<p>As a good student aspiring to go to a great college, I was ecstatic to have found College Confidential for the wealth of information it provides regarding the application process.</p>
<p>As a Theory of Knowledge student (props to all you IBers out there), however, I was instantly aware of the truth flaws it represents: Chancers are, for the most part, college applicants themselves; the typical forum member is skewed toward the upper end of the applicant pool; people may simply be looking to boost their morale by tearing others down...</p>
<p>How do you determine the truth/validity/reliability of responses you get or see on Chance threads? Especially in regard to Ivy League schools and other colleges of that caliber... is someone who's published three books, volunteered 1000+ hours, received a 2400 on the SAT, and founded a society for the mentally disabled really a "low reach" at Yale?</p>
<p>What criteria do you look for when you chance people? And how do you know what to believe when you read posts?</p>
<p>How long somone’s been a member and their post count are two superficial but decent measures.</p>
<p>In terms of important factors: ethnicity, geography, school prestige, class rank, course rigor, UW GPA, weighted GPA, AP scores, SAT score, Subject Test scores, legacy, athletic recruitment, first generation status, self-reported quality of essays and recommendations, income bracket, and extracurricular activites.</p>
<p>Number one: study the college’s common data set before going to the ‘chances board’</p>
<p>Two: Understand all factors at play, most importantly the huge number of hooked candidates–unhooked need higher than median numbers at most colleges to be competitive.</p>
<p>Three: Realize almost anyone with lower stats than you, applying to the same schools, needs to think you’re a shoo in or they’d know they have no chance!</p>
<p>Do you think that most of the chances posted on this forum are accurate, then?</p>
<p>“most” - that I’m not sure of that. But if you use common sense, ask for detailed questions and do your homework you will get great guidance and accurate educated guesses…</p>