Here’s the situation - my son is a HS senior, and applying to schools. He is very bright (35 on ACT), and does very well in STEM classes. I could very easily see him studying some type of engineering at a top-level school (Michigan, Stanford, etc).
This is unlikely to happen for a couple reasons: 1) he has very good in-state options that would cost less than half as much and 2) he is more interested in a creative field, such as Industrial Design. This means his most likely path (at the moment) is attending a state school (not the flagship), which has a very good art department (top 15 nationally), but otherwise is not all that stellar (average ACT score in the low 20s).
I sometimes struggle with the thought that he would be missing a great opportunity of attending a prestigious university. Anybody have a similar experience? Any advice for dealing with such thoughts?
One thing to keep in mind about “top level” schools such as Michigan and Stanford and MIT: They are academically very challenging. The classes cover material at a very fast pace. The tests are tough. There are tons of homework. I observed when at one of these that to keep up on homework requires that the student is doing homework during most of their waking hours.
As such, as one person I know once said: “You have to want to do it”.
If Michigan is not what he wants, then he shouldn’t do it. If he decides after a year or two that the school where he is at isn’t the right one, Michigan and Stanford and MIT will still be there.
Another thing to keep in mind about schools like Stanford and MIT is that they are difficult to get into even with high stats. It is kind of like a lottery. I know of a kid who was similar stats to your son plus NMF who was initally waitlisted for Michigan engineering. Plus the cost is crazy for an out of state student. It may not be worth the investment. For engineering, mostly be sure to go to an ABET accredited school where your child can excel.
I would encourage him to apply to a variety of safety, match, and reach schools - maybe 2 in each category. You never know how his priorities might change over the course of the year. Come Spring, he might have regrets if he applies narrowly.
This assumes, however, that all options will be affordable for your family.
Not sure how attending a top 15 ranked school for intended major and studying something you love is settling?
But, I do understand the fear that your kiddo might be missing out on something. Perhaps focus on the air of happiness and confidence that is surrounding your kiddo, knowing that he is doing what he wants to do, the way he wants to do it.
Your son could get in to a top engineering school, but that is a very tough 4 year slog that you have to really want to do. He is not interested in materials or industrial engineering I guess?
For me, if I thought I had found the best school that they could get into and that I could afford, I could make my peace with it. As an option, with a 35 Act, you might be able to find other schools offering merit aid equal to the instate tuition. If you supply more details, you can get a lot of advice about schools here. But it sounds like your son might be happy with this art program, and happy is a really big deal. It is hard to part with the images we have built up about what our kids will be, but if you confirm that this is the best choice for what he wants to do, I think you can feel more at peace, and then focus on his excitement.