@awesomest47: We weren’t being mean, just more so wondering what there is to get all bent out of shape with and being blunt in telling you that Emory/Oxford is no exception to the rule and telling you what to expect. Also, you’re going to get more bluntness here than a person you “personally” know of who you are specifically contacting to clear up things in the middle of a freak out. It is less likely that you contacted the person with the tone you did here. Most people who have specific questions about how things work and perhaps simply list what they want to no about get more warm and direct receptions. If you sound kind of whiny, then people start wondering and the responses show it. Also, saying things like: “other cut-throats make me cut-throat too” opens you up unfortunately. Again, I really doubt you told that to the person you contact. Before you criticize how we responded, always review the tone of your post. Even if it had less of that stuff, we have no reason to give answers that are simply just meant to cheer you up, because the truth may get lost in such answers and then you get to Emory/Oxford, medicine, whatever and find that we were a bit “soft” or dishonest.
Honestly, I reviewed the posts, and there was really only one “mean” one (something about your HS performance and expecting to rest very little…the comment was off base because many have an easier time managing college workloads than a rigorous HS workload) and perhaps this one. The others weren’t particularly rosy, but were definitely trying to give you insight while offering you encouragement to just try it (as in do not freak out because of what you see now: Trust me, finding paperwork will not give those students an advantage over you. Also, most will not review chemistry over the summer no matter how much they claim it on a facebook thread. It will end up like main campus, where many of those same people will be in a frantic rush to complete placement tests or something), see how it goes, and to use resources (as one poster said). Go back and re-read them and try to view them more objectively.