I think Harvard’s numbers are down because of the data from the admissions lawsuit. A lot of people realized EA at Harvard isn’t much of a bump for an unhooked applicant, but ED at some other top schools is a huge bump.
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we have the opposite going on here…after getting in to what we identified as a “reachy match” my D24 is now thinking she should have aimed higher. Sometimes I think you just can’t win with these kids…
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I as parent having some thoughts about having her applying in RD for some of the reaches given that she has a handful of acceptances from matches. D doesn’t care either way 
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UIUC is a GREAT school for Mechanical Engineering! Definitely belongs in the list of anyone considering MechE, assuming OOS tuition is affordable for you.
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Also struggling with this…along with the fact that D24 is worried her peers will think her ED school isn’t “good enough”.
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I’m also assuming, maybe incorrectly, that it and other schools stances are causing Jews and other groups to reconsider.
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it is actually driving me a little nuts. The backstory is that my D24 was really not engaged at all in the college search process until very recently, so I did most of the leg work to identify schools to consider and tour. Her reachiest schools have acceptance rates around 40%. All of the sudden, she thinks she should be trying for more competitive schools “just to see”, even though IMO her chances of acceptance are slim to none and in the absence of significant merit aid (which she wouldn’t be competitive for in highly selective schools, even if they offered it), we couldn’t afford to send her even if she did somehow get in. IMO, I don’t need to drop $75 or more on applications for a vanity exercise.
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It’s peer pressure.
Tell her she could pay but you aren’t to apply for schools there’s no chance you’ll send her to (budget wise).
Make it hurt …
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Yes, it is totally peer pressure. Honestly, I wish she would have felt that peer pressure early on in her high school career so it might have fueled her to work harder to be competitive for more selective schools. I don’t need her feeling it now 
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Ha!! So is mine. Is Williams really that good? Omg save me
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Maybe when she starts to look at the essays, she will change her mind?
S24 just announced he is not applying to the reachiest school on his list. He didn’t like it enough to do ED, which was his best shot. Up until now, his plan was to apply RD.
However, in the past week, at least 5 kids from his school got in ED (and at least 1 who didn’t get in ED) … all of whom he knows. And our school typically sends 6-8 kids total. So I think he realized it was a lot of essay writing for a school that was getting further out of reach. (According to Naviance, kids from our school do get in RD, but in previous years it was just one or 2 in ED a year. This year I think everyone realized ED was the best route.)
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Definitely peer pressure here too, and now I understand why her school discourages students from posting anything on social media!! D24’s school has an unofficial “decisions” instagram page, that D24 doesnt want to submit to, for fear of criticism. And bcs a classmate has been accepted to the same school, and D24 feels like that student doesnt work as hard as she does, she is worried the school isn’t good enough. Meanwhile, D24 has also been quite disengaged in this process and her ED school is literally the only school she walked away from loving, and it also has a pretty unique program, that is only found at a few other schools. But suddenly, she wishes she applied ED to either a school where scoir gives her 0% chance or 6% chance (both are Ivy’s, and both reaches for any student). I feel like banging my head against the wall. 
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I feel so seen. Thank you. I could join you at the wall for headbanging. 
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You guys have a lot of stamina! I just want it to be over (which it won’t be until late March). And then there’s the decision to make! 
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I also want to remind her that if she hadnt gotten in ED (and she wouldn’t have, if she chose one of the other two schools), she would have about 10 applications to be working on over break, and now she has nothing to do, except to relax!!
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The peer influence is real. Not sure what to do about it except to remind my child to “keep their blinders on” and focus on what is best for them.
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Exactly. Me, too.
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Judging from S24’s behavior, apparently even if this happens you should just relax anyway. I mean, all those applications aren’t even due until 2024 . . . .
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Meanwhile in our household:
Me: You may want to think about joining the college consulting club.
D24: Maybe. But they have a student Kpop group. Im definitely in on that.
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We would be 100% in that boat with you had she chosen to ED to an Ivy!! Which is why, I am totally happy and relaxed, even if D24 isnt!
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