<p>*Ok I feel like I have to step in and defend my college’s honor here. Never in my classes have their ever been sabotagers. I think its a midwest thing but everyone cooperates. *</p>
<p>I agree…I don’t think it is a Midwest (or Southern) thing to do. Although I wouldn’t go out on a limb and claim that these areas are “sabotage free zones.”</p>
<p>this kind of behavior also seems more limited to the hard science/engineering type of majors in the higher ranked schools. Probably not found in the humanities nor the lower ranked schools. </p>
<p>My niece was at UCSD where the sabotaging went on. Certainly not by most of the students, but enough for my niece to notice and comment about it. She has since graduated.</p>
<p>My other niece at SLO has not seen this behavior.</p>
<p>My nephew at UCLA has seen some of this.</p>
<p>My nephew at Vandy, has not.</p>
<p>My niece at Tulane has not.</p>
<p>My nephew at Tufts has only completed one semester, so he has no feelings yet on the subject. He’s a low key kid, so no one probably bothers him.</p>
<p>I could go on…I have nearly 50 nieces and nephews who have recently been thru college, are currently in college, or soon will be in college. (That’s what H and I get for coming from big families.)</p>
<p>*1) the “saboteurs”
2) the obnoxious argue about every point, answer every question, always thinking about the next step, “pests”
3) the “curve-busters” who are going beyond the norm every time while staying social, cooperative, and friendly but are still kicking your (hiney).</p>
<p>My kid would have never been described as type 1, may have some folks who thought she drifted over to type 2 at times, and most certainly was type 3 at her school. (She’s the kid in class who always did the extra work even if she already had a solid A. That tends to tick people off. ) </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>I would describe my son as #3. But, he never seems to upset people. He’s such a comedic clown that his classmates seem to give him a pass…he also tries to keep his grades a secret.</p>
<p>However, he was a #2 to his high school chemistry teacher soph year in high school. When the teacher finally talked to me about him, I told her that she needed to remember that she didn’t know all things chemistry and accept when she is wrong. (so, I guess I am a #2…LOL)</p>
<p>Do not forget that some kids are much better at getting those A+ consistently in many unrelated classes than getting those very high standardized test scores. Slow(er) readers are one example. These people are making logical connections, thinking thru while reading. It makes studying for classes very efficient, but absolutely does not work during long standardized tests. Verbal portion is always a problem. Those kids are killing the curve in their classes until prof. realize that they should not be even included in a curve. And not all of them locking themselves in the room studying forever. In fact, they are very opposite, they know how to study efficiently. Some of them are not admittable to very top programs because of their slightly lower standardized scores mostly because of Verbal (Reading) section.</p>
<p>Re #41, wow 50 nieces and nephews! even for you and H togethor, if two per parents, then both you and H would have had over a dozen siblings each? I and my W have 15 all together, 4 in the states with a fourth-yr resident and and 3rd-yr in md/phd program. My Ss have great advices from their cousins. Wow 50! will be a great family reunion if both sides can come together somehow.</p>
<p>@MiamiDAP, i think you are right. my S1 and S2 have the opposite characters. S1 has been not well in HS GPA-wise, but had 2370 SAT in a single seating and his research advisors love him because he gets the research done effectively, producing results in HS and in college now. S2 is near the top in school ranking but slightly less performing in standardized tests (perfect math but verbal sections not as good). however, S2 does better than S1 in some other aspects. sounds like you are describing my S2.</p>
<p>* if two per parents, then both you and H would have had a dozen sibling each? *</p>
<p>Ha ha…that’s where your numbers are off…My H and I are the “pikers” in the family by only having 2 kids. Our sibs have lots of kids. My H comes from a family of 8 kids and I come from a family of 7 kids. Each set of grands has over 25 grandkids. Yikes!!!</p>
<p>mom2, hope they don’t have to buy xmas gifts for grandkids. their nest eggs will disappear sooner if they do … ok kids are almost grownups now, soon they will bring gifts for their grands. good families tho.</p>