"He will be going to Vanderbilt, because that was the best he got into. Nice but not where he really wanted to go. The ones who got into the HYPSM this year and last were not anything special beyond stats. "
But this is precisely the point. Despite what people who are brand new to this country think because they’re stuck on how it’s done in other countries, from any kind of 10,000 foot vantage point there isn’t any meaningful difference between Vanderbilt and HYPSM. So for him, or his family, or anyone else, to think “awwww, what a shame, the poor dear has to settle for Vanderbilt” – well, it’s just ignorant thinking. HYPSM offer 35,000 opportunities … maybe Vanderbilt only offers 32,000 opportunities … and either way any one individual can only take advantage of maybe 10 tops.
You’re the one acting as though HYPSM is meaningfully better than Vanderbilt such that Vanderbilt is sloppy seconds. Why? What can you possibly point to that suggests that?