<p>I have a strange question, and I have no idea where to post it, but since I've posted mostly here I'll ask my friends. Yesterday I noticed that we have little green squares under our names, and if you mouse-over, you get a pop-up that says (in my case) "Glassharmonica is on a distinguished road." There's also an icon that looks like a scale, and the mouse-over says "Add to [glassharmonica's] reputation. Did this just start, or did I manage to make over 1200 posts without ever noticing this stuff? Everyone's green square is the same, leading me to think that we all are on similar distinguished roads. Is CC turning into Facebook? Can any of you distinguished roadsters enlighten?</p>
<p>I have only recently noticed them also. I assume that people can give you ratings using the scale, and based on your ratings, your square color will change. I think this is the most beneficial in the “Chance me” type threads on other parts of the site where high school students can get very catty. This could also help warn posters of compulsive liars, or just plan mean people. This is just my speculation/assumption. Wonder if anyone else knows the real deal!</p>
<p>Badges! We don’t need no stinking badges!</p>
<p>Imthinking, as an experiment, I clicked on your green square and “added reputation to your post”, whatever that means. Let us know if something fabulous happens…</p>
<p>Hmm, on my fancy iPad those new icons don’t seem to do anything.</p>
<p>Here’s a link to the thread about it - <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/community-forum-issues/1425170-say-thanks-helpful-cc-member.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/community-forum-issues/1425170-say-thanks-helpful-cc-member.html</a>.</p>
<p>Not sure that I like it! Oh, well…</p>
<p>The system has been place for about two weeks. A handful of us have figured out how the system works and how to maximize points/squares. We have also discovered that there is an ultimate price to be paid for this success – quite a few of our group have recently seen a surge in the number of PMs received from anxious students seeking advice from “senior” CC posters.</p>
<p>There are two other threads about this topic, one in the Parents Forum and one in the Parents Cafe.</p>
<p>If enough people game this system (though I don’t have a clue how), maybe CC will put an end to it. I think it’s awful.</p>
<p>Very strange. It seems (from casual observation) that the people with all the squares tend to post in the meta threads or the social threads. The forums I read are filled with generous, thoughtful posts but everyone has a single green square.</p>
<p>Now I have to be jealous of little green squares? I want some!!!</p>
<p>I am going to weigh in on this issue.</p>
<p>If only to lord over you all with my TWO… count 'em… TWO green squares. BWaaa HAaa Haaa. </p>
<p>And to demonstrate to glassharmonica that generous and thoughtful does not count for much in this wicked world.</p>
<p>And since it is the holiday season…and I am Lady Bountiful, I just rewarded you all with generous reputation clicks.</p>
<p>Remuneration in the form of gold Krugerrands, chinchilla pelts or chocolate accepted.</p>
<p>Musica, I am agog at your kindnesses! (But I am still only single-squared.)</p>
<p>But at least your integrity in intact. What I had to do to get that second square…well it ain’t pretty.</p>
<p>I was just wonderin’ what a girl needed to do to get a green square? But, in a way, creating a super-competitive aspect to CC…it all makes sense. Gotta appeal to your fan base! lol</p>
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<p>The system has only been in place for two weeks and most people do not yet know how to give recommendations. Plus a recommendation from a senior member with many posts (more likely to be giving advice than seeking it) is worth considerably more than a kid who signed up a month ago.</p>
<p>I would also to suggest that people make “generous, thoughtful posts” everywhere on this board, not just in those areas you decide to deem worthy of the effort.</p>
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<p>Megpmom, you are already at least halfway to your second square, since a mouse-over on your green box shows a different phrase than the default.</p>
<p>Huh. I never noticed that!</p>
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<p>Ouch! Crawling back into my hole.</p>
<p>well, you heard it here glassharmonica…NOW GET BUSY…or NO GREEN SQUARES FOR YOU!!!</p>
<p>Ah, this does explain why I was contacted by a HS senior to review his essays. I politely turned it down because he/she already had an accept of some sort for Stanford, so I figured they had the whole essay thing figured out without my add’l insight.</p>
<p>But Snowflake, you only have one square.</p>
<p>But seriously, this green square thing is going to turn into a joke.</p>