Very seldom do parents pay the advertised price tag of a private school.

The predictors of a good education are virtually impossible to measure,

It's a key part of the experience. It's all the learning that goes on outside the classroom, sports, debate, discussions in the dorm room.

Students need to understand that they're doing precision guesswork. The end result should be that you're exited about where you land your freshman year of college.

This is a complex thing.

I honestly figured it was a long shot. All colleges are so competitive now, and being an Ivy League school – well, I wasn't sure he'd get in.