Maybe this is stupid, but

Applying to College
1

<p>Do colleges limit how many students they accept from a high school? Last year, a school accepted two people, but this year three are applying (and it really ticks me off because the third person doesn't really have any desire to attend, and it's both mine and the second girl's dream school; she's only applying because she read somewhere that it was a "southern Ivy") and I'm worried that because I have the lowest ranking (and thus lowest GPA), this will hurt my chances. I'm sixth (with ~4.5 W, 3.7 UW) in my class of three hundred, the second girl is fourth, and the third is third; and while I have markedly stronger ECs than the third girl, she lies on her applications, so it's starting to seem like I have no way of "competing" with her.</p>

<p>I know this sounds extremely immature, but I just find the thought of not getting into my dream school because the acceptance was offered to someone who sees it as just another place with a good reputation to apply, depressing. Am I being irrational?</p>

2

<p>It's not irrational, but there's not really anything you can do about it. Besides, you never really know whom a college will accept. They may accept all three of you, or none of you, or just you... you can only apply and see how things work out. You can't really blame the third girl for applying even though she's not dead-set on going. Students have to keep open some options these days. Many, if not most, kids apply to schools their not that keen on just because they need some backup options.</p>

<p>But I understand how you feel. The same thing happened to me many years ago, and it did have some negative consequences for me. Or at least they seemed negative at the time. In retrospect these things are never as important later as you think they are in the moment.</p>

<p>But hang in there. I hope you get accepted! In your essay or somewhere else make sure they now how much you'd love to attend and how committed you are to coming if accepted. Colleges like good yield. :)</p>