<p>I also think there is a personality type - could be the student or equally the parent - that have a leave no rock unturned attitude…so they are constantly looking for something elusive that will either reinforce what they already believe or will “better” their outcome. That is the personality type that will seek out information. Neither good nor bad, simply a different personality trait.</p>
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<p>Sure, and thus we see a few “average Joes” on CC - just as one would expect. But the reason why there would be a concentration of high-flyers is not hard to understand at all. CC membership is a self-selecting population. </p>
<p>I recall a thread years asking people how/why they first discovered and joined CC. Quite a few of them who responded said something very similar to my reasons: my daughter had taken the PSAT and achieved a high score, so I Googled to find out what the NMSF cut-off was for our state. That Google search pointed to answers posted on CC.</p>
<p>So if you are searching to find things like National Merit cut-offs that probably means that there is a high-achieving student somewhere behind that question. Google and other search engines send them (or their parents) here, and we like what we find here and decide to stay. If my daughter had been an average student with no chance for NMSF I never would have found CC. Never would have looked. No big mystery.</p>
<p>Hah, i found CC when i googled: colleges + ski areas + < 5,000 students (his criteria)…I was stupid enough to think he’d get in anywhere he applied, but that was a long, long time ago and many lessons earned.</p>
<p>Academic Darwinism</p>
<p>There’s also the fact that the college admissions process is really only difficult if you’re applying to one of a few really elite schools (in the grand scheme of things), and most people who apply to those schools are relatively high achievers.<br>
There are other aspects of the college process that a greater number of people need to worry about, especially paying for college, but the high-achieving kids on here aren’t usually all that concerned with paying for college either. They leave it to their parents like everyone else. For most people, thinking about “fit” and financial aid is not as interesting as thinking about how they might beat people out in the admissions process. </p>
<p>I had no idea this type of forum existed. I discovered it on March 27 when my daughter was accepted to Brown and I was reading the thread on the Brown Board and recognized my daughters post on the regular decision thread! </p>
<p>Here is a repeat of one of my posts.</p>
<p>Because my husband is a professor at our state university, it was the only school my 4 children were allowed to consider when growing up…although, unbeknownst to me, my one daughter had a different idea about this. When she was in 8th or 9th grade she (and her close friends) found this website (College Confidential) and started preparing for an ivy league path. They followed all of the suggestions found on this forum ie taking ap classes, applying for summer internships, loading up on extra curricular activities that they were passionate about etc. In the end we allowed her to apply to a few of her top choices with the hope that if accepted she would receive financial aid. She and her 3 friends were all accepted by at least one Ivy. </p>
<p>I’m sure it’s a personality trait of the best and brightest.</p>
<p>“Yet, fit is important not only for those aiming for the very top but also for these not-that-great students, too…” - Absolutely! </p>
<p>But many parents like me started out in CC looking for advise on other topics. Initially we are more interested in financial info, acceptance chances (especially at competitive schools, which are not as predictable / stats-driven as the average college), SAT prep, etc. We evolved into “fit” considerations. </p>
<p>I agree with @halcyonheather Getting into a “good-enough” college is not hard for most students. Getting into any of our state schools—other than our state flagship—is probably easier today than it was 10 years ago most kids. And, for most, I’d wager that “fit” works out as well. </p>
<p>The students who are on CC tend to fall into two groups in my estimation—extremely bright kids who are looking beyond the colleges that are the typical choice for their peers (the “fit” crowd) and extremely bright kids who want to “win” one of choice spots at the elite schools (the “gunner” crowd). Of course, these groups are not all-inclusive; nor are they mutually exclusive. But information and strategy are important to kids in these groups in a way that it is not for the B student looking at the typical range of schools. CC is a great place to get the info, and I think some find a peer group along the way. </p>
<p>Parents are tougher to categorize! I’d say I fit into the searching/argumentative/procrastinating category. 
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