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[quote=Anonymous]I think everyone has made good points, and it just clarifies to me that college admissions has become a total crap shoot for everyone -- students and admissions officers.

My DC (3.9 UW) took the ACT cold and made a 31. We're spending thousands to get him 1/1 tutoring that will probably bring that score up (he's in a good position to focus on improving in 1 or 2 areas), but what does that prove, other than that we have the $$ to spend & he has the time to do it this summer?  Anyway, if his score doesn't come up, he'll apply to a few schools test optional & maybe his good grades will carry him across the line. Maybe not.  My DC was in person at school all year, but he told me that cheating was widespread during the spring of 2020 when they were going to school remote.  I also know a very bright, previously straight-A, kid who struggled and made their first D during remote learning.  My kid may have an advantage, because he was able to participate in extracurricular activities last year, and he's applying from a "fly over" state and won't have as much competition, but, again, who knows?

All this means that admissions this year will not be transparent, much less "fair." It's very easy to argue that college admissions were never fair, but in a past, less competitive age, it seemed as though it was easier to check the box on a good GPA and test score and get into an excellent school.  As for us, DC will apply to some "reaches," but has his eye on, and is showing interest in, a few schools with high admission rates that he would be happy to attend, and I think it will all be fine. However, I am incredibly cynical about the entire process.

However, if this continues, I do think this process will take some of the shine off of  many schools who used to be perceived as the "golden ticket." As the high school seniors of the early 2020's and onward attend college and graduate, what will be their perception of people who attended those schools?  That they got in on merit and hard work, or that they just pulled the winning lottery ticket?  These schools used to  base their standing on the perception (whether real or not) that they admitted the "best of the best."  This thread proves that there is quite a bit of disagreement about whether that is true.  [/quote]

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