<p>I was recently admitted to Yale and I cannot say how excited and grateful I am. However, when I think about it, the reality starts to dawn upon me-- I'm going to be surrounded by geniuses. I've always been at the top of my class, but I've had to work for my grades. Furthermore, I am planning on majoring in physics, a subject that I love like no other. The problem is, I haven't been doing too hot in AP physics this year. My test average is only ~85%, which is okay, but if I'm going to Yale to major in physics I should be breezing through this class. Whenever I get my tests back, I just become more and more discouraged. How am I going to make it through upper level courses when I am struggling in general physics? Any advice from current/graduated Yalies? I don't want to switch majors, but I also don't want to be the dumbest person at Yale :(</p>
<p>[Impostor</a> syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imposter_syndrome]Impostor”>Impostor syndrome - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>You got in. They reject thousands of people who could do well at Yale, but they chose you because they are confident that you will succeed. You will be more than fine. :)</p>
<p>lol trust me, you’re the genius. Top 0.7% with national awards etc? I’d flame on you if I thought you were one of those ‘fake humbleness’ kind of people, but I’ll be merciful. </p>
<p>And if you’re talking about AP Physics C, then an 85 should be really good. At my school, not that many people get solid Bs in that class (Prob 3/4 of them get Cs). If you’re talking about AP Phys B, then maybe you just hit a rough patch. There are some units that are easier than others depending on the person. It’s all “Physics”, but it ranges in so many ways at this point with kinematics, fluids, optics, thermodynamics, electrostatics, circuits, magnetism etc etc. I myself am not planning on majoring or minoring in physics, but I’m taking AP Physics B this year and got a 94 first semester. Some units I’d get low Bs on tests, other units I’d get high As. </p>
<p>And it could also depend on your teacher or the rigor of the course at your school. Point is, you should be fine. The important part is to do even better at Yale, rather than stress about doing ‘average’ your high school senior year. You don’t necessarily need to be the best in your field either to major in it. The chemist that I research with has a PhD in the field. In college, he almost failed organic chemistry and also didn’t do so hot in certain chem classes. I’m not advocating that you go that route ofc, but now he does chemistry for a living. Or you may change your major while at college. Just don’t worry about it too much</p>
<p>Two guys are hiking in the woods, a bear comes out from behind some trees. The first hiker looks at the other and says “We better run!”. The second hiker exclaims “You can’t out run a bear!” To that the first hiker says “No, but I can out run you.”</p>
<p>Just saying…you don’t have to be a genius to survive at Yale.</p>
<p>I’m sure the others admitted to Yale are worrying about the same thing. You were admitted just as they are, which means we can assume you’re roughly as intelligent as most of them. You don’t need to be a genius to go to Yale. In fact, I would bet most Yale students don’t quite qualify as “geniuses”- just very intelligent and hardworking individuals (just like yourself). Because there are thousands of students at Yale, the chances of you being the dumbest one there is less than .1%.</p>
<p>How are your grades in calculus? That will be another indicator for your aptitude for physics.</p>
<p>While I understand that you might well be struggling with this issue, just imagine how people reading this who don’t have offers are going to feel.</p>
<p>Congratulations! </p>
<p>Physics is tied to Math. So as Keesh mentions, do you see a weakness there in terms of your Math preparation for the Physics class you are in?</p>
<p>You can get to Yale and decide after you take a college level physics class and figure out if you want to be a physics major. As they say, it’s not the only major in town when there are 100 other possibilities. Its too early to worry, you got 7 more months to enjoy.</p>
<p>Haha I’m in the same exact boat as you are. But I really think we’ll be fine. The admissions committee has one job and I would think they do it well. Also I’m in Physics C this year (after taking B last year) and this semester has become very very hard-- you’re not the only one.</p>
<p>MadaboutX</p>
<p>I love this story! I will use it in the future!</p>
<p>Madaboutx says…
Two guys are hiking in the woods, a bear comes out from behind some trees. The first hiker looks at the other and says “We better run!”. The second hiker exclaims “You can’t out run a bear!” To that the first hiker says “No, but I can out run you.”</p>
<p>Just saying…you don’t have to be a genius to survive at Yale.</p>
<p>Given that if you major in physics you will have to continue with, at minimum, a Masters and preferably a Ph.D. in order to be employed in the field, struggling at the HS level does not bode well. Acceptance into a decent graduate physics program requires good grades and a good GRE Physics Test score.</p>
<p>Given the flexibility that Yale offers with course selection and switching of majors you could not have been accpeted at a better school to explore other interests if that is needed.</p>
<p>FB Status of friend of D when he was a freshman at Yale:<br>
“I used to feel very smart, now I feel kind of dumb.”<br>
I think it’s a common sentiment. He is still at Yale and doing fine.</p>
<p>A guy came to a high school’s college day fair representing Yale couple of years ago. Young guy, three or 4 years out of Yale, very mild mannered.</p>
<p>All these enthusiastic high school kids bombarding him with questions, asking him about life at Yale. He was explaining residential colleges and how he was surrounded by some of the most accomplished kids in all kinds of different areas. Someone asked him how he got in. He said he has no idea and based on those people he had around him, he felt very lucky to have gotten in.</p>
<p>Guy was doing MD/PhD at Baylor College of Medicine, one of the hardest programs to get into when he was at this college fair.</p>
<p>Yale must like self doubters! :D</p>
<p>Don’t worry, you are not alone! I have the same situation since I’m an aspiring physics major but struggled A LOT in AP Physics C last semester, and am continuing to struggle this semester (E&M makes Mechanics seem really friendly :P). I did pretty well in AP Physics B junior year, but it’s not going so well this year. I sincerely love the subject though. From all the comments, I think there are a lot of people just like us. I had the same feeling after I got accepted: “How did I get in? I’m not a genius!”. Don’t give up because of bad grades though. I really don’t think that grades are a good measure of intelligence or success: passion is. We were all accepted because Yale saw something in us, a passion.</p>
<p>Most people at Yale are not geniuses, but ordinary smart people who worked hard and accomplished things. You will find plenty of people at Yale who worked hard for their grades in high school (not all of them wil admit it, though). If Yale accepted you, you’re good enough to be there. If you go, you will be surrounded by some wonderful people, but it’s easy to be intimidated by the talent surrounding you. Don’t fall into that trap – just be yourself and enjoy your incredible classmates. Oh, and take advantage of the opportunity to interact with your profs. As for physics, it definitely takes effort. For some people, it will get easier as you gain experience with the subject matter, and if not, well-- you’re not married to it.</p>
<p>90% of Yalies feel this way. The other 10% are insufferable and are only friends with each other. Don’t worry about it.</p>
<p>It’s all right! I want to major in Engineering, Economics, or some mixture of both. After taking AP Physics C (we learned E&M first), I got pretty discouraged 
I earned a B- in that class, my worst grade in high school, and it’s in my Senior year…my GPA totally got destroyed by that class</p>
<p>Anyway, you should enjoy your life right now! YOU GOT IN! Just chill and relax! High school only happens once!</p>
<p>Thanks for your help everybody, I’m feeling a lot better! I’ll readjust my study habits, seek help when I need it, and see how it goes from there :)</p>
<p>
Don’t worry, you won’t be–it doesn’t sound like you are a recruited athlete.</p>
<p>Sorry, couldn’t resist.</p>
<p>If you got accepted to Yale EA as an unhooked applicant you’re plenty smart enough. My son has 3 friends at Yale. None of them are “genuises”.</p>