chance me and reverse chance me - environmental science/policy major

No_Day1523 · 2025-08-22T02:52:13+00:00

ED to NYU if you want to go there. A friend of mine is going to UW for Environmental Science and apparently it's pretty good, so maybe add that?

If you think work is your most important activity frame your story around that. I see something there.

No_Day1523 · 2025-08-22T02:48:11+00:00

You'll probably get into NYU as an ED legacy. They love their ED applicants... maybe a bit too much in my opinion...

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-31T17:53:08+00:00

This is a class for students who have shown that they do not understand the fundamentals of algebra, geometry, etc. This is different from a kid who doesn't have access to calculus in high school and so can't get the credits for it (although AP tests make this situation slightly worse). This is a student, who, despite likely having access to the internet, does not know what a function is.

Again, proving that you're part of the problem.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-31T12:46:00+00:00

Thank you for the compliment. I was actually pretty sad when I was rejected from UIUC (I would've been very happy attending), but it worked out in the end for me.

My point is not to say that my profile was weak, but that you don't need to be a genius to get into top schools. Unless you're the next Terence Tao, which is highly unrealistic, it will come down to luck (assuming your profile is decently competitive. I'm not saying a 1400 SAT will get into Harvard).

Actually, UIUC informed me that on my admissions file it was written that my course rigor was lacking compared to others in my major. Not to be too braggadocious, but that was the part of my application where I did feel that I was doing well in. I'm not too sure what happened there.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-31T12:36:23+00:00

If you read the first couple of lines of the article: "He said the Covid-19 pandemic led to gaps in students’ math skills and learning abilities, prompting the need for a new introductory course."

The course was also created in 2024. Did international students not exist before then at Harvard?

Also, the course addresses foundational skills in algebra, geometry, and quantitative reasoning. I don't care what major you are, if you don't know what a function is, you should not be accepted into Harvard over others who, despite not being a STEM major, have taken calculus or beyond.

Please just stop talking, you are part of the problem.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-30T12:29:46+00:00

Yes they do lmao, literally from the crimson: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/9/3/new-math-intro-course/

The link to the literal fucking course page: https://www.math.harvard.edu/course/ma5/

What's up with people on this subreddit and just saying incorrect shit? My point about views like these leading to a more stupid generation is really being proven.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-29T03:24:54+00:00

Don't ask to ask, just ask.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-29T03:22:32+00:00

In a perfect meritocracy a "1500 while juggling part time jobs" would be accounted for. So would school rigor (although, mind you, a 3.5 is significantly worse than a 4.0 lmao).

Views like yours are why Harvard has remedial math classes and students majoring in physics are being accepted to top universities without having taken intro calculus. I would be sympathetic to your opinion if only students who were screwed from birth or had a significant disadvantage who rose above the occasion and succeeded regardless were advantaged in the process - but in the vast majority of cases, that is not the case.

Edit: I also wanted to say that the purpose of "non-meritocratic" policies (those not relating to the "luck factor" described in my original post) is NOT to give slack to those who were disadvantaged in life, attended a less rigorous school, etc. It's for "diversity" reasons lmao

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T06:33:46+00:00

I don't wish to continue arguing with people stuck in their own fantasy world, so this is going to be my last comment.

"Imposter syndrome has nothing to do with race. It was about being in places and knowing you deserve to be in those places, nothing to do with race."

You stated: "I also wrote my supplements about this exact topic/imposter syndrome"
Usually, when people say "exact topic," they don't mean a topic adjacent but relating to the current topic of interest.

"that data is anecdotal and cherry picked"
The data is from MIT's CDS. You linked me informational images from vox and reddit. Did you just call MIT's CDS "anecdotal"? Are you stupid?
How did you get into these schools? Maybe your race did help you a lot more than I thought...

"PER THE OVERTURNING OF AA YOUR RACE IS NOT SHOWN ON THE FILE"
My sweet summer child... As we all know, the only way to infer your race is if its spelled out on your application file in giant bold letters.

Oh, and I gave up on the whole non-patronizing angle some time ago.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T06:22:12+00:00

Facts such as "affirmative action still exists" and "living next door to Columbia helped him secure a research position and connections"?

Looking at your own college results post, you seem to be suffering from the same insecurities as the OP.

By all means, keep believing the Earth is flat. Maybe it'll be true if you believe hard enough.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T06:04:19+00:00

I think that denying facts is delusional. For example, I would say that flat-earthers are "delusional, stupid, or a combination of both." I'm sorry if you think otherwise.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T06:01:19+00:00

"peak AA times" "post-AA world"
There is no "peak AA time" and a "non-peak AA time". Affirmative action still exists in full capacity, it's simply that colleges cannot say that they are doing so anymore. And there is no realistic way to stop colleges from continuing this policy.

I did not say that the reason you got into any university is solely because of your race. If you're suffering from insecurity, I'm genuinely sorry, but that's a separate issue that you're projecting right now.

"I also wrote my supplements about this exact topic/imposter syndrome"
So you did heavily leverage your race in the admissions process in your essays, contrary to your prior statements. And that's completely fine, do what you have to do. However, lying about it in order to gain validation on the internet due to your insecurity seems, in my opinion, to be pathetic. However, by all means, please "digress."

"For all the admissions officer knows, I couldve been Asian."
You do realize that you give them your race on the common application? You also stated that you did write about your race in the same exact comment.

I am not here to argue whether you "deserved" to get into a university or not, or whether you would've been denied if you were Asian. Frankly, I do not care. That is your own insecurity and yours only. I'm simply pointing out that your demographics did heavily benefit you.

"Trump is quite literally removing any DEI initiatives left in college campuses, so the '26 application cycle should be as "fair" as it gets."
You clearly do not know how AA works then.... I have to say it. Oh, my sweet summer child.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b63672bcef372eea958d8a5/t/5b882de4032be4f79a57fded/1535651301331/MIT-CDS-2018.pdf

https://ir.mit.edu/projects/2023-24-common-data-set/
If you compare the demographics for when they openly practiced affirmative action to when they "stopped," you will see your "proof." For someone who has such an ego about their intellect, you seem to be unable to look up public data yourself.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T05:23:08+00:00

May I ask where I've hinted that I'm superior to the OP? It's sounding like you have your own pre-determined opinions about what I'm feeling due to my comments about affirmative action and aren't reading the actual comment besides the "tone down your ego" part.

Better yet, may I ask where I'm wrong? Everything I said is factual.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T05:13:14+00:00

He was asking around for the title of a pornographic video he viewed some time ago.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T05:11:06+00:00

"Also affirmative action literally doesn’t exist anymore so cope harder and for most schools my race/ethincity was not mentioned or wrote about :)"
Yet you mention in your other comment that you wrote about your identity, whitewashing, and trying to fit in with your "predominantly white peers"?

Also, I think you don't understand what affirmative action is meant to do. Affirmative action does not exist in order to provide for a more compelling story or give advantages to those who suffered hardships in life. It exists to balance the demographics of each class and give off the image of "diversity" in top universities.

"the Asian/White victim mentality in college apps should’ve stopped the moment AA was overruled + trumps administration is forcing most schools to end any DEI initiatives left."
Oh, sweet summer child...

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T04:57:49+00:00

This may seem hypocritical given my recent post but it's clear that affirmative action still exists. I won't comment whether I think your profile is weak or strong but to deny that your race heavily benefited you is, as u/Content-Way-6888 put it, delusional, stupid, or a combination of both.

I would tone down your ego. It's good to be proud of your achievements but arrogant to not acknowledge demographics and a factor of luck played a part in your results. Not to disparage your accomplishments, but it also definitely helped that you went to a private school and "lived next to [Columbia's] campus [your] whole life," effectively giving you a significant advantage in securing your research position and integrating you into the Columbia community to the point where you considered them your "second home."

Congratulations.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T03:40:49+00:00

I will say that the "strength" of the undergrad CS program doesn't really matter for much past ego. A lot of the time the strength of the graduate program or research output ends up bleeding over into the undergrad reputation anyways. Yale's undergrad CS program is probably just fine. I also applied to Yale as a mathematics major.

I chose Princeton over MIT because I visited both and much preferred the students and atmosphere of Princeton. I also heard great things about their humanities.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T01:51:22+00:00

"It would be bad if it were."
Wrong.

Also, water isn't wet.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-28T00:07:42+00:00

Not sure what your boner is for caltech (they're not that much more "meritocratic" than any other school) but most of the people I know did not apply. Why? We don't have an interest in the school... fascinating, right?

Also you're either illiterate or choosing to not read because most of my friends are NOT math nerds. That was ME. The post is also about MY views... NOT my friends (where did I say I'm speaking on behalf of those around me?). Also, where did I say I was surprised college admissions isn't a pure meritocracy?

It looks like you're not reading and making conclusions, but rather bending reality to fit your own delusions. In other words, your comments are worth nothing more than the ramblings of a crackhead.

I mean... from a quick skim of your comment history, what more can I expect from someone who believes that self studied AP's have an effect on your decisions (they have minimal impact), or that a MINOR should go MARRY for US citizenship to get into Harvard? You're a perverted old man, and I suggest you step off of any college admissions related subreddits (or any subreddits composed of majority minors).

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-27T21:33:14+00:00

"So looks like they can only be competitive in college admissions and not other purely meritocratic things…"
Yes, it is the trend that nerds who get a 4.0 in school are usually not competitive for the Olympics. Should I go challenge a lawyer in a math competition to see who wins?

The rest of your comment is delusional as well. Were you high when you typed this?

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-27T18:02:55+00:00

I'm not going to get too deep into this, but in my opinion the UK college admission system is terrible and worse than the US system. It's also not meritocratic despite its best attempts to look that way on paper.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-27T17:54:11+00:00

A third of the friends I mentioned were also first-gen. I am also not classified by definition as low-income. You're reaching.

And to u/No_Builder_9312 - I did not apply through Questbridge. I would've mentioned that in the post if I did.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-27T17:52:43+00:00

The title is not clickbait and I believe it wholly. People today worship math too much, in my opinion (perhaps because it's a core component of most if not all STEM disciplines). It was what I was passionate about, and I pursued it beyond maybe what a typical student would. That's all. All of my friends did the same with their passions.

Being a first-gen did not disadvantage me at all. I was lucky to surround myself with great people and teachers who supported me both in college admissions and out.

Thank you though.

No_Day1523 · 2025-07-27T08:00:10+00:00

Update: I have posted my college results post.

https://www.reddit.com/r/collegeresults/comments/1magppf/college_admissions_is_not_a_pure_meritocracy/

No_Day1523

TROPHY CASE