[Michael Blake]

Originally Posted by Alexa Stott

I'm going to be blunt here: it honestly sounds like you're just bitter that your son was not accepted to these schools and are searching for a reason why. Nowhere does FIRST claim the Dean's List guarantees you admittance.

I don't understand why you're so up in arms about this.

Also, if you're really serious about being sorry that your son was a Dean's List finalist, I'm sure FIRST would allow you to return the award. If you were pushing your son to do things specifically to win that award, then you were in it for the wrong reasons.

Alexa... you're accusing me of motivations that just aren't there... mind-reading happens, I've observed, on CD a lot.

I _never_ used the word "guarantees".

I won't be involved with Dean's List again for my team unless they change the "pitch" regarding the _desirability_ of M.I.T. and Yale... that's my prerogative as a 54 year old man whose lived a lot of life.

Accusing me of possibly "pushing" my son is laughable IF you knew my son. The fact is ALL we knew about Dean's List PRIOR to him winning the award was what is in the Game Manual, TIMS, and some entries on CD. We didn't know ANYTHING about colleges desiring D/L until AFTER he won the award... which we had COMPLETELY forgotten about his submission so when his name was announced the reaction was, "Huh?! What award did they just announce? ALRIGHT, Dean's List way to go!!"... LOL

We had NO IDEA about how much FIRST valued the award... it was an interesting and pleasant surprise.

--Michael