<p>I have been helping a lot of transfer students, reviewing their essays and such. I have to say I am demoralized when I see them putting in their essays that they want to go to school X (always an Ivy) because it is prestigious. I shudder to think how an adrep responds to such a reason to transfer. Most of these students are at excellent schools already and seem to be <em>looking</em> for reasons to be dissatisfied because they have not been able to let go of the prestige-mongering.</p>
<p>I think (or at least hope) that this phenomenon is rare. I think most kids who once wanted HYPS and land elsewhere “get over it” and enjoy where they are. But for some… I wonder if they are the same folks who grow up to buy cars they can’t afford, houses bigger than they need and fill the closets with designer clothes bought on credit cards for which they can barely handle the minimum payment…</p>