I'm Scurred

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>So yesterday was the first day of classes, and today I took the rest of them. I intentionally took an easy load to ease into first sem, but something has happened. I'm. Scared.</p>

<p>In MS and HS I was the guy who never took notes, cut class all the time, never did his homework, and still pulled better grades than everyone else. I went to a fairly competitive public HS, and this summer I even had a discussion with some friends about how we thought the whole "college is an entirely different level" thing was crap and how it was the people who went to easy HS's and got the easy 4.0's or w/e that found Berkeley a lot more difficult than HS. I guess it bit me in the ass becuase now I'm freaking out...not because anything has logically changed...but I guess now its just HERE. My classes don't really SEEM that hard, but I don't know, there's this (irrational) voice in the back of my head saying "What if you're wrong?" Like...two of my classes are based entirely off of three tests (two mids and the final). The thing is, testing is my strong point- in HS my grades weren't hot (by CC standards) but my standardized tests helped me out I think. I'm the kind of person who would rather have my grade determined by tests just because I don't want to do all the busywork...but, I dunno, now its just...HERE. What if I **** up on the first test? It's going to be damn near impossible to recover if there are only three tests. I'm flipping out. The thing is, I want to do well, really well. In HS I didn't do as well as I could have due to a bunch of personal problems, but also due to the fact that, quite frankly, I slacked my way through. I guess I paid the price for that when I got rejected from almost every college I applied to...but I want to do well now. I want a 4.0. yea, yea, call me shallow, say "grad school isnt about grades", or "its not the end of the world", but i dont care. I want it. I didn't have one in HS, and I'd like to have one now, AT LEAST for the first couple semesters until I get into some other stuff that could balance out anything bad (i.e. research) In HS I could coast on A-'s, ya know, secure 90% and then sit back and relax? Now Cal's messed up grading system has an A- as 3.7 which is a killer for GPA. Then there's another part of me that's like "haha what an arrogant prick what if you get an F or a D? It COULD happen..." meh.</p>

<p>Do I think I can do it? Yea, logically. But I'm still scared. So what do I want? I don't really even know. I'm just posting for the hell of it. Encouragement? Not really though...because I've always been big on the "brutal truth", not necessarily because of any moral feelings, but because I believe the more truth about a matter you know, the better prepared you can be. So if ye have nothing positive to say...well say it anyway. If I'm going to flunk out and get shafted....say it. If its in my head and I'm going to rock like I've been thinking all along....say it. I don't know. Whatever. I'm. Scurred.</p>

<p>/end weird ranty thingy</p>

2

<p>
[quote]
I'm the kind of person who would rather have my grade determined by tests just because I don't want to do all the busywork...but, I dunno, now its just...HERE.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Plenty of the work assigned as “homework” here isn’t “busywork.” Some of it is very important, meaningful, and has great weight in your grades. Sometimes even "busywork" has some weight in your grades. If you want the grades, do it, and do it very well.</p>

<p>
[quote]
What if I **** up on the first test?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Some profs are forgiving, others are not.</p>

<p>
[quote]
The thing is, I want to do well, really well.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Then start taking notes. Start working hard. Stop slacking and become proactive.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I want a 4.0.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Then start working. Go to almost every class (only miss if you really have to). Start papers EARLY. Get friends and others to edit them. </p>

<p>
[quote]
say "grad school isnt about grades"

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It isn’t, but certainly some PROFESSIONAL schools (such as law and med school) heavily weight GPA as a factor. However, both have the second largest factor as a difficult standardized test. Certain graduate programs weight GPA heavily, but often other factors such as letters of rec and research/scholarship potential primarily based on previous research/scholarship.</p>

<p>
[quote]
"its not the end of the world",

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It isn’t. </p>

<p>
[quote]
but i dont care. I want it. I didn't have one in HS, and I'd like to have one now,

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Get ready to work freaking hard, or take the easiest and lightest loads possible.</p>

3

<p>Oh, and you'll probably be fine if you put in a reasonable effort. A 4.0? Yeah, you might get that if you work your butt off (and are a genius, cherry pick classes that are really easy for you, profs who grade very easily, get lucky, or some combination), sure. It could happen.</p>

4

<p>Right, it's like what DRab said.</p>

<p>If you want to get a 4.0 or do really well, then study study study. That's really it. And you still may not get it. It depends on your classes.</p>

<p>If you want to continue what you did in high school...well, do as you usally do until you take the first mid-term. That will give you a pretty good idea on whether or not to work harder. In many classes you can do not so well on the first midterm and still do well in the class. But like DRab mentioned, it depends on the class.</p>

5

<p>My first question. Are you a freshmen, cuz if you are then you must be on your knees thanking god that you got into berkeley without ever receiving a 4.0 in HS. Secondly, I think you must be tripping because if you think that you can coast thru college and just be like whatever, I dare you to go ahead and try because again, "there's no such thing as a free lunch", but if you consider urself a genius, then by all means just chill for the next 4 years. Now if you think you can coast thru tests, I suggest you take some classes that basically offer no type of HW and just grades you on exams, such as NutriSci10 or Stats21. But seriously dude, in my opinion, I think your freaking on acid and your tripping as hell.</p>

6

<p>That's crazy.</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
cuz if you are then you must be on your knees thanking god that you got into berkeley without ever receiving a 4.0 in HS.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Where did he say he never received a 4.0 in HS?</p>

8

<p>[quote&#I want a 4.0. yea, yea, call me shallow, say "grad school isnt about grades", or "its not the end of the world", but i dont care. I want it. I didn't have one in HS[/quote&#93</p>

<p>Read people!!!</p>

9

<p>Voltage, I don't see why the many people at Berkeley who got in without having a 4.0 in any semester have that much more to be thankful for than those who did- the application is more than just grades.</p>

10

<p>i'm not tripping about his grades, im off on his stupid ranting and complaining, nobody is gonna hand you a free A, and I dont believe that just because your good at taking tests deserves that person to receive an A, if this same concept applies in everyday life, which it doesnt, then all of us would be millionaires just sitting on ur asses and typing on messageboards the whole freaking day. Seriously, suck it up and do the damn work, or else just go find a job now cuz your not taking school serious enough.</p>

11

<p>I wasn't asking for a "free A". And I don't see how being good at taking tests and sitting on your ass and typing on msgboards all day correlates.</p>

<p>I was, however, ranting (as I said myself in their), so I'll give you that one.</p>

12

<p>Sorry voltage, it was hidden in the middle of a mountain of text and I browsed through it.</p>

<p>Anyway, there are plenty of people at Berkeley who never received a 4.0 in high school.</p>