It's ugly

Colleges and Universities A-Z Dartmouth College
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<p>Well, I'm applying ED to Dartmouth as well, so when I found this forum I was thinking I was curious to see who the other applicant are.</p>

<p>And to tell you the truth, I am not enchanted. </p>

<p>What I hold for very unseemly, even disgusting at times, is that seneseless bragging in the 'chance me' threads and the feeling I get that whoever was writing that was hoping like mad to trick the admission officers and get in somehow. It's like just enumerating things you've achieved - which are amazing, by the way - but in the 'mine is bigger' way. Would you expect to be believed that you're truly committed to community work and have been doing it for the good of the people and not your benefits for the college resume when your threads scream "I desperately want to get in. Please give me some hope"? </p>

<p>Or do you think it's a valuable contribution to colleges policy for ethnical tolerance when you point out your ethnicity as a valuable asset? It is degrading. And cynical. And desperate...</p>

<p>I knew the Ivies attracted that kind of people... But I was secretly hoping that I would be wrong. I can only imagine what it's going to be like in college.</p>

<p>Now, maybe it is just the pressure, but hey... what are you doing applying when you can't take it?</p>

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<p>I think you're reading too much into it.</p>

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<p>The blanket statement about CC posters that you make may be true for some, but not for all. One of the problems with college admissions these days is that the facts make everyone paranoid. Paranoid people need validation of their success. Please realize that people take their achievements seriously. If their success doesn't impress you, fine.. but you're being a little too critical of people on here. You seem to be a confident applicant, which is awesome.. but don't take the opportunity to point out what you think goes behind another CCer's post because you may not know as much as you think. </p>

<p>That's not to say that everyone on here is paranoid, either. I don't know many people on these boards outside of the internet so I have nothing to say about their characters. You shouldn't, either.</p>

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<p>There are those of us who are genuinely curious, too. Our friends and family are obviously only going to tell us positive things, but because of the anonymity, people can give legitimate feedback and criticism. There are definitely schools where I have no idea how I stack up, so wanting someone to give me an indication isn't vain-it's merely satisfying curiosity. Get off your high horse.</p>

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<p>Agreed, but what can you do? Plenty of people on CC are like this. If you want real info you should talk to <em>gasp</em> real students. this is just a bunch of nerds congratulating each other on having no life...</p>

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<p>First of all, I am not radical. I didn't write this with any sense of bitterness, just disappointment that such great achievements are listed in a self-selling, mercantile way. And do not get me wrong, I do not underestimate those achievements in any way. They are lovely, but the way they are presented takes out all of their value, since in this case obviously the goal makes up for the means...</p>

<p>Also, I am not a condifent applicant at all. In fact, I do not really believe that much that I will get in. My family is supportive, but they point out my weaknesses. Still, I don't need the approval of strangers to feel better and have hope... And it's not satisfying curiousity, it's satisfying insecurities... </p>

<p>Once again, do not get me wrong. I am not attacking, but yes, I am judging.</p>

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<p>Morwen, I say this with all due respect: you're wrong.</p>

<p>When I applied, my family and friends either told me I would not make it into any Ivy or I'd make it into any school. Not only did they have wildly varying ideas of college admissions, they have absolutely no qualifications to judge who will get into what school. How many kids have they sent off to college? Collegeconfidential is a forum where people here look at the stats of recently admitted and rejected students and base their chances off that information, not off their own experience thirty years ago. Most students posting here realize that cc is a resource to give them a realistic idea of where they should be applying and to ease their qualms, not brag.</p>

<p>At any rate, Dartmouth does have a handful of kids who are full of themselves, but the large majority are students who are aware of their strengths, but also mindful of their weaknesses.</p>

<p>And while you are judging collegeconfidential and those who post on here, I will return the favor and give my impression of you. You seem to not understand the idea that a small sample size can and will be largely different from the population as a whole. You fail to understand that cc tends to attract students who are naturally overachievers or overanxious, not the large majority of students who are laid back and easy going. You do not entertain the possibility that there are stellar students who have no idea how rigorous college admissions are, and while they seem to be amazing in your eyes, they think they are borderline enough that they need to post a chance thread. Not understanding this, you take it as boasting. Therefore, you are judgmental (in the pejorative), jumping to conclusions without solid evidence. You live in your sheltered socioeconomic bubble, not realizing there are those with different backgrounds than you. You are either an ass or a idiot, in the way you say, "Now, maybe it is just the pressure, but hey... what are you doing applying when you can't take it?" when you FULL WELL KNOW that people with 2200+ SAT's ARE going to apply and go to college.</p>

<p>Now that wasn't fair was it? I just took two posts of yours and tried to understand your personality. So why do you think you can judge the character of Dartmouth by the posts of people who didn't even get in yet?</p>

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<p>"Agreed, but what can you do? Plenty of people on CC are like this. If you want real info you should talk to <em>gasp</em> real students. this is just a bunch of nerds congratulating each other on having no life... "</p>

<p>lol, i love it.
it's kind of true, though. i can tell you that i don't come on here to tell other people how amazing i think they are, but once in a while i'll look at a chances thread because i posted one myself and wanted feedback... i mean, most people are either looking for validation or actual advice. whatev, my day still goes on :)</p>

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<p>Again, it seems I have not made my point clear. I do not disapprove of this forum. It is cool as far as statistics go and also there are very useful topics that have been pretty helpful to me as well... So please do not take me for a critic of CC. </p>

<p>And also, I have never mentioned bragging. It is not bragging in my eyes. I have repeated over and over again that I take it for insecurity. And this insecurity, this doubt makes many of those applications look artificial. Artificial, because all those good, gooood activities, extracurriculars, etc. that show that a real person is behind them, and not some mechanical robot who has got a checklist for all the things you need to get into college, are suddenly ruined by cynical observations such as Oh, I also got 200 hours of community work, I think they're gonna like that... To me, that seems obsessed and determined to achieve a goal in a way that is anything but pleasing and moral and commited to the good of the society because of the society. It is not led by some inner desire to be of use... Fine, let it be so if it suits you, but showing it in front of people, and also people that are likely to be in the same college, even if it's anonymous, speaks a lot about your personality and your morals...</p>

<p>Frankly, I do not understand this need to be told you are good and that you belong to college. This is not the stuff of legends... If you are really good, academically, and as a person, you do need approval to believe in yourself. If you have grown, if you have really reached that maturity level that colleges seek, then you can self-evaluate your strenghts and weaknesses. Again, I do not have anything against Chance me threads, I do not like the way some people present themselves. </p>

<p>As for this: "You live in your sheltered socioeconomic bubble, not realizing there are those with different backgrounds than you."... well, you'd be surprised what I know about different backgrounds. Oh, and by the way, I am not from the USA, if I have made that impression somehow. I do not take my myself for perfect or totally mature, but I do know that an environment with people like this - that present all of their achievements as direct means to climb the social ladder - as anything but warm and humane... </p>

<p>And to finish it in a less hysterical note, I am not extremelly annoyed with it. I just don't think that's good, that is all. Just making a point and giving a topic of discussion.</p>

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<p>Yes, "it's ugly" but making a thread tearing everyone else down is uglier</p>

<p>of course everyone's insecure. If you're applying to any of these schools you had better feel insecure about your chances or else you're being completely naive.</p>

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<p>The truth is, no matter what people say or do, they are either going to get in or they are not. I think if everyone chilled out a little and talked about cool things, like what they want to do if they get in, and make friends pre-attendance, CC would be much more fun. I'm not going to lie, I do peek at the "Chance me" threads every so often just to see what I'm up against. Still, it would be nice to spend more time just talking and being excited about Dartmouth, the reason why we're all on this website.</p>

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<p>Dartmouth is beautiful. It's too bad I won't be going...</p>

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<p>Just to inject some levity into what seems to be a tense discussion (Not that I didn't read a post that I agreed with) : YouTube</a> - Super Cute Kitten</p>

<p>He's ADOOORRRABLLLEEEEE!</p>

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<p>:D soo cuuutteee</p>

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<p>I <3 its eyes :D</p>

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<p>I post chances threads to get an honest opinion. Whether I get an honest opinion or not, I'm not really sure, but my family and friends are too optimistic. I'm just looking for an opinion. In fact I would be disappointed if people praised me and told me I had a great shot. It wouldn't be the truth. It's also just out of curiousity. I can't speak for everyone who makes chances threads, but I don't feel insecure about my achievements, nor do I simply compile them into a laundry list.</p>

<p>"Artificial, because all those good, gooood activities, extracurriculars, etc. that show that a real person is behind them, and not some mechanical robot who has got a checklist for all the things you need to get into college, are suddenly ruined by cynical observations such as Oh, I also got 200 hours of community work, I think they're gonna like that..."</p>

<p>I see what you're saying here. It's inevitable that you're going to see people who do volunteer work and EC's for the purpose of getting into prestigious colleges. But, I also think you're looking a little far into this. I think the majority of people are just curious. </p>

<p>and on a side note, that kitten is so cute :D</p>

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<p>i luv its eyes too... i wish i had eyes like that. ^^ i wonder if it enjoyed playing with the person though... still super cute!</p>