I've tried to hold my tongue, particularly as my child's future isn't on the line like that of others here, but....
I am sorry, but I don't buy ANY of this. If we let colleges try to set all the rules about this, then I think we deserve what we get. And while I respect that cjs did the research to get quotes from respected newspapers like the Post and the "Gray Lady" I for one don't think their opinions are especially worth all that much. YOU are just as much a part of the process, with things just as important on the line as those colleges have. Why should THEY get to "call all the shots" on this?
The ONLY argument that carries any weight with me (so far) is thinking that there's some OTHER kid that's on a waiting list, and they are holding off making a decision until the last moment because they SO MUCH want to get in, but somebody ELSE is accepted at 8 different Ivy League schools and doesn't want to give up every chance they might possibly find to beat out the absolute maximum number of people they can. And that OTHER kid is the one that deserves a break, and I ought to be considerate of them & clear a spot for them just as quickly as I possibly can.
Now, don't get me wrong: I too am a parent, and I will fight to the end to get my kid the absolute best start in life that I can help them get. But I also know that he would be BLESSED to get the chance to go to ANY of the schools to which he's been accepted, and we will be GRATEFUL should he be so fortunate as to get an ROTC scholarship which enables him to go to any one of them.
For those of you on the horns of a dilemma as to what offers to accept, first you have my congratulations for having such an outstanding student that they have been given all these awards and have all these opportunities available to them. I'm sure they deserve all the accolades there are for all the hard work they put in to get to this position, and I wish them all the best as they take the next steps into their well-deserved future.
But then, please think: pick ANY one of those schools to which your child is accepted, and consider - if that was the ONLY option your child had, wouldn't you think you were blessed? Wouldn't you think you SHOULD consider yourself blessed? Go for the best you can, sure, but maybe we shouldn't try to care about whether they just got a $1,000,000 gift or a $1,000,001 gift? Be grateful for the $1M, is all I'm saying.
And maybe, let's stand up to these hoity-toity schools who seem to think WAAAAYYYY too much of themselves!
The very best to all those waiting on pins & needles....