<p>@SevenDad: I read some of the posts on that thread, and they exactly described what I was wondering about. Those threads aren’t helping; they’re inane. As a candidate last year, you constantly compare yourself when reading those threads, and then you put some syrupy comment like “Wow! You’re great! I think you have an great chance!!! Really!!! LOL I think you’re amazing!!! Schools would be stupid not to have you!!! 
:)” It takes a kid who has been accepted and now comfortable in their school to realize that those threads are ridiculous. I can’t stress enough that we don’t know how you compare. I was in class today and one AO came in and talked to us. We got on the topic of acceptances, and there are a lot of variables. You aren’t only competing against your race, but also your gender, your school, your hometown, etc. They need to accept jocks, musicians, artists, smart kids, and endowment babies. The admissions process is unfair.</p>