<p>I've been working really hard in school since I was little, and I have always been academically competitive. I have big dreams to attend a top 30 university, so I've been doing my best to make my stats as good as I can.</p>
<p>I love academics more than I have loved anything else in the world. I love to learn and I love to work hard and better myself while at the same time, try to help as many people in the process.</p>
<p>However, my parents and family do not understand my dreams at all. I messed up on my last SAT (dropped from an 1880 to an 1820) and my mother thinks I am too confident in my intelligence. My father doesn't even pay attention to it. And my sister tries to make me feel like I never know what I'm doing when it comes to college. They all think I am making the wrong decisions. </p>
<p>They make me want to just want to stop trying and give up my desire to excel in the academics portion of my life. I don't know what to do.</p>
<p>Why do you want to go to a top 30 university?
I mean either way you will earn a degree and pursue a succesfull career…</p>
<p>Don’t think that. Your parents will never wish that upon you. You should talk to them one on one. Really TALK to them, and say how you feel. I do this with my parents all the time, to the point where they ask me: “You need anything I can help you with?” Remember, anyone can dream of going to a top university of an Ivy League, but it’s way harder than it seems. Your parents don’t want you to set such high expectations and then fall right on your face when you didn’t get what you want. College and high school are TOTALLY different. You know, many Freshman in college dropout, or flunk because they weren’t ready or didn’t expect the quick change in lifestyle. I’m not an expert on this, but the best thing I could say is to talk to them, and never assume, assuming can get you in trouble. Talking and discussing is best when you have trouble.</p>
<p>I want the academic rigor and prestige…</p>
<p>Thanks, Fantasy, I’ll try that</p>
<p>Do you have any particular schools you are thinking about going to?</p>
<p>Carnegie-Mellon, Georgetown, and Vanderbilt would be fantastic. Ever heard of Sewanee? I think that would be a nice place to go, too, and it’s not as high of a reach. University of Florida would be my last choice, but I would go if I didn’t get accepted anywhere else.</p>
<p>That’s good. I heard Sewanee is really good. Prepare to work hard though, those other schools are really hard to get into, but I think you have a chance at them. :)</p>
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<p>hmm those are really nice motivations. people go to top 30 schools and even after they still don’t feel anything like that. feeling like that is what is important, not going to a top 30 school. going to one won’t help you learn more or improve yourself more or help others more, than not going to one. you might like it more at one or have more fun though. maybe.</p>
<p>try to dial down it’s importance to you this year if you can.</p>
<p>Thank you for all the help :)</p>