How can I explain to my father I can't get in an Ivy League college?

You know what's missing from this? Any mention of what YOU want to do. College is a big descision, and it is YOU, not your dad, who has to live with the consequences. You will do better in a school that YOU want to go to, ivy league or not. I think you need to take some time out to figure out what you want to do about applying for college. What do you want to study? Do some research and find out what schools you like that have programs in that discipline. Tell your dad to back the **** off...his yelling and pressure are making the situation worse, not better. You are going to have to stand your ground on this, and things will likely be unpleasant between you for a while, but it's really important! The key to success is figuring out what YOU want, not what other people want for you. If that turns out to be an ivy league school, then go ahead and apply. The odds might be against you, but you still do have a chance. At least try...what do you have to loose except the time you spent working on the application, and the price, if any? Your counselors advice about having a back-up school is a good one, though-don't lock all your hopes on one place. Unfortunately, a lot of parents get crazy over college admissions. Sometimes, they feel like the college their child gets accepted to reflects on them personally, or they want to compete with other parents by getting their kid into the "best" school. All this is stupid, irrelevant, and irresponsible. This is the first big, important choice you have probably been called on to make...so make it for you.

If your dad really wants you to apply to Ivy League schools, and he is paying the application costs, there is no harm in applying. You may even get accepted. If you don't, you can tell him you tried. Nothing is stopping you from applying to any other school. Your parents don't have to sign your college application. Apply to the schools you want to attend, or that you think you'll get into. You just may have to pay your own application costs for schools your dad doesn't want you to apply to.

Your dad is right, the counselor is wrong. Everyone in the Ivy doesn't have a 4.0 HS GPA in the top 5 of their class. There are plenty of other considerations and it's very possible that you can indeed get in. The only way to know if you'll be accepted is to apply. The opinion of anyone who is not on the admissions committee doesn't matter in the slightest. Apply and find out.

Live your life for yourself. If you thought it was hard to get into a good school just imagine how hard it would be once you got there!