Why doesn’t anyone use their real names here?
Because nothing here can ever be deleted, and why would you want your real name connected to things on the internet??
I like to be able to post my ideas without the risk of it being tied to my real life work.
I always thought CollegeConfidential was about as self-explanatory as it gets.
To protect my privacy and the privacy of my kids.
@usahopeful LOL
Because people post their or their kids’ stats
Because nobody in the real world should know how neurotic I am about this stuff… Seriously, it’s because my children don’t need to have their privacy violated.
Yup, it’s called College Confidential for a reason.
As a moderator, we get several requests per day from users who want to delete their posts because someone discovered their “secret identity.” (Per Terms of Service, we don’t delete posts on request). Additionally, there are several threads every year asking some variation of “Do AO’s read CC?” I can’t even imagine life as a moderator if real names were used. 
I do 
On one other forum (that I still frequent), I use my real name. Generally it’s not a problem; half of those people I know or at least have met in the real world. One case a few years back, I made one offhand comment that affected some of the people who frequent that forum. Nothing too special- just something along the lines of “I have my doubts that so-and-so group of people will be able to do things as well as they hope.” I didn’t even draw much attention for saying it; it seemed like a rather inconsequential remark.
A few months later I found out that word got to that group and it was a huge internal scandal for them. Thankfully, it didn’t come back to haunt me personally, because in that case things just happened to work out for the better for that group. But it very well could have gone badly, and all because of a comment that seemed pretty inoccuous at the time.
You never know what effect a comment you make may have on someone else. While that’s not really something you can always control, just know that it’s a lot worse both for you and for whoever is very strongly interested in what you specifically have to say, if they know your real name is associated with the statement. Real names are more dangerous than you would expect if you haven’t experienced unintended consequences like that. And in the case of this forum specifically, the benefit for me is nonexistent but the risk is nonzero.
Heck…uh…I am using my nick name here…do you think anyone might recognize me? Is it possible to change my name now?
I am actually a dragon, and I have a human minion typing for me as I sit on a pile of gemstones in my lair.
I’m not too worried about being discovered IRL as I’ll immolate any hapless humans who find me. 8-X
A Google search suggests that you are unlikely to be tied to your real name by your username.
If you want to change it anyways, ask a moderator.
“As a moderator, we get several requests per day from users who want to delete their posts because someone discovered their “secret identity.” (Per Terms of Service, we don’t delete posts on request)”
I recently browsed an old thread, and was curious whatever happened to a certain screen name. I clicked and it said “that user doesn’t exist.” So clearly you guys do delete stuff.
I’ve also seen (Deleted User) as a screen name in old threads.
I said that we do not delete upon request; I did not say that we do not delete. Posts that violate Terms of Service are deleted, as an example.
IIRC (and to be honest, it’s been a while and it wasn’t that important at the time), one poster had one name and she changed names…I noticed this only because she had messaged me under her old name, but later the name changed in my inbox for that old message. I remember wondering how she did this, but never did ask her.
The administrators will very occasionally change a screen name. It’s not an easy process, though, so it’s discouraged unless absolutely necessary.
Ah, @MotherOfDragons. You can’t fool us… we all know you are really Daenerys Targaryen!