classmates all applying to same school

Applying to College
1

<p>I have dreamt of going to a particular ivy for sometime and told my best friend about it. without going into too much detail, he never really had a direction as to which school he wants to go to, and settled to apply to a top medical (non ivy) school. he knows about my love for the ivy.</p>

<p>last week, he told me that he was going to ED the ivy I'm EDing too. I'm worried now because he is considered top of the class, with perfect grades (predicted perfect for IB), and he recently started a bunch of clubs at school. I'm ranked in the top 5%, but lower than him. (maybe top 10 in school?). In terms of extracurriculars, I am more involved in the outdoors and have received awards for my outdoor adventuring. he scopes up almost all the academic awards at the end of the year.</p>

<p>another guy is applying to the same school ED. (he is not strong grade wise, but very involved in MUN and has been head delegate a lot, and always part of the organizing committee)</p>

<p>my question is, will this affect our chances? I know our regional admissions officer will read all three of our applications, so this definitely gives us lesser chances of all 3 being accepted into the school? both of them are applying to a different division than I am. </p>

<p>I'm not mad, just slightly upset that my friend (who knew about my love for the school) is doing this to me. I know the admissions process is competitive, and that every person has the right to apply to any school, but...</p>

<p>sorry for the rant D: I just wanted to get it out ): Please do answer my question though!</p>

2

<p>You’re not being compared to him but everyone from your state who is applying. So to focus the number of ED apps at your HS isn’t apropos. Even still, you have this going for you " he recently started a bunch of clubs at school." Bam. Resume-padder. Colleges can sniff this a mile away.</p>

<p>But you get no right to be upset at him. If academically similar, it’ll come down to your recs and essays. To be frank, his may be better than yours and he gets in and you don’t. Or you both get denied (high possibility). Or both in or only you get in. Your anger is misplaced. </p>

<p>You wish to apply to a school with 15% accept rate? Prepare to be rejected – nothing else around this fact.</p>

3

<p>This line of thinking will simply get you nowhere. In my opinion, you should make every effort to let it go.</p>

<p>(Also, there are too many things you will never know: about why the admissions people accept one applicant, but deny another; about why and when your friend really decided to apply; where your path will lead in life if you go to one school versus another. Etc.)</p>

4

<p>Consider that all the students ranked above you could also be applying. Then consider all of the top high school students across the country who are likely applying. You have no control over these things. Just worry about yourself and give your best effort on your essays and application.</p>

1 Like
5

<p>For an ivy, the competition’s not the other students in your school. The competition’s international. Also, the ivy wasn’t “yours” at any time. Don’t lose a close friendship over unreasonable suppositions. </p>

<p>Do the best job you can on your application. Choose your other colleges wisely, as well–look for colleges you like just as much as your first choice.</p>

6

<p>Chances are low for anyone applying, regardless of how many apply from your school. Think of it as buying a lottery ticket.</p>

7

<p>@nervousfreshie. There is a very popular game being played in recent years called “phantom applications”
especially among the affluent suburban high school crowd and magnet high schools throughout the country (heavily influenced by their sophisticated parents)
or another popular way to phrase it
is called the “fake out”
</p>

<p>
you should not be surprised that those who say they will apply to a “certain” school “early” will be applying to another favorite “early” school
so that their competition is diminished
and yes, this happens even among so called “friends”
</p>

<p>
the same thing happens frequently in the “regular” application pool as well
so be wary of those who practice doublespeak
</p>

<p>
what is sad
is that
often, even the parents play the “lie” along with their son/daughter in this game
</p>

<p>
in recent years
for some reason
students and/or parents are often embarrassed that they or their child did not get into a “particular” dream school(s)
in either early and/or regular round
and rather than being honest about their applications
they will frequently dismiss their non-acceptance(s)
with “I didn’t apply to that school” or “Johnny wasn’t really interested in that school”
</p>

<p>
it is usually telling when that student or parent would “frequently” mention a particular school they are interested in leading up to senior year
and to “lo and behold”
find out later (after decision day)
they did not even bother to “apply”?</p>

<p>
even more amazing
is that there are some “bold” individuals out there who play Machiavelli by freely “announcing” they were “accepted” (when in reality they were rejected) into a particular highly sought after school
but they aren’t interested in “attending” this “school” anymore
even though they had been fawning over this “school” for so long
</p>

<p>
unfortunately
not all high schools use Naviance
to track how many students applied to each college
and even then it frequently is not always accurate
because acceptances and rejections are frequently “self-reported”
</p>

<p>
so
when I hear that only a small number of students were planning to apply to the most difficult school to get into in the early/regular round and find out later that 4 times that number had actually applied
I was not surprised at all
and remember, the opposite can happen to a different school
many of those who “profess” to be applying to a different school
may not be applying to that “school”
</p>

<p>
take what you “hear” from your colleagues with a grain of salt
and do what is “right” for you
you, and only you
control your own destiny
</p>

<p>NB: I should note that the admissions games being played are all part of “saving face” for the student and the family involved
</p>

8

<p>

What does this mean? Nobody applies to medical school directly from HS in the US. Are you an international student?</p>

9

<p>@mikemac‌ i mean like an undergrad known for its medical stuff (JHU). yep international. </p>

<p>thanks guys. I know that I have no right to be angry at all, and the ivy isn’t even really ‘mine’ so to say haha
</p>

<p>@gravitas2‌ I wish I played this game earlier. I regret being so transparent with friends - its in my nature. now I am just trying to avoid talking about college admissions entirely, or just comment vaguely on what schools I am applying to. man this is so comepetitve
 I can’t believe this guy got into berkeley from my school with a 1900 SAT, 5 years ago, and he is asian!</p>

<p>Yeah since I found out, I have being going with the mindset that I am competing against thousands of other applicants way more qualified than me or him, so yeah
 in the end, I’ll be glad that I did not decide not to apply to this school just because my friends are.</p>

10

<p>that’s why i’m telling exactly 0 people in my school who’re academically anywhere near my level about my college list, or people who might tell these people. In my experience, a LOT of high-achieving students try to “beat” their rivals and often times apply to schools just for pride’s sake (I’m not saying that i’ll be above that either). They’re perfectly within their rights to do so, and after working hard for 4+ years it’s fine for them to reap the fruits of their labor. Just don’t go around telling other people where you’re applying when. </p>

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<p>@theanaconda and the smart one is revealed! haha but seriously I hate how did not have the foresight to keep my mouth shut. I told my best friend because, well, he is my best friend and we can tell each other everything right? wrong. guess I learnt the hard way. I’m now trying to deflect any college questions, or just name random colleges I’m ‘applying’ to.</p>

<p>good thing not many of us are pursuing an education in the states. I estimate around 20 people in my class of 100 to applying to us colleges.</p>

12

<p>I don’t see what the problem is. You seem to think that your best friend has somehow betrayed you by catching your enthusiasm for a particular school. So he’s applying too. So what? You are “in love” with an ivy. Guess what? So are 30,000 other kids, each of whom has just as much of a choice to apply as you do. You can’t call dibs on college apps. </p>

13

<p>You seem to be under the impression that they have a quota per school. This is not true. So what if two other kids from your high school are applying? It doesn’t really affect your chances. It’s not like they’re going to rank you guys and say, this kids the best from his high school- he gets in, reject the others. It doesn’t work that way.</p>

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<p>I believe 8-10 students applied to the school where DD ultimately decided to matriculate. Another area school had 2 students apply & they both were accepted & matriculated. It’s all about your overall application. Put your blinders on & forge ahead. </p>

15

<p>“I can’t believe this guy got into berkeley from my school with a 1900 SAT, 5 years ago, and he is asian!”</p>

<p>I’m pretty sure CA public schools do not consider race in admissions.</p>

16

<p>OP, my D2 applied EA to U of Chicago 2 years ago. The salutatorian of her class applied EA as well – a student who was well liked, captain of a team my kid was just a player on, and generally had a strong application. My kid was only around the 10% level in her class (but did have very high test scores). My kid got in EA, the other kid was deferred and eventually rejected. You have to focus on your own application, building the best narrative for your admission that you can. </p>

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<p>@neaoburrito i already admitted that everyone had the right to apply and my attitude wasn’t really good. there is no need for you to reply to harshly
</p>

<p>@intparent‌ thanks for the encouragement :slight_smile: I’m hoping my test scores will even the playing field a little ;)</p>

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<p>lol I’ve learned my lesson the hard way about being friends with other strong people in your grade. One of my closer friends who I had been good friends with up to the middle of sophomore year spent the rest of high school successfully denying me leadership positions which I probably deserved in the name of competition and was 100% secretive of everything he did. Which is why I try to let rivals know as little as possible.</p>

19

<p>although I feel bad, this is me right now to some extent. I hesitate to let my best friend know too much
 selfish? not really, just protecting my interests.</p>

20

<p>OP, DS1 was very open with all of his friends about which school (ivy) was his favorite, talked about what he loved about it, and evidently convinced quite a few of his friends (most of whom had better GPA/test scores than him) to apply there, as well. When admissions results came out, only 6 students in our state were accepted–two of them were my son and his best friend. (We never figured out who one of the 6 accepted students was, so it’s possible that there was a third student accepted from his school, as well). DS couldn’t apply anywhere ED because we needed to see financial packages before committing, so he only applied RD. He wrote to the school twice, though–once in the fall and once in the spring-- to explain why he didn’t apply ED, and assured them that his heart belonged to them. It all turned out fine.</p>

<p>So, don’t despair. These things happen a lot. There are few better ways to show your love than to apply ED, which you’re already doing. Maybe you can mention somewhere in your app that you love the school so much, and talked about it so glowingly, that you convinced quite a few of your classmates that they should apply early, too. ;)</p>