<p>I see kids on this board getting accepted and rejected left and right with amazing scores, grades, and extracurriculars. Excluding student pools for the top 15 universities, is the forum generally representative of the entire accepted student pools for universities like NYU, UCLA, UCB, Carnegie Mellon, etc? I mean is everyone who gets accepted to a good college crazy like the people on cc?</p>
<p>I’m kind of straying from your question, but many of the students on here look great on paper but simply fail to impress through their essays, and that is why they are rejected, despite their great scores, grades, and ECs. They just didn’t sell themselves to the colleges.</p>
<p>It’s also worth noting that many of these students fit the same mold. Several of them have “completed research with college professors”, participated in a few science summer camps and are members (and usually leaders) of Model UN, NHS, Debate Team, and are in an a cappella group. The top schools get many applicants like this, which is part of the reason why a great many are rejected.</p>
<p>You have to consider though that the mold they fit is rather hard to compete with. What about the students who didn’t realize they had to do all that but still got decent grades and test scores? Are they simply out of the running for good colleges?</p>
<p>Seriously, some people on this website are so jaw-droppingly incredible in both academic and non academic achievements that it is very humbling. If you’re like me, you’ll get used to all of it after a while.:)</p>
<p>“…many of the students on here look great on paper but simply fail to impress through their essays, and that is why they are rejected, despite their great scores, grades, and ECs. They just didn’t sell themselves to the colleges.”</p>
<p>Mm, I doubt it’s that simple.</p>
<p>It’s not that I can’t get used to it but that I don’t know how I’m going to compete with it. The kids here make me look average, and I’m just worried since I’m going to be applying really soon to my dream colleges.</p>
<p>xrCalico, it may not be ‘that simple,’ but there is a lot of truth to what Jaddua says. “Selling yourself to colleges” is underrated in this entire process. I don’t mean selling your abilities, which may indeed be evident on paper, but the part that can be convincing is (1) that it is evident that the student would be an excellent fit for that campus based on a multiplicity of factors, not limited to the paper credentials; (2) that the student himself or herself also is very conscious of that, and has articulated that.</p>
<p>Every campus, public or private, has a “campus culture” that too often students fail to take into consideration when (1) choosing their colleges (and examining whether there is actually a mutual fit) and (2) when completing those apps. Some of that knowledge is out of one’s control (until you get there!), but it is not out of the understanding of the committee, which often decides for the student that the fit is ideal.</p>
<p>Also, CC is a self-selected group, and it is a magnet for people interested in applying to the very most selective colleges. Don’t let it daunt you, but it might be useful to help people to remember to apply to a range of colleges, including reaches, matches, and safeties. My view is that you should focus on a college admission strategy, rather than focusing on one or two dream schools.</p>
<p>don’t let it discourage you! I have to say I am SO glad that I didn’t discover this website until AFTER i was accepted to my biggest reach. Honestly, I think I would have just been so discouraged reading other people’s stats and everything, when really there is nothing wrong with me as I got in to many of the same colleges they did. Don’t stress about it, and don’t compare yourself, it’s addicting and does nothing for you :)</p>
<p>Am not bothered because am already in college. But I won’t lie though, am annoyed when I see so many NYU,HYPS,Columbia etc. threads. Some of these people on this board are too obsessed w/ getting into the Ivies, and so called top ranked schools just to say “hey I get into NYU” or “hey I got into Columbia”. Am not at all saying its wrong to want to get into a good school, but its annoying when I ten threads on NYU or HYPS asking the same questions. Please do a search for goodness sake.</p>
<p>Seriously though, I’m looking at some of these kids and thinking how the freak am I supposed to compete? I’m not shooting for an ivy or anything but with so many guys like this applying to so many schools, admissions at a top university (below top 20 USNR, 21-40 range) look tough.</p>
<p>csokane all i can say is, just do your best and stop worrying excessively =)
As an international student i come from a school where maybe a quarter of the batch is applying to US universities, out of which more than half have at least 1 Ivy League in their applications. After applying (and getting into a “lower” Lvy) i was (like soexcited999) glad i hadn’t seen all the chance me posts in CC… i’m sure i wouldn’t have applied otherwise!</p>