Hello everyone! I know that by this point you must be working on your college applications and have maybe even submitted a couple. I was in your shoes a year ago, and I know just how stressful this process can be. I have been at Penn for a month now, and I have had conversations with friends about the stressful admissions process. However, after talking to people, there was one source of stress that members of the Class of 2018 shared. College Confidential. College Confidential can be a wonderful source of information. However, the constant reading of “Chance Me Threads” and Ivy League “Results” threads can make you feel bad about yourself and your chances of attaining admission to your extremely selective dream school. While I do not claim to be an expert about the ivy league after attending one school for a month, I have noticed some “College Confidential Myths.” There are some words of advice that are repeated again and again on this site. While a lot of the advice is helpful, there are some myths that cause applicants to feel insecure. I hope to shed light on some of these myths.
<ol>
<li>It is not good enough to be very talented. You have to be the best of the best of the best of the best for admissions counselors to be impressed.</li>
</ol>
Yes, it is true that it is very difficult to get into America’s top universities. Yes, there are many valedictorians and salutatorians at the ivies. Yes, students have won many competitions. Yes, everyone is extremely bright. However, do not let this hurt your self esteem. I remember that I was preparing art supplements for colleges around this time. The advice given on college confidential is that you need to be at Julliard level (or at least competitive conservatory level) to submit an arts supplement or for your musical talent to impress the admissions office. I am a serious classical pianist. I have devoted many hours to the instrument, however, school is my top priority. I know that while I could definitely play some of the repertoire for a Julliard audition, I simply did not put enough time into piano to compete. School was always my number 1 priority. Even though I know that there are probably Julliard level talents around me, musicians of that caliber are rare. They devoted their lives to music and probably applied to Julliard, not Harvard. I went to my first music lesson last week, and my teacher (who is a huge talent with an extensive resume) told me that I am very talented and that she is impressed. You have to be talented, but you don’t have to be the best of the best of the best.
<ol>
<li>You need to spend every waking hour on either schoolwork or meaningful and extraordinary ECs. Also, 600+ hours of community service is required.</li>
</ol>
This is also not true. Everyone I know at Penn is a serious student with passions outside of school, but there are only so many ECs you can participate in. There are only so many hours in the day. If someone on a Chance Me thread writes a humongous list of ECs, don’t be discouraged.
<ol>
<li>You need to have at least one awesome and/or unusual talent to be accepted.</li>
</ol>
While this is very helpful and is probably true for a lot of people, some of my friends at Penn are just all around great people with many different talents and interests.
<ol>
<li>While being talented in one skill is great, you need to be versatile with a wide set of skills.</li>
</ol>
I saw one website that gave advice to students applying to ivies. It said that every applicant should participate in a sport, a community service effort, and an art form. I got in with absolutely no athletic ability and minimal community service. Yes, many students have multiple talents. You probably do too, but you don’t have to do things you don’t like or aren’t good at for your college applications. While it is easy to be part of 8 different groups in high school. Most people are only committing to a few things in college. Also, you have to be admitted to most clubs and groups. If you aren’t that talented, you probably shouldn’t even try. Playing the flute in high school even though you aren’t very good will not help you. You probably won’t want to continue in college, and you probably won’t get into any of the music groups. Adding meaningless things to your resume is not worth your time.
<ol>
<li>You need to have a 2300+ to have a good chance at admission.</li>
</ol>
I don’t even know where this myth came from. Students on college confidential have been told that their 2250 is only mediocre. Huh? So many people would kill for that score. If you get a 2100 on your SAT, you are far above the national average. While a 2100 is not the most impressive score in the ivy admissions office, there is no reason to be ashamed. I don’t know about other schools, but Penn’s average SAT score this year was a 2190…I think. Even if I am a few points off, the average is not a 2350 even though college confidential might tell you otherwise.
<ol>
<li>Most people who get into an ivy have started their own business, play an instrument at a very high level, work in a lab for 20+ hours a week (science journal publication coming soon), takes/self studies almost every AP, and participates in a laundry list of other activities.</li>
</ol>
What I am writing is not a complete exaggeration. I have seen people on college confidential write chance me threads that look like this. I am sure that I will run into this type of student at some point at Penn, but they are a rare.
<ol>
<li>Results threads are a good indicator of whether or not you will get in.</li>
</ol>
I think that results threads are a good indicator that admissions are at least somewhat arbitrary and like an academic lottery. I would advise students to look at a few results threads. If you are far below the level of accepted students, maybe you should rethink the schools you are applying to. However, remember that this is the internet. People can write whatever they want. You have no clue who these people are or whether they are even telling the truth. On the chance thread, I once saw a student claim to get a 5 on an AP that doesn’t even exist. People actually chanced him. Don’t be gullible. If a college confidential poster seems to be far more talented than any other student you have ever seen in your entire life, something might not be right.
<ol>
<li>Ivy league students are the smartest people ever. You will probably feel very intimidated. You will wonder whether or not your acceptance was a mistake. Being surrounded by so many geniuses will be very tough, but you will get through it.</li>
</ol>
I’m at an ivy league school, and I feel like I fit in just fine. Am I the smartest person here? Probably not. Am I the the dumbest? Probably not. However, I fit in, and I love being in classes and organizations with so many talented and interesting people from all over the world. What could be better? I have gotten a few assignments back at this point, and I am happy with my grades. I think that people who feel dumb after attending an ivy are people who were very prideful and assumed that they would be the best. Don’t adopt this mind set. You will be in school with all the valedictorians from around the world. You might not be every teacher’s favorite anymore, but that is ok. There is no need to fear being an average student.
I am in no way saying that admission to selective schools is easy. I definitely received my rejection letters in March. All I am saying is that some of the advice on college confidential might not be true in all cases. If you feel intimidated after spending an hour scrolling through CC, take a breath. Don’t look on college confidential multiple times a day. You will be fine in the end. Please relax. I wish I had.
