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Yeah, there have been a couple comments in this thread with this kind of viewpoint; "How will I go on in life after all the opportunity cost of not getting into [insert high prestige school]".

I feel so sad for anyone that has such a futile outlook in life. Life is literally what you make it, not what some gatekeepers make of it for you.

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I feel sad for them too, but it doesn't mean because I have never felt that way that it doesn't happen. The post I replied to was overly optimistic. Some might strive on and pick somewhere else. Some, like failed olympic athletes, might go down a darker road.

Sadly, a stint working with social services has taught me some folks, who are normal about everything else, have one event that they have strived for that will break them if they miss it. Its actually easier if it was your doing, but not when its your ancestry or other factor you had no control over.

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