Want to get into Ivy's? Don't Read CC

Applying to College
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<p>As a second semester senior, I've had a lot of time to do what I want to do. No longer bound by the shackles of school, I am able to "waste" hours by sitting around watching TV, thinking of philosophical problems, or going out with my friends. I still get my work done, but I think 2nd semester is where your true passions unfold and you get a better sense of who you are.</p>

<p>Here's the best advice I can give to the juniors who so desperately want to get into ivy league schools: stay away from this board (except for the parent or financial aid forums)</p>

<p>if the ivy league schools are looking for you, then it means they want you. The more you read CC and the more you soak in this place, the more distorted your vision becomes. Conforming to the typical-CC applicant will do nothing to make you stand out. It will do nothing to make you a good applicant. Everyone talks about being "unique," "passionate", and "diverse." Spending time on CC does not help you enhance any of those. Do not let yourself get sucked into this somewhat addicting message board.... go out and spend time with your friends, do things you really like, and just enjoy life.</p>

<p>I remember, as a junior, reading posts on CC saying to relax and just enjoy everything..... I remember thinking it was rubbish and that I had to perfect myself as an applicant to get into the ivys. Luckily, I figured out before it was too late that I had to just let my applications show me as myself, not as a ideal-CC kid. Still, I feel as if my applications have been somewhat tainted by the mess you find on CC. No high school kid on here can truly "maximize" your ability to get into the school you want to get into. It's unrealistic to expect people to settle for "mediocre" schools in our society. I know I want to go to elite schools and I know most people on here do as well. The point is that you can't let your peers on here influence your application in a way that distorts who you are.</p>

<p>Some final bits of advice:</p>

<p>-DON'T POST CHANCES THREADS. I know it's tempting, but no one cares about your long list of ECs and no one on here can give you any sort of real estimate. Notice how barely anyone ever replies to them unless they feel bad for the fact that you have 1000 views and the only reply is your own saying "bump 10 charrrrr"</p>

<p>-EXPERIENCE IS WISDOM. From what I've seen, most of the parents on here are quite knowledgable and know what they're talking about. They have EXPERIENCE that gives them the knowledge to analyze and assess situations. They are defiantely the best resource on CC and can be lots of help if you approach them in a mature and friendly manner. Included in this group of helpful posters are the alums of schools who can give you an out of the box view (some names that come to mind are Byerly, Columbia2002, Alexandre, Northstarmom, etc.)</p>

<p>good luck everyone</p>

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<p>northstarmom...she's very active....
ur right for one part though........CC is addictive and CC distorts our thinking...
but the thing is...we have all forgotten how to Use CC....to get answers to queries other ppl might not be able to answer and to get opinions about a topic......but look at us now....we're posting what are my chances threads and other stuffs....</p>

<p>although some of the threads like "best acceptance/rejection letters" and "gotta love asian parents" are quite fun to read...
But we need more threads like "how do you answer the "why this college" question".......</p>

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<p>ntek, there was a post a while ago about how to successfully research a "why x college" question.... yet it helps to make essays personal and from the heart rather than by some formula. This forum is real useful for things like finding matching schools based on other's experiences or getting help on moral/ethical dillemas.</p>

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<p>I disagree with the OP's view of the chances threads. While nobody on CC can accurately predict your chances of admission, by letting other people see and critique your profile, chances threads can help you find holes, areas of improvement, and strengths in your application that you yourself might have missed.</p>

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<p>I am so glad i found CC after i had applied</p>

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<p>I completely agree, Reeze. Since I began visiting CC about six months ago (I just recently joined), I've become more and more depressed reading about kids who claim to have retaken the SAT six times in hopes of raising their 800 V, 800 W, 790 M to a perfect score; kids who have joined any and every EC at their school just to look more well-rounded; kids who fret that their 2300 will force them to attend a "lesser" school like - gasp! - Brown or Cornell. It has really distorted my opinion of myself. And those chances threads - where kids list EVERY detail of their lives (including bragging about their "hooks," like having a parent who died, or having been in a car accident) are ridiculous. So few of the CC posters have a clue about admissions -- how can they accurately judge your chances at top schools when they are high school students themselves? And the trolls are exhausting. I'll continue to post, but I advise all other HS students to be wary of what they read, and take everything with a grain of salt.</p>

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<p>I find this place a GREAT help in my application process. If i get into any of my top choices, HYPS+wharton, i'd owe 50% of it to CC. Not for the info, but for the motivation it gave me.</p>

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<p>I'm sorry to be such a newbie, but I'm still getting used to the lingo. What is HYPS?</p>

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<p>Yeah it motivates me to work hard but I dont get obsessed or anything about school like those crazy CCers on here.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Not for the info, but for the motivation it gave me.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>exactly what I was alluding to in my post. You really need external motivation for HYPS+wharton? Take a step back and think about it. You need a forum with other people of high caliber to worry you into intensifying yourself and adding pressure to yourself because you don't think you are on their level without it? At least you are able to recognize that CC is a "motivating" tool to itensify. What I am saying is that this is not necessarily a good thing. When Ivy schools say that they receive lots of "clone" applications, this is the reason why.</p>

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<p>I find CC to be useful for a lot.</p>

<p>-I learned great ways to improve my SAT scores (+250 pts with 2 weeks of 12 hr a week practice)
-I've learned what EC's are common and not desireable to join
-I've learned how to standout by seeing similar applicants
-I've learned that I will get into the colleges of my choice because I actually have passion for learning--not a passion for getting into a good college.</p>

<p>Oh, and that my senior courseload is apparently suicide.</p>

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<p>Well Reeze at my school not alot of people care about school and the teachers dont even care about it that much either so coming to a place like this i get atleast some motivation. I don't go overboard with it though and go crazy about getting into an Ivy because I know its never going to happen so I'll just work hard and enjoy high school.</p>

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<p>I wouldnt go so far as making CC as your enemy. I have gotten very good advice here, and perhaps given some back in return ( I hope ). Read it thoroughly, see how others succeed/failed, then taylor your own situation.</p>

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<p>HYPMS-Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Mit, Stanford-The top tier.</p>

<p>I love CC too. It has helped me greatly. Still, now its to the point where I dont do practice tests and Homework so I can sit on CC a bit longer. So my advice: CC is good to the point that you don't let it run your life. It is the best college resource out there. Just don't go crazy with this addicting site.</p>

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<p>I agree totally with Reeze... in fact I said much the same thing in a thread and was bashed by a poster as being a 'troll.' Collegeconfidential forums should be a resource, not an obsession, and people should make sure they don't begin to feel inferior because of this crazy board. That said, some of these parents are incredibly encouraging and knowledgeable (ie Northstarmom). Maybe high school students should limit themselves to like an 30 minutes a week on CC, if they must go on that much. There are better things to be doing with the bulk of one's time. Now, um, off to go read more posts...</p>

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<p>i absolutely agree with what you say.</p>

<p>as a senior now, who got accepted to cornell, i can say that with all the time i spent here on college confidential, i realize i could have made it into cornell without even being on this board. being on CC made me obcessive with high scores on SAT's and everything. I really really missed out on many of the activities that were available to me in junior year and most regret the time i could have spent with my friends and dating.</p>

<p>LIMIT THE TIME YOU SPEND ON CC to once or twice a week for a few minutes. </p>

<p>If you're post count is more than even 50, i'd say you're over what's healthy.</p>

<p>and i am not exaggurating.</p>

<p>just ask the few most important questions you have like which university would be right for me. NEVER mooch on the CHANCES thread. I wish the moderators would remove that thread actually. WHAT A WASTE of time. it'll make you simply want to become president of whichever club as long as you can boost your chances. Trust me, passion is where it counts in the long run. forget focusing your life on your college app. just take 1 peak at the chances thread and have a good idea of what your chances are and then get out. </p>

<p>and lastly, don't even bother with those high school and cafe forums. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME.</p>

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<p>Remember, though, that many people spend a lot of time on here helping the people who have questions. I guess in an offbeat sort of way it's a type of community service, advising the uninformed on the college admissions process and asking nothing in return.</p>

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<p>I've just read through this entire thread, and was really struck when somebody mentioned a "chances" poster saying that a parent's death was a hook. This year, I wrote one of my transfer essays on coping with my dad's death. When I first applied to colleges I did not want to take advantage of this, as I thought it was unfair to him. However, I came to realize that it is important to who I am and how I see life, so I wrote about this. Even now I'm not sure it was something I should have utilized. What I don't understand is how somebody can become so obsessed with college acceptance that they can refer to their parent's death as a "hook". It's not something to be flaunted. Sometimes people need to be taken back down to earth (and maybe I'm one of them?)</p>

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<p>I think CC can really open your eyes to schools you may have not heard of though...its good and bad..like everything in life ;)</p>

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<p>chances threads aside, i've found great information about the schools i was not able to visit, found links to fun pages, and discussed concerns about schools - learned things that i would never have been able to otherwise without actually attending college. not all of cc is admissions. it is a great resource in many ways.</p>