... or Princeton, or Yale? Life would be so much easier for him, but he might become the kind of person I don't like. He'll be turning 2 soon. Does it start now? Will I become the kind of person I hate?

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

I don't know. What kind of person do you hate? As for what it takes, I recently had to sign a letter to Harvard stating that one of my clients had over a certain amount of liquid capital as part of their kid's admission process. It wasn't a small number.

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

Uh, too late for me. They wouldn't like me there.

I guess I don't wanna become the type of person who drives their child incessantly. Piano 3-4, Latin 4-6, Dinner, extra Math 7-8, homework somewhere in between, like that.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Don't worry, graduating from Harvard doesn't automatically turn you into an a**hole. You had to have the aptitude to begin with.

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81 300SD
08 MDX Tech
93 525i

05 F650GS

We'll wait and see. Does it really matter for anything other than an MBA anyway?

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Uh... just hope that when he turns into a teen he doesn't become disinterested in school, cause if you dont like school you definitely won't see any point in going to Harvard.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

I think there was a thread posted about a year ago from a disgruntled Ivy Leaguer who (along with several of his colleagues) didn't reap the monetary benefits of an elite education...

...that said, I believe the connections you attain at Harvard are worth far more than the education. Forming an allegiance with sons and daughters of the world's power brokers isn't a bad way to get a jumpstart on your future!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

It depends if they want to or not. I could have probably driven myself to get to Yale or Harvard, but I would rather not owe $150k when I get out of school. Not to mention my grades kind of went down a bit after my 1st year in highschool...about when I got interested in MB's.

I think schools such as those are only good to make friends! If you join clubs and make friends very likely you will have some powerfull connections in the future. Look at the Skull and Bones club Bush is a member off. I wouldn't want to spend 5 years at Yale meeting no one important and getting out with an education degree and $100k in loans. But if that is what you want to do, whatever makes you happy. I can and do go to a state school and will get a perfectly usefull degree for about $5k a year.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

From what I have been recently hearing, getting into the schools mentioned is close to impossible unless the kid walks on water. Even with SAT tests in the 1500 range and high school GPA of almost 4.0, there is no certainty of getting into these institutions. They have become far more selective in the last 10 years and their available pool to select from is significantly larger.

Setting your sights on these schools at this point in the child's life is a recipe for severe disappointment, or worse, IMHO.

The kid would need to be extraordinarily brilliant and additionally lead a very balanced life with many activities in order to qualify for these schools. Although parents refuse to admit it, most children are simply not of this caliber.

I guess that explains how Dubya managed to get in!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

I was gifted once, went to "special" schools...now I'm misanthropic, arogant, presumptuous, all of that. If you want to be a doctor or whatever, go to a good state school and get on some good insurance boards so you can make some money and not think too much about it.

I have several friends and family that are Ivy league, most are very smart but some are around average. The average guys and girls got in because of family or family friend legacy's.

Like everything else in his life, someone else had the connections and did the legwork for him.

In answer to the original question, they provide a detailed overview here:
http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/prospective/

Harvard would be a cool school to attend. Some of the best and brightest faculty are there, the endowment, or so I’ve heard, rivals some not too small countries. Enrollment that’s about 90% competition based, so the student ranks are stuffed with excellent performers. Plus there is the access to kids of very successful and influential folks. But I submit that Harvard is a far, faaaaar better choice for grad or PhD school than for an undergrad degree.

I looked at their History school and would be delighted at the opportunity to study there. The faculty has 10 profs who specialize in my fields. That is really rare. Anyone would take a couple of extra years just to enjoy the seminars…..

On the other hand, having gone to school already for a good while, my career has not been hindered or stunted from not only not going to Harvard but not even a name brand U.

If a parent can teach their child the joy of learning and achievement that is a great accomplishment. If they can do that and encourage their child to get a degree they are probably in the top 10 percent group, and if the parents can get the child to actually pay for school themselves, well, such spoken hopes are beyond mere mortals…………..Anyway, I’d say emphasize the love of learning and everything after that is building blocks. When you teach a child from an early age to enjoy learning you put the kid immeasurably ahead in life compared to if the kid has to learn it for them self later in life.

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...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"

It take two things.....access to cubic dollars

And major ass kissing at the admissions office....

Is it really worth it?

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche