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<p>Of course, that is true of all who post. It is just that it was kind of confusing how you answered bulldoghopeful. He said right up front one of the reasons he might not have gotten a merit offer is that the others were just better than him, you said he was wrong on that and his other 2 points, but then you say it probably was what he said in his first point, but you can't know and he can't know withour knowing everyone's specifics. "Considering that you have no or minimum knowledge of the other candidates and their qualifications, I hardly believe that you are in a position to judge their qualifications." Well of course not, and he never claimed any such thing. He was just saying it was one possible reason, and of course it is a possible reason, which is why I didn't understand how you could say he was wrong on all 3 points to begin with. Granted it is clear that the groups are not mutually exclusive, since some EA kids do get the scholarships, but that was not his main point. I think you were a little harsh on a kid who is clearly disappointed (which I understand; I know at some level my D is also since she is in exactly the same boat) and is just trying to understand. Also, which is why I asked about how you can make such categorical statements, I am not sure how you can actually know that #2 is not true unless you have some evidence to refute it. Now that is not to say I think it is true, I don't. And #3 seems highly unlikely to me, but hey, he is venting.</p>

<p>If you are actually with the Wash U office and are trying to stay underground, so to speak, so be it. But otherwise I think you should support what you say (and most often you do, granted) if you are going to dump on a kid that is clearly trying to be sincere. He was not a flamer like so many on here. I just felt kind of badly for him.</p>

<p>fallenchemist - You are probably right. Another reson why I try not to comment on idividual cases. I probably initially misinterpeted his point a, to read "how could others have been better". I should have been more sensitive to his state of mind. I will certainly try to do that in the future. My aim is to try to offer reasonable advice and infornation. Alas we are all human and sometimes that becomes all too obvious.</p>

<p>ST2 - no worries, you do a great job giving advice. It really hit home to me this time with my D much more than with my S two years ago just how stressful and baffling this process is for most kids. Parents so often make them hyper about this, and even when they don't the kids make themselves hyper thinking they have to go to XYZ University or their life is over. And even when THAT isn't true, not having a crystal ball to know what the next 4 years would be like at XYZ vs. ABC is quite intimidating I would think. Put the money factor on top of that, ....Yeesh, it really is a nightmare, especially for the bright kids that have a lot of choices.</p>

<p>Anyway, keep on keeping on, we will keep each other honest, so to speak.</p>