CC Profiled in Chronicle of Higher Ed

College Confidential Community Community & Forum Issues
#1

<p>A lengthy article in the Chronicle by Eric Hoover - the most in-depth ever, at least in my memory:</p>

<p>
[quote]
This is College Confidential, a vast virtual realm where visitors can find the best and worst of human nature. Here, in moderated discussion forums, people help strangers. They also belittle strangers, question their intelligence, and mock their chosen colleges or alma maters.</p>

<p>What began as a college-admissions Web site has become a culture with its own ethos, language, and rituals. Many here share a common faith: Where you go to college shapes, even defines, your very existence.

[/quote]

College</a> Confidential: A Field Guide - Students - The Chronicle of Higher Education</p>

#2

<p>
[quote]
Can we get a big round of applause for Pizzagirl, everyone? You might say she's one of a kind. But, please, don't call her a snowflake.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I guess being mentioned in the piece warrants a congratulations.</p>

#3

<p>
[quote]
The anonymous masses who converse on these message boards provoke derision from the official stewards of the admissions process. "Horrific," one high-school counselor says of College Confidential. "The futile search for the inside track," says an admissions officer. Another, borrowing Obi-Wan Kenobi's line about the seedy spaceport in Star Wars, calls the Web site "a wretched hive of scum and villainy."

[/quote]
I feel like I'm reading about 4chan.</p>

#4

<p>This is annoying, short-sighted, condescending, and far too categorical.</p>

#5

<p>^What, the whole article? I thought it did a good job capturing a lot of the general themes that come up here again and again.</p>

#6

<p>the story of the JHU admissions officer concerns me somewhat. over at the forum where I hang out, we do not have any official university oversight that I'm aware of. I think we generally do a good job of keeping the facts straight, but I bet there's some misinformation that's propagated from year to year. on the positive side, for the past few years at least, it's been a pretty cordial place (considering that it's the internet!)</p>

#7

<p>Oh look, an article that shows exactly what I hate about this place. Fun.</p>

#8

<p>The only people who deny the negatives of CC are part of the problem.</p>

#9

<p>I'm surprised by the picture of molliebatmit!</p>

#10

<p>
[quote]
The anonymous masses who converse on these message boards provoke derision from the official stewards of the admissions process. "Horrific," one high-school counselor says of College Confidential. "The futile search for the inside track," says an admissions officer. Another, borrowing Obi-Wan Kenobi's line about the seedy spaceport in Star Wars, calls the Web site "a wretched hive of scum and villainy."

[/quote]
</p>

<p>When my son and I attended an information session for Yale last fall the first question the admissions rep asked was how many went on College Confidential. Nobody raised their hand and he then said how happy he was about that because it's a horrible place filled with useless information. That really turned me off. This site has been so valuable to my children during the college admissions process. We have nowhere else to turn for this information.</p>

#11

<p>There are definitely those who provide misinformation, but this place has been very helpful to me. Definitely don't really agree with what the admissions officers say in the article, but overall, I think it's pretty spot on.</p>

#12

<p>Well, I heard that........</p>

#13

<p>Typical media drivel.</p>

<p>Let me guess. The writer spent a few hours analyzing CC's recent history and focused on finding the bad and the ugly. Yes, there is the ultra moronic WAMC forum, but how could the writer miss the Financial Aid and test prep fora? I guess there is not enough vitriol there to warrant a mention? Just people tirelessly and selflessly helping people who cannot find the right answers from the expected sources. </p>

<p>And who else shows up? The disgruntled former JHU adcom who endlessly tried to direct readers to ... Other places, and left when its efforts appeared futile? How many secrets or really useful tips did he share here? How about ... Between very few and none! </p>

<p>And why should we pay attention to those amazing GCs and heed their opinions. Simply stated if they would do half the job they should, this site might not have existed for long. Little wonder they criticize as this site exposes them for the incompetent dinosaurs they are. How many do you find here correcting the misinformation? Just a few who deserve rounds of applause. And those are the good ones who believe in helping! </p>

<p>I have been here for a decade, and this reporter did NOT capture the essence of thus forum. He missed ALL the formative 4 to 7 years and just grabbed a few examples to affirm his prejudices. Did he bother to find out why people stayed here for years? Nah, that did not fit the derisive narrative! </p>

<p>What a waste. And what a shameful use of a keyboard. But so typical as well.</p>

#14

<p>

I hope it's not just that you're surprised my bathroom is so cluttered. :)</p>

#15

<p>There has been some mis-information posted at times on this site. However, the great thing about it - it is correctly quickly by others.</p>

#16

<p>""Horrific," one high-school counselor says of College Confidential. "The futile search for the inside track," says an admissions officer. Another, borrowing Obi-Wan Kenobi's line about the seedy spaceport in Star Wars, calls the Web site "a wretched hive of scum and villainy." "</p>

<p>This is just unattributed trash.</p>

<p>I do agree with xiggi. If people don't want to use all of the resources available, then they have not figured out how to use this site. There is excellent advice being doled out by many many people if only people look for it. It is not all about getting into Ivies but it is about going to college, how to pay for it, how to plan for it, what choices one makes that bite them 10 years from now and so on.</p>

#17

<p>What? There's misinformation on an Internet discussion group? </p>

<p>Really, who reads something online anywhere, not just at College Confidential, and proceeds as if it must be the gospel truth? CC has been of huge value to our family over the past decade for two reasons: because of the high quality of information available, and because of the intelligence, insight, and generosity of a significant percentage of posters. But it was my responsibility to confirm information before deciding whether to accept it, just as it was my responsibility to decide whether any given poster was trustworthy or full of it.</p>

<p>I did think the article was worth reading and enjoyed learning a bit more about some of the folks who've made CC an interesting place. Lately some threads have taken on the semblance of the "comments" section of my local online newspaper - or perhaps it was ever thus. But CC - or most of it - has never been on that level. Thankfully!</p>

#18

<p>I love some of the local crappy guidance consulers who live nearby. I tell people about CC and they say their GCs tel them not to go on because it is all misinformation. Which is why they all think 30 ACT + = HYPS</p>

#19

<p>My kids' urban public school guidance counselors were nice people who meant well. However, they wouldn't have been able to provide 1% of the information that I learned on CC. I also didn't want to bother them more than I had to, because I knew they had true crisises that they had to address, with other students.</p>

#20

<p>Kypdurron,
I had someone tell me that very thing- when their kid made it to 30 on ACT he'd be competitive for HYPS, etc. rejected from all.</p>