<p>I was a CC lurker for a while before I jumped in with both feet. I still have a difficult time trying to understand why SO MANY of the posts on CC are asking about Chances.... at particular schools. The data posted on college websites and on all the college ranking/type systems and list can give you an idea where your grades and scores fit in. I think CC gives lots of valuable info about a lot of things, but I still wonder how many people who post chances threads really don't know where they stand before they ask the question......</p>
<p>Well, I am new to these boards (I lurked for a while) and I think the chance questions allow students and parents insight from people who either go to the school or have a lot of knowledge of the school. When someone is able to look at your personal resume, they can give you tips and help that you won't necessarily get from looking at a university's published stats.</p>
<p>I posted a chance question as my first post. I of course know where I stand percentage wise, SAT wise. . . but it will be helpful to have second, third, tenth opinions on my chances. LIke I said, you can only get so much information from the scores the schools publish.</p>
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I still have a difficult time trying to understand why SO MANY of the posts on CC are asking about Chances
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<p>I'm with you on that one... it's not like anyone here has any better of an insight into the admissions process than the poster (not anyone that's writing on the chances forums anyway).</p>
<p>Well sure you can look on the schools website for gpa and sat scores but if I've learned anything from CC it's that there's a lot more to admissions (at top schools) than just stats. EC's play a very large role at the top schools because so many applicants have these top stats. </p>
<p>I also think that some CC vets know more about college admissions than maybe a soph or junior who hasn't done much research and is just looking for a little guidance.</p>
<p>Plus, chances are a way to reassure the poster that they're going to do okay in the application process (or, yknow, destroy their hopes, dreams, kidneys, etc.).</p>
<p>Numbers, yeah, you can figure out where you stand there. But at the top universities, which are the chances most often asked for, there's much more than numbers: ECs and such play a tremendous role, and since they're so subjective, it's nice to ask others who've seen it all before, i.e. all the ECs of the people on CC.</p>
<p>"(or, yknow, destroy their hopes, dreams, kidneys, etc.)."</p>
<p>best response ever. lol</p>
<p>The numbers are also only so accurate. You have to factor in impacted majors as well. The average SAT/GPA numbers are pointless if you have an impacted major. Take Berkeley for example. Their average stats factor in the stats of all students for all majors (including less competitive majors that aren't as demanding of SAT/GPA). Their average scores are as follows:</p>
<h1>High School GPA: 4.17</h1>
<h1>ACT Composite Score: 28</h1>
<h1>SAT Critical Reading: 665</h1>
<h1>SAT Mathematics: 690</h1>
<h1>SAT Writing: 670</h1>
<p>Now, what if you're applying for their EECS program? These stats are RIDICULOUSLY LOW for EECS, so they don't help at all. Also factor in that EC's, ethnicity/URM status, and other things also influence admission. It's not so bad to ask around here what other people think your chances are. Plus, it's reassuring and can calm people down for a bit until actual admissions are released.</p>
<p>Dear Astrophysicsmom,</p>
<p>Sometimes people get antsy around decision time, and in order to reassure themselves, having strangers comment on your otherwise up in the air situation, is comforting. Like hot cocoa at 3 AM.</p>
<p>because this is the What Are My Chances board...</p>
<p>^I'd guess that the reason this board exists in the first place is that so many people were spamming the other boards with chances threads that it was more convenient to create a specific forum for them. That doesn't really answer astrophysicsmom's question. </p>
<p>I posted a</a> chances thread because-- actually, I don't even know, I think I was just curious. By then I'd already applied and knew more or less where I stood, but I was interested in hearing what others would say while passing the time before decisions. I may only be making excuses, but I think that's a little different from "I'm a freshman in high school and I expect a 2400 on the SAT and international awards in these categories, do I have any chance at Ivies for investment banking??!?!??!?!?!?!!!!!111one"</p>
<p>yeah, but people shouldn't get annoyed when somebody asks what are my chances and they are posting it on the correct board.</p>
<p>I think asking for chances for a particular school on that school's board is fine; it's the people who post the same thread on all the Ivy League boards (or, you know, the boards of many different colleges, Ivy or not) who should be posting here instead.</p>
<p>Of course, given the traditional CC response/welcome to people who post such threads, (You've no chance, got to a community college, :)) *often delivered in much coarser language :)</p>
<p>Sentence continuation after elongated parentheses here:</p>
<p>you tend to realize that they become disinclined to post such threads again very soon. :)</p>
<p>I'm one of the proud few who've never ever posted a chances thread. :D I've thought about it, been weak on occasion and almost posted one, but somehow I've managed to hold on...</p>
<p>I will however post one after this month. (under a different id, obviously :p)</p>
<p>Should be entertaining. *smirk</p>
<p>Azure326: Where'd you find those SAT score averages?</p>
<p>I suppose the "what are my chances" posters want reassurance that they would do fine on the application. Besides, these threads give a detailed description of the poster him/herself as an individulistic applicant. For an inexperienced junior/senior who want to gather as much info as possible, CCers' inputs would help to point out different aspects of weaknesses and strengths in it.</p>
<p>What better place is there to get advice from 17 year olds just going through the process who know things like "sat scores are not important" and that "you have a great chance"?.</p>