<p>I don't think the statistics (acceptances into EA/ED/RD) on this forum are an accurate (even semi-accurate) way for determining YOUR likelihood of getting into the same school just because you have the same numbers and awards and etc. </p>
<p>It makes it sound like NORMAL students (as in B-students with AVERAGE SAT scores) only get subpar schools and so forth... is this really true? That only BRILLIANT people with amazing GPA + SAT + ECs + essays get into the top schools? (well, this is disregardeing those who assumedly "pay" their way in) If you walk around the Harvard campus, you won't meet a single person who is only "average"? </p>
<p>I had this sudden realization today because I was talking with a friend (who btw isn't stressed at all about college... she was all "I can totally get into Princeton with a 3.3 GPA right? WHAT are SAT IIs?! I've never even heard of them before...!")... everyone around me seems to be getting into their #1 choices... </p>
<p>so it's not impossible. everyone has a chance. :)</p>
<p>I interview for an Ivy (Dartmouth). In my experience 1) 25% of candidates are not strong (2000ish SATs, not top 10%, avg. ECs), 2) 50% are strong (2100+, top 10%, average ECs), 25% are extremely competitive (2200+. top 5%, great ECs). Of those, in my experience (interviewing about 20 kids in my life), ZERO percent of category one kids have gotten in, maybe 10% of category two, and about 30% of my category three kids have gotten in.</p>
<p>CC is not overrated, it gives you a realistic viewpoint in considering Ivies.</p>
<p>Sorry to say, but your friend is completely out of the ball game, thinking s/he can get in with a 3.3 GPA and not even know what an SAT II is.</p>
<p>I really like this site because it exposes to me to the real achievers out there, whereas my high school celebrates mediocrity to the fullest. </p>
<p>If you want to be on the top, you have to know who the top is and mingle with them to some extent. To me, that's what CC does, and that's why I'm still here. It gives me that reality check.</p>
<p>Here, people have no idea what constitutes "great" and they're so lost in their own rural little world.</p>
<p>This site literally extends my goals and makes me challenge myself.</p>
<p>Would I have even though for going for that 2300, self-study APs, check out the national olympiads, get those 5s on APs without CollegeConfidential?</p>
<p>HELLZ NO.</p>
<p>This is why I hate when people bash it, when they sit and gain its information and post and participate, and later say "yeah well this forum is for losers who have no life".</p>
<p>no life because CCrs somewhat want to learn what's really going on out there in the top schools, what the top competition is thinking, to gain some insight and not be ignorant like the rest of these unwitting kids? no life because i want to increase my knowledge?</p>
<p>"Above average" and "normal" are different, I think.</p>
<p>I think I'm "above average" (partly because I work hard and partly because my parents support me GREATLY and partly cause I'm just lucky, seriously) but I still think I'm normal.......</p>
<p>A friend of mine got into Carleton College with a 3.0 GPA because he's an AMAZING musician. It may not be HYP, but it's considered top of the line where I'm from. Yeah, I'm sure this is really rare, but it shows that stats aren't everything.</p>
<p>CC represents a lot of kids in the top .5% of the high school achievers, IMHO. I agree that it gives me a huge reality check. I can be celebrated for being pretty up there in my school, or I can come here and be acknowledged/tolerated for being average by CC standards. Just the fact that I can consider myself average(ish) among the CC high-schoolers comforts me--because most CCers have very high standards.</p>
<p>
[quote]
This is why I hate when people bash it, when they sit and gain its information and post and participate, and later say "yeah well this forum is for losers who have no life".</p>
<p>no life because CCrs somewhat want to learn what's really going on out there in the top schools, what the top competition is thinking, to gain some insight and not be ignorant like the rest of these unwitting kids? no life because i want to increase my knowledge?</p>
<p>puh leaze
[/quote]
whaa? um, lol. i was no way bashing cc - i was merely stating that cc standards are way above average (yes, you can't deny it. people in the sat forums going "GOODNESS a 2200 MUST RETAKE SO I CAN GET INTO HYPSM WITH MY 4.45 GPA" are insane.) and that regular people can get in too (or maybe i was asking if there ARE regular people that get into top schools -- regular as in they don't studystudystudy (ADMIT IT, you do study) or are just brilliant)</p>
<p>i appreciate cc because without it i wouldn't have set my own standards so high (and because of it, i think it gives me considerable advantage over other people from school). i'm just saying... "what are my chances?" topics and the acceptance threads (w/ statistics) aren't good proof of showing each INDIVIDUAL person's chances of getting into which-or-what-school. </p>
<p>being average at cc = top @ a lot of high schools, hehe.</p>
<p>I agree with precocious. I can honestly say, after this whole thing, that CC made me underestimate myself. I began surfing this site about two months before applying to schools when I was still finalizing my list of colleges. Initially my list was full of schools that were "above average" or pretty prestigious that I thought I had a chance at. After being exposed to this site, I didn't even think I could have made it to my "slight below match" school on my initial list. However when I received my letters, I got into all my safeties, all my matches, and waitlisted (mostly)/admitted to a lot of my reaches (however because of CC i only applied to a few reaches). So definitely, CC scared me and made me underestimate my only ability. Now my 7 safety acceptances are sitting there collecting dust. I didnt' even take a moment to read them because i knew i wouldnt go to them. Wasted a lot of money on safeties and could have best used that money to test my ability in the reach schools-- most of which were places I would LOVE to attend.</p>
<p>I seriously wish I would have 1. known that I wanted to go to a top school earlier and 2. known about collegeconfidential at that time. I think if I would have applied to Stanford early decision after researching on CC, I would have stood a much better chance than I did with rushed essays on the last day of the deadline with no outside help. CC is a reality check and the most accurate source of information about the matter.</p>
<p>for a while i really hated this site. it made me feel really bad about myself and made me go crazy with this college stuff. i am almost certain, however, that i would never have received that push or reality check from anyone at home or at school. yes cc made me crazy, but it made me work harder because i realized what the competition was. now im choosing between brown and dartmouth and i really dont think id be in such a good position had i not treated this process like a madman. so, considering how important getting into one of those schools is to me, id say cc was a huge help</p>
<p>slipper, by those estimates, Dartmouth's acceptance rate would be 12.5%, but the avg has probably been ~ 20% over the last ten years, although certainly declining a lot over the last couple.</p>
<p>I would agree with the OP that CC is going to have a much highly accomplished, more informed clientele than the average applicant to the top schools. If you look at the avg SATs for the other site you're not allowed to name here (but derives its original association with a college in NJ), which I'm guessing would be similar to CC, they are 1444, which would be above the mean score of all except ~ ten schools in the country.</p>
<p>"Average" students are very hard to find at HYPSM. Even recruited athletes have amazing sports skills, which definitely does not make them average.</p>
<p>Try visiting a HYPSM and talk with some of the students there and you'll realize that average kids simply do not exist on their campuses.</p>
<p>I wasn't referring to you specifically, just saying, when some people do that (bash the site) ya know?it gets kinda irritating. And yes, "everyone has a chance", but some people have better chances than others, and even though it might make the WAMC asker sad, the people who respond to chances threads prepare them for the possible rejection. No one should take what a completely anonymous user says online as "accurate" anyway . </p>
<p>The people who ask to retake a 2200 are obviously above average and hey POWER 2 THEM, since they want to be accepted to way above average schools. Everyone needs help when considering these schools, so again, no one should be angry when someone asks if they want to retake a 2200.</p>
<p>And yeah, I mean I study, but that's because I want a good future, I don't want to be like the 40+% from my school who end up at the local mc'ds the day after graduation. =</p>
<p>Just some personal thoughts here.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I can honestly say, after this whole thing, that CC made me underestimate myself. Now my 7 safety acceptances are sitting there collecting dust. I didnt' even take a moment to read them because i knew i wouldnt go to them. Wasted a lot of money on safeties and could have best used that money to test my ability in the reach schools-- most of which were places I would LOVE to attend.
[/quote]
Oh my gosh . . . yeah CC makes you see reality, but you can't blame wasting money on a FORUM . . .that was your OWN fault pal . . so you got some extra acceptance letters .. . .and you're COMPLAINING??</p>
<p>Everybody should take what is posted on CC with a grain of salt. These poster, like myself, are self-selecting meaning if they have an opinion about an issue, they'll post it. CC is a great tool to supplement your college search, but not a place to get definitive answers. Don't rely on what people say on here alone. Do your own research and compare it to other opinions that appear here.</p>