LA Times on College Confidential's Chances Forum

Roger_Dooley · 03-08-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

The most popular place for students to post their credentials is on a discussion board called "What Are My Chances?" on the for-profit website CollegeConfidential.

Anxious college hopefuls look for reassurance online - Los Angeles Times

While the article does make the point that chance assessment by other students are fraught with peril, I was happy to see my point about students who lack good college counseling getting a much-needed reality check. Every year we see one or two posts like, "Help! I got rejected everywhere!" Those are always from students who discovered CC after they had completed their application process.

aabbcc1789 · 03-08-2009, 07:53 PM

LOL @ Beef Supreme's attacks hahahahah

Nikara · 03-08-2009, 08:04 PM

I just read the article. It made me sad that only the bad responses to posts were focused on. I'll admit that I don't usually respond to chances threads, but sometimes useful information about what to focus on in essays, whether to interview etc can come from them.

88888888 · 03-08-2009, 08:04 PM

LAWLSS beef supreme.. so mean

MonoTombo · 03-08-2009, 08:22 PM

Well, props to Beef Supreme.

Dbate · 03-08-2009, 08:27 PM

I wish the article would have mentioned that Beef Supreme himself got into Stanford early.

goldenratiophi · 03-08-2009, 08:40 PM

This article should have been titled "Anxious college hopefulls look for reassurance online."

hilsa · 03-08-2009, 08:42 PM

Beef Supreme is totally not being pessimistic/negative at all. Like he says in the article, he's being realistic.

The article's author I don't think understands how ridiculously hard it is for kids to get into college nowadays.

goldenratiophi · 03-08-2009, 08:48 PM

It's so weird how some CC users have names and faces.

schrizto · 03-08-2009, 08:58 PM

haha, I remember reading the thread that was quoted! I can't believe they contacted people for their real names.

jamesford · 03-08-2009, 09:14 PM

Yeah I read that thread too.

Quote:

He also dismissed 16-year-old Jimmy Blanchard's chances at MIT, Berkeley and Caltech, despite the Michigan student's six Advanced Placement courses, 3.8 grade-point average and top 20% class ranking.

I love how ignorant most of the country is when it comes to admissions. The article acts as if 6 (count em, 6) AP classes, a 3.8, and top 20% are sure-fire signs of an acceptance letter at MIT. Right.

sigurros · 03-08-2009, 09:18 PM

props to beef ~_~

amciw · 03-08-2009, 09:18 PM

Its lovely how mean people can be when they have the benefit of anonymity. Its not really a surprise that BeefSupreme would decline to give his name out. He would never dare to make a comment such as that if recognized by his real name. The realism is not necessarily in debate (as I think he was right considering the races of both applicants), but he obviously derives enjoyment from sounding excessively mean and arrogant, which makes his comments unnecessary. Its kind of pathetic, in honesty, that he couldn't state something without trying to pretend he is better than everyone else, but I guess that some people can't maturely handle acceptances to top colleges. I'm sure he'll improve sometime soon.

Edit: To clarify, yes, I likewise think their chances aren't great. There isn't any need to phrase it so rudely.

jamesford · 03-08-2009, 09:24 PM

^ If I had gotten into Stanford SCEA, I too would be very careful not to do anything that might result in my admissions offer's rescinding.

amciw · 03-08-2009, 09:31 PM

Exactly, that is my point. He will say things on the internet he would never say in real life, something easily indicated by his reluctance to disclose his real name.