Clara is a mother whose son is a rising senior at an elite private school in Miami. For the past few years, as his peers have been beefing up on extracurriculars and thinking about how best to translate their "passions" into projects that will stand out to college admissions officers, Clara's son hasn't been doing any of those things. And Clara is thrilled.
Having watched acceptance rates plummet to the single digits as the cost of college has skyrocketed, Clara's family is happily resigned to not gunning for the Ivy League and the top 25 schools that most of her peer group sees as the crowning achievement of a gilded high school career. This means that her son is limiting the number of Advanced Placement courses he takes to five throughout high school (some kids take as many as 12), and "if he says he feels like he doesn't want to do soccer this term because there's too much on his plate? No problem," Clara says.
$90K Estimated cost of attendance, including tuition and room and board, for one year at Duke University.
"We decided his health and wellness are much more important than getting a weighted 5 GPA, having no social life, being stressed, and doing homework until two in the morning" she says. "We're filling our hearts with family memories, enjoying family dinners, and going on bike rides."
Clara (her name has been changed) admits her attitude is "counterculture, but she says it's the result of a landscape that, at least at highly selective universities, is more often than not about rejection. "So why kill ourselves to get into a school we can't get into?"
Instead, the family is exploring cheaper, less competitive state school options in places like Florida, Texas, and Illinois. "Some of the larger universities give merit aid and also have better research facilities. Think of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Some of its programs have very competitive admissions rates."
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Town & Country US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Jersey, JE ΤΙΜΕ
Nearly 50 years ago a museum opened in Paris.
THE HUNGER GAMES
Two former bons amis grew up in the same expensive suburb and cut their teeth together in the Paris nightclub scene. Then they launched competing restaurant empires, and the gloves came off. Now one of them is facing a suspended prison sentence and a huge fine. Welcome to the city's most delicious grudge match.
HIDDEN in Plain Sight
T&C was invited into the private archives and secret workshops of Paris, to glimpse the treasures that have made this city famous for its style and craftsmanship. It's a reputation worth fighting for.
GUARDIAN of Objects
Laura Kugel is the go-to art dealer for the world's most discerning clients, but her family's Paris wonderland is open to all. Come inside, won't you?
Ecole! Elysée! SCANDALE!
The path to the French White House requires a political education at one of the country's elite universities. As controversy swirls around Sciences Po-class treason, #MeToo à la française, creeping le wokisme-will its grip on power finally slip?
Are There Still Mysteries in Paris?
Surely not, in the world's most visited city! And yet: Why is the Louvre called the Louvre? Why do the upper stories of its 17th-century buildings tilt in? Why do even familiar streets feel so enticing, unknown? One thing is clear: So many of us return because the City of Light is really one of mesmerizing shadows.
High SEAS
How seductive is a cruise on an ultraluxury ship (yes, that's a category) like the new Regent Seven Seas Grandeur? So much so that a 132-day sailing sold out in three hours. It was time to investigate.
The Cruise Cure
One definition of bliss at sea is padding down a ship's hallway from your suite to the spa in a robe and slippers. Here's what awaits.
Only a Day to Spare?
These hotel spas-mini-me's of destination, health retreats punch way above their weight. So, if you're in the neighborhood...
So, Where Do You Ride in Paris?
A fancy equestrian's guide to the best of Gallic galloping.