<p>But, Phan, we can’t convince kids with a limited perspective who need to cling to some faulty perceptions or methodology for their own self worth. Unfortunately, that comes out as the fixation on stats. And those club titles that are nothing more than activity-lite. </p>
<p>We do see some applicants who have lower stats but brilliant life successes, a real sense of energy, perspective, compassion and the ability to identify opportunities and pursue them. They can show far more readiness for a top college’s academic and non-academic challenges; they can stand well over a higher stats kid who simply has a few dubious roles in his hs, etc. </p>
<p>What often distinguishes one applicant from another is the very set of things that other high school kids cannot judge in each other, cannot even perceive. On CC, they offer to read essays and rate ECs for others- with zero expertise or reference points. Sometimes, I figure, fine, let them go ahead and mislead each other. If they don’t have the common sense and smarts in the first place…</p>
<p>But, no, they are so sure the fault lies in reverse discrimination or mean adcoms or some lottery crapshoot.</p>