A Classic Case of Managing Expectations
A Clever Trick by a Postgraduate Adjacent Student
This student scored 363 on the entrance exam, failed to get into his first-choice program, and wanted to transfer to the medical school of a prestigious university. To eliminate competitors, he deliberately spread rumors in an online group chat for students seeking second-choice admissions.
He created two fake accounts—one claiming a score of 396, the other 394. But that wasn't enough. He even staged a scripted conversation between the two accounts, pretending they had heard the admission spots were already reserved internally and therefore hopeless.
Others would think, wow, if scores of 394 and 396 have no chance, how could mine possibly succeed? So they all dropped out.
In the end, only one person showed up for the interview—the 363 scorer.
Hope shines brightest when ordinary people follow the rules.