Do We On CC Take Ourselves Too Seriously?

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

<p>"There's such a thing as the Math Olympics?" my friend asked.
"Well, it's called an olympiad, but yeah." He burst out laughing.
"Are you serious? That's hilarious!" I didn't think so.
"Look, man, I've been working toward this for years now, so please don't deride it."
"Well sorry. Didn't know you took this stuff so seriously."</p>

<p>Oh yes, I took this "stuff" seriously. If you're anything like me, you probably spend a fair amount of your waking hours worrying if that Harvard admissions committee is going to find you impressive. The chances are, if you're on this site and reading this, you're a lot like me. </p>

<p>So, the other day, I was fairly anxious. I was worried about how my accomplishments stacked up against people from local schools. (I'm homeschooled) So, I decided to ask my friend to evaluate my resume and see what he thought. </p>

<p>Now, my friend and I are practically polar opposites. We've been friends since Kindergarten. I personally find it amazing that we're such close friends. He's a smooth, popular, football-playing guy who can make friends at the snap of finger and can light up a room like the sun itself. I, on the other hand, am a socially awkward, anxious mess who would prefer an extra ten points on my SAT score than to have a girlfriend. Like I said, it's amazing we're still close friends. </p>

<p>So, when I asked him to evaluate my accomplishments, I expected something along the lines of, "You're so smart man, how could you not get into Harvard?" Of course that's not true, but still. Instead, what followed was almost like a blow to everything I found important in life.</p>

<p>"And what the heck is a Latin competition? Do you see who can translate Cicero the fastest, or what?"
"Um, sort of. Well, not the fastest, more like the most accurate, but--"
"Why do you do all this stuff? I mean, you don't find it fun, right?"
"It is actually fun, in some ways, but why wouldn't I want to do this stuff? It's often what gets kids into great schools."
"By great schools I assume you mean Harvard, right? Not like the school I'm going to go to."
"Oh come on, that's not what I meant. But yes, I do mean schools like Harvard."
"And why do you want to go to Harvard?"</p>

<p>And of course, you could imagine the rest of the conversation. How top-tier schools are the educational opportunities of a life-time, yada yada. Suffice to say, we were pretty angry at each other for a while, but we got over it. </p>

<p>But that really got me thinking: why do we do all this stuff? And why do we take it all so seriously? I imagine the ideal would be an attitude of just loving education for the sake of loving education, not so others would be in awe of their academic prowess. And in that case, would that ideal take competition, College Confidential, Harvard, or any of this seriously at all? </p>

<p>For so long, I have thought that anyone who wanted to be really well educated would take this all seriously, but maybe not. So, anyway, what are your thoughts on all this? I know many of you definitely don't take this seriously at all (i.e. the users who post "I cured cancer, can I at least get waitlisted at my community college?"), and I know some of you would never even think about joking about such things; but then, I also know some of you find a happy medium and can take academics seriously but still jest every once in a while.</p>

<p>So, basically, what do you think? Do we take college admissions, competion, and everything surrounding it too seriously?</p>

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<p>Yes, but that’s the reason we do well, generally.</p>

3

<p>Yes, absolutely yes. That being said I think it is something most members have embraced. In terms of high school students most are only on here because they want to get into a top 50 school or they did horrible and now need to find some school that will accept them. Personally I like it, though I have learned there is a difference between CC and my school friends.</p>

<p>I have friends who smarter then me/have what it takes to get into HYPM and friends who would fall into the “did horrible and need to find a school that will accept them” category. Either way most of them plan to go to the local public schools (Pitt, Temple and Penn State are all really popular at my school). So I know not to discuss college with them (I only have one friend who I can really discuss college with), because it would lead to something like what you described. I think a lot of people on CC are also your stereotypical type A person, which has contributed to this.</p>

4

<p>Yes, most people on this forum are grade A tryhards. But that’s ok, because we need people like that to advance in society. </p>

<p>Sent from my DROID BIONIC using CC</p>

5

<p>Personally, I don’t take it seriously. It’s high school, I want to have fun once in awhile. I know this has been said on this site many times, “You don’t need to go to a good school to become successful.” I strongly agree with this statement. I’m not saying I don’t work hard, but I’m not going to bust a back to appeal to others. I can only go at my own pace and only work so hard. If anyone looked at my transcript or my resume, the ONLY appealing thing on there will be my officer position in the FFA, and that’s about it lol. Yeah, it’ll pretty cool to get into Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon etc, but personally, those school won’t guarantee me “the best education” or a “wonderful” career. It’s painful for me to see students on here getting all torn up about getting 4’s on AP exams, an ACT score of 30, and a SAT score of 1900. These are all good scores and the students on here are pushing, and pushing themselves to be the best at everything just to have the satisfaction of saying, “I’m smarter than you,” or to impress their peers.</p>

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<p>No doubt in my mind!!!</p>

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<p>I take EVERYTHING too seriously. I’m overly passionate about everything I do. I have to put in 110% into every activity, otherwise, it has no worth to me. High school/college admissions is no exception.</p>

<p>I am known by my friends as “the neurotic one” because I’m so obsessed with the college admissions process. I’ve had panic attacks just because I thought I got under a 93% on a final exam! It’s just the way it goes for me.</p>

<p>I figure, if I’ve got the potential to excel and go to the college/university of my dreams, I don’t want to throw it all away. </p>

<p>I would say, though, that I’m over the top. I’m too much of a perfectionist to quit!</p>

8

<p>If you can’t take yourself seriously, then who will?</p>

9

<p>

I think that’s a little bit different than the question “Do you take academics too seriously?” Perhaps I should have rephrased the title…</p>

10

<p>Of course I take my education seriously. </p>

<p>I go to school in an environment where 2 on AP exams, D’s on report cards, drugs and inadequate teachers are the norm. My parents are completely satisfied with me going to the local state university or even community college. If I don’t take my education seriously, no one will for me. Where I live, it’s all too easy to accept the situation as is. To graduate and get a 9-to-5 job or perhaps even to scrap by every month trying to make ends meet. I’ve seen how it could be and frankly, I don’t want my own future to be like that. So I may be upset when I get a 4 instead of a 5 on an AP exam and get the inevitable “you’re crazy, I’m lucky I got a 3”. But it’s different for me. I expect excellence from myself because it’s possible (if other people can get 5’s, why can’t I?) and it’s what I need to get to where I want to be.</p>

<p>Regarding ECs, although it seems a little trite, I do what I love. As to how college admission officers will look at them, I just make sure I pursue them fully. One of the things I will not do is make myself miserable doing something I don’t like just for college. Even I have certain limits.</p>

11

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</p>

<p>One of these is not like the other, haha.</p>

<p>Nah, I don’t take anything too seriously. Honestly people who take life in general too seriously (not just academics) really annoy me. It’s good to be passionate, but there’s a fine line between passionate and obsessed. If I see an AP class that I enjoy, I’ll go for it. I won’t put myself through a class I don’t like just for the extra boost.</p>

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<p>Yeah, I think so. I’m not the typical CC-er, but I definitely do care about my education. I remember that I was talking to my friend about the SAT and I was saying about how I was buying a book to study for it.
Her response: “Why?”</p>

<p>I asked her what she meant, and she said, “Didn’t you already take the SAT?” and I told her that I wanted to improve my scores, so I was taking it again. She just shrugged. We both had around the same score (she wouldn’t tell me exactly for some odd reason), but mine’s around 1700 and I think hers were a little higher than mine… like 1750 or something. </p>

<p>It made me realize that even though I may not be a top-notch student, I still am different than other people. My friends were asking me why I’m taking 3 AP classes this year rather than just regular classes… I just don’t know how to answer to that. To challenge myself? To get into a good college? Hah. None of my friends understand why I love learning so much and I realized that I don’t think they will. </p>

<p>I stay up until 3AM sometimes on school nights studying and doing homework and my friends think I’m crazy or something… but then again, they’re the type who are happy with Cs and Ds on their report card. I remember I cried in class when I found out I failed three math tests in a row, which meant that I would have a C in the class… luckily my teacher let me make up one of the tests after seeing me cry, so I ended up with a B, but still… here, we do take academics very seriously, but I guess you have to think of where we’ll be in ten years and where other people will be in ten years. </p>

<p>And now that I have successfully gotten off topic three times and turned this into more of a rant, I will end this. Haha.</p>

13

<p>Well don’t include me in your group. You guys definitely take things too seriously here.</p>

14

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<p>^. But I like the replies here, particularly FantasyVesperia’s (I like a lot of your replies!)</p>

<p>I mean, before I started reading CC I knew some people who were like the average CC poster. You know, nose stuck in SAT prep book all the time, taking 3 AP’s, doing stuff “because it looks good”. It kind of makes me feel bad for a lot of CC’ers, because they make it out like everyone they know is like that. I’m blessed to be surrounded by a good amount of people who are genuinely passionate about the things that they do, who are a solid mix of academic superstars and super slackers. They help keep me sane when things get crazy but at the same time motivate me to do better.</p>

<p>In the end, it’s all up to you. I really think it has to be a “screw what other people think” (except your parents and anyone who’s helped you a lot, because they’re important!) and you have to forge your own way. It’s really not about getting into HYP or sleeping through all of your classes. You need the balance of seriousness (for me, all honors classes) and silliness (“Hi guys, I uh…need to go practice spinning rifles. Want to study another time?”), otherwise you will be miserable. And every kid I know who is like the typical CC’er is pretty miserable when it comes to academics. I quite like my classes very much; they don’t. I take the time to smell the roses.</p>

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<p>My pool of friends has slowly evolved to the point that I interact almost exclusively with really smart people that are probably smarter than me. And I love it. They’re all really chill.</p>

<p>Some people on CC are DEFINITELY too seriously. Like they think that not getting into Harvard is the equivalent of being shot in the gut or something and that you are condemning yourself to failure if you aren’t first in class, have a 2300+, get into a HYPSM, yada yada yada.</p>

<p>Personally I feel that I’m pretty chill. I do science fairs because I genuinely like it; submitting the stuff that I do for fun is sometimes like an afterthought. My state school is amazingly good for engineering, so I’m not too concerned if I don’t get into MIT, Caltech, etc. Sure I’d like to go, but I’m pretty chill about it since the alternatives are also good to. And of course I certainly don’t expect to get in.</p>

<p>But I honestly do think that people on CC in general are way to stressed about college. You can be chill and succeed too.</p>

16

<p>If you’re doing Latin competitions to get into Harvard then get out of our Junior Classical League. Seriously. We don’t want you.</p>

<p>Yeah, people here take themselves way the hell too seriously. 's why I stay way the hell out of all the boards except test prep where I feel like I can help people, and high school life where everyone seems normal and likable. I’m speaking as one of those kids who has pretty godlike stats/scores and plans to apply to two Ivies. But I think I am pretty relaxed. And I do the crazy take-seven-AP-exams-a-year-and-be-president-of-everything thing because I think it’s fun, 100%. I have a social life and a boyfriend and a core group of nerdy awesome people I call friends and a healthy amount of free time. Sometimes I don’t know how I do it. But I’m happy and really, that’s all that matters.</p>

17

<p>

That’s a little bit hurtful. I mean, even in that conversation let alone the post I said I found it fun. You don’t think some participants might do so in part to boost their resume?</p>

<p>But really, it’s great to hear all of your thoughts. However, some of you said something along the lines of, “Of course I take my education seriously.” That’s not really what I meant. I feel as though there is a difference between being educated and being obsessed with admissions or the like. Like what I said earlier…</p>

<p>

I feel like someone who truly just valued education for the sake of education wouldn’t take much of this seriously at all; they’d just be happy to learn. However, that’s a very ideal and impractical mindset, since the vast majority of people want to eventually get a great job and become wealthy, and AP tests and SATs help someone do that. </p>

<p>Another question to think about: Do we value competition so much because we feel it promotes learning or because of prestige? I feel mixed about that question because, for example, I may never have learnt as much math as I have if I hadn’t done so many practice AMCs, AIMEs, USAMOs, HMMTs, and Putnams. And I earnestly enjoyed learning that math. However, some claim such competitions function under such a narrow mindset that are only helpful for solving those problems themselves, not new innovative problems.</p>

<p>Your thoughts?</p>

18

<p>I think students these days are taking all these classes they don’t need and competitions they don’t have interest in because they want to 1) Beat the kid next to them, and 2) appeal to college/universities. Students think high school is a place where you take classes to appeal and as a fighting ground and the students don’t really absorb any of the information they’ve learned in the courses they’ve taken. They’re so focused on college more than anything else and what others think. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong about being picky and setting goals for colleges. Also, AP classes and SAT scores doesn’t determine whether a student is going to become successful or not. It’s the love of education they receive and how they’re preparing for it in the future. I just can’t stand it when students have this mindset because it’s wrong. It’s poison. These students are stressing, “Oh my, my, I’m only graduating with 3 AP classes! My life is ruined!” or, “I got a 1500 on my SAT, I’m a failure! Will state schools even accept me?” This, this bar has to stop, it’s merely tearing apart the self-esteem of these students. People on CC or in their schools are setting high bars for them and making them believe that if they don’t reach it, they’re screwed. So students think they need all these hard courses to step in a door at a college/university.</p>

<p>To be honest I think I’m only going to graduate with 4 or 5 AP classes. I get it, *TOP<a href=“key%20word”>/i</a> colleges look and see if the student took the most rigorous schedule, but my goal isn’t to go to a top school. In reality, it doesn’t matter what school we go to, we’re going to get to the same place, the real world, rich or poor. My friend who’s WAY smarter than me, wants to become a Vet too, and she might go to John Hopkins, and then go to UPenn Vet school. But in the end, we’re both (or we hope so lol) are going to be Veterinarians.</p>

19

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<p>I think that’s the problem with high school as a whole now, really. There was a thread pinned at the top about a high school kid who said what he thought the reason why our public schools are failing - lack of motivation/drive/desire for kids to learn - and I think the competitive nature of kids to get into college contributes to that.</p>

20

<p>While the post (a few posts) above did say it in a hurtful and demeaning way, the reasoning behind your joining of such Latin competitions, etc. does seem “inappropriate.” (Trying to find the correct word…) In my opinion, although everyone is truly playing the “College Game” where one wants to look different from the other, your extracurriculars should represent who you are and what you love. Sure, you can spend your time studying for a Latin competition, so you can get 1st place to put on your transcript. Are you really enjoying yourself? Do you LOVE spending your time doing that? One of my favorite things to do is to sit down at the piano and play. Play everything. Play anything. I do not force myself to practice a song so I can get 1st place at a competition, I play that song because I love to. Winning 1st place comes as a bonus. Should be the same with anything. The reason I took 10 AP tests this year wasn’t because I didn’t WANT to get all 5’s and show off to colleges that I can do such. I wanted to study for those AP tests because I loved those subjects. I love to learn.</p>

<p>Don’t be one of those people who get to college and out into the world without passions or hobbies, because they are just holding a resum</p>