Too "smart" for normal standards, too "stupid" for CC standards

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

<p>I feel awful because I’m in this position right now where I want to work really hard and do as much as I can to get into a good college, but at the same time, realize that these are the last remaining years of my girlhood that’ll I’ll never get back and so, I want to have as much fun as I can. </p>

<p>Compared to my friends in real life, I’m an over-achiever; nearly all my classes next year are APs/Honors, section leader and member of band council, president of a literary magazine club, one of the Youth Commission that collaborates with the City Council Board, belong to a youth leadership program for low-income students, volunteer at a retirement every week, tutors reading/writing to younger students, babysits every Friday, and not to mention various drawing and essay awards and honor bands participation. </p>

<p>Still, compared to the kids here on CC, that’s nothing. In fact, everyone here does all of that AND still has time for varsity sports, debate competitions, and cure cancer in rural Cambodia. While other kids are spending their summers preparing for SATs and doing research internships, I’m spending my summer taking a language class for fun and spending time with my friends. I haven’t taken an AP class so far (I’m an incoming junior) because of my school district, so I know I’m kinda lacking there. </p>

<p>and I don’t know, I guess I’m at a point where I feel so left out from other kids, because I can’t go out as often as I’d like to because I have some commitment, so I try to make more time for my social life, but at the same time, I feel guilty for having fun because I know as hard as I THINK I work, I know other kids work twice as harder. </p>

<p>On top of this, my mother is getting on my case about nearly EVERYTHING I do, and it sucks. Not only do I know have pressure from myself about college, but I get added pressure from my mother. We’re poor, and my parents’ old friends don’t believe I can make it into a good college because of our low-income and the poor school district I attend, so I have this added pressure of getting into like, Harvard, or something in order to spite them. And I don’t blame my mother- her and my father sacrificed so much to come over here to America, and for me to screw it up and not get into a good school? That will crush them completely. </p>

<p>So I don’t know, I guess I’ll err on my more studious side and start studying for my SATs, like my mother’s friends’ sons. -rolls eyes- I just hate how, according to my mother, I have to give up fashion and music and movies and concerts in order to completely focus on my studies. Because nerds can’t be cool, right, and have to devote all their time to their studies? Yeah, of course, of course.</p>

2

<p>You’ll fit right in at High School Life. It’s that SAT/ACT or College Admissions forum that really gets me. Anybody with a score between 1900 and 2300 will feel left out by their classmates.</p>

3

<p>Yes! I feel your pain. I’m pretty assiduous at my high school (4.0, president of ending racism club, president of Spanish Honor Society, Editor-in-Chief of newspaper, Editor-in-Chief of literary magazine, treasurer of Mu Alpha Theta, Editor of key Club, sergeant at arms of NHS, etc). I volunteer like crazy, have a job, and try to complete all of my home work in the high level classes that my school offers. Here, on CC, however, I feel like a lesser individual. The 1840 I scored on the SAT is like a stigma; the college admissions forum I find the most irritating. Unfortunately, I’m addicted to CC and the prospect of attending a top college is an opportunity I cannot pass by.</p>

4

<p>Not only that, but my mother makes me feel like doing ANYTHING like a regular kid is me being “bad”… she starts crying when I dress up cute and fashionable or do my hair nice because she says that I shouldn’t be worrying about looking nice, I should be focusing on studying. When I listen to some loud punk music, she starts whining that I’m a “bad” kid and that GOOD students don’t listen to loud music. She compares to other Chinese students, and goes, “Look at them, they don’t wear cute clothing or cut their bangs! That’s what a good student should look like! You look like one of those girls whose heart is into frivolous matters and not school at all”</p>

<p>I mean, come on, in the end, I’m just another teenage girl- allow me to lust after that particular Andy Warhol tote bag, or want tickets to Warped Tour, or worry about my weight and my looks. It doesn’t affect my studying, nor does it affect my intelligence, but nooo, according to my mother, you can either be a good student and look plain, or focus on other things and be a bad student. </p>

<p>I don’t know. Is it so much to ask for, to want to enjoy things other kids my age enjoy while also preparing for college? Do I really have to forsake one for the other?</p>

5

<p>Same here! I can finally kind of hold my own in the College Admission and Chances forums because of my ACT, but I still have nowhere near the amazing ECs that everyone else does. Gosh, I literally feel like I’m not a smart person just because I haven’t been published in some scientific journal or ranked 1st in the nation for Debate or something…</p>

<p>But in school, I’m pretty close to the top of the heap. Obviously there will always be someone smarter, but compared to the other 4,000 students I’m pretty darn intelligent.</p>

6

<p>No, you don’t have to “forsake” anything (the only line I read in full length as opposed to skimming, my apologies). </p>

<p>I suggest you relax and do stuff you like. It’s hard but don’t get pressured into studying or anything. I dunno, it’s ironic how I’m like the exact opposite of you (carefree and doing w/e I want for the most part), but I still suggest you relax.</p>

7

<p>I don’t feel smart because I’m not Harvard material. Thanks a lot to College Search and Admissions and SAT/ACT Prep.</p>

8

<p>See, this is the thing- I used to always be laid-back and chill. Everything I ever did was because of genuine passion or interest. I always said, “Screw it, I’m just going to to do it however I feel like it, act however I want to act” and it always just so happened that teachers loved me and praised my work. I feel kinda scummy for saying this, but I’ve never had to really work hard for anything- it just seems as if my good grades and standing in my extra curricular activities just… fell to me.</p>

<p>But lately, I’ve been feeling like it’s not enough, that I have to do more in order to compete with everyone else, but the side of me that wants to have fun, it’s not ready to give up the ways I was used to. </p>

<p>I’m just kinda in a very confused and depressed mood today (hence the quick replying to this thread). No one I know understands my situation, 'because no one I know in real life places this much emphasis on school while simultaneously wanting to have as much fun as possible.</p>

9

<p>OP I feel the same, prior to coming to this forum I considered myself somewhat smart, but after visiting a few threads I felt subpar compared to everyone else.
I must admit though that some threads irk like : I got a 2130 on my SAT, I need to retake again or else ill fail at life!"</p>

10

<p>Must agree with you all. It feels like I’m falling short of my goals…Im rethinking all the work I once thought meant something untill I came on here…</p>

<p>Lets all cry together.</p>

11

<p>Daaaammnnnn you CC!!</p>

12

<p>Don’t worry about CC. There are always gonna be people with higher scores, “better” ECs, whatever. Honestly, your passion will show up in your applications – admissions committees, I’m sure, can differentiate between people who do things that they enjoy and people who just start a bunch of name-only clubs so that they can write down “leadership roles” on their applications. </p>

<p>Besides, from what you said in this post, you don’t seem subpar at all to me…!</p>

13

<p>@ woeiseponine :</p>

<p>You seem like a smart and mature woman. The thing is you can’t let this stuff affect you too much. I’m an 18 yr old guy and I’m starting college in August and yes my mom was similar to yours. But what got me through it was remembering that my parents were on my case because they only wanted the best for me. It’s hard when you have someone in your own house trying to rein in your freedom.
If it’s possible…u need to sit down and talk…and be prepared to compromise. Try working out a system where if you devote a certain amount of time 2 study or get a particular score then u can be allowed out for a concert or a late nite party.</p>

14

<p>and I completely agree with Poseur as well.</p>

15

<p>To the OP you need like one of the really smart kids in CC to me. You have like a bazillion ECs and they’re actually something meaningful. Your SAT score is still good.</p>

16

<p>I thought my grades were pretty good too, then I found CC. </p>

<p>CC made me a much more humble person. Now I can really say “I’m not that smart” and mean it.</p>

17

<p>80% of college bound seniors apply to 20% of US colleges and universities. there are SO MANY great places out there that ARENT HYPMS and being on cc makes us all caught up in the “2200 or bust” frame of mind. its absolutely not necessary to get all As, to ace the SATs and the ACTs, or to feed the hungry children of zimbabwe on the weekends. There are a handful of places out there that would be THRILLED to get the 1800/25 B- student.</p>

18

<p>I feel the same way. Before cc I felt smart being in the top of my class(Which is the biggest class in the schools history) then I come here and see these post(esp. The sat/act ones) and im just like “im stupid” lol.I feel inadaquite next to a lot of CCers.oh well what can ya do besides your best? I just wish I was a **** genious sometimes when I leave here lol.im happy going to My top state university instead of harvard…that’s a reachX20 lmao</p>

19

<p>Before I stumbled upon the CC chances forum, I already felt a bit outclassed by my peers. Now, I feel like there’s enough difference to classify a complete deviation from “species!” While I was spending my summers playing video games and and sitting around reading for 18 hours, other kids were participating in competitions, conducting research, volunteering in Africa, etc, etc. Completely blew me away that I’m going to be competing with these kids for a spot at the Top 50 colleges.</p>

20

<p>yeah, CC is depressing sometimes. but it’s good motivation, definitely.</p>