<p>A lot of people here can't spell "definitely" properly or use the correct form of "its"/"it's," so I don't think new College Confidential members will be getting automatic Harvard acceptance in the future. ;)</p>
<p>Seriously, we're not all that smart. I think we just care a little more than most students.</p>
<p>I think that last statement is a gross overgeneralization (I've always wanted to say that :p)</p>
<p>I like this thread. As I peruse through some "chances" threads and find posts like "you're nothing out of the ordinary, blah blah blah, (insert discouragement and no constructive criticism here)".. it's really pretty annoying. I think everyone here has a strong chance at applying anywhere they want, but there are just some who are convinced with: "Colleges accept absolutely NO ONE with an SAT score under their average unless their an URM, athlete, etc., because colleges wanted nothing but rankings, duh!!" They just keep copying and pasting this all over threads. In my opinion, whoever says this has obviously thought little of what college is all about. I don't know. I just feel like I'm blabing now, but there's my 2 cents :)</p>
<p>I think I've given about 98 cents. I should go lol :p</p>
<p>
I like this thread. As I peruse through some "chances" threads and find posts like "you're nothing out of the ordinary, blah blah blah, (insert discouragement and no constructive criticism here)".. it's really pretty annoying. I think everyone here has a strong chance at applying anywhere they want, but there are just some who are convinced with: "Colleges accept absolutely NO ONE with an SAT score under their average unless their an URM, athlete, etc., because colleges wanted nothing but rankings, duh!!" They just keep copying and pasting this all over threads. In my opinion, whoever says this has obviously thought little of what college is all about. I don't know. I just feel like I'm blabing now, but there's my 2 cents
</p>
<p>Entirely Agreed! Although when it comes to the admissions proccess I know just as much as everyone else... I have to say that colleges are more than interested than just, SAT scores and godly GPAs. Many argue SATs are not a proper measure of intelligence, ect, and in truth, I agree with them, but...</p>
<p>I personnally believe the SATs are a measure of if we can take the test. It isn't really looking into intelligence, its looking into how well we can take that specific test. And I am sure that colleges are aware of this. If they see people that can't take the test, then maybe the colleges will weed them out. From there, we have a large sum of people that are <em>capable</em> of getting a good score on a standardized test, those people are looked at through an individual process.</p>
<p>My apologies if that last paragraph flew right by you... what I am trying to get to, is saying we are not just a row of numbers on an excel spread sheet. Many people have the idea that some ivy league manager walks up to his computer, selects every person who got below a certain score, and deleates them. <_< Sorry but no. </p>
<p>What colleges really care about (this is oppinion, so don't nail me in the head with a pitchfork if I am way off), is if we can show them we are an individual. If we can show the colleges that we are, unique in our own original ways, then we have succeeded in setting seperated out from a pile of people that are, well... characterless. Everyone has their own unique character, but not everyone accepts their character and not everyone shows who they are.</p>
<p>And one last tangent before I head off to my peaceful slumber, I knew an Asian kid (not personnally, he was just... known). This Asian kid was Validictorian, had his 5.0 gpa, and gotten a 1600 on the SAT. He was not part of any clubs, he wasn't in any sports. What he had, was the merit. He applied to every Ivy League college, and because his scores were so high, he had no safeties. You can guess where the story is going, every college denied acceptance of this kid, and from what I heard, he had to go into a Comunity College (past that I have no idea what happened to him.) What I am trying to say is, having the merit is great, it shows your not stupid, but what really matters is who you are. So, who are you?</p>
<p>edit: Save your answers for the colleges, we dont want to jynx it (looks over at Mr. Golden God... )</p>
<p>I am a golden God.</p>
<p>for golden gods or golden eggs?</p>
<p>Ha, golden eggs...</p>
<p>But what Tooya said is very true. It takes more than high numbers to get in. When I first came here and saw that so many people had incredibly high scores and perfect GPAs, I was pretty discouraged. But later I realized it's not all about numbers, or even about being president of 6 clubs. It's a bit annoying at times how people are like "I have a terrrible class rank... only top 5%, top 10%, top 15%" I've realized that someone such as myself, who has great but not perfect numbers, has just as good a chance as anybody else, as long as I present myself well.</p>
<p>Now, back to golden eggs...</p>
<p>honestly, though, a lot of kids on CC post for self-assurance (i myself can attest to this) and also to get a look at the competition. i dont think, however, that any significant number of people fake their stats; it serves no purpose. and i do know many of the people who post these "valedictorian, 1600 (im from ur previous SAT generation), varsity captain" statistics- turns out theyre telling the truth. And while i believe that most posts are true to some extent, i believe a little embellishing in one's achievements occurs, mainly to cover up his or her own shortcomings/insecurities.</p>
<p>and dont be discouraged from applying to a good school where there seems there are many uber-qualified applicants. You never know what a college is looking for in its students for a particular year. Remember that colleges are trying to find a wel-balanced class, not a class made of many well-balanced students. If you have something unique to offer, you have as good a chance as any other applicant given your grades arent god-awful</p>
<p>IHATESAT--I doubt people are deceitful about good test prep books. PR are good books for SAT IIs if you need a brief review after taking an AP course, which is what many people assume. And, it's about how you use the books in conjunction with your level of knowledge that determines how good a test prep book is. A book to review when one has only taken a regular course obviously isn't good prep for that person, but for others, it may be just the right thing.</p>
<p>I wouldn't trust everyone on this site. Not everyone is honest. But I guess this website is directed at a certain group of people - usually people paranoid about college. And what group of people would be more paranoid than the smarties who are worried whether they'd get into an IVY school.</p>
<p>You know if you seriously cruise the chances threads and stuff, you'll see that about only every OTHER thread or even 1 out of every 3 is someone who's applying to HYPMSC. There's actually a lot of normal people on here applying to UNC, UMich, USC, Bates, Tufts, etc.</p>
<p>I think another draw, at least for me, is the whole humbling aspect. A lot of CCers are tops at their school in most ways, and a few hours on CC leaves them feeling absolutely worthless, which sparks new motiviation to succed.</p>
<p>Not to mention there's the feeling of community that's so often lost at the public schools for ivy-caliber kids. At most publics, unless you're at TJ, etc., you've got one, maybe two seniors applying to Columbia, or Amherst, or what have you. So for those guys it's like you realize you've got a circle of witty, intelligent friends you never knew about.</p>
<p>Princeton Review books are always the best, in my opinion. It depends on your learning style. But I fooled around with other review books and never had any success, however PR books are written in a way which directly addresses my mental process. I was able to read the Princeton Review book for AP Physics C straight through in a day and then just take the test without taking the class; and the same for AP Comp Sci. I also used a PR book for SAT II: Chem. Any other review book and I just stare at it blankly for weeks and don't learn anything. PR books don't go through boring lists of exercises, they just explain the subtle points so that one can have a complete and thorough understanding of how it works.</p>
<p>You need to find the review book provider that's right for you.</p>
<p>By the way, IHATESAT, the government is sending signals using radio waves into your brain to control you. It comes from Area 51 technology, it's a well known government cover up. You should make a tinfoil hat and wear it at all times so that the Man can't tap into your brain.</p>
<p>Isn't the whole point to find out where your short commings are and how bad they are? Why would any one post "I have a 2400 SAT, have taken 22 AP classes and gotten straight A's and 5's, and am the president of NHS Beta Student Government and your mom" if it weren't true they would have just wasted 20 minutes of their life for no apparent reason. No gain whatsoever.</p>
<p>I don't mind it so much, then again, my stats are pretty good, so I guess I'd feel a bit different if I came on here with the "god forbid" average 3.0 weighted GPA, 1100 SAT's, and one EC. Oh well, because this forum is so self-selective, like many colleges lol, the kids' stats are just going to be a lot higher.</p>
<p>well my idol iwannagoivy did it for personal purposes ;) . Anyways I posted on this WAMC board twice because I wanted some comment on my stats either good or bad. At school everyone says u have a high GPA so u'll get in which is totally wrong. The people here however give their opinions and i either further ask them to clarify it so i can understand what they arer saying. Anyways, I do have a good SAT and good GPA with course selections but that's not it. I have a really complicated circumstance moving around and i think these people can be more trusted than my peers in school. That's why i post not to brag. Seriously u can't brag here unless ur iwannagoivy.</p>
<p>@IHATESAT: I don't go to the SAT/ACT prep board because I'm done with those tests so i don't even check. But i can give u my experience and the prep books i thought were good if u want.</p>
<p>One thing I'd like to point out: If you take a look at the posters on this board, there is an absurdly high amount of acceptances to top-tier colleges, which ratifies that this forum is indubitably la creme de la creme of all college applicants. There is an list of 19 CCers who were accepted to Harvard Class of 2009.</p>
<p>i definitely agree with beginning</p>
<p>I'm just a little sick of people who think they're the best thing since sliced bread</p>
<p>haha gorbachev you are really funny. i loved your imitation of the people in this forum. sometimes they are really lame to be around, but hey it's fun when you are bored</p>