<p>I would agree. Quite a few of my daughter’s classmates looked at Naviance and realized how few students were chosen from their school in each of the previous years. Most years quite a few applied and only a few were taken. The year before there was a record number of applications and only one or two were accepted. </p>
<p>Undeterred, my daughter and her friends applied knowing the odds were low. That year their applications totaled about the same as the year before before and yet - more than half were accepted from that pool. @USCAlum is correct - they weren’t competing against each other (they all were applying to different degree programs). They were competing and being judged against the total application pool university wide.</p>
<p>It’s about the quality of student and how they fit in the overall make-up of the incoming class. This was a particularly strong group of motivated, passionate students.</p>
<p>Be yourself, do your best, and don’t look back no matter the outcome. But if you don’t apply - it’s already a definite “no.” If you do apply you at least have a fighting chance. Belief in self is always the start of any journey.</p>