academically UNchallenged but..

Parents Forum
1

<p>If I haven't blabbed enough in my posts, I adore my school, Clark University. I have great experiences and love my life here. </p>

<p>Lately though, I've been feeling a sort of dissatisfaction with the academic minds on campus. They're just not like mine. </p>

<p>I went to a very academically driven school. Students were SMART, crazily so. (What am I talk about? This is CC, of course you know.) They were very academically driven, it was their life.</p>

<p>I find that the students here are less so. I do not think that the work here is easier in a sense, but that the students just do not achieve to as high of a level. The bar is, I guess, lowered. </p>

<p>I find myself working less, studying less. I was a freshman in a class of upperclassmen. I applied myself just a little bit and got one of the 2 As in the class. </p>

<p>It's not that I am super smart. From school I have just been disciplined to work hard and to take school seriously. I feel that some kids here just do not have the same mindset, and that shows in their work. They get Bs and are fine with it. (What?! Bs?!!!) </p>

<p>I'm not saying everyone on campus is lazy. In fact, there are a lot of people who work very hard. But how do I say this. Even if they work hard, their work still does not show the intelligence level that I had expected. </p>

<p>What's a kid to do?</p>

<p>People here are not going to be number one in academics. I know that. But I love the other parts of them. I love how everyone is passionate about something, how active we all are in the community and issues. I love the opportunities I have here to take lead and to make changes. I love how our voices are heard. </p>

<p>I just wish my mind was more challenged academically. Dammit, I want my brain to be stretched by mind-boggling tests and work.</p>

<p>I'm not sure if I'm explaining this as well as I should. It's 1 am and I've been staring at a paper for too long. The paper's prompt is so easy I could cry. And yet so my classmates struggle...</p>

2

<p>Since you love Clark, my advice is to establish strong relationships with your professors, asking them for supplemental reading, opportunities to do research, and ways of going more in depth on your assignments.</p>

<p>Professors usually are thrilled to mentor students who are passionate about learning. </p>

<p>My advice would be good if you are the type of person who enjoys having strong relationships with adults ("adults" in this case means people older than most college students) and who flourishes when you get such attentions. If, however, what inspires you is close relationships with peers who intellectually challenge you, then you may need to transfer to a school where the student body is more intellectually similar to you.</p>

3

<p>I agree with Northstarmom. When my son was looking into Clark, a history major wrote me (re Loren Popes book) and told me her story. She was an A student, very smart and given some flak for going to Clark when she could of gone other places that were "rated better". She was a sophmore when she wrote me and loving her time there, but she admitted that in some cases, you work as much as you want. You can do almost anything if you ask. She did great research in freshman year and had small class's where she got extra attention and work after class because she sought out her professors. As Northstarmom said, they loved to help her and she had more than enough stimulating work to do. You also meet other students that feel the same way. Sometimes you are just scattered depending on majors, and with hers being History, she had a smaller area which was a mixed blessing. She wouldn't change her mind about attending the school, but will continue to "tweak" her class's a bit. Once it's known that you want to do research, etc., most people she said are happy to help. She also commented that a school like Swarthmore, although she could of gone there, would of smothered her and she wouldn't of had the socialization and community service she had at Clark. Only you can know what what would be good for you. Good luck!</p>

4

<p>Northstarmom is <em>smart.</em> I might have suggested that you think about transferring, because I do think challenging your mind is important if it's one of your own innate priorities. But she has it right. Work the problem from within. It's a skill you will use throughout life.</p>

<p>If you felt that your peers were uninteresting in all dimensions, I would advocate for the transfer. But you are finding that they have passions in other areas besides academic. Guess what? Academics become less and less important ( to most people ) as the years go by. Passion in diverse areas stays important.</p>

5

<p>I think that NSM's distinction is really useful. My daughter also felt, at her first school, unchallenged academically by her classmates--there was a general uninterest in learning for it's own sake. </p>

<p>but she was also not happy with the social cast of the college either, which lived up to its party school rep in a big way.</p>

<p>For her, the answer of finding profs to work with, and outside opportunities, would not have made up for the lack of connection with her classmates--she thrives on a peer-to-peer component to education.</p>

<p>So for her, transfering made sense from all angles. But for you, if you can make the other kinds of connections, then staying might make sense. but if the lack of intellectual interest gets stifling to you, then transfering might be an angle to look into.</p>

6

<p>great advice given about getting involved with professor research. personally, when i felt unstimulated, i found the best way to deal with that was just to take extra courses- when you have 5 papers due on the same day, believe me, you will not feel bored!
Also, are their any academically orientated student groups on campus? like a debate team, political groups, trivia teams, etc etc, things that would get your mind working? that would also give you a chance to meet people who are passionate about learning too!</p>