Well, it probably was never an education test to begin with (grammar isn’t usually a class in college), but that being said, I think singular “alumni” or “alum” is going to eventually join the now accepted singular “they.”
The bored students home on break wasting poster’s time with fake thread topics or clearly inconsistent ones (one minute they are a freshman, the next they are a senior). And for petes sake, for those seniors who seem to be in the starting stages of the app process but asking about the elites, your apps are due in a week and your LORs wont get out when school is closed for the winter break.
The [URGENT] PLEASE READ/GRADE MY _____ ESSAY all caps.
Ah good ol’ all-capital-thread
Or the PMs asking you to read their essay. Just, no.
I don’t mind a request to read an essay; those requests can always be turned down. I mind when a student asks me, publicly or privately, to predict admission based on an essay.
Thats a good one, @epiphany .
I read lots of essays. Lots. And I choose which I do pro bono. But especially at this time of year, by well runneth dry.
I’m a high school freshman. Chance me for MIT.
@delurk1 I’m a fetus. Chance me for MIT PhD programs.
What schools should I apply too? (With less than a week to apply.)
Anything labeled “URGENT” or “EMERGENCY” that doesn’t mention a visit to the ER.
The ones where an applicant wants the readers here to do their research for them, especially at the 11th hour . “Its Xmas. I’m a senior. Where should I go to college? Which ones will accept my scores and grades?”
Funny, jym. I get that in real life: students of mine who wait until the 11th hour to begin their supplements, and want me to tell them why they want to go to College X. (Never having done any research themselves.)
One wonders why the college is on the list. Rule One: If you cannot articulate why you want to attend College X,** it shouldn’t be and should never have been on your list in the first place.**
Ones asking where to apply for large merit awards…posted at the end of December…most of,those deadlnes are long gone.
That and juniors who want to know their chances…but haven’t taken the ACT or SAT yet.
Financial Aid threads where OP doesn’t want to give any specifics about their financial situation, but complains about insufficient aid.
Threads that get derailed because a poster injected his/her specific life story into the mix, making the thread about that situation instead of the OP.
College/high school students who throw off the tone of the Parents’ Say it Here thread by posting there instead of their respective threads.
High school freshmen trying to give college students advice on courses, majors, or anything else that would be better answered by an advisor.
I totally get it, @epiphany. Thats why I’ve started setting firmer deadlines. The last minute essay/rush stuff is now reserved for students who get into a school and are then invited to apply for a scholarship that requires additional essays.
Threads by international students from ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES who would have no problem looking for information but still ask US to find very basic information.
OK, this one is cheating a little… it’s technically the PM and not the thread.
The ones that ask us to review an essay. We get the PM, then review, going line by line and making suggestions on things as basic as spelling and grammar and word choice, as well as bigger issues.
Then they send back a new draft, with none of the spelling or grammar or word choice errors corrected.
AAARRRRGGGGGG!!!
Threads by international students expecting that US colleges “owe” them aid and suggesting they are “stingy” if they don’t provide such aid.
^^ can you PM me the thread?
God, such threads make ME feel embarrassed.