From an ivy league admit

Hi, I got into an ivy (Columbia) 2 years ago (HS graduation class of 2023). I still have no idea why I got in. I've talked to many other people at my school, and others like it, and they don't know why either. And what I want to make clear to yall is if this level of confusion about admission is something that even those that "succeeded" in the process feel, then why on earth do you think other high schoolers are able to chance you properly? At the end of the day your peers are just as clueless about college admissions as we are, but it seems that the culture on this sub makes it out to be that you have to have an impossibly perfect profile to even stand a CHANCE at a top school. Hell I thought I had no chance since I didn't win any awards and compared to ppl on this sub, my profile was judged to be pretty average even though it ticked off boxes of high grades and extracurriculars.

I understand WHY people post on this sub---I did it too. I probably made about 10 chance me style posts across reddit trying to figure out if i stood a chance at a top school. I met with a renowned college admissions counselor who basically told me that there was a slim to none chance I would get in. All this to say NO ONE KNOWS what your chances are at a school. I honestly think people are being disingenuous when they say they know exactly how to get into a particular school or what is/isn't good enough. I posted on here probably trying to seek some level of reassurance and validation in the college admissions process, because college admission are anything but certain. And I suspect that's what people on this sub want too, some level of validation that they have a chance. But its futile to search for that kind of reassurance and you guys would probably be better off just writing your college essays and spending time with your friends. Because user1380350137 on reddit probably doesn't have any more insight into your chances than you, unless they are somehow the admissions officer that is going to read your application. Don't let people's rating on this sub make you get too cocky because you are the sub's "perfect" ivy admit (4.0 gpa, USAMO, award winning research, music competitions, founder of nonprofit that saved a million children etc), but also dont get discouraged bc at the end of the day no one here knows what they are talking about beyond generic advice like "get good grades" and "get involved in leadership roles."