D1’s college process was very difficult. She was WL at Columbia even though her GC believed she was a shoo in (based on the school’s past experience). She then was rejected and WL at all of her top choices during RD. D1 pushed until the very end with the highest senior GPA at her school. She said she wanted to have all her options available, which included getting off the WL and possibly transferring after first year. She ended up getting off both Cornell and Duke’s WLs, and matriculated at Cornell. She had 4 best years there and landed her dream job (she is still at the same job 7 years later).
D2 lived through her sister’s experience and saw her sister’s perseverance. She knew if her sister didn’t work hard she wouldn’t have had the options she had. D1 didn’t get exactly what she wanted, but she thrived at her best option. D1 gave it her all, so she had no “could have or should have.” When it was D2’s turn, she also did her best in school, but she realized she didn’t necessary need to be at the highest ranking school to be happy. She decided to ED at Cornell instead of at other higher ranking schools (one and done). She is now at a law school of her choice.
My kids didn’t take all the hardest courses in high school. They took many electives of interest to them. They also did the same in college. D1 double majored in Math and Economics, but also took many art history courses and minored in Women’s Studies.