stop saying college admissions are a lottery

I agree to some extent. It's not literally like a lottery - there's a ton of applicantion aspects that objectively differentiate students. However, there is still some element of luck. Supposing the same application was submitted two years, it's possible that one would get in and the other wouldn't, just depending on the context of that incoming class, what the admissions office wanted for the incoming class, and a bunch of other things.

also, don’t say ED is only for legacies and athletes just because you didn’t get in with perfect stats. there are many FGLI students that got in early. perfect stats aren’t everything, personality is.

there was a reason why they were admitted and you weren’t, but it wasn’t random.

The reason could be out of your control.

For example -

1. Limit of students who request need-based financial aid

2. You are Asian

3. Your counselor messed up a form

4. Yield Protection

5. Too many students applying to your preferred major

6. High school has too many students/No individual focus (Bad reco letters/Hard to get into clubs)

A lot of factors (income, opportunities, high school location, high school facilities) are out of your control.

if you are an amazing student but an absolute robot, you will likely not be competitive in admissions

Let me assure you that every top school has a lot of nerds whose pure passion/focus is academically orientated. AOs recognize these students as well and don't treat them as "robots".

there’s no need to deflect onto people who were admitted

Unfortunately with legacy admissions and the semi-recent college scandals surrounding bribes, Asian students etc., people have a severe distrust with the college admissions process and target privileged students who didn't have to work as hard as them. It's the honest truth.

This post is incredibly arrogant, obnoxious and close-minded.

i absolutely agree. i feel this kind of mindset that its a lottery takes a very external locus of control approach which isnt healthy. people argue that each year colleges have a defined type(s) of students they'll accept that year like saxophone players or ballerinas for example but i believe that even if you dont have what they're specifically looking for that year but you shine in all other realms and prove that youre worth it then you can get that acceptance letter.

You’re wrong for the simple fact that it is luck based, you even said it yourself… If the applications are unfair or unpredictable then it is luck based. Also the universities constantly talk about having specific applicants that fill a very specific “need” to make a well rounded class. Whether that be a specific niche such as a trombone player or a fencer, but this need changes year after year. How will you know what each university is looking for if they never state what niche they’re looking for, and if it changes year after year? If you’re lucky and the college you applied to needs a niche that you’re focused in then you got lucky, but if they don’t need it that year but may need it next year then you got unlucky, it’s merely that simple. If that’s not luck based then you clearly need to brush up on what “luck” means, as you clearly don’t know what you’re talking about.

if you are an amazing student but an absolute robot, you will likely not be competitive in admissions.

Agree with this, to a point. If you're a robot who is also a math prodigy...you're probably competitive (some places).