What does this sentence mean?

<p>I was reading at Tufts’ Essays that Worked and one essay had this sentence:</p>

<p>“As a timorous sophomore I set the bar at a height easily achieved, and I could coast through school.”</p>

<p>What does that mean?</p>

<p>S/he didn’t have very high standards for him/herself as a sophomore and therefore it was very easy to achieve them.</p>