Ivy League Grad Reacts to “warning high school students in the college admissions game”

[@elevatedschool]

From now until August 2024, I (Kevin) will offering doing FREE intro calls with students (and parents!) If interested in chatting, please visit: www.elevated.school/getstarted Thank you watching our videos! Your support seriously means the world to us!!

[@sunriselotus]

Hi, I think Kwan the other guy is just tired and burnt out and is seeing that all the environment of a very competitive and brand name university is getting to him physically, emotionally, mentally, socially etc. And he feels like if he went to a different university he would be happier and healthier. I think for students that is something that all students should take in to account. Health needs to be everyone's priority.

[@mariamart_0]

If he transferred out of this Ivy League snobby hellhole, and he needs to transfer to a different university that is much more smaller and more private. I would say that he needs to destress himself and work on figuring out what choices works best for him and his mental health. He needs to get protect his mental health. He is just very stressed out and does not know how to get out of his own rot.

[@2XRC]

Thank you for sharing your insights and personal experiences throughout your journey. The courage to select a school that made my daughter happy versus what she thought would make all of US happy has paid off. YOU were a tremendous support during her senior year and we are forever grateful 🙏

[@dfsdfsdfsfdsf-x7s]

Hi Kevin! You helped me with my essays this application season and I'm so grateful for that so I'm just leaving a comment here to say that your channel is soo underrated and that more people need to see this:)

[@elevatedschool]

Happy to help!!

[@dance4ever940]

I like how you did not exaggerate and was very respectful when reacting to Quon's original video! You gave some good insight & tips too....thanks!!

[@AnneGoggansQHHT]

Therapy and mental health support. We as a society are neglecting it.

[@seanna561]

I used your essay tips and implemented it into many of my essays and I just got into UC Irvine and Davis! Now we wait for UCLA and Cal :)

[@elevatedschool]

Congrats friend!!

[@vanguardcollegeprep]

I saw Quon's original video, and was concerned about the fearmongering; this is the perfect response. Every student has agency! Just because you get into a school doesn't mean you need to stay there.

[@bunnywavyxx9524]

I don't think the video is fearmongering for portraying a less than stellar reality, especially as the perception of Ivy leagues is a happy one. College isn't the most productive, happy experience for all people.

[@vangarde0348]

@@bunnywavyxx9524 ^^^

[@natasha5553]

its not fear mongering if college students suicide stats are increasing, its the harsh reality that does exist for alot of students even if certain people not be able to relate to it

[@psudoctor3336]

I loved my College experience… I could have gone to other schools but the fit at my college was the best. It was hard but had fun too and the people are down to earth. I’m a physician now and could never see myself at any other University. My University prepared me well for medical school and relating to many people around the world with fellow alumni. I was a division 1 athlete too! We Are…

[@godblessyou4068]

Hey Kev! Your videos are really incredible! Most of the time you console me when I start thinking about my future college life. It's really hard to choose a college which will perfectly fit your needs, but It's manageable which such videos. Keep up the good work!

[@yipan51]

Hi folks, you really have shared your true feelings with HS juniors and their parents! A great job! Thank you for being true to yourself and people! 👍❤️🌹

[@abhart]

Now I'm happy after getting rejected from UChicago EA🤣😂

[@jasonhe5578]

as a high school senior who applied to and got admitted to UChicago (ED), I am kinda nervous for the upcoming year. I didn't do enough research before applying but very luckily it seemed to fit exactly into my type of personality after I looked at it more after admitted. The thing I'm worried about though is an overly competitive environment because honestly I have never been very competitive and just pretty much did things I enjoyed, I didn't really see my friends as competitors or anything or drive myself too crazy over extracurriculars. I still think Uchicago fits me better than "party schools" as I am an introvert and socializing scares me, but I am still unsure if I am prepared for uni

[@mrbzliteyear]

Congrats on UChicago. My kid is there & loves it/their friends. Like learning any new skills, it takes time & effort but the school is big enough that you can find your people if you genuinely want to. The competition varies depending on what you’re pursuing, but if going I-banking or consulting pressure will be there no matter what school you attend. At any school you will find kids who only study at the library. However, without joining clubs, trying new things, taking chances, and making new friends - why even go to college? Just take classes online. Therefore, it’s up to you to stretch yourself & grow as much as you can to get stronger. Be like a bamboo & learn to bend, but don’t break. Good luck & stay warm!

[@jasonhe5578]

@@mrbzliteyear thank you so much for your advice!

[@disneyfun8208]

Watching all these videos is now making me kinda scared to apply to Ivy Leagues, like what if I get in and not like it? 😭 If anything this will just make me not mentally hurt if I don’t get into these schools and maybe even be relieved

[@abnertorres1095]

Every person has agency! But, we as a society have elevated these institutions! My best friend, a full-time lecturer and teacher at Harvard. I will leave which college he/she teaches out. Looking back, you learn in any institution as long as you do the work! Learn and take care of your mental health!

[@heidiheidi-vo2pu]

Hey Kev! I was wondering what you think I should do. I'm a sophomore at one of the top 50 public high schools in America and I've been working extremely hard to be at the top of the top. I really want to get into an ivy league, but I'm not sure how I'll take it. I've had numerous mental breakdowns cause I'm at such a competitive school, so I'm not sure if another intense 4 years is good for me. However, I feel like after being at this high school it can't get any worse. What do you think?

[@elevatedschool]

Hi Heidi! I'd take it one semester at a time and try to maintain a balance of pushing yourself while also taking care of your mental health. Then when college application season comes, you can apply to a mix of top schools and more "happy" ones. I myself only applied to two Ivies and focused a lot on happy (but still very prestigious and all around super amazing) schools, like Georgetown, Duke, Vanderbilt :)

[@xingchuanma6984]

What is your perspective on choosing a more prestigious school and maintaining a high GPA if the goal is to get into grad school for PhD (or MD/PhD) for biomed industry?

[@elevatedschool]

It will likely be easier to get a higher GPA at a less prestigious school -- plus there will be more research opportunities for students. I have many friends who went to Yale and UPenn and said they regretted it since it was so hard to get a perfect GPA and then apply to med/grad school.

[@xingchuanma6984]

​@@elevatedschool@elevatedschool Would you say that Vanderbilt, Brown, and WashU in St. Louis would be better? I am currently a junior in high school and I still want to go to a relatively prestigious school. Brown might be my ED choice, as well as ED2 for Vanderbilt and WashU in St. Louis. Would these schools be considered as less "toxic" or they are still not ideal if I plan on applying to med/grad school?

[@simwor370]

Brown student here! I am currently a first year at Brown and speaking from personal experience. Although there is some grade inflation, it certainly isn't as easy to maintain a high GPA as I initially thought. The fact that you can choose to take a class "Satisfactory or No Credit" is certainly helpful and removes a lot of the stress. You also get the opportunity to drop a class until the day before finals season without it appearing your transcript which is nice. With that being said, if your goal is to earn a good grades (which is needed for grads school) and not take all your classes for an "S", then you'll certainly have to work hard and the classes may be more rigorous than you may have originally expected. @@xingchuanma6984

[@andrewaviado1330]

I’m a currently admitted student to WashU. This institution is well-known for its pre-med and it's competitive to get here. I would rather say that the environment here is not that throat-cut and not toxic. I can sense the friendly environment here. Though, I am not a student yet. I feel like Vanderbilt and WashU are comparably good in terms of opportunities to get into, like internships and clubs, especially since they have local hospitals nearby if you want to do some research.

[@aryanmishra9192]

what have you heard about the experiences of special programs at hypercompetitive schools? Like an M&T/Huntsman at Penn or MET at Berkeley, etc...? Is the student experience in those programs usually better than the average experience at the school(maybe cause of more dedicated resources/smaller tight-knit group of people)? I applied to a few of those so I'm just wondering whether those make a difference in terms of student experience/happiness.

[@divijchakravarthi1607]

Aryan

[@sherlytaa007]

Hello there! Thank you for your insightful video. My senior DD is still deciding where to go. She was admitted to UMich engineering but got offered an almost full ride in the Honors College at a smaller local U. It is her choice but I was not that impressed with UMich.

[@ashvikvijai8114]

When would be a good time to do a gap year semester? Currently a Freshman CS and that actually sounds really smart! Great video!

[@elevatedschool]

between freshman and sophomore year is really good! or between sophomore and junior year is also great, but typically people don't do them between junior/senior year-- glad to hear you enjoyed the vid!

[@AnneGoggansQHHT]

I’ve been trying to find a source of information for schools that have grade deflation in STEM. If you know of a source that shares info on or charts grade deflation. I’d love to see that info.

[@ricey6667]

What a great vid you made :)

[@ishragshamed6240]

Hey Kev! Your videos are really helpful and amazing. Can you please give me an advice? I am a 9th grade student studying in an arab public school. I will move to a private English school and I wish to study at Yale/Columbia.

[@suu652]

Hey, I’m currently a junior in highschool and I currently have no major in mind but I really want to have some kind of major in mind so I can look for internships and summer programs I can be passionate about….do you have any advice on figuring out your major?

[@100mmatte]

Yeah but what people don’t realize is that Princeton is the most rigorous out of the 8 ivies

[@elevatedschool]

agreed! I have friends who went to all the Ivies and everyone says Princeton and Cornell were the hardest

[@100mmatte]

@@elevatedschool oh really. Idk about Cornell, but I know Princeton is one of the few ivies with grade deflation. Harvard and Yale have grade inflation, but are on average harder to get accepted to.

[@fcsolis]

Decouple from things that you perceive are toxic. College is only 4 years of your projected lifespan of 105 years. Persevere. Having an Ivy league degree means a lot, even if it does not lead to material success.

[@johnmc2514]

105 years? What planet are you living on? Have you seen the modern American Diet?

[@mariamart_0]

We ain’t forget the toxic nature of campus culture and the politics of faculties versus undergrad students. Especially if you are an incoming freshman lol.

[@sailuvijl6621]

What things u help with i want help to make my kid understand psychology major is not worth

[@shadowmt6735]

Internships and network are # 1 and # 2 important things for your future career.

[@感恩生活]

Hi Kevin, thanks for the video. How can I book for my daughter a 1-1 session with you?

[@elevatedschool]

You're welcome! please visit out site: www.elevated.school/getstarted

[@saadmirza2727]

i do not recommend a gap year. try to graduate in 3 years instead using advanced standing

[@elevatedschool]

Hi all! If you enjoyed this or found it useful, I'd really appreciate it if you liked the video -- that way this message can be spread to more folks and hopefully help them too. Thank you!

[@JosephAhn-l3e]

I beg you don't talk about tech layoffs when you are in east asian studies without enough jobs to even layoff to begin with

[@jyan21]

I'm pretty old, and this video just showed up on my feed not sure why, but Kwan's issues sound like they're just normal adulting/life issues. The real world isn't a vacuum and there are extremely evil people and extremely good people and billions of people in between. How an individual deals with the situations in his/her life defines the character of that person. School is easy compared to all the difficult life experiences an individual will face throughout one's life.