<p>Without singleing out any individual posters, let’s list dumb things that have been asked on CC. I’ll start.</p>
<li><p>Virtually all "chances’ posts. None of us have crystal balls. Anyone who wants to get a rough idea of their chances can also check the college guides to find out the median scores and grades of admitted students, what percentage of applicants are rejected, and also can check the CC archives to see who was accepted and rejected. </p></li>
<li><p>Important questions about things such as individual colleges’ application deadlines or requirements. I will never understand why instead of calling or e-mailing the college in questions admissions office, anyone comes to an anonymous board of well meaning, but possibly misinformed strangers to get the answer to questions that may make or break their application. </p></li>
<li><p>People who post on the boards frequented mainly by other college applicants and then ask students to read their essays. Such people wonder why they get lots of takers, but not too many people who bother giving feedback. Such people don’t realize that their peers weren’t interested in helping them, but were interested in seeing the essay in order to either steal the essay or get some useable ideas about their own ones.</p></li>
<li><p>People who come here looking for advice about potentially serious medical problems that they haven’t bothered to see a doctor about. If a person is sick, they need to go to a doctor, not seek advice from an anonymous board designed for college admissions advice. </p></li>
<li><p>Questions like, “Should I apply to X college?” How should we know? I always wonder about anyone who has to poll anonymous strangers in order to decide whether to throw their hat in the ring for a college admission.</p></li>
<li><p>People who list their stats and ECs and then ask us to tell them where they should apply. It doesn’t seem to dawn on them that it’s important to consider what kind of environment would make them happy and how much they can afford to pay for college.</p></li>
<li><p>Students who have gotten caught cheating or have been arrested or suspended, and who then ask whether these problems might hurt their college admissions chances.</p></li>
<li><p>And the frequently asked question: “Can I back out of ED if I change my mind?”</p></li>
</ol>
<p>NSM - I think the issue of “dumb” questions has been addressed in the past. If you don’t want to respond to what you consider a dumb question, don’t. I hope this thread doesn’t deter people who have a question to ask, but are afraid now that their question may be deemed dumb.</p>
<p>My personal favorite (although your #8 is a close second): “I’m in high school, have no college gpa, and haven’t taken the law boards. But I plan on getting a 4.0 and at least a 175 on the LSAT - cause I test well. Can I get into Yale Law School?”</p>
<p>I think that some of these questions listed by the OP are for the purpose of venting, to fulfill a need, to discuss matters that they hold close to their vest in their lives, and would perhaps prefer to discuss anonomously. Major life change, a fork in the road, which path to try, and the admission process, are stressors and some people would like to have support as they go through these changes.</p>
<p>Oh, and post #4, those perfect to near perfect stat posts I find are for the purpose of boasting.</p>
<p>Yes, yes, YES. I sometimes wonder if our cyber legs are being pulled. But in response to acinva, it is hard to tell sometimes whether there’s a legitimate request for advice. It’s as if you’re walking along and you see someone down on the ground - your instinct is to help them up. It does seem obvious to me that if I want to know a college’s deadline for financial aid, the only answer that matters is the one the financial aid office gives me. Why would anyone think to poll anonymous posters? If most of us think it should be later than it actually is, will that give the late filer peace of mind? Bargaining power? Of course not. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry about this thread deterring people - it’s the kind of thing that when you read it you never think it applies to you. </p>
<p>I think NSM’s post should be required reading.</p>
<p>Why these relatively smart kids can’t figure out how to search the forum for the answers to questions that have been asked and answered a million times I do not know.</p>
<p>“My parents refuse to pay for my dream school. But I will def borrow $40K/year to go there myself. But they say they won’t let me. Parents, is that fair?!?!?”</p>
<p>1a) With chances threads, I often check other posts by the OP to find that the same chances thread has been posted for 34 different schools, from every IVY to every OOS public.</p>
<p>I agree with berurah. I didn’t know squat when I first came to CC and now I realize how dumb some of my questions were. I apologize to those of you who were subjected to them.</p>
<p>My favorite is the generic “what is the best…”</p>
<p>And it becomes down right looney when someone asks what the best undergrad physics program is (to use an example) and folks reply with rankings of graduate programs.</p>
<p>Close second is the generic “which is better, college x or y?” A: Yes, they are…</p>
<p>Which colleges are ED/EA/rolling?
Is ED really binding?
I’m applying to all eight Ivies, do I have a chance?
I’ve heard Princeton isn’t as prestigious as Harvard, is this true?
Help me pick a major!
Which colleges are good in biology/English?
Is [insert mundane activity] a hook?
I got a B my senior year. This totally kills my chances, right?
I turned in my stuff a week ago. Why haven’t they responded?!?!?!?
Which colleges are best for premed or prelaw?
Should I sign the release statement on recommendations?
My 3rd cousin twice removed went to Harvard. Am I a legacy?</p>
<p>What difference does it make what a poster asks? Even if it’s “dumb”, so what? Why does it matter? I’m sure I ask some really basic, even ignorant, questions. But there’s plenty of room for everyone, right? </p>
<p>Some of the questions are probably not real “questions”, I agree. Perhaps the poster just wants to reach out for some reasurance or redirection in the safety of a relatively anonymous environment. I think that’s o.k. - as long as they’re within TOS.</p>
<p>Is East Asian a URM? How about South Asian? How about Jewish? (no, no, and no, in most cases)</p>
<p>Should I go to my dream school, even though it will cost my family $40k/year, or should I go to a good state school on a full scholarship? (that’s between you and your family).</p>
<p>Can I double-major in biology and English (with no specific school mentioned)?</p>