<p>I've never really considered myself a naturally intelligent person. On my first try on the SAT, I gave it my all and I only got a 1630. But I worked extremely hard throughout high school, and I turned that to a 2250 on my final test. Even in high school, when it seemed that "smart" people who later went on to attend ivy league schools barely put in any effort into their classes and still scored straight A's, I still had to work my butt off just to get B+s and A minuses in those AP classes. </p>
<p>I was just wondering if there are other people like this at Berkeley. People who are not really that intelligent naturally, but are willing to work very hard in order to succeed?</p>
<p>Berkeley kids are not one-sided, there are people of all levels of intelligence and what one lacks, one makes up for in another area. When you look for study groups, try to find people who have similar study habits as you. Keep your work ethics, and it will definitely pay off Maintain a self-confidence (though this is hard in some classes) and just remember to have a balanced lifestyle! Seek for help when you need it; there are people at the tutoring center who can help you as well. You’ll be fine!</p>
<p>It’s all about compensation. If you’re short, jump higher. If you’re scrawny, pump iron. That sort of thing. I don’t think many people at Cal are so gifted that they don’t have to work hard.</p>
<p>I am the same as the OP, the only reason I got into college is because I worked really hard. But when it comes to natural intellect, I am not the brightest. However, through working hard and studying like crazy through high school, I was able to get straight A’s every year. I really hate tests like the SAT which is mostly based on natural intellect. These tests require you to think critically which I really hate. I am good at tests which asks you to regurgitate the information you memorized and studied. This is probably why I love subjects such as Biology, History, and Foreign Languages where you just basically memorize and memorize. Do most classes at Cal require you to think critically or will hardcore memorization and studying earn you a good grade?</p>
<p>You’re kind of answering your own question
Depends on the subject. And for some subjects it doesn’t really matter what school you go to. O chem is O chem.
In my own experience, physics, cs, math, memorization won’t do a whole lot for you.</p>
<p>I, in fact, LOVE tests like the SATs because you really don’t need to study that much and it still separates you from the people who work their butts off. It’s nice for people who are pretty lazy; it wasn’t that hard to get my 2390. And then I can laugh at people who studied way way harder but did worse >:]</p>
<p>But in all seriousness, the only thing you can do is study harder if you want to keep up with everyone else. Just make sure you know how much time you’re willing to sacrifice, and at some point, putting in more work won’t be worth it.</p>
<p>@Handlebars: I envy people like you I study really hard to get to where I am today and some people are just so lucky. They don’t have to study and still do well. Life is so not fair.</p>
<p>^It all depends actually. Yes, you need razor sharp brains for mathematics, computer science, physics, ect., but in subjects like biology, history, political science, ect(those that don’t require math), you can definitely score well through hard work alone. </p>
<p>Anyone can memorize information if they spend a lot of time and work for it. A lot of time, especially at Cal. But unlike science or math classes, you can get B+s/A-s if you study really hard with limited “intelligence,” and you can get A’s if you’re really smart. </p>
<p>Remember, you have a lot of resources that you can use. Office hours, student tutors, ect. But no, there are a lot of people like you who are not “naturally intelligent” but pull of A’s because they work their butt off, just as they did in high school.</p>
Ehhh it’s the same thing with athletics. If I were a 6 foot tall white guy I’d be so much better at swimming/other sports but I’m stuck being a 5’6 asian. That’s just the way life is hahha. All we can do is make the best out of it</p>
<p>@ Handlebars: I’m shorter than you but I can still excel at certain sports (at the national level so equivalent to your SATs :P). </p>
<p>The same principle applies to academics, you just need to find out what you’re naturally apt at and what you’re not so hot at. A number of people I’ve met in social science majors and humanities have told me that they failed their math/science AP tests. Regardless, they still excel in their major here at CAL. </p>
<p>Also, enjoyment of your subject helps a lot with motivation I might add (which is surprisingly hard to come around dead week since you’re so burnt out from the semester XD)</p>
<p>All together, UpMagic probably pinned the main point down. If you’re not a freaking genius, then you’ll just have to make up for it in other areas (eg. hard work/desire/determination).</p>
<p>Always keep in mind that you got into Berkeley, period. You’re always going to be ahead since you are competing with some of the best minds out there. So don’t ever get down if you think you’re not doing well, it’s all relative in the end and the only thing you can do is try your best. :)</p>
<p>I’ve met Cal students that are some sort of mix between intelligent and hard-working. But, I don’t think I’ve met a Cal student who’s lacking in intelligence. I’m sure you at least somewhat intelligent if you made it into Cal. I don’t believe that hard work alone can help you make it this far.</p>
<p>That math, physics, and computer science depend more heavily on ability or that they cannot be mastered by rote are both myths. People learn math the same way they learn chess; by having enough experience to know the best way to approach a complex problem.</p>
<p>I know people say this a lot, but being confident will improve your abilities. Don’t go in thinking you are worse than everybody else, because the resulting stress and nervousness will make it a self-fulfilling prophecy.</p>
My point is that there is no deficiency that cannot be overcome with work (unless it’s a deficiency in creativity).</p>
<p>@gobears - You shouldn’t just think of yourself as a person who is good at just memorization. People tend to like what they are good at, and be good at what they like. If you think you’re good at memorizing, you may end up developing only your ability to memorize because it’s what you think you are good at to the exclusion of everything else.</p>
<p>haha yeah, if only it were that easy in practice to be humble. Then we wouldn’t have ambitious politicians running all over the place doing crazy things.</p>
<p>I guess a good first example might be an incoming freshman. Calso tells them that they’re not that smart, and they should take 12 units and not skip any AP-out classes. It kind of sucks for them because now they have way too much free time, which might even foster bad study habits. And they’re behind on clearing out their lower div requirements. Meanwhile others are signing up for ridiculous honors classes or 20 units.
I mean, who knows, maybe some of them feel like 12 units or 20 units was good. It’s hard to tell because college is pretty different than high school, and high schools are all over the place in quality. But to me it seems most sensible to take 15-17 units; leave the 20s for later. As for those who can’t stand 16 units, well, they need 120 to graduate.</p>
<p>Anyways, I guess it’s best to not worry about how well you will do and to not avoid taking classes you want to take because it might be hard (unless you’re pre-med). The cockiness comes into play with signing up for honors classes or insane upper divs or extra units and not studying because you think you have it under control.</p>
<p>the reality is that virtually everyone who was accepted has the potential to do fine here. You can do it, but you have to figure out how. For some, you will be forced to work much harder than you ever did before. For others, it will come naturally. Some have gifts that make anything easy. Others have the drive to work hard and enough smarts to turn that work into good results. </p>
<p>You belong. You can do well. It won’t be handed to you on a platter. You will be responsible for how you do to an unprecedented degree. It will be frustrating and sometimes hard. You are at one of the best universities in the world surrounded by an incredible, diverse, rich and interesting set of peers and are ‘in the major leagues’ now.</p>
Maintain a self-confidence (though this is hard in some classes) and just remember to have a balanced lifestyle! Seek for help when you need it; there are people at the tutoring center who can help you as well. You’ll be fine!</p>
I study really hard to get to where I am today and some people are just so lucky. They don’t have to study and still do well. Life is so not fair.</p>