So Freshman year, I took AP gov and got a B+ (88%) first semester. From then on, I swore to myself that I would never get below a B again. I just finished my sophomore year, and, having taken two APs, did not get any Bs. Now, going into my junior year, I am enrolled in six APs, so should the reasoning that “as long as I work hard enough, I shouldn’t get any Bs” still hold true?
Does anyone else think that your mentality is the number one factor in deciding your success?
I think it is a huge factor in your success. Of course, there is a limit where you have to realize that there’s just too much work and you can’t do it all, regardless of how motivated you are. 6 APs are a lot and if you participate heavily in extracurricular activities, you might not have enough time to fit everything in. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Mentality dictates work ethic which is probably the most critical component. But there are some factors that you cannot necessarily control such as natural abilities and circumstances (teacher difficulty, other commitments, etc.). Keep it up though. You will never reach your full potential unless you push yourself.
No, it’s not true. You may get a teacher who is inconsiderate and suffer in that class, has happened to people including me. The majority of one’s success though are the moral decisions that one makes. Be aware though that other variables could disrupt you…such as your environment while you study and the teacher example I gave.
I do agree though that mentality is the #1 factor to one’s success.
Time and time management is also another factor in your success. Sometimes you can’t control how much homework a class gives, but you can control how you manage your time, how efficiently you do each task, and you have a choice of how many classes and extracurriculars you participate in. Mentality is important but also is emotional and physical health, which sometimes we don’t take enough time for during the day.
For instance during my sophomore year I took all honors classes, aced all of them, and even had time to self-study an AP for fun so I figured I could handle the workload when I upped it to 4 APs. It was pretty stressful because of intermixing deadlines along with other responsibilities and I learned to cope, but just realize that sometimes it is also more than just about mentality, it is also about finding the right balance
It’s mostly mentality but getting less than an A can also be caused by things you can’t control, like socratic seminars. I really hate those.