Chapter 10 The Final Three
By Friday, the media circus had mostly died down.
The reporters who had camped outside Judith's house had packed up and moved on to the next big story, though the occasional camera crew still lingered, hoping for a soundbite. But the colleges?
They weren't letting up.
Every day, another recruiter showed up at the door. Another phone call. Another ridiculous offer. Full scholarships, housing arrangements, research grants—Harvard even threw in a proposal for Jake to write a book.
It was exhausting.
So when Alan showed up that evening to pick him up, he walked into a house that looked like a battlefield. Judith sat slumped at the kitchen table, dark circles under her eyes, her phone still buzzing every few minutes. Jake, meanwhile, was casually flipping through a notepad like he wasn't the center of a nationwide bidding war.
Alan raised an eyebrow. "Well. This is… a vibe."
Judith just handed him the house phone. "Here. You deal with it."
Alan took one look at the screen—Yale Admissions Office—and quickly put it back down. "Uh, yeah. No thanks."
Jake smirked. "Welcome to my world."
Alan sighed and leaned against the counter. "Alright, kiddo. You ready to head back to your uncle's place?"
Jake nodded, closing his notepad. "Yeah.
But before we go, I wanted to talk to you guys."
Judith straightened up. "About what?"
Jake set the notepad on the table. "I've narrowed my choices down to three colleges."
Alan blinked. "You mean you're not just going to MIT?"
Jake shrugged. "MIT's still an option, but I want to weigh the pros and cons before I make my final decision."
Judith exchanged a glance with Alan, clearly surprised. "You're seriously asking us what we think?"
Jake grinned. "Of course. You guys are my parents. I figure I should at least hear your thoughts before I take off for the next few years."
Alan placed a hand on his chest, mock-sniffling. "He cares about our opinions. I never thought this day would come."
Judith smacked his arm.
Jake chuckled and tapped the notepad. "So? What do you guys think? Where should I go?"
Judith sighed, looking at Alan. "Well… I guess we should talk this through."
And just like that, the biggest decision of Jake's life was officially on the table.
Jake sat at the kitchen table, his notepad open in front of him. Across from him, Alan and Judith exchanged cautious glances, still adjusting to the idea that their 11-year-old son was deciding between three of the most prestigious universities in the world.
"Alright," Jake said, tapping his pen against the paper. "I've narrowed it down to three schools—MIT, Harvard, and Caltech."
Alan whistled. "Damn. That's a lineup."
Judith leaned forward, arms crossed. "Okay. So why those three?"
Jake smirked. "Because they're the best."
Alan nodded. "Fair enough. So, how are we doing this? Pros and cons list?"
Jake grinned. "Exactly."
He flipped the page, revealing three columns, each labeled with a school's name.
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Pros:
• Arguably the best STEM school in the world.
• Strong connections to the tech industry.
• Unmatched research opportunities in engineering, physics, and computer science.
• I'd be surrounded by other geniuses, which means less 'kid prodigy' stigma.
Cons:
• Very competitive, even for someone like me.
• Cold Boston winters.
• Intense workload—wouldn't leave much time for anything else.
Harvard University
Pros:
• The most prestigious name in education.
• Strong connections in law, business, and politics.
• Easier to transition into leadership roles outside of STEM.
• I'd have access to some of the most powerful alumni networks in the world.
Cons:
• Not as strong in STEM as MIT or Caltech.
• More academic politics and bureaucracy.
• Higher focus on tradition rather than innovation.
Caltech (California Institute of Technology)
Pros:
• Elite STEM school, like MIT, but smaller and more focused.
• Located in California—warm weather, no need to move across the country.
• Close connections to NASA and the aerospace industry.
• More laid-back culture than MIT, but still top-tier education.
Cons:
• Smaller alumni network compared to MIT or Harvard.
• Less variety in non-STEM fields.
• The campus social life is… well, kind of dead.
Alan rubbed his chin. "Damn. That's… a solid breakdown."
Judith nodded. "And you're sure about these three?"
Jake shrugged. "Unless Princeton, Oxford, or Stanford show up with something really tempting, yeah."
Alan exhaled, glancing at Judith. "Alright, so… what do we think?"
Judith sighed. "I mean, obviously Harvard has the best connections. But if you really want to focus on STEM, MIT or Caltech make more sense."
Alan nodded. "Caltech would keep you closer to home. But MIT's got the most resources." He looked at Jake. "What's your gut saying?"
Jake grinned. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."
One thing was certain—whatever choice he made, it was going to shape his entire future.