<p>do I lessen the education of the smarter students?</p>
<p>Yep- just stay in your room and play Wii</p>
<p>Actually, you will help them immensely … because, after all, smart kids who help those less capable than they are actually benefit from holding up their own education to help bring the less capable up to speed. </p>
<p>At least that’s how our school district tells me it works …</p>
<p>You will also help tremendously with the curve.</p>
<p>kelsmom’s justifiably sarcastic reply (many of us parents have dealt with school systems that have this attitude) makes a lot of sense for K-12 schools.</p>
<p>But you asked about college.</p>
<p>In general, college courses have predetermined curricula. The professor isn’t going to slow down or water down the course because a few people have difficulty keeping up. </p>
<p>About the only time when a less-qualified student could hamper the education of more-qualified students is in discussion-oriented courses, where the less-qualified student might decrease the quality of the discussion. </p>
<p>But do not worry; the more-qualified students will not object to your presence because the small matter of poorer discussions (I say small because many college courses are not discussion-focused) is more than offset by your impact on the grading curve. At many colleges, a large proportion of courses are graded on a curve. The lower grades obtained by less-qualified students bring the curve down, which is to the benefit of more-qualified students becuase it enhances their grades. So the more-qualified students are delighted that you are there, especially if they are pre-med, meaning that their entire futures depend on their GPAs.</p>
<p>Sorry about being sarcastic … I assumed the OP was being sarcastic. If I’m wrong … sorry!</p>
<p>If you were serious, I don’t think you’ll hurt anyone. The admissions folks wouldn’t have brought you on board if they didn’t think you were someone who could contribute positively to the campus culture. It’s true that (most) colleges don’t slow down for those who struggle, so that’s not an issue. Classroom conversations won’t be hampered - if you are not “smart” enough to contribute, you’ll benefit from listening, which will allow you to contribute later on (after you’ve learned more). Chances are, though, that you ARE “smart” enough to contribute. Your viewpoint may be different, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be beneficial to the conversation. You may have some really unusual assets that wll make your campus a better place … don’t underestimate the impact of your contributions.</p>
<p>Chuckle</p>
<p>yes you need to go to a college “infested” with those B students as one poster put it on here</p>
<p>As one of the schools my son applied to stated(when he was waitlisted): if the college did not believe you were not fully capable of doing the work, they would not accept you or waitlist you - you would be rejected. Many “smart” kids go to college and flounder, either because they worked so hard to get there that they feel entitled to relax and party, or because they’ve never really had to WORK before because everything came easily to them, or because they’re homesick, or have discovered alcohol, or have financial/health/other difficulties that make it hard to concentrate on studies… a strong work ethic should enable you to succeed at any college that accepts you. You might not be at the top of your class, but you should graduate - and if you work hard, you probably won’t graduate at the bottom of your class.</p>
<p>BTW, I think Colby said that a couple of years ago their Valedictorian ended up being a student who had been admitted off the waitlist. That person was probably not considered among the “smartest” in the class when they weren’t accepted up front!</p>
<p>“The professor isn’t going to slow down or water down the course because a few people have difficulty keeping up.”</p>
<p>Right, and the professor a third-tier school isn’t going to speed up or intensify the course because a few people find the material beneath their level. And the professor isn’t going to grade his students on the basis of their IQ or SAT scores.</p>
<p>dstark,</p>
<p>You tell me how to measure “smart” and I will then answer your question. :)</p>
<p>Perhaps, if you think about it, you might find better ways to ask the question, such as “more motivated” or “more accomplished”. But then again, since I think I know where you’re coming from, you are not interested in a reasonable discussion. After all, did you not in another post, say "I actually do think I’m smarter than many of the researchers. " that have studied such things? </p>
<p>So, since you are so smart, why don’t you tell us the answer?</p>
<p>I’m sure you really typed “If I go to college with students smarter than I…” but bits got scrambled somewhere along the way, yes? :D</p>
<p>Oh, I love the “I think I’m smarter …” point of view. My brothers subscribed to that viewpoint in their younger days. Neither of them finished his degree. They are happily running their own business (together) these days … but they preach the importance of finishing college to the new generation in our family. They realize now that the fact that they had perfect SATs didn’t mean squat to anyone outside of college admissions.</p>
<p>Newmassdad, I believe there are some studies where researchers have come to the conclusion that smarter students can learn from students that are not as smart. </p>
<p>That’s what I was taught when I studied this issue, but its been awhile. 
I’m sure there are studies on both sides.</p>
<p>"After all, did you not in another post, say "I actually do think I’m smarter than many of the researchers. " that have studied such things? </p>
<p>So, since you are so smart, why don’t you tell us the answer?"</p>
<p>Researchers studied this issue and they are smarter than I am?</p>
<p>OK. How do you know this? Maybe, I went to a school with a stronger student body than the researchers did? Maybe, the students I went to class with were stronger than the students the researchers went to class with? Maybe, I am better educated than they are? Maybe, they are smarter than me? Who knows?</p>
<p>Get me the name of the resesarchers and we will check diplomas.</p>
<p>Newmassdad, I don’t believe the motivation stuff either. Some kids are more motivated in high school; therefore, they are going to be more motivated in college? After college?</p>
<p>Forget the grammar. :)</p>
<p>I read on CC that my child needs to go to school with students that are as smart or smarter to get the most out of my child’s education.</p>
<p>Then the corollary must be true. If I am not as smart as my peers, I must be affecting their education negatively.</p>
<p>I don’t see how it can be any other way, but maybe my eyesight isn’t too good. :)</p>
<p>No, you have it wrong. It is only “my” child that matters … therefore, the only thing that matters is my child being properly challenged.</p>
<p>If my child is not as smart, it’s irrelevant. :D</p>
<p>“If my child is not as smart, it’s irrelevant.”</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>interesting because I told my college aged kids that there WILL be kids smarter than you…a lot smarter…learn from them maybe they can learn from you. Even Book smart people need people skills and common sense. There is always a bottom and middle of the class under the top or else there is no top. If all we hae are top then they become the bottom. Make sense?</p>
<p>Yes…</p>
<p>The answer to the question in the way you phrased it is that no, if you go to school with kids who are “smarter” than you, you will not “lessen” their education. </p>
<p>But I know where you are getting this idea…from another thread. And I think you missed the point there. It isn’t really about “smart.” Those who have a very strong work ethic, are highly motivated, crave challenge and are driven, often prefer to be in an atmosphere where that is the norm. They enjoy it more. Kids who are not like this will not lessen their education but students who are like this PREFER to be challenged by their peers. It isn’t just about smart (or SATs or anything like that). </p>
<p>As far as going to school with kids who are “smarter” than yourself…I see it as a VERY GOOD THING. It means you will be pushed. It is better to not be at the top, but to be pushed to always reach higher.</p>
<p>I would like to maybe offer a slightly different point of view. I think it is hard to always be the bottom half of the class. It does chip away at your confidence. My daughter, after months of working harder than she has ever done is barely pulling off a B+ in her major (math, one of toughest majors at her school). She complained to me bitterly this week. I always thought she was very bright and motivated. I couldn’t imagine how she would feel if she was at the bottom half after all the hard work. As a girl, she probably could have been accepted at some top engineering schools, but I don’t know it would have been better in the long run.</p>
<p>I think it is important for parents/student to make sure a school is not so difficult that a student is always at the bottom, even if he/she could gain admittance due to some special “hook.”</p>