<p>People often become insecure about their own admission chances upon looking at this board.</p>
<p>However, many of the people I know who have posted are juniors and sometimes even sophmores who like to "predict" sat scores, final GPAs, and even leadership positions they hope to get in the future!</p>
<p>I just think everyone should know this.</p>
<p>Most answers on CC are people with similar stats assuring other people they'll get in. SAD!!!!</p>
<p>I don't think I am really more "insecure" after reading CC. I think I am more "realistic" now and won't be as crushed if I get rejection letters from my dream schools. People who have no shot need to be told they don't, it's tough love, if they realize they have no chance then they can start to make back up plans and prepare for the worst. However, one shouldn't not apply to a school just because people on CC say they don't have that good of a chance. No one can know for sure, especially without reading their essays and recs.</p>
<p>I think CC made me doubt myself more than I would have normally. At one point I was convinced I wouldn't get into any of my schools just because of all the unbased speculation people throw around here.</p>
<p>Zantedeschia, so you're saying people usually do better than what people predict on CC?</p>
<p>Um, no. I don't really pay attention to the Chances threads, so I'm not saying anything either way...I just know that people are definitely paranoid here.</p>
<p>half the people on chances threads are just reassuring people with similar stats to their own, and the other half are people who get a perverse pleasure out of shutting people down and completely dismissing their work. Both groups are equally disturbing.</p>
<p>Both groups have no idea what they're talking about and are in no position to judge.
And the people asking for evaluation don't ever take the feedback seriously anyway. I mean, if you were intent on apply to a school, and everyone said "no chance," you'd still go for it, wouldn't you?</p>
<p>Yeah hahah they never listen they're just like "Anyone else have something to say?"</p>
<p>If multiple people say you aren't getting in, then I get rid of the school. I had no clue about schools when I joined this forum, and a bunch of people gave me great advice. I thought that just because my scores were in range, that I had a chance, but people opened me up to percentages, out of state, GPA, and other factors. It's helpful if you ask the right people and respect their opinions.</p>
<p>part of the reason I stopped posting on chances threads was people would ignore me because I usually didn't tell them what they wanted to ehar lol :p</p>
<p>What is so bad about people predicting what they will get? They just want their chances...not like a million dollars...</p>
<p>In my mind it's just something to either help support your opinion or degrade it. It can be helpful to get an outside opinion from those who have been through the process and have been able to figure out how to present their application to the adcoms in the best way possible. Although, most of it is just useless speculation and is pretty much irrelevant -- an applicant is going to apply regardless of what people say here. It's just something to pass the time really, because the only decision that matters is that of the adcom, not a CCer. CC opinions can only give a ballpark figure of things. </p>
<p>I will just say that I did much better than was predicted by myself or anyone. CC, in a sense, makes you realize that although you may be hot stuff in high school, so are thousands of others competing for the same spots in college. It humbles you a bit once you realize how many other people out there have amazing applications to present. Although it scared me to the point where I thought I'd only get in to my safety O.O;;;</p>
<p>i realized that the validity of opinions depend on the background of the opinion giver. If someone comes from a strong prep school which sends many to top colleges, they will cast down your chances to practically zero if you have lower scores. Same goes with the other kind of background. Its best to get many opinions.</p>
<p>I think the chances posts are useful because although most of the people posting responses have not yet been through the college application process, their friends have. They therefore can offer some prediction of chances. When many people offer their predictions, the consensus is likely correct regarding the probability of acceptance. This information can have 2 effects:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If the probability of acceptance looks bleak, the OP will realize this and not be terribly upset if a rejection letter arrives in the mail.</p></li>
<li><p>If the probability of acceptance looks good, the OP can rest easier at night.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Either way the experience is beneficial.</p>
<p>I don't think half the people on CC know what they are talking about on the chances board unless you get a reply from a person that actually works in the office and even that you cannot be sure. A lot of people get rejected from top schools with perfects SAT scores and extracurriculars. People get in who never thought they would get in. No one can predict your chances. Their are too many factors..the adcom's mood and attitude the day. Perhaps an ec you do is something he really likes as well. I think admissions to the top tier schools are basically random unless your SAT scores are abysmal are not even in the range for that school. I think a lot of the people who give chances on the cc board are people who have about the same stats as someone else and they say they are shoe-in to raise their self-esteem. It would make them feel more secure that they will get in to the college of the choice. I seriously wouldn't take too much of the chances advice seriously. If you want to know you should try and ask students who actually got in themselves.</p>
<p>it's funny though, iamacrazyscientist
because all those things you claim to be wrong are probably the same things you've done as well
I mean, who hasn't read a chances post on this forum and responded to reassure that person because you yourself had similar stats and was looking at the same colleges</p>
<p>Well I don't think "lies" is the right word. They're opinions of CCers, nothing more, nothing less.</p>
<p>What is silly is that other than HYPSM, there are not many mysteries in college admission. Sure, everyone knows someone who got into Princeton with a 1300 and everyone has read the Andi's son threads and knows he got turned down by schools even where his stats were off the charts.</p>
<p>But for the vast majority of schools and applicants, a very scientific guess can be made if those guessing just understand how it works. The thing most here are in denial about is believing you just need to be "in range" and not understanding the range is very different for different candidates. Hooked versus unhooked. Then again the number two biggest form of denial here is believing everything is a hook. For the record, a hook is : recruited athlete (number 1 by far), URM, legacy (more money donated the better), rich or famous, a true prodigy recognized on a national/international level). A great internship is just that, but not a hook.</p>
<p>Income, first generation, hardships, geography are tip factors. The 1550 from a rural Alabama public school will get in before the 1550 from Exeter at top schools seeking diversity. The Exeter kid will be grabbed at most other schools.</p>
<p>No big mysteries. Top schools will not understand your weakness and let your strength make up for them! The non hooked only end up at top schools with below average scores in story books and other folk lore.</p>
<p>Suze I hardly ever give other people their chances. I do post my chances though lol, but I've learned to do it less often now because I figure other people just find it annoying after a while.</p>