CC is "Frighteningly Addictive": National Review Online - Page 3

margaritasalt17 · 03-30-2006, 10:02 PM

Well said, misspicaroon.

Sly Si: Congratulations on your wonderful high school and college experiences. However, not everyone can avoid doing test prep & taking on loads of AP work while still getting into Stanford. Please, don't rub it in, especially on a forum like CC.

wvdad · 03-30-2006, 10:39 PM

I just became a "member" three days ago and I have gained an unbelievable amount insight. Several participants already seem like family. The feedback/comments/suggestions are incredible.

I have been telling anyone who will listen to check out CC.

I can't thank CC enough for the wealth of knowledge found throughout the network of individuals involved.

Thank you & KEEP IT UP!

Sly Si · 03-31-2006, 12:46 AM

misspicaroon and margaritasalt17:

You both make very good points. I've said elsewhere that test prep, for example, is a good thing when used to make up for differences in how good students are at taking tests (after all the very last thing we want is colleges picking students based on who tests best). I don't mean to mock anyone or rub anything in, and I apologize if my comments came out that way. I think I must have been in a rather harsh mood when I posted that.

The point I was trying to make is that test prep, schedule/EC packing, and all that are being taken too far, and I see CC as perpetuating this trend. Call me optimistic, but my philosophy on this matter derives from the basic assumption that most students do not need to get into [insert highly selective school here] to be happy in school. I'm confident that I would have been happy at Minnesota, my second choice, and I almost went there over Stanford. Therefore, I believe that students should, for the most part, live in the present during high school, rather than making the whole thing just a setup for getting into what is perceived as the perfect college.

Test prep? Do what you need to do. (And if you test well already, you don't need prep, IMHO!) APs? Take them because you feel you need the extra challenge, not because it will look good on an application. (For the record, I didn't blow off APs, I just didn't pack my schedule with them on purpose.) ECs? Same thing. Do what you enjoy, not what looks good. (I'll admit, I was very lucky here; what I enjoy happens to look good on apps.)

Finally, I did work hard to get into Stanford. But I didn't let my life revolve around it for four years, and I worked hard doing things that I enjoy.

happyggal · 03-31-2006, 02:00 AM

CC is addictive. and it has guided and helped me TREMENDOUSLY. when i had nobody to ask about college processes...etc, CC was always there for me.. i'm so grateful toward ppl who created this site and who are maintaining this site so well! thank you so much.

TrinSF · 03-31-2006, 03:29 AM

Sly Si, I really appreciate your saying this. My son and I have an agreement -- I can hang on CC, but he doesn't ever come here, so it won't mess with his head. He's hopefully headed to Stanford this fall (14 hours unil we find out!). He has no AP's -- school doesn't offer them -- minimal EC's-- doesn't offer those either -- and didn't do a lot of traditional CCer things. I hope he makes a positive impression the way you clearly did.

Jo.InC. · 03-31-2006, 06:09 AM

when i found this sight, it made me get my butt off my seat and start working harder.

. still, it's addictive, really. it is one bloody helpful site.

and some of the members are just freakin hilarious and intelligent.

beatduke · 03-31-2006, 08:52 AM

this site has caused me to completely rethink the approach to college admissions and which schools to apply to. I have learned more here than anywhere else. If I have know about it a year ago, my D would have picked different schools to apply to. That said, my S will really benefit from it because we will not make the same mistakes twice. Our gc knew a lot less than we expected and his advice was way off. It is a real shame that our kids are not necessarily getting the best help in this department but a great plus that we as parents can log on here and find out enough to make up for it.

ursdad · 03-31-2006, 06:28 PM

reading that article wasn't addictive but it certainly was freightening. imagine having a mother like that!

JM8879 · 03-31-2006, 08:41 PM

I thought I was set for college until I found CC. Then it all went downhill from there. Oh well, at least I discovered it just in time.

Jo.InC. · 03-31-2006, 09:45 PM

the site's a jolt back to reality...

nick da man 08 · 03-31-2006, 10:01 PM

I don't think it is addicting. I can stop looking,reading,and learning whenever I want to. I'm glad I found CC. The people on the forums have taught me alot about different colleges and what to expect when I get there.

melissarahman · 04-01-2006, 12:18 PM

after 2 or 3 rejects i started my own thread called rejects...mourn here.... and its going gr8! i have more rejections i can whine about with more people to share my sorrows with. Students have killed themselves over college rejections (well, i dont REALLY know about that, i made it up but um sure smn has...it is tht terrible...lolzz! ) being able to divide the sadness /happiness made me realize i wasnt alone and that thought is actually healthy. My CC friends helped me out throughout the whole decisions month and honestly, if i have to do it again, i know ill do it perfect!! if only i found out a lil earlier...

misspicaroon · 04-01-2006, 05:32 PM

definitely agree with the "not being alone in rejections" thing. cc gave me some serious persective that I don't have being surrounded by kids who didn't bother applying to college.

IzzyJ · 04-01-2006, 05:37 PM

melissa - I love you!

At least some people in my home country have committed suicide over not getting the NATIONAL EXAM results they really pined for. The whole straight A1's and stuff.

But our education entrance system is based purely on grades.

RaboKarabekian · 04-01-2006, 06:38 PM

I really wouldn't like my mother reading my blog (if I had one), or writing about me in such detail. To each his own, I suppose.