide variety of topics that relate to college selection and the admissions process. I have hardly ever read much discussion centering on which college will lead to a certain job. A wealth of information and experiences are shared here which many find to be beneficial as they are navigating this fairly complex process as just another stage in bringing up and supporting their children.

[soozievt]

Jhk...most people go to college to become an educated person. An educated person then has opportunities to pursue a career. Picking a college has less to do with which college is a ticket to a career (a person gets a career, not which school he came from) but more to do with which environment matches what one wants in a college experience. Any college can lead to a job. Certain colleges simply meet certain students' preference in terms of their personal criteria as an institution of learning, which is a stepping stone to the next stage of life.

[soozievt]

Jhk....you have an attitude. That's fine.

Just so you know, many well adjusted and successful children got that way because they had parents who supported and nurtured them and guided them. That doesn't mean the parents run their lives. Just so you know, I have two teenagers in college. Both thanked me many times over for the assistance I gave them in a faciliator type role as they navigated the college process. They picked their schools entirely themselves and I simply was a support person. Where they went was up to them. You may think this appears all about "us" but to the contrary, most parents I have come to know on CC are resources and supportive parents to their children. Their children still drive the process. Luckily their children have parents who are there for them. If you care to read here long enough, you will discover countless student posters who come to the parent forum asking for guidance because for one reason or another, they can't ask their parents who may not be helping them explore options, are not knowledgeable about the process, not supportive, too busy, or whatever. The parents on this forum not only help and guide their own children but help many other young people who come to the forums....and they help other parents too once they have been through the process...they pass it on. Kids who have parents who are disengaged or uninvolved often wish they had parents who were there to talk to about this complex process and the decisions in their lives.

PS...just so you know, there are PLENTY of dads on CC, not just "moms."