I feel like I'm fooling myself.

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>School started this week and I am a sophomore. I am taking the most AP classes out of any sophomore (I am taking 4 while others are only taking 0-2). At the beginning, I felt like I would have it all in the bag, like I would get noting but A's on every assignment...WRONG. I keep making mistakes in my Algebra II/trig class and I've gotten 60s on the two quizzes we've had so far (there are only 5 questions on a quiz). I made an 80 (C) on my AP Psychology quiz, but I think I got a 94 on the test.
My Environmental AP teacher gave me a 3/10 for my practice FRQ (didn't count for a real grade) when I tried SOOO hard, but didn't have time to finish. We weren't allowed to take AP classes freshman year so this is my first time and I feel like an idiot. </p>

<p>Mainly what I'm asking is, will it get better? DO you think I can ever be valedictorian? Or anything? I just want to be the best, but I'm struggling. Words of encouragement?</p>

2

<p>Relax and take things in stride, man.</p>

<p>Instead of focusing on “omg I need an A”, fall in love with your subjects and appreciate what makes them amazing. If you can achieve this, not only will studying but easier, but it’ll be more effective. Just like you’re more likely to remember a comet when you appreciate it’s beauty and ponder its place in the unsolved puzzle of the universe, the same will occur when it comes to concepts.</p>

<p>(What I just wrote was 80% bull.)</p>

<p>But seriously, how do you study?</p>

3

<p>It sounds like you’re a little overloaded. Going from no APs to four right away is a big change. It’s good to challenge yourself, but not the point that it dramatically increases stress and greatly decreases GPA. </p>

<p>If school just started see if you can change classes without it showing up. Most schools have a 2 week or so policy. Change from AP to regular (or honors) for the most difficult AP class (or two most difficult classeS). While some teachers like to scare students with really challenging material then get easier, it’s not that likely and you most likely wont be able to change courses without repercussions later on in the semester.</p>

<p>You shouldn’t take all easy classes to get a 4.0. But taking too many APs and ending up stressed, not happy, and with a not great GPA isn’t the right approach either.</p>

<p>It may “get better” throughout the year or it may get more difficult. I’d advise taking some APs but not going from 0 to 4. Take 2 or so this year, if it’s manageable add one or two next year.</p>

4

<p>@ Philovitist: Math is my worst subject, I knew the material but 1) I copied a question wrong 2) I was so nervous I forgot simple operations orders and 3) I completely blanked out.</p>

<p>As for studying: I don’t for math, I do the homework but the tests are a trigger for my anxiety, I already know I’ll do bad. For psychology I made a simple mistake (also due to nerves) and accidentally wrote nature for nurture. For APES, She gave us 14 min to do an FRQ and I ran out of time. </p>

<p>I have a photographic memory to some extent, I am very good with memorizing things for Psych, Chem and APES, but when it comes to math, my brain doesn’t understand numbers unless put to some scientific application (science is my best subject). UGH</p>

5

<p>I refuse to drop any APs, I am currently ranked number 5 and this is the only way to ensure a #1 rank.</p>

<p>Plus I am on block schedule: First semester I have APES and Psych. Second Semester I have Stats. Then after school everyday I take AP Human Geo online</p>

6

<p>If you’re really struggling it would be wise to scale back a bit. Who really cares if you’re #1 or #5? Evaluate whats important in life. It’s more than a silly class rank. </p>

<p>But with that said, two APs a semester is usually completely manageable. APES is notoriously the “easiest” AP science. It’s mostly just straight memorization (and common sense) so if you’re good with memorizing things then it shouldn’t be too hard. Stats is also just a good deal of memorization. Your APs are known as “easier” APs, if you put in time and effort it should be fine. </p>

<p>You should enjoy high school, not set yourself up for a negative experience by stressing about being ranked 1 and taking more APs than you can comfortably handle.</p>

7

<p>Arrogance is key. If you boast (hopefully to yourself) tht you’re awesome and that you can tackle it because you’re smart eventually it will come up true. Have confidence in yourself rather than shaking like a tambourine wondering if you’ll be able to do it or not. </p>

<p>Last I went from 0 to 5 AP classes. It wasnt easy. You have to switch you’re thinking. Eventually after realizing what you’re doing is wrong and getting things wrong you learn from it. Then you start thinking in a way that will answer the question. There’s no handbook in this. You can just get it. It comes in time. Meanwhile, don’t think of the class an an AP class and just think about it as a regular class. </p>

<p>

I always hear people say that, but they ignore the fact that every school is different. My school’s APES was hard as ever for me last year. We had multiple labs being thrown at us, topic overlapped where we would have 4-5 page questions (paragraph format) while testing on the last topic. We ran out of time so we had to cram 7 topics in a couple weeks. I know my experience was not easy.</p>

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<p>listen to Lagging OP.</p>

9

<p>wow. I was hoping for encouragement…</p>

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<p>First of all, why do you have to be #1? Secondly, why now? You’re a sophomore, and being #1 vs. #5 doesn’t really matter until it’s time for that speech at graduation.</p>

11

<p>Just saying, you should drop Human Geography, like don’t take the course for it. Then a few weeks before the exam, PR it. It is all really just prior knowledge.</p>

12

<p>Hoping for encouragement? I thought you were hoping for advice. The two are very different. One is useful/practical and one isn’t. I could encourage you to jump off a cliff and it would be just as silly as encouraging you to take a schedule that honestly seems like it’s making you miserable. </p>

<p>You really shouldn’t just blow off all the comments that aren’t “you’ll be fine, you can do it no problem, you’re right on track, etc.” Be practical here. Sure, you could probably manage all As with a schedule loaded with APs. But doing well academically comes with a price. If you’re already struggling, do you really want to sacrifice your ECs, social life, happiness, and stress level just to be valedictorian? Also, consider that you really are struggling with this schedule. What’s more impressive, a 2.5 with four APs or a 3.5 with two APs? </p>

<p>Since you’re so focused on being #1 I’m going to guess that you want to go to “any Ivy” or MIT or something similar. Hopefully I’m wrong because prestige doesn’t equal a good fit, but maybe you’ll actually listen to and consider what I’m (and it seems like almost everyone else) is saying if I put it into these terms. Look at the average GPA for an Ivy. While you shouldn’t coast to get a 4.0, in the admitted class for Harvard 2011-2012 over 91% had a 3.75 or higher. You also have to consider that majority of those below a 3.75 had some outstanding quality (excellent ECs, essays, recs, hooks, etc.) </p>

<p>@niquii77- I said “notoriously” which doesn’t mean it’s my personal belief, just that APES has a reputation as the easiest AP science whether it’s true or not. The AP test itself I personally found incredibly easy and science is not my strong subject (and I didn’t take the AP class).</p>

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<p>@lagging: Okay you misunderstood big time. </p>

<p>There is a difference between hoping and asking. I was asking for advice and words of encouragement (if you actually paid attention to my post); hoping for words of encouragement.</p>

<p>And who said I was “blowing off all the comments?” No need for false accusations, hon.</p>

<p>And perhaps I used struggle for a lack of better words, I am not “struggling” per say, rather overwhelmed. I will make all As this year without a doubt.</p>

<p>“Since you’re so focused on being #1 I’m going to guess that you want to go to “any Ivy” or MIT or something similar.”</p>

<p><em>sigh</em> another false generalization. 1) I am not "SO focused on being #1. I took these classes do to general interest or because they were mandatory. 2) Once I realized what I had signed up for, it occurred to me that I could possibly be #1. I come from a family where if you aren’t #1, you are a failure.</p>

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<p>@tiger15: It does matter, at least at my school. I want to go ahead and get to #1 and maintain that status until senior year. By junior and senior year, I will most likely have the same classes and APs as my competition.</p>

<p>dundunyang: Thanks for the suggestion! I highly considered it, but if I’m going to take the AP exam, I might as well get some points on my GPA for it. The class requires 30 min of work each day, SUPER easy.</p>

<p>Niquii77 and Philovitist: Thank you. AP Enviro is the hardest AP science offered at my school other than chem. </p>

<p>Oh! And @lagging: I think only one person on here actually agreed with you…</p>

15

<p>

I wasn’t even talking directly to you. Plus, you didn’t even take the class so my comment doesn’t apply to you. </p>

<p>@Alex You dont have to explain/defend yourself against this:

</p>

16

<p>I think that if you stopped trying so hard to be number one, you would do much better. There’s a difference between doing YOUR best and BEING the best. Face it, there will always be someone who does something better than you. You should enjoy the classes you take. If you’re not doing as well as you like, then do something about it. Of course you have a chance at being Valedictorian. However, it seems like the stress you put on yourself to be the best is leading to careless mistakes such as copying the question down incorrectly. The school year just started! You have plenty of time to adjust and bump up our grades. Besides, colleges are looking for more than just good grades. You seem pretty smart but if you’re doing more than you can handle, you might end up hurting yourself more than helping yourself. Sorry that was all over the place but I hope you get the point lol.</p>

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<p>@instagrammar:
It makes sense! You are definitely right!</p>

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<p>Well, my first recommendation would be to drop one AP, like Enviro. Is anyone in your grade taking more than two APs? You’d still have three, and be a lot less stressed than you are now. I guess some people can handle the transition from no APs to a few, but you sound like you aren’t having a good time, so consider it.
Anyway, if you aren’t willing to drop one class, you have to be prepared to work your butt off. Read whatever chapter a couple times really carefully before a quiz, and take a look at the free response q’s online so you won’t be totally unprepared if you’re given one in class. Plus you have to manage your time really well, and your social life is probably going down the drain. But it’s all in the package ;)</p>

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<p>You weren’t focused so much on being number one your first year and the result was number 5. The focus is not necessary to be among the top, but could help you push to number 1. If you try your hardest, there is only so much you can do, but I will say from my experience, seeing that #1 in view helped me change my two A minuses my last semester of 11th to As. </p>

<p>If you hold onto that focus and use it as motivation, then you can even do greater than you would have before. Not necessarily though- I didn’t care at all my first 2 something years of high school and I’ve only had As, but I believe there is and will be greater purpose in that. My perspective is that I didn’t create my mind, nor am I entitled to anything, so I just try and am thankful for what I’m able to do. It’s not really my strength, but that’s another story.</p>

<p>It’s not going to matter years down the line, but if you can attain that, then go all out and reach your potential. One thing I’ve corrected this year (my senior year) that I didn’t in past years is in spending a lot more time with friends. I’m loving school, all my classes, and classmates more (my school is really small, only 30 something per grade, k-12), and with growing closer to friends, it’s been the best year so far- my mindset was very different in past years.</p>

<p>I guess just look deep down at what your goals are and what will make you happy. I might believe differently than you and say that there is a joy that can be obtained in a purpose and way of life through Christ, but if you reject that, than that’s all the advice and encouragement I can give: to examine your goals and what is most important to you and pursue those things along with school, and even if you don’t obtain #1, it probably won’t hurt you in life, and definitely won’t prevent you from being happy, although it can’t bring a lasting joy.</p>

<p>I admire your drive though- I wish I had that my first few years- although all that would have changed was two A minuses grade-wise (my school only offers 5 AP classes total and only to juniors and seniors, so I couldnt take them all sooner, and I probably wouldn’t have). Even more so than that, I wish I had grown closer to friends in those years.</p>

20

<p>I think my opinion here is going to clash with a lot of the things that others are saying, but nonetheless I just wanted to put this out there.</p>

<p>I come from a family where anything below #1 means failure too, so I thought I could relate. </p>

<p>Okay, so, I don’t know about anyone else on here, but I certainly wouldn’t compromise my studies for personal happiness or even friends. I expect my current friends to stick by me through everything, even if that does mean my being busy all the time. As for personal happiness… Well, I believe the end justifies the means. It doesn’t matter if you sacrifice happiness, as long as you get what you want. And when you do get whatever it is you want, it can be guaranteed all that happiness will come running right into your arms.</p>

<p>So I encourage you to go on ahead, and keep studying, and working hard, because no successful person ever got to where they are without making sacrifices, or by taking life easy. </p>

<p>I do agree with the ones on here who say that you have to love your subjects, though. It actually makes studying fun, and you get good grades, so it’s a win-win situation.</p>

<p>Other than that, just work your butt off, and everything should be fine.</p>