I don't agree with much of it either, but he's onto something with "financially ruinous." Thanks for commenting.

Agreed. Yikes! Thanks for commenting.

I share your concerns about college-related debt, but I disagree that it's out of favor or unimportant, in part because learning in community with others is so much of what a good education is about: the exchange of ideas. Nuance can't be replicated on a keyboard, and dialogue leads to personal and intellectual growth. I agree that the internet is a value-add, but I think we're light years away (if ever) from it being an acceptable replacement. Thanks for commenting.

Yes, yes, yes ... When did college admissions become a parental competition instead of about helping kids to find a good fit at a school they'd be excited to attend?! I attended a small liberal arts college, too, and LOVED the education I received there -- and some would be shocked at the schools I turned down in favor of attending the place where I best fit. And I thrived there beyond my wildest dreams. I hope my kids can find a school (and/or career) where they, too, are as engaged and as fulfilled as I was and am. Thanks for commenting.

You're welcome.

Thanks for your comment and a between-the-lines important point: it is also okay to go to college after a delay, whether for national service (so admirable - thank you for your service!) or to work. Studies have shown that the best age to attend higher ed is years after we send kids -- mid-20s! I do hope my own kids take a break and really think about what they want from their education -- a meaningful life, I hope, and not a certain name atop their diploma or a dollar amount in a bank.

Congratulations to your daughter for a carefully-explored plan, and to you for supporting her choice -- and to both of you for not caving to pressure! Thanks for commenting and sharing your experience.

A beautiful comment -- thank you so much for sharing it here! I agree wholeheartedly that a child's ability to live, tell, and write their story matters a lot, not only in college admissions but also just generally in life. (I'm a professional storyteller, btw -- making a living off of writing stories for those who cannot/do not write their own.) A significant problem in college admissions these days is that kids aren't doing any of that -- they're not living their own lives, they're not authoring their own stories, and they're telling admissions officers what they think we want to hear ... none of which yields "expected" results (at least not uniformly). Loving learning, finding a good fit, balancing their interests and goals -- this is all important (and -- good writing), agreed.

You're welcome - glad you liked it!

Awwww, thanks.

You're welcome.

Amen to "Education is not a set of scores. If you really want an education, you can get it anywhere; if you don't, Harvard won't help you one bit." Thanks for commenting!

Thanks for commenting and for the link to your lovely piece.

Thanks, and thanks for commenting.

That makes me want to bang my head off of my desk. Schools can do so much harm, too. It's as if they're competing through making kids compete. It's infuriating, really. In any event, I give a big YES to the idea of helping your kid to find the right school FOR THEM. That's exactly what it's about, period (and it may not be about school at all). Thanks for commenting.

You're welcome, and thanks for sharing your story and for your important comment.

Thanks! And thanks for commenting.

You're welcome. Thanks for commenting.

Indeed, Gretchen, and how frustrating. I oftentimes wish we had apprenticeships, like Germany does, as an alternate career-path option. So many learning-different kids are really really smart and can thrive -- for example, a highly disproportionate number of successful entrepreneurs are dyslexic. Our country would be well-served by providing resources/paths to help ALL kids to achieve their potential. Something to think about ... Thanks for commenting.

What a gift to your kids to allow them to live their own lives rather than expecting them to follow in your footsteps. It's all too rare, unfortunately. Thanks for commenting.

Thank you for commenting with a glimpse of how outcomes cannot be anticipated. Sending you loads of caring and light, twincoastlove.

Another valuable comment: college admission is far from the end of a kid's (young adult's) journey. Thanks for sharing that important reminder/insight.

Thank you for your valuable comment and for the reading recommendation, Dee.