<p>I don't know. People never really thought I was "smart", mainly because I never bragged or talked about my accomplishments or test scores or whatever... but now, I don't know they think i'm "smart" all of a sudden because i was accepted ED to Duke. It bothers me because I really don't think what college you go to determines if you're smart or not. Are you guys facing this?</p>
<p>Acceptance doesn't really mean much of a comparison between people after taking into account factors such as luck, athleticism, legacies, and race that influence decisions. Even with grades and scores, some people are smart, but don't put in the effort. Intelligence isn't the only thing they measure.</p>
<p>Well, they know that you must have at least been very academically able in order to get into Duke. I mean you can't be like an average C student and what not and get into a great college like Duke unless there were some really extraordinary circumstances like you being the president's kid or something.</p>
<p>I think you're smart because you got into Duke, twinkletoes23.</p>
<p>I'm kidding :D.</p>
<p>I guess it's got to do with the name of the university. People generally associate well-known colleges with "intelligence." Whenever students get into those colleges, people start to worship them as godly intellects.</p>
<p>Well if someone gets into a good college, I if I ever did originally, stop thinking of someone as dumb.</p>
<p>I'm not saying I wasn't considered smart, but I wasn't considered exceptionally smart I guess... like I had really good grades and stuff but I was never the "exceptional" student in the classroom or anything. and now it's weird because my friends are expecting more of me... like they'll call me for homework help now instead of before... and i'm not a legacy or a genius nor have i cured cancer. i'm just different I guess.</p>
<p>even my counselor was skeptical of my chances @ Duke</p>
<p>I guess some people might change their opinions based on the school(s) you get into. For most people, college is a measure of the sucess you have later in life, so it's sure to turn some heads.</p>
<p>Not saying that's true, of course. Plenty of sucessful people didn't even go to college.. just right now in high school it seems like the kids going to CCs or even the state schools are doomed to be penniless and living in a cardboard box or something.</p>
<p>on the other hand, what I also dislike is if people automatically assume you're STUPID because you're not applying to/going to one of the "ivies"... </p>
<p>I was having dinner at someone's house tonight, and the parents there were shocked I wasn't applying to ANY (I am applying to top tier LACs though, which they completely disregarded! They were like Williams WHA?)... and their son was all "Oh. I THOUGHT you were really smart..."</p>
<p>Twinkletoes, could have been worse. They might think you really play good basketball cause you're accepted to Duke. :)</p>
<p>I don't see where having people regard you as smart is a problem. We should all have such problems.</p>
<p>I have the same problem as precocious - I just got in ED to a top LAC, and no one knows what that is. I have a reputation for being smart, and people keep asking me why I didn't want to go to an ivy. Haha. I've gotten down the " insert-top-LAC-here is a good school" spiel pretty quickly now!</p>
<p>Twinkletoes:</p>
<p>Just be glad they don't think you are dumb for going somewhere else.</p>
<p>i don't think if u got into a school and that makes YOU smart! it's all about you. The school effects a little but it's up to you to proof yourself. it doesn't mean someone goes to a community college and that makes them not as smart as you. Don't let yourself be defined by drag-string achievement of the schools. </p>
<p>Congrats on getting accepted to Duke, but that doesn't make you smart. (I'm not from UNC)</p>
<p>Well, consider yourself lucky.</p>
<p>Some underclassmen were surprised that I applied to Cornell ED because it's supposed to be a "safety" Ivy. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I've managed to convince a lot of my teachers this year that I'm retarded, because I don't try as hard in classes that I find boring. When they heard that I got in, they were like, "***, you're smart??"</p>
<p>yeah, debatechic , I just got accepted to davidson (a top LAC) and people don't even know where it is. I personally think its funny, but whatever.</p>
<p>Those who researched college, specifically admissions, will realize acceptance =/= recognition of certain level of intelligence.</p>
<p>my dentist was like "oh yeah, on a basketball scholarship?"</p>
<p>and then all my friends are giving me a hard time about the lacrosse guys.</p>
<p>They used to think I was smart. Now they think I'm stupid because I chose a top LAC instead of an Ivy. That, in turn, makes me think they're ignorant. </p>
<p><em>sigh</em></p>
<p>When I tell people the school I'm going to, they usually have a response like, "Come again? Where's that?"</p>
<p>Suits me fine. I don't think their estimation of my intelligence changes. I just think they are confirmed in their impression that I'm a liiittle bit strange.</p>
<p>I get the 'URM=undeserving' one all the time; if one is white and gets into X top ranked school, the response is a general 'he/she must be smart'; if one is anything else, the response is 'he got in because he was a URM', where URM normally=black.</p>