<p>Wow, your parents are surely giving you a lot of pressure. But I would challenge what they say. I mean, yes going to a top school does help but it doesn't DETERMINE your life forever. There's still a lot of people who graduate at a top school and have no job and then there are people who DON'T go to a top school and get a job. But the issue isn't going to a top school but trying your best in everything so you have no regrets!!!</p>
<p>And please don't compare yourself to the other Koreans or whomever. Each of you are unique individual human beings. They might have things you're not so good at but EQUALLY you have things that they can't do as well. Remember, you AREN'T the same as them and just because you're NOT in honors and they are DOESN'T mean you're less smart than they are. </p>
<p>I'm a perfect example for what I just said. I always was in regular English when I was in high school. NEVER took honors or AP classes in English. When I went to college, I went in as an English major and graduated with a 3.9 GPA which is top of my class. Out of the entire English department of students, only 3 graduated with that kind of GPA. Now I had friends who had AP and honors throughout their high school years--yet they didn't even match up with my GPA. Now I'm not boosting about my GPA because I think I'm so good at English--I just want to tell you that all of us are unique and there are things we are good at and there are things we aren't. Certainly, not having taken the HONORS classes was harder on my than my friends, but because I put more hours, time and effort in my work, I think I did alright. </p>
<p>Now, I'm in a education credential program working to be a high school English teacher. I'm not that old--just fresh out of college but I understand where you are coming from. Please don't be discouraged. And if you want some more encouragement, let it be known that I'm the 1st person in my family to enter college and BOTH of my parents don't speak English to this day. So you see, you can't ever compare yourself with others because if I did, I would constantly be thinking--wow--I have to compete with so many other students who had honors, had AP all their lives, had English speaking parents who could help them...and what about the students who are rich and could hire tutors and get extra resources--and people who don't have to work to pay for college who have extra time---and I can do this comparsion on and on and on--and it wouldn't get me anywhere. </p>
<p>That's what I didn't do because I knew that if I WANTED SOMETHING VERY BAD, and I worked hard for it- even though I'm an ASIAN daughter of two lower class physical labor parents who don't speak English and I have no brothers and sisters before me and I NEVER WAS IN HONORS/AP--as long as I worked hard for it--no condition would ever keep me from doing what I want. It comes back to believing in yourself. </p>
<p>Coming from an ASIAN family, I understand the pressures your parents give you. But remember, don't let that pressure get to you. They love you and want to succeed but remember that YOU ALONE DEFINE YOUR OWN SUCCESS, and truly, the hardest person COMPETITING with you is NOT the other students, IT SHOULD BE YOURSELF AND YOUR HEART! As you long as you can SATISFY YOURSELF- and you work your hardest on everything, you WILL HAVE NO REGRETS. </p>
<p>And here's another thing- you need to have a purpose in everything that you do. Excuse this long message but now that you know I'm an English major- I hope that lets me get away with writing so much! ^_^ He he... But the deal is you need to have a purpose. How did I motivate myself to do well if I was having such a hard time? Because I had a purpose--my purpose was, the more I understood English, the better I could help my future students (when I become a teacher) or IF I didn't understand English (or the subject I am going to TEACH)--I would get my students confused and cause them to have a horrible school experience and that was the last thing I wanted to do. I worked hard because my purpose was to make a difference in my students' lives. </p>
<p>Notice that I WASN'T working hard because of my parents, teachers...NO-- I wasn't getting good grades for THEM--I was getting good grades and motivating myself because I--YES ME--I wanted it--I wanted it for my students and for myself. So remember, you are not STUDYING HARD for your PARENTS--your parents, as much as they love you and certainly I have the greatest respect/love for my parents as they are a great part of my life, but YOU ARE WORKING HARD FOR YOURSELF and your PURPOSE--you AREN'T GOING TO SCHOOL for your parents and so equally, although your parents might SUGGEST WHAT YOU DO-YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE PERSON who determines WHAT YOU WANT TO PURSUE, and HOW YOU ARE GOING TO DO IT. </p>
<p>I hope your sister who went to Columbia and went to LAW SCHOOL did it because she discovered that THAT WAS HER PASSION--THAT WAS WHAT SHE LOVED THE MOST and not because your parents told her to pursue that because the ONLY WAY WE CAN EVER WORK HARD AT SOMETHING FOR A LONG, LONG period of time is when WE TRULY ENJOY IT, take an INTEREST in it and NOT because someone else told you to do it. Remember this is YOUR life and not your parents' life. You will be the one working that future job for 30+ years or more and NOT your parents and if you parents TRULY love you- their ULTIMATE GOAL is for YOU TO BE HAPPY. This is more important to them than for you to go to the top school and all that. This is even more important to them than for you to be successful. You see, a lot of Asian parents tell their sons/daughters to go to the top school--and they even tell them what they have to study. Their son/daughter does it--and maybe he.she even graduates and gets that job---but WHAT HAPPENS is IF THAT PERSON ISN'T HAPPY AT IT--he/she won't be able to do that job and if he/she continues to work in that profession--SHE (i'll just use "she" for now) WON'T BE HAPPY. </p>
<p>So, work hard now, but always keep in mind WHAT YOU LOVE--I know 9th grade is EARLY to think about college and all that stuff BUT 4 years will go by very quickly and so trust me, start thinking about that. I didn't FAIL because I NEVER LET MYSELF FAIL--and I seeked help. Don't again compare yourself--there will ALWAYS be PEOPLE that does something better than us BUT WE AT THE SAME TIME will do something BETTER THAN OTHER PEOPLE--you need to believe in yourself, believe in your UNIQUE ABILITIES. That way--no matter what pressure your peers, classmates, parents, friends give you--you WILL CONTINUE TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF because that is WHAT YOU WANT and not what THEY WANT. Good luck...if you need to vent again, feel free-but remember you NEED TO TAKE CHARGE of your own education. Good luck.</p>