Your Kid Doesn't Need Harvard to Succeed
The college admissions race has become exhausting. Students are pushed to take endless AP courses, participate in every activity, and somehow save the world—all for a 7% acceptance rate at top-ranked schools.
But here's what the data actually shows:
students at less selective colleges (those accepting 40-60% of applicants) report the same satisfaction levels as their peers at elite institutions. In many cases, they have more interaction with professors and better mentorship opportunities.
Applications to the most selective colleges have tripled in the past 20 years, while class sizes remain unchanged. The result? Qualified students rejected not because they aren't good enough, but because there simply isn't room.
A recent survey found that only 16% of parents consider prestige very important. Yet 62% believe it matters to their community. We're trapped in a signaling game—pursuing brand names not because they deliver better outcomes, but because of that bumper sticker.
Quality education exists beyond the Ivy League. Students should pursue activities because they want to, not to impress admissions officers. Working a summer job at McDonald's teaches valuable life skills and that's worth more than manufactured world-saving projects.
The goal should be simple: finding a school where students can be happy, grow, and prepare for fulfilling careers. Everything else is just noise.