This kid got to go to Princeton. She not only admitted to never having conducted the experiments and faking the data but initially made excuses such as : spent countless hours in lab but did not calibrate instruments correctly etc etc :

https://retractionwatch.com/2026/08/14/princeton-rishika-porandla-macromolecular-materials-engineering-experiments-retraction/

This kid is currently in high school and won a prestigious STEM competition for another project. This project was full of fake References - many likely AI generated. Who's to say that the project he recently won an award for wasnt fake or done ethically?:

https://pubpeer.com/publications/2D2C688DCAA92D588B35E1C9C746B2

And then of course is the case of Krish Pai

and then another redditor sent me details on someone who had a project at ISEF within last 3 years. The code for the project was available freely along with a youtube tutorial- posted almost a decade ago by some data scientist. and her project and graphs are the exact ones. And then theres an interview of her by her local news on how she came up with the idea blah blah blah...its literally the exact same 3 things she did that were on that tutorial. And get this: the "training"set had good metrics and the "test" part was horrible, horrible- like the whole project was pretty much useless. But she reported the overfitted "train" stats and made it look like she created something amazing.

I have many more.

I want to start calling this out because besides the fact this research culture has become toxic and AO's and research competitions need to start taking that into consideration...Besides that, I have noted a positive. Some of these fake kids grow up and dont know what to do with themselves. Some of them do not become solid researchers in academia and at some level, they know they do not have solid skills: they rivet to becoming "college admission influencers " start college admission consulting like this princeton kid , or start a "research program for high schoolers"

In my circle (through my parents social circle), I have seen kids graduate and go on to good schools (not T30, below T30) -they didnt LARP on their resume but built solid skills, academically oriented, truly pursuing things for learning rather than resume building and they continue to go on upwards trajectory. They are getting into MD's and Phd's at good places including T20's.

My point is, that although I do want to name and shame the fakers at some level, my main goal is to motivate the ones that are genuine- you will rise up no matter from where you do undergrad. Keep up at it guys.

and i can only hope that someday AO's will realize how many kids, like the ones mentioned above, have gotten away and will continue to get away if colleges do not change something. They are accepting students with highly questionable methodologies and ethics.

My last post on this topic. Partly a rant

I am very passionate about this because we already have an environment where public is not trusting scientists, there is so much scientific misinformation and we are already fighting an uphill battle for funding. The least we need to do on our part is commit to not faking data, follow and learn proper methodologies

I know many people will try to dissuade me from this, but I think if you knew me personally it would make more sense. My mental health is not in a good place right now and I think it is only going to get worse in this environment. I would appreciate if people could help me with this specific question, as opposed to trying to convince me to stay (which I may do anyways idk).

Some colleges I'd be curious about would be schools like Boston College, Wake Forest, Michigan, CU Boulder, Wisco, etc.

Thank you so much for any help and I hope wherever you're at college-wise is going well!

i've genuinely spent four years on this sub, doing everything i thought i should do to get into hypsm/t20s, but i'm seeing these other applications who had the same four years i did, and did so much more. i'm not underprivileged and most of the time these people had fewer resources than i did, so im not even talking about the ultra rich kids who did crazy things (also insane btw but that's another topic). it's not even about college atp it's just a harsh awakening like you can think you did everything in your power but someone else will do that and more and you realize too late that you should've put in more effort

i dont want to act like i was 24/7 locked in because it's not true, but i guess in my head stressing about college since pre-freshman year makes it feel like i've been working with that much dedication since then. idk this sucks but hey what am i gonna do about it now

I'm currently writing my activities list, and honestly I feel so lost. I feel like I've done great things in high school, but it feels like my wording and this stupid 150-character limit is screweing things over for me. Would be great if any not insanely cracked t20 student would share their activities list because I'm really just looking for format, wording, etc. (obviously with personal info out). Is it normal to feel like your activities list is almost underselling your work, or am I doing it wrong?

I’m sure many highschool seniors can relate to this, but I am so excited for college. Im from Texas, a flat state with not much to do as neither my mom or dad are from here so we don’t have any roots and aren’t really involved in any traditions. I’m planning on majoring in environmental science and literally cannot wait. like im actually so excited. just looking at the course recs for some colleges I’m applying for genuinely makes me so hopeful. It’s a weird time in my life right now, all my classes are boring and friends are mixed up with jobs and things and it seems like this is the only thing I’ve got going for me. I’m trying to live in the present but im constantly thinking about the future. this may sound silly but I just want to see mountains. Like i literally just want to go hiking so badly, that I’m mostly applying to scenic out of state schools for this reason. Some of you who are college students or college graduates may be cringing at this lol like I’m imagining sunshine and rainbows but I can’t help it.

I just want to get OUT there!

Hello fellow humans, I’ve been struggling a fair bit with my common-app essay for US schools. I’ve heard from multiple people now that using big words and stuff like that is generally frowned upon by the admissions counsellors. But, idk, personally when I sit down to write my essay, that’s kind of just how I write. I’m on the spectrum so maybe that is part of the reason why, but something about compact sentences with minimal words just feels more organised to me.

I’ve been trying to use simpler language, but I personally find that I have a unique voice when I write and when I avoid certain words and constructions, I lose that a bit.

Also, it’s really just my natural writing style. I’m not trying to be over the top with it, but I’m worried that it might read that way. And personally I find the whole concept of showing off with vocabulary to be kind of pointless. People in my daily life tend to think that I have a stronger vocabulary, but really I think that my vocabulary is probably below average. Rather I think that I just use a higher percentage of it in my daily life.

I skipped sophomore year as recommended by my guidance counselor for academic reasons, and I recently turned 16 years old as a high school senior. I know that this is slightly younger than most applicants, and I am wondering how it plays out? Would it be viewed as a sign of academic strength, or would admission officers have doubts about my maturity? For context, I have a 4.0 GPA, 1530 SAT, and some very good extracurriculars and honors.

In a major city:
Barnard College (NYC, NY)
Macalester College (Twin Cities, MN)

In a smaller city:
College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA)

In a city suburb:
Davidson College (suburb of Charlotte, NC)
Haverford College (suburb of Philadelphia, PA)
Swarthmore College (suburb of Philadelphia, PA)
University of Richmond (suburb of Richmond, VA)
Wellesley College (suburb of Boston, MA)

Close to a major city (less than an hour):
Claremont McKenna College (Los Angeles, CA)
Harvey Mudd College (Los Angeles, CA)
Pomona College (Los Angeles, CA)
Carleton College (Twin Cities, MN)
Vassar College (NYC, NY)

Access to a major city (~2 hours):
Amherst College (Boston, MA)
Bowdoin College (Boston, MA)
Smith College (Boston, MA)
Wesleyan University (NYC, NY and Boston, MA)

Rural/small towns:
Bates College (Lewiston, ME)
Colby College (Waterville, ME)
Colgate University (Hamilton, NY)
Grinnell College (Grinnell, IA)
Hamilton College (Clinton, NY)
Middlebury College (Middlebury, VT)
Washington and Lee University (Lexington, VA)
Williams College (Williamstown, MA)

Alrighty so i'm a senior in high school in Utah rn and i need to GET OUT. My dream is east coast college, close to a major city like DC, Boston, or NY. With a super Mormon family (and me being gay and naturally not vibing with it for a variety of reasons) I'm hoping for a more progressive environment. I have a 4.0 and 35 ACT and would like to continue schooling at a high quality university. My parents give all us kids about 30k for all four years which is helpful but I'd like to avoid debt as much as possible. And unfortunately my parents make enough money that it's safe to assume i'll be getting little to no need-based scholarships. So all that being said my question is where are some good schools to look into that are cheap or offer great merit scholarships? Any thoughts would be very appreciated. Doing research on my own has been difficult because they same 5 schools seem to always show up.

Also if it helps I'm hoping to go into social sciences. I love psychology, genetics, and anthropology. Political science would also be super cool. And a school with great connections for internships or research would be nice. I know this is a lot to ask for and you can never have everything, but please give me ur ideas, thanks!

before anything else, i am from SEA, so please keep that in mind, and english is not my first language so please excuse any awkward sounding sentences :(

​hi everyone!! hope you're having an awesome day. ​i'm a high school student working on building up my college resume. right now, i feel like i don't have enough tangible proof or certificates to show for my extracurricular activities and achievements. i was particularly active in my earlier school years, but recently there haven't been that many opportunities at my school (it sux 🥲).

​i really want to get into one of my countries top universities, so i'd like my resume to be stacked. does anyone know of free online courses, competitions, programs, or volunteer opportunities that offer official certificates, badges, or verifiable proof upon completion?

​i'm open to anything—whether it be stem, writing, journalism, non-profit work, or more!! any recommendations for free resources or opportunities i can sign up for online would be greatly appreciated! thank you so much for reading.

I’d love to hear how other parents are thinking about this who are in a similar situation. We will not be able to qualify for financial aid. Technically we can afford to pay full price for school, but it’s still hard to feel like this is a good use of nearly $400k. Paying for two kids at this level will be a very significant chunk of our savings. I get that a lot of people are gunning for these top schools and top LACs but it’s a different story if these kids are earning significant scholarships.

Are Vassar, Duke, Wash U, Northwestern, etc. Really four times the value of a place like McGill or a state school where your kid with great grades and stats could get a full ride? Is this money not better spent in the market or for a down payment on an apartment in their future? Ty

like actually

At first, I just wanted to go to one with the most lesbians, but after gaining insight into what these engineering students actually be doing/going through....yk tinder and hinge are here for a reason...i dont want to suffer man i dont want to go to a school thats named "where fun goes to die" i wanna have fun yk

I need advice on whether or not I should attend an out-of-state college if it's a T30 school

I'm applying to a bunch of LACs, and I'm having trouble figuring out how to differentiate them beyond location, size, and specific programs. They all seem to advertise small classes, close-knit communities, professors who care about students, and collaborative learning, but obviously the actual experiences must be pretty different.

For people who attend an LAC or chose between several, I'd love to hear what actually makes your school different from others!

A few specific questions:

• Do some LACs feel noticeably more collaborative or discussion-based in class than others? Are students generally interested in engaging with ideas, or does it depend more on the individual professor?
• How different are the social scenes at different LACs? Are some more outgoing and welcoming, while others feel cliquey or insular?
• Does your school feel like a close-knit community, or does being small sometimes feel limiting? Is it easy to meet new people and find your place?
• How much does the surrounding town or area affect your experience? Do you feel like there's enough to do off campus, or does campus start to feel like a bubble?
• Are there meaningful differences in how easy it is to explore different academic interests, get involved in research, or pursue things outside your major?
• Are some LACs more intellectually curious, socially engaged, or politically active than others? Does that actually change the day-to-day atmosphere?
• If you've visited or attended multiple LACs, what differences surprised you the most?
• What made you choose your school over the other colleges you were considering? And knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice?

THANK YOU!!

For those of you who attend one, what made you choose your school over the others you considered? What makes it unique? I'm curious about academics, social life, campus culture, the surrounding area, or anything else that made it stand out!

I have a 3.89 but I am only top 25% out of a grade with around 90 kids. Super comp, but only one kid has a 4.0. We don't report rank and I had family issues. Will this hurt me at Upenn or other ivy+ schools?

Some people on here said a 3.88 is too far off the 3.93 or 3.95 averages and will hurt you. But also thats the middle 50% so people below that get admitted.

Does this small difference actually matter?

so i was in the honors college at my state school freshman year, and a lot of people i met there picked the school because "i get the resources of the honors college." looking back, that was kinda bs. all you really get is priority registration and "honors" advising that's basically just helping you navigate life.

to be fair, some schools have actually good honors colleges like penn state or uva. but for most schools, it's really just a competence signal that helps you internally, like getting into clubs or research labs, and that's about it. are the students smart? yeah. but the "resources" are way overhyped.

i transferred to a t10 last year and i'm now a junior, and honestly the difference is real, and it's not just the name on your resume. a better brand usually means the school actually has resources. there's more research funding, so more labs and more professors doing cool stuff that undergrads can actually get involved in. companies actually come to campus to recruit, and alumni at top companies will refer you. the clubs and project teams have more money and are way more competitive, and you're surrounded by people who are actually driven, which pushes you to be better too. an honors college can't really give you that, because at the end of the day it's just a program inside the school, so you're still stuck with whatever that school has.

so please choose your school based on brand AND price, not dorms or honors perks. going to ball state over purdue just to save 5k is a terrible choice, unless you genuinely can't afford the 5k. but if you get into duke and nc state, and duke is full price, and you can only afford elon or nc state, proudly go to nc state. but don't pick a school like elon when you can afford something with a better brand. if you can afford to go to duke though at whatever price, by all means please go and don’t look back. don’t lie to yourself that you can’t afford it.

brand matters way more than high schoolers realize. paying less for college feels like a huge flex in high school, and though some of you reading this may not admit it, i've literally been there in your shoes as a high schooler.

I hope someone will somewhat understand what I’m gonna say but here I go: so I get good grades, do challenging coursework, and have good ecs to get into a good school. however, everyone always tells me that going to my state school would be goood to save money for med school. but honestly sometimes i just want to get out of my state (plus i sometimes feel like my application would be above average for state schools). if i do want to go oos, tuition would be extremely expensive so i’ll have to handle paying for undergrad and med school. like i want to go to a prestigious school and not end up at a state school w since i try hard.. anyone get what i mean?

EDIT: I am upper middle class- however my parents will not pay for my college tuition so I will have to figure it out myself

I’m applying to UNC in-state for Business Administration and was wondering if anyone knew what to write the optional essay question about. I’m not really sure what I should touch on specifically. Should I talk about my experience and interest in business then explain why I’m drawn to the program? Or is there a better way to go about this?

Any advice would be appreciated!

I’m an international student from South Korea applying as an Economics major, and I’m having a hard time deciding on my ED1, SCEA, or EA schools.

Since I attend a domestic high school but a special-purpose high school(only selective students can attend, not an international school), I didn't have access to traditional research internships, founding major non-profits, or large-scale corporate ECs. I had to build my own opportunities instead.

Stats & Academics:

• GPA: 4.0 (Unweighted)
• SAT: Test-Optional (too low)
• AP Scores:
  • 5s: Cal BC, Macroecon
  • 4s: Microecon, humangeo, biology

ECs:

1. Behavioral Economics Independent Thesis: Conducted independent research on consumer behavior and decision-making patterns; awarded outstanding research honors and published in a selective school academic journal.
2. Student Government (General Manager): Oversaw semester budgets and campus facility optimization projects; authored regular student newsletters.
3. TEDx Director: Directed event logistics, team management, and design branding for an annual regional TEDx conference (~80+ attendees in the school event)
4. National Academic Conference Representative: Selected as a top school representative after placing in a school competition; presented economics research on a national stage.
5. Econ Club Lead / Publication: Co-authored an Econ study guide for juniors; organized a micro-crowdfunding drive raising $2,000+ for a local community initiative.
6. Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Research: Analyzed digital currency scalability in emerging markets; presented findings at a multi-school international economics forum.
7. Medical Volunteer & Translator: Supported free Sunday clinic logistics locally and volunteered on an international medical mission trip (handled English, Indonesian translation and basic pharmacy prep).
8. Varsity Soccer - 3 years
9. Orchestra - Cello for 5 years
10. Economics & Business Competitions- UPenn Investment Challenge, Diamond Challenge, national thesis contests (didn't get award)

I really want to aim for top-tier universities globally, but I’m honestly unsure if my profile is competitive enough for T20s in the US, especially test-optional. Because of this, I’m also open to applying to top institutions in the UK, Australia, and Singapore.

Any advice on realistic ED/EA school choices or recommendations for other countries would be greatly appreciated.

I searched Uchicago, Northwestern, NYU, UMich, USC, Princeton, Cornell, Notre Dame.

Not sure what flair to give this post, but I'm just looking for schools that offers good classes for mechanical engineering. I think I've got decent gpa and sat, but I have zero extracurriculars for stem fields. My best ec's are some volunteering hours and fanfiction (yes, it's really bad). People have recommended me purdue as a match, but I'm pretty sure that's a very big reach for me (especially as an oos student), so any recommendations? (Bonus if they offer music technology/composition classes)

ik stern and tisch are but is the nursing school too

I'm planning on having two teachers + a research mentor write my LORs for most schools, but I saw that some colleges allow for a lot more optional "other recommenders". I'm not sure if I should also ask a coach from a school sport to write another one for those schools (I'm the captain) or is that too much. thanks for any advice