<p>cherrybrandy, I am not a ■■■■■, but I did look at the fine schools where you have been accepted and also those where you have not. In large state schools, more emphasis may be placed on your SAT and GPA. You did very well with those schools. However, private schools do judge students by their essays and ECs. It may feel random (it sort of is to each individual), but if the school needs a musician for their band, or a fencing champ, etc etc, that student (even with lesser scores) may get the spot. You alluded to the idea that the other student is an athlete. That might have tipped him/her in.</p>
<p>As for essays, it is really hard for any student to judge their own. Essays that are proofread by “experts” or teachers may have fine grammar, but the content still may not seem compelling to the adcom, and the voice can seem distant and “correct” rather than personal. This is a very hard process for those to whom English is not their native language. Adcoms get so many essays that simply seem the same-- about a student overcoming an injury to play the final inning, go on to do a concert, finish a race—that they don’t find them original enough to tell them something personal about the student’s passions. I do not know the topic of your essay, I’m only giving a gentle reminder that an essay is a very subjective item. </p>
<p>A final comment. Some of the posters you have called “■■■■■■” are not posting here to make trouble. They were genuinely upset with your tone and the negative things you said about a school that rejected you and a student who got admitted. Since no one can tell you exactly why you were rejected at that one school, you may need to stop attacking and just reflect.</p>