<p>I’ve been wondering the same, but not for the circle to the left of the title, but for the thing that looks like a price tag to the far right of the title and immediately before the date. It’s only on a few of the threads. For me, it is on <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/906947-got-seven-sisters-choose.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/906947-got-seven-sisters-choose.html</a>, which I had never looked at until just now to experiment with it. Both before and after I looked at it, the “price tag” was there. I am not talking about the checkmark that says I’m subscribed to that thread, but it is in the same place as the checkmark. I have one thread that has both the tag and the checkmark.</p>
<p>Let’s see … it doesn’t inform you that there’s a link in the thread, because many threads have links and no price tags.</p>
<p>… if it’s telling me that there’s something particularly interesting to me in the thread, its mind-reading algorithm is no good.</p>