<p>So I’m a junior student studying computer science with a 4.0 GPA. Only thing is, that I don’t feel like I’m that smart, work that hard, nor deserve my 4.0, and that there are people dumber than I am with worse grades than I have. A lot of the people I know think I could solve any problem, get A’s in any class, etc. but sometimes I think it takes me too long to understand things that should be simple and feel like a massive fraud when I remember my 4.0. To put it very bluntly, I feel like I’m BS’ing my way through college. Any insight would be appreciated, as this has been bugging me lately.</p>
<p>A GPA is just a number. It’s not your life. So what if you have a 4.0 and others don’t? Is that really what you let define yourself and others? Be grateful that your GPA is high, and base your value on things that give you character and personality. Grades do not make a person, whether those grades be high or low. :)</p>
<p>Maybe you need a challenge. Are you feeling like your college career has been uninspiring? Take a really hard class or a class that sounds outrageously fun, just because. It doesn’t even have to relate to your major. Try to find a research opportunity with a professor. I don’t know…just try something new, fun, and challenging!</p>
<p>Oops, in the second sentence I meant that I feel there are people smarter than I am but have worse grades than I have. I made myself sound like a massive @$$. Sorry.</p>
<p>Survivor’s guilt is a condition where somebody who survives a traumatizing event (i.e. a wreck, illness, fight, etc.) feels horrible for those who do not. I feel like this is a similar case, although obviously nobody got hurt. There could be a number of reasons why you feel this way. I’d say if you are working hard and doing your best then there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Then again, and I mean no accusations by this, some people who feel bad for doing well have in actuality done something “wrong”. If somebody comes to me and has good news but they feel bad about it, I would think that’s bizarre.</p>
<p>Make no mistake that some people DO bu!!$**t their way through school. Some cheat, some choose an easy major, but either way it’s bad. I will let you know that if you’re really pushing yourself then a 4.0 should be impossible. People aren’t perfect and neither is life. If you have all As, to me, your program is not difficult enough. I do value your ability to feel remorse. There are worse people than you trust me (I’ve met them). Those people feel no remorse; they are INCAPABLE of it.</p>
<p>Seriously if you didn’t cheat and you didn’t purposely make this a cakewalk than stand tall! Be proud! and congratulate yourself on a job well done. </p>
<p>It’s not survivor’s guilt, it’s impostor syndrome (<a href=“Impostor syndrome - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome</a>). I’m in an MD/PhD program at a top 20 med school and still feel like i’m lazy, don’t work hard, not that smart etc. Obviously it’s not true, I wouldn’t be here if it were. You obviously don’t take too long to figure things out, you’re doing well. Just accept that its a feeling A LOT of people have and get back to enjoying your classes and being in school.</p>
<p>Really does not matter at all, taking time to understand things but then doing well is EXACTLY what you need for a job.</p>
<p>It’s not like you are taking too long, you are spending more time than you think you should.</p>
<p>Most jobs do not have very strict timelines, and no one cares if you work 8 hours per day and get your job done or have to take some work home.</p>
<p>This is the big lie about college, that doing work quickly is more important than doing it well, and doing it without any textbooks or other guidance is more important than doing it well. In the real world, you can look things up, you can ask co-workers, you can look in books. </p>
<p>Same thing about post #4 - you are getting by, got into a really tough program, you must be doing something right. If you are a potential Nobel Prize winner but only end up making a lot of money and being happy, is that a loss 
?</p>