<p>Not sure if it exactly levels the playing field, but you can now buy successful Ivy League applications for pretty cheap:
We</a> Got In (For Less) | The Harvard Crimson</p>
<p>I think that it will cause a lot of maybe-applicants to decide not to apply after seeing the applications of those who got into the schools.</p>
<p>The Chronicle for Higher Education takes a sharper edge on this.</p>
<p>[For</a> Sale: Successful Ivy League Applications?Only $19.99 - Head Count - The Chronicle of Higher Education](<a href=“http://chronicle.com/blogs/headcount/for-sale-successful-ivy-league-applications—only-19-99/27560]For”>http://chronicle.com/blogs/headcount/for-sale-successful-ivy-league-applications—only-19-99/27560)</p>
<p>I think the ‘newsrelease’ given today is bunk.</p>
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<p>^^Since “profits” can be defined in a variety of ways, the statement could be true yet still provide the originator with some financial gain.<br>
I don’t see this as such a horrendous idea. You can be sure that those students who have the means to employ private counselors have access to all sorts of applications.
And just because a student has access to successful apps does not mean that they will be able to ace the system. Grades, scores, recs and the actual achievements of the student count for a lot more than a few questions and essays. I do think that it takes some of the mystery out of the process, and that’s a good thing. </p>
<p>I was really surprised when I talked to a student from a neighborhood city how little information he had about the college process from his high school. Compared to my own two, both at private high schools with excellent college counseling, it was pretty obvious to me that my kids had a huge advantage over this kid and others like him.
He didn’t even know that it was important to take the PSAT as a junior, for example.
I think there are many kids who think they need to talk about every activity they’ve ever done in their essays. Others think they need to actively sell themselves. If they could read some of the “from the heart” essays that are truly successful and see also types of GPAs and test scores that are generally admitted, surely that would be helpful.
Not all schools have Naviance or even a decent school counselor. </p>
<pre><code> I don’t think that it will lead to cheating any more than you would expect it otherwise. Kids who would copy someone else’s essay will find a way- either online or out of a book- to cheat. It might encourage some kids to apply who would be afraid to, and it might discourage others, but that also is not all bad.
</code></pre>
<p>This won’t help anyone any more than buying a CD of Povaratti will help you to sing tenor.</p>
<p>I should have defined ‘bunk’. I think that when things hit a stress button with people for whatever reason, to make them more comfortable and accepting ‘all proceeds go to charily’. Oh, well in that case…</p>
<p>It doesn’t change what services their business is offering, which I don’t have an opinion on. If they are putting information out there I hope it’s accurate and in context.</p>
<p>No doubt that the high priced consultants have a file of successful applications, so why can’t us “commoners” have access to the same info?</p>
<p>If plagiarism is a concern, admissions officers can electronically compare the applications with the Wegotin.net database and give anyone who plagiarizes the decision they deserve without even having to bother to read their application.</p>