<p>Ah, I sympathize with you so much! Not accepted to Yale yet (I applied RD), but I got accepted to UChicago which is in the ballpark I guess, and it makes me so excited but also SO nervous. It’ll definitely be different not being one of the top people in school grade-wise, intelligence-wise, but I think in the end we’ll really love the fact that we’re surrounded by stimulating, intellectual people. If anything, it’ll make us strive to be even better. When you’re the smartest person in the room, there’s no motivation.</p>
<p>And even though I feel like you often, I just tell myself that there must be something that made me be chosen, something that made the adcom think that I would do well there. Most people there probably aren’t geniuses, but they’re intelligent, ambitious, and driven, and if you got in, I’m sure that you are too and also, this may not be exactly what you want to hear, but you’re not signing your name in blood when you register. You can always transfer out if it’s not working for you, BUT I’m sure that you’ll be happy there and if you ever feel like you’re struggling, colleges have tons of help available in the form of tutoring, counseling, anything. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Many years ago during the official freshman welcome ceremony at Harvard, the university announced that there were 1601 students in our incoming class. I think 100% of us thought we were that extra one person who really did not belong. Four years later as we lined up to graduate, many of us remembered that first day–and many of us were still wondering if were were the one who did not belong there. As a few people have already suggested, Ivy League schools have a way of reminding us that we’re not all that special. Personally, I found that fact to be immensely relieving! </p>
<p>You’ll be fine at Yale. Almost everyone who applied and was turned DOWN would do well as students at Yale. And you’ll almost certainly find yourself surrounded by tremendously inspiring people you think are smarter than you are. (And some of those same kids may think you are smarter than they are.)</p>
<p>As for physics, you don’t need to make decisions now. But if you still feel uncertain about your physics performance when you start Yale in the fall, don’t feel pushed to accept placement into a more advanced class. You can always start in the intro class where there will be plenty of students who won’t have an AP Physics background at all.</p>
<p>I really think no matter where you go or what you do there will ALWAYS be someone who is smarter than you are (or you think they are) in that field. And for someone whom I’m sure has always been at the top of the pack you will now be sharing an elite space. It’s very intimidating and changes the playing field. But you have your own life and need to do the best YOU can do (which is still at the very top by the way). It’s good to realize that at the get go and just accept it for what it is. Forget the competition and compete against yourself. And enjoy the talent that you’ll be surrounded by.</p>
True! And I’ll add this–if you don’t take at least one class at Yale in which you feel like the dumbest person (or at least worst prepared), you’re not challenging yourself enough.</p>
<p>I got into Columbia, and I freak out when I think about the type of people I will meet. I feel like I might be the dumbest kid there, but, realistically, there will always be someone better than me in something just as I will be better than someone else in another area.</p>
<p>Just enjoy your acceptance, and do not underestimate yourself because all the kids who enter such top schools strive for it. VERY, VERY few people find it easy. </p>
<p>John Wooden once said, “You are not better than anyone else, but just as good as everyone else.”</p>
<p>There’s always going to be some people that are better than you at something, no doubt. But don’t worry about that, that’s not what you have control over. Just be happy you got in, can afford it (w/ or w/o FA), and do your best!</p>
<p>James Watson: “I think my teachers thought I was gifted, I didn’t. I think they measured intelligence so much in those days – whether you were mathematical, or a musical prodigy – and I wasn’t. I didn’t handle numbers particularly fast. I could learn it, but by the standard then of, you know, was someone clever, I didn’t think I was clever. I think I was probably good, because I never thought life would be easy for me. I never thought I was better than other people. So I think I certainly wasn’t over-confident.”</p>
<p>I think for many Yale students HS was relatively easy and most had A’s and maybe a B or two. In the HS classes they were passionate about (and which helped them decide on a college major) they did indeed “breeze” through. The OP is wondering whether his/her struggles with HS physics is an indication majoring in physics might not be the right choice. I think that may very well be true especialy if the student is also struggling with HS calculus.</p>
<p>It really has nothing to do with academic rigor or competitiveness at Yale - if HS physics is difficult for the OP, college physics is going to be a big struggle at any school. Whether the OP wants to struggle through is an entirely different issue. Some will, others will find a different major.</p>
<p>You are not alone!! I was accepted SCEA as well, and am struggling quite horribly in my AP Physics C class (failed the last three tests… I’m doing way worse than you haha). However, I’m still planning on pursuing an engineering major next year. I’m confident that I will have a network of peers to help me succeed (and apparently there’s math and science tutors in each residential college, if I remember correctly). Also, I’ve seen numerous posts on the accepted students facebook page talking about how various admits were struggling with AP Physics. So in a nutshell: YES it will be difficult, but we’ll all be struggling together!</p>
<p>Read Kingman Brewster’s letter to the head of admissions from 1965. Yale admits future leaders. Plain and simple. To succeed in physics or whatever you choose, you will not only have to be at the top of your chosen career/profession, but also have to negotiate, sell and lead. Yale admits applicants who are both emotionally intelligent and intellectually intelligent. These students oftentimes tend to lead organizations, people, etcl. wherever they wind up.</p>
<p>Hold your head up. you are going to do fine!!! Congratulations.</p>
<p>Whenever I think about this, and the schools I am applying to this thought always comes to mind? “Would I rather be the dumbest person at Yale, or the smartest person at my local state/community college?” The answer always becomes clear…</p>
<p>Coasting through college isn’t something you should strive for, when you’re working hard the satisfaction of success becomes so much sweeter.</p>
<p>A close relative of mine just graduated from Yale last year. One thing I remember him saying is that it is hard to get an “A”, but probably harder to get a “C”.</p>
<p>I starting to feel the same way about the schools I applied to!</p>
<p>After I applied to a certain school, they sent me papers that had quotes and sayings on it. My personal favorite (and one most applicable here) that I like to remind myself is: “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.”</p>
<p>Being challenged by your peers is great, and (in my opinion) much better than being the automatic genius who doesn’t ever learn. You got into Yale!! That’s amazing! Just have faith in yourself, and congratulations!</p>
<p>You can always change your major later if it turns out to be too hard for you (if you start to get lower grades than Bs in your college physics classes next year you should think about other possible majors - your classes won’t get easier). I agree with keesh17. You’re going to need to go to graduate school for physics if you want to do anything serious relating to physics, and having trouble in a high school physics class is definitely not a good sign. However, if the problem is not the difficulty but rather something else like study habits, bad teacher, etc then it can be fixed and you shouldn’t worry too much.</p>
and also, this may not be exactly what you want to hear, but you’re not signing your name in blood when you register. You can always transfer out if it’s not working for you, BUT I’m sure that you’ll be happy there and if you ever feel like you’re struggling, colleges have tons of help available in the form of tutoring, counseling, anything. Best of luck!</p>