From the early decision/action deadline on November 1st to my decision date on December 19, the tabs that were always open on my phone were the two College Confidential sites. College Confidential is a college forum that includes information about test prep, financial aid, admissions essays, majors, parents, the Ivy League, and more. One was a forum called “UChicago EA/ED Class of 2021” and the other was “Tulane EA/ED Class of 2021.” I would refresh and check these sites–in between my classes, after dinner, before I went to bed–and I tried to predict whether I would be admitted, deferred, or rejected from either university.

After both decisions were released, I stopped, and I realized how often I had checked it during the admissions process. I would read the stories of parents who posted about what happened with their children, college students, who offered seniors advice, and the stories of other seniors who expressed the same anxiety I was feeling. Knowing that others were going through the same process made me feel like I wasn’t alone.

College Confidential users would discuss UChicago’s preference for Early Action and Tulane’s for Early Decision, which are non-binding and binding applications, respectively. Reading these opinions gave me insight into the inner workings of the admissions process.

These universities are determined to increase their yield. They want students who are absolutely going to attend, leading to the addition of Early Decision. A user’s ability to learn about her colleges from College Confidential explains the growing popularity of the site.

And the College Confidential toolbox is even bigger. The “Ask the Dean” section allows students to ask the deans of their prospective colleges any questions they have. This “any” results in a diverse range of questions, ranging from “AP French vs. Advanced Art?” to “‘Excellent’ college after ‘terrible’ ninth and tenth?” Through College Confidential, users are talking to professionals to whom that they may not otherwise have access. This type of connection is an asset for students who do not have strong college counseling programs at their schools or any college counseling at all.

Even though I am fortunate to have access to a strong and caring College Counseling department, getting opinions from different deans provided me with alternative perspectives as to how to approach the college process.

For example, in the “Ask the Dean” section, I learned about how to select a college that would be the best fit for me. The dean, whose name was not mentioned, suggested that I read “The Fiske Guide to Colleges” and the “Insider’s Guide to Colleges” to learn about the gender balance, location, majors, offered and acceptance rates of various universities and colleges. This allowed me to develop a well-rounded contextual sense of my options before I narrowed down my list.

College Confidential also offers advice about what to expect from life during college. It provides users with articles written by professors and college counselors that suggest how to be academically proficient in college, how to use college resources, how to overcome percolating Day One emotions, and more.

Reading this advice makes me feel more comfortable about entering a completely new setting where I will have to adjust to a different curriculum, a new group of students, and a lifestyle of greater independence.

The site’s opponents assert that an illusion of authenticity exists. In other words, readers can never be certain that what a user is expressing is true. I remember one user was trying to make others nervous by listing out his or her many “accomplishments” before saying that he or she got rejected from the prestigious university. Seeing students who have credentials that are misleading or inaccurate can hinder the self-esteem of students hoping to apply to a certain college or university.

I doubt that the vast majority of users are people who are trying to run the psyches of students in circles. Why would someone invest his or her time that way? I’ve noticed that most users actively contribute to the dialogue in a considerate and thoughtful way, adding to the effectiveness of the site.

College Confidential made me feel that my level of stress for this process was normal, and like I was part of a community of students who shared the same fears, doubts, hopes, and dreams. Being a silent observer had never been so productive.