I no longer bother.
You can tell it’s the same few ppl posting now.

I try to post facts and helpful tips and correct misinformation but I’m losing patience. I took the time to write a thoughtful post sharing what worked for us after two kids successful college admissions processes. Was promptly attacked so wondered why I even bothered.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The trolls lure poster to engage with toxic bait. It's some kind of insane game to them.

I truly wish they would back off, because like a lot of us, this website has the potential to be really helpful!

The problem is that people can’t help but take the bait.

Exactly. Once again, just report the trolls. Stop engaging and wasting everyone’s time.

I agree with this.

Anonymous wrote:I agree. It's exhausting.

People constantly say incorrect things in an authoritative manner about an Ivy that my kid attends (when they have no connection to the school themselves).

"well, at this school... XYZ." Sometimes it's just stuff about the students based on the poster's experience in 1992 and other times it's factually incorrrect stuff. I often correct them but it gets exhausting.

This has happened to me too.

Anonymous wrote:There are tons and tons of generalizations made on here, most with agendas. I used to correct things when I saw them only on topics I have direct knowledge because I was always seeking information when my kids were in high school and found it helpful. I think I am about tapped out now and am entering the don’t care to correct phase. It feels futile to counteract the narratives people parrot on here.

Is this what happens before people just stop visiting do you think? It’s a shame, love the anonymity that allows people to be more forthright, but then the trolls ruin it.

I haven’t stopped correcting but I have stopped being nice about it.

Anonymous wrote:I try to use a “first page rule.” If I can add information or perspective on the first page, I figure it might help the OP. Otherwise I figure it will just get lost in the wash.

- I will follow the advice; thx

I think people should be required to register on DCUM similar to Reddit. It would cut back on the trolls, which overwhelm the conversations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The trolls lure poster to engage with toxic bait. It's some kind of insane game to them.

I truly wish they would back off, because like a lot of us, this website has the potential to be really helpful!

The problem is that people can’t help but take the bait.

Exactly. Once again, just report the trolls. Stop engaging and wasting everyone’s time.

Anonymous wrote:The trolls lure poster to engage with toxic bait. It's some kind of insane game to them.

I truly wish they would back off, because like a lot of us, this website has the potential to be really helpful!

The problem is that people can’t help but take the bait.

I think the next step from correcting is reporting. Jeff does not read every thread/post. He relies on reporting to stamp out bad behavior.

I used to be a moderator, long ago, on a similar type forum and I sort of vibe with Jeff's moderation, so I report things that I think he would like to be reported that are outright mean, offer nothing substantive, or derail the topic. (keeping in mind the point above about nuance - there aren't really absolutes).

But job circumstances changed and I don't do it that much anymore. Effective reporting is helpful to him.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are tons and tons of generalizations made on here, most with agendas. I used to correct things when I saw them only on topics I have direct knowledge because I was always seeking information when my kids were in high school and found it helpful. I think I am about tapped out now and am entering the don’t care to correct phase. It feels futile to counteract the narratives people parrot on here.

Is this what happens before people just stop visiting do you think? It’s a shame, love the anonymity that allows people to be more forthright, but then the trolls ruin it.

I don’t understand. How is that only you hold a valid opinion of a school or process? How is what you claim to be doing not your own agenda?

It’s not just opinion, there are flat out falsehoods on here. Like this morning, someone posted saying that schools look at all four parts of the ACT. I saw that, and then happened across the Georgia Tech page where GT specifically said that they only look at two sections. So I posted the link. But I wouldn’t go back to the post to insist on the point. People who would prefer to believe that Georgia Tech is lying aren’t going to be convinced by me.

Sometimes people like nuance. For instance, I agree with you. But you lack nuance. Does an AO really never look at all 4, “unofficially”? The only way that would be true is if it is shielded. Is it? Are you so confident, based on what you saw from that website, that peeking never happens and thereby gets someone over or under the hump? Unless you have inside info, you don’t really know, for sure.

And that’s OK. We deal with improbabilities and uncertainty, not “flat out falsehoods” absolutes. I would not ask for and expect 100% proofs from anyone, but not would I assume I had it when it is, indeed, just an assumption. No less complain about it….

College counseling is a $3 billion dollar industry. Many of the top counselors hire people at $20 per hour to drive their business.

This is not just to promote their stuff which would be fine, but they also spread FOMO, confuse, misinform, etc.

Not sure anything can be done about this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You either stop visiting or become a troll once you get to that point.

+1 and it's not just the college forum. I see threads in Recent Topics all the time for issues that were once relevant to my kids but now are not. Very occasionally I'll drop in and I might post if there is something my experience could add to the conversation. But I'm not going to fight with anyone over it. Once my kids are through a certain phase, my interest just drops way off. I presume it will be the same with college. It's a major focus and stressor now, but in a few years it will all be sorted and I'll be happy to leave this forum behind!

That’s kind of where I am. When I see a thread for a phase I’m already through, I’ll drop in and add a short, matter of fact comment if I remember something that hasn’t been mentioned. I’m not there to argue with anyone. Even though this forum isn’t what it used to be, it helped me a lot through those phases and I try to pay it forward. Mostly my comments don’t even get picked up by the group that’s there to argue on the internet and it’s just a couple posters who acknowledge or ask a follow up. That’s fine with me.

The anonymity here is both good and bad. Probably more bad than good, in the college forum at least. Anybody visit alternatives that are less mean or trollish? Reddit? College Confidential?

Anonymous wrote:There are tons and tons of generalizations made on here, most with agendas. I used to correct things when I saw them only on topics I have direct knowledge because I was always seeking information when my kids were in high school and found it helpful. I think I am about tapped out now and am entering the don’t care to correct phase. It feels futile to counteract the narratives people parrot on here.

Is this what happens before people just stop visiting do you think? It’s a shame, love the anonymity that allows people to be more forthright, but then the trolls ruin it.

Yep that's what seems to happen . And to the newcomers: definitely don't take all the "advice" on here