I’m a senior in high school, and was applying to colleges this past admissions cycle. There were a couple colleges I had no intentions of going to whatsoever due to already having gotten into my dream school early action that I applied to because a) they require no supplemental essays (essays specifically for that college on top of my common application essay), meaning no extra work b) they offered me fee waivers, meaning I spend nothing c) they are known to have cool acceptance packages— college merch, stuffed animals, in some cases even books. So since I had an opportunity to apply to colleges for free with the potential of getting free stuff where the only work I’d have to do is fill out a form and hit submit, of course I would.
I did end up getting accepted to these colleges, and got some really cool acceptance packages, then declined their offer of acceptance. My friend thinks I’m TA for this because I’m taking the spot away from somebody who probably actually wants it.
I explained this is only the case until I decline my admissions because colleges waitlist people. As in, if there’s somebody the college thinks would be a good fit but for whatever reason their application is deemed slightly less good than other applicants, they’ll admit the latter and waitlist the former. Then, if the latter declines admission and space opens up, a waitlisted person gets accepted. So once I decline the application, a waitlisted person who presumably wants to go there gets accepted.
My friend still thinks it’s disingenuous to apply just for the acceptance package. But I don’t think it’s that deep. AITA?