Top Student @ Good Public -vs- B student @ Top Boarding school

lindquik
Mon, 08 Nov 2021 17:15:38 +0000

I’m going to share my son’s experience so far. I know every child is different but I hope this helps.

My son was at a local private day school and top of his class all 10 years he attended. We always told him all we cared about was his effort and his grades would be what they would be but he is a perfectionist so he was stressed if there was ever a lost point anywhere. But, even he would say he wasn’t “challenged” and perhaps he focused on being “perfect” because that is what he could strive for?

He just started BS in the fall and his mid semester grades are definitely NOT straight A+ but he was very proud of his grades (as are we!) because he is so inspired and challenged by his classes and teachers! Sure, he would love to have straight A+ but to see him so engaged and focused on the material he is learning rather than being “perfect” is great for us to see!

I don’t know how or why his focus changed so I don’t have any “techniques” to share. It seems like it happened naturally -it’s like he wasn’t challenged enough before so he gave himself the challenge of trying to be “perfect” but now he is being challenged in the right way if that makes sense?