<p>Ok guys...we do this constantly. Have these people come up with their "Can I get in, can I get in?"</p>
<p>I only found out about this site about 2 months ago, and I think it's a good site, but the whole chances thing is just bothering. We most likely bring student's hopes up and down. And seriously, what is the point about being paranoid about the how different colleges admit students? We're not in the rooms judging the students ourselves. We can't really give a say of why or why not people will get admitted because we aren't the admissions officers. I think that if you can do something to the best of your ability, then leave it at that.</p>
<p>Easier said than done. Worrying helps people calm down somewhat and relieve their fears. </p>
<p>At worst, this site prepares people for the truth. If you are getting 7 out of 10 responses telling you a school is a reach then you won't be so sad in the Spring when you get a rejection letter. The latter goes for matches/safeties where you won't waste your time.</p>
<p>Many times the posts also contain advice such as "raise your SATs" or "apply early" or "don't apply early since you need aid", etc. </p>
<p>We can't give a say on why ppl will or will not be admitted but we offer likely possibilities and the like. </p>
<p>I'm not bragging but I have to say I've been about 90% right in predicting my school's admissions based on just simple stuff ppl PM to me and I feel like at the LEAST I can give advice on what to look at, what to expect, and how to deal with the college applications process. </p>
<p>Yes, we can all go and hire 20,000 dollar college application experts like Kaavya did but this is a good FREE place to offer advice and a reality check for the most part. The expectations (not results) the board provides to stressed college applicants is most likely its most helpful attribute.</p>
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<p>From a person whose family has gone out and hired a college consultant expert and who goes to a school known for its great college councling staff I can say that I use this board for chances simply as another means by which to calm my nerves and to get another opinion. Mostly just to ease my fears.</p>
<p>It is a bit nerve wracking since for all the programs I want, I have slim chances, but that is better to hear that I have excellent chances if I really do not.</p>
<p>Harvard receives over $1,250,000 in admission fees each year. Yet only 11% of applicants get accepted. In my view, only 25% of the people applying have the slightest chance of getting in. Most of these students have absolutely no idea what it takes to get into a school like this. So discussing just the Ivy league saves a lot of people the waste of spending hours needlessly.</p>
<p>Additionally, even those that do have a chance at a lot of schools don't understand the financial situation. There are others who don't realize what money is available for them and what schools are good matches--so they apply to all the wrong ones in terms of admisssions or ones they can't afford. Trying to sift through this for most students is daunting--and most high school counselors have no idea how the process works--and are woefully unprepared.</p>
<p>Even the good counselors can use the support of the collegeconfidential website--as a way for the student to confirm the advice given by the counselor--or to answer questions in other areas--details on a school, housing information, timelines to meet, information on administrators, college tours, orientation, lesser-known scholarships only available at certain schools, etc. </p>
<p>In short, this website provides a lot of good information--and you may notice--nobody is forcing anyone to post here. Maybe when you've been here longer than two months you'll see the positives and negatives in a clearer light. In the meantime, go with it--and try not to get bummed by the fact that a lot of the people doing chances are tough. A lot of these people are recent students that have gotten into the better schools--so they are a bit tough--but they are also trying to be fair--and encouraging the student to do bettre and not expect to just "coast" in when a little extra effort can "put them over the top".</p>
<p>Well, I find it useful because i can see what kind of schools that I should apply to because they fit me well; for me it's more of a research aid than a nerve-quencher. I dont really feel as stressed about the whole application process than other people do cuz' i know there are some schools that i definitely can get into and would be happy going to.</p>
<p>Sorry, if someone before me made this same point, the posts are so long i didn't feel like reading them...:)</p>
<p>Ok then, I guess that makes a lotta sense. But the only thing I want to eliminate is the constant paranoia. I remember when I was applying to college, I discovered that the kids who weren't paranoid at all (not because they were overconfident, they just knew they did the best they could) got into their first/second choice colleges, while the students that worried the most did not recieve admission into their top choices. Do you think this site somewhat heightiens the paranoia, and is it really necessary?</p>
<p>I think it can increase paranoia to weaker people who break down with negative comments. Some people will freak out if they hear that they won't get in, but most I think just calm down, and are able to deal with their possible rejection much better.</p>
<p>Yes--it does heighten the paranoia. I was clueless about all of this before I began browsing this site and I became totally freaked out when I read other students' stats. But then the frequency of me being on these forums somewhat quelled my paranoia though it's still there.</p>
<p>Is it necessary? Well, I suppose in a way, yes. The stress makes me more alert and knowledgeable about what it takes to get into a top college. Also, it gives me a good idea of how rough the competition is.</p>
<p>ChthonicxCorpus, one thing that I agree with you on is that a lot of people here do freak out uneccessarily about getting into the ivies or places like that. It's not gonna make or break your life people, and im sure most of you guys have bright futures ahead of you even if you go to a (God-forbid!) public state school.</p>
<p>I think that when people present their stats, they either a) realize that they have incredible stats but feign weakness as a means of blasting their ego later to have it popped come April 1st, b)realize they have incredible stats but for some reason are ridiculously worried for no reason, c) have poor stats and are worried.</p>
<p>And as for those giving the critiques/chancing, they either: a)go to one of the colleges on the list and utilize all their energy to convince this singular person that this college is right for them, b) say that the person has no chance b/c when college admissions had come around for him, he didn't get in, and now is venting all his previous frustation on these people who otherise have good odds in this crapshoot we call college, c) they have no idea how to comment, but just say well your stats look fine, so hmmm, u must be able to get in and not consider any other characteristics about the person, or d) the commenter remembers the days of college apps gone by and wants to genuinely give advice to kids so that they don't suffer the same frustation that others had to go through, and thus give the best advice they can. So hmmm, you're looking for motivation with all this analyzing, here's a couple.</p>