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There are a variety of factors that will contribute to a student's admittance or denial to a school.
At all the Ivy League schools, you are dealing with an applicant pool with - for the most part - all the same qualifications your son has (with some notable exceptions). While his performance certainly is excellent and is to be rewarded... most top-tier schools are able to pick and choose amongst their applicant pool to make it as diverse as possible. Diversity would be defined in this situation not just by race, but also socioeconomic background, educational background & skill, ethnic background (ie a white Australian), etc. It really is a great situation for the schools with so many qualified applicants, but a lot of great applicants will be let down in the process.
I know quite a few Admissions professionals at elita colleges and universities, and selecting students often comes down to coin flips, because the applicants are all JUST THAT GOOD.
There is a body of thought out there too that so long as a student meets MINIMUM requirements for a school, they will do fine at the school because they are surrounded by other great students and teachers who will raise them up to a higher level.
I guess my point is that Ivy League schools in particular have a luxury that other schools do not: a diverse AND skilled applicant pool, the "pick of the litter" with many parents that can "full pay" and often are Ivy Leaguers themselves. At the same time they have such huge endowments that they can meet each students full financial aid needs. The only thing your younger son can do is keep doing what he's doing, do it well, and hope that reflects positively in his application and interview. Applying "early decision" to one school also may increase your chances.
Your financial situation, race, and previous college/grad/professional degrees will also have significant influence on how the application is considered.
I am a graduate student studying Higher Education Administration & Policy and I will tell you this is not an unusual question or concern that parents raise. They feel they have done everything they could (which is likely!), dotted every i and crossed every t, and still summarily excused from the applicant pool. All I can say is that Ivy Leagues are very popular, and it may not be a bad idea to try and divorce yourself (and/or your sons) from the notion that an Ivy League education = The Best Education. There are some wonderful small colleges and universities out there which (I would argue) provide a significantly more robust and powerful experience for undergraduate students (Williams College, for example). Make sure you don't rule those smaller, non-Ivy schools out.
Finally, a book recommendation for you, in preparation for your next son's college applications: The book is called "The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College." It's a very easy, casual read but will give you a sense of how things work in the Admissions Office.
I hope my comments have helped. Best of luck! A link to that book is included below.
Cheers-
Stephen S. aka 'sonique'
Higher Education Administration & Policy Program
Northwestern University School of Education & Social Policy
posted by 64.139.3...
The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College
, Thu, 14 Apr 2005 13:35:23
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, Thu, 14 Apr 2005 10:24:03, Thu, 14 Apr 2005 09:26:55, Thu, 14 Apr 2005 20:40:11, Thu, 14 Apr 2005 10:56:40
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, Wed, 13 Apr 2005 21:34:52
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