Friend practically did nothing but still got accepted in?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>I'm sure at least a few of us are questioning how a few of our peers got accepted at top schools when they didn't really do much. I'm not trying to completely invalidate their acceptances, but I can't help question how a few of my friends got accepted. I'm not jealous, only curious, seeing as the one individual I'm primarily referring to got into a school I didn't even bother applying to. </p>

<p>She had top-notch grades (only 1-3 B's her entire HS career) and a very solid SAT score (2010, somewhere around there). However, I'm pretty sure besides get good grades and test scores, she didn't do much else. She email-messaged me the other day saying she had been accepted at _____ (I don't want to say the name, but it was an Ivy League school). I was shocked. I felt happy for her and everything, but couldn't help wonder what else she had done to really boost her application. She had even told me she did absolutely nothing besides get good grades and joked around that she was going to exaggerate and make up some of her extracurriculars. Trust me, if she had done something extraordinarily impressive EC-wise, I would have known about it, because she was one of those (excuse my phrasing), "house hermits" who did nothing but go home and do her work.</p>

<p>Reading this over now, I guess I'll admit I'm a tad jealous. But I feel a sense of disappointment in myself, because I tried to succeed both academically and EC-wise, and ended up suffering academically because of it (my biggest mistake that I fear will bar me from getting into a top school). Anyone have any insight or similar stories?</p>

2

<p>Either she exaggerated her ECs very well or she just came off as an awesome person.</p>

3

<p>She couldn't have exaggerated too much because they check huge EC info. Some people just get lucky I guess. I know a girl who graduated last year, she got into an Ivy with the same basic stats as me....although she was a URM .......but she didn't have any impressive ECs or anything.</p>

<p>Sometimes I wonder if they just accept every like 100th person that applies, hehehe.</p>

4

<p>She probably wrote good, revealing essays that showed her personality in a favorable light.</p>

5

<p>The other day? Don't Ivy acceptances come out on the 31st or something?</p>

6

<p>I don't know why people get so upset about these things. You don't have to have flipping incredibly ECs to get into any college, no matter how high it is up in USNWR rankings. Lots of people who attend these schools are kids just like the OP's friend. If you spend too much time looking at chance me threads or stats on CC, you'll get a really screwed up view of things.</p>

7

<p>You have to remember that you have a very limited view of her total application. People with 2000 SAT's and "zero" EC's just don't get into Ivy League schools for no reason.</p>

8

<p>^ i agree with that. 2000 SAT's and no EC does not land you likely letter. But like poseur said, those must be some godly essays and some wicked recommendations</p>

9

<p>"The other day? Don't Ivy acceptances come out on the 31st or something?"</p>

<p>Some contract colleges at Cornell release decisions on a rolling basis.</p>

10

<p>omg must be those darned URMs again amirite</p>

11

<p>Maybe she had an intimate relationship with an adcom?</p>

12

<p>Maybe she did some impressive community service that she didn't bother to tell anyone about.</p>

13

<p>Maybe she had accomplishments she didn't bother to tell anyone about? Community Service Hours or perhaps she had a legacy at the Ivy she got accepted to?</p>

<p>There are so many factors involved in getting college admission, you never know really ...</p>

14

<p>You can't really judege based on appearance by your opinion.</p>

<p>High school is a competition.</p>

<p>Maybe she went to other country and helped people.</p>

<p>Maybe she has good writing skill or personality.</p>

<p>I tend not to talk about what I do for outside of the school such as volunteer and </p>

<p>competition because life is a competition. Only selected ones survives,and your friend is one of the them.</p>

15

<p>did she apply early decision? because i don't know how she would find out in early march from an ivy.</p>

16

<p>Seriously, stop complaining about these things. She got in for reasons that you obviously aren't aware of or that you undermine. I know we all can't be happy for everyone who is getting into colleges we want to get into, but you have no right to say that your friend "practically did nothing." Perhaps her essays showed how your friend overcame an obstacle that you weren't aware of? It's not right for you to judge the applicant.</p>

17

<p>yah I'm happy for people i know who got into good schools, not jealous. Our society is too competitive, we all become disconnected.</p>

18

<p>I hate when friends turn competitive when you get into a school and they don't. It's the worst thing ever. Even if you think you are basically the same stats, college admissions isn't about stats only. There are tons of things that go into an application. And most people don't compare extracurriculars as much as grades, but those have a huge impact. And some people are simply more diverse (country of origin, characteristic, personality etc). You know your true friends from your fake ones if they are happy for you if you get in.</p>