<p>I feel you, but I think you’re gonna get students like that anywhere. Stanford definitely has them, and it bugs the heck out of me. So I know what you’re talking about to an extent. And I know people from my HS at all types of colleges now who are like that. I think it’s more the nature of kids these days (pre-professional, hoop-jumping) than a specific school’s values. Not to say the schools don’t contribute at all to the problem, they do. But how common are kids who magically become like that upon getting to Princeton? At least at Stanford, it’s not very common (but I do know a few people who are caught up in the pre-entrepreneur crowd just because they attend Stanford, for example). So in general, I think the attitude more or less starts in HS or earlier. Maybe Princeton’s different, though?</p>
<p>Also, consider that at other (lesser) schools you are probably going to find less people who are passionate about learning. The flipside is that the students who aren’t passionate are not going to be the pre-professional hoopjumpers, rather they just won’t really care at all that much. So the atmosphere is probably a lot less overwhelming. Because a lot of times, it is hard for me to think about not researching, interning, or taking classes the next couple summers when everyone else is doing it (I’d rather be a camp counselor or tutor or caddy or something). And it’s hard not to get worked up over finals when everyone else is. It’s a real dilemma, and a lot of people fail to recognize it, even after some time here.</p>
<p>This post honestly upsets me so much. I am a high school senior who has had a miserable time these past 4 years (due to MANY, MANY circumstances) and I was optimistic that ANYTHING must be better than high school. I really hope that college is at least somewhat of an improvement, but now these posts have me scared.</p>
<p>Sounds like you made the right choice, navyarf. Good luck with transferring!</p>
<p>“I think going to college in my hometown has harmed my experience (though it seems some people have the opposite experience, I’m very interested in your views).”</p>
<p>I go to college about 20 minutes from home. I really like it because am close enough to go home when I want and to have my parents in an emergency, but far enough away that I can be independent and experience new things. To me, that is a very healthy middle ground.</p>
<p>“This post honestly upsets me so much. I am a high school senior who has had a miserable time these past 4 years (due to MANY, MANY circumstances) and I was optimistic that ANYTHING must be better than high school. I really hope that college is at least somewhat of an improvement, but now these posts have me scared.”</p>
<p>To me, it was an improvement, but it wasn’t better either my first two years-- it was just bad in different, more tolerable ways. Make sure you pick a school that you will like-- that has opportunities you will enjoy, that has people like you attending, and that shares your values. And when you get there, be proactive. Introduce yourself to others, join clubs, START a club if you want (I am doing so my first semester at Umich!), don’t let yourself settle into an unhappy rut. It will be okay. You just have to be prepared for some bumps in the road along the way, and be ready to take responsibility for your own happiness. You’ll be fine.</p>
<p>I find the “grades over learning” mindset frustrating as well. I think if you love learning the material, the grades will come naturally, and if they don’t, you won’t be too unhappy. </p>
<p>I also find it extremely difficult to communicate or hold an intelligent conversation with people who hold that particular mindset. If it doesn’t pertain to grades or job offers, they don’t have an interest in it. </p>
<p>Hey, I’m coming from a less competitive school, trying to transfer to a more difficult school, part of it because I feel I’ll meet more people who love learning and will challenge me with ideas, not simply challenging by screwing up the curve, but bleaf, from what you’ve observed, maybe I’m wrong!</p>
<p>Well, if high school was that bad for you, I can say that college will be better. For you, at least. But, for me, high school is better than college in so many dimensions. I had more friends, better grades, well, everything was better. </p>
<p>But college does have some distinct advantages - you get to choose your own classes and professors, and you don’t spend as much time in the classroom as you did in high school. </p>
<p>Regardless, don’t treat college as though it’s some great spiritual pilgrimage to paradise. Some people did just that and are disillusioned because of it. Treat it as a transition period between late childhood and early adulthood. College doesn’t necessarily have to be an unhappy time in life - make what you will of it. Ultimately, sometimes unhappiness is really self-inflicted, rather than being bought upon by some external factor.</p>
<p>Don’t be scared. If high school was really that bad, then college can’t be any worse. What you should get out of this thread is that you should be realistic about what to expect. I think college is great, but not in the sense that you’d think. Think of it as a new chapter in your life, where you can start over on a (almost) blank slate.</p>
<p>Yeah, don’t get too hung up on whether you’ll like college or not. Don’t go in expecting it to be the best thing ever. You might end up loving it, liking it, or (like me) just treating it as sort of the final obstacle you must hurdle before you can really start your life.</p>
<p>I’m not entirely sure whether I will be staying here or not, but I decided to give it one more semester and see how things go with rushing and whatnot.</p>
<p>Although I do think college was way too hyped up, and gives people the impression that it’s going to be all fun.</p>
<p>The biggest downer was the lack of maturity. I figured coming to Cornell would solve that, but it clearly didn’t. It’s still all about who slept with who last weekend and cliques. </p>
<p>But like I said, I’m willing to give it a full year as I’ve had some good experiences here too, so it’s not hopeless.</p>
<p>Hmmm…I’m very interested in transferring to Cornell, now I’m kinda beginning to wonder if thats a good idea. </p>
<p>They are the only school that has the major I really want (China Asian Pacific Studies), but perhaps I’m a little too optimistic about the social scene. :D</p>
<p>“The only thing that bothers me is the grades. To get into a good grad school or professional program- you’re pretty much expected to make a 4.0; which means either A) You’re really good at what you do and it comes easily or B) You have to run around and waste energy and so much of your time in order to make the grade”</p>
<p>Finally someone who understands. Esp. B. I don’t mind studying too much, but I hate having to always go to office hours, class and various discussions and etc.</p>
<p>These past three months have been among the best of my life.</p>
<p>That said, I’ve found that college is way more extreme than high school. More extreme fun, more extreme work, more extreme stress, and more extreme days of relaxation. It can be hard to yo-yo between all these extremes and sometimes I just want to go on “autopilot” which can never really happen.</p>
<p>My first semester has been an absolutely amazing experience and I think a lot of that has to do with relationships I’ve built. Rice’s residential college system fosters these kind of relationships with upperclassmen, RAs, professors, masters, etc. I’ve really branched out and become much more outgoing. I’ve changed a lot, all in a good way, and it’s only been one semester.</p>
<p>I think a big part of it is also acknowledging that it’s our first semester and we’re bound to make mistakes, but those mistakes are by no means final or set in stone. There are a lot of things I’m going to change about how I do things next semester so I’ve viewed my first one as a sort of learning experience, rather than an indication of what my entire college experience will eventually be.</p>
<p>For the record, you do not need a 4.0 to get into a good grad/professional school. It’s not like high school, where getting an A- (or, horror of horrors, a B+) in a class is considered cause for angst. </p>
<p>If perfect grades are your goal in college, good luck. But you’re more than likely setting yourself up for disappointment, or worse, you’re going to hold yourself back from taking challenging glasses to protect that perfect GPA.</p>
<p>(For the record, I came to college as a possible English major and went out on a limb to take a class in computer science–a subject I had virtually no experience with. Turned out to be my favorite class–and one of my highest grades of the term.)</p>
<p>"Hmmm…I’m very interested in transferring to Cornell, now I’m kinda beginning to wonder if thats a good idea.</p>
<p>They are the only school that has the major I really want (China Asian Pacific Studies), but perhaps I’m a little too optimistic about the social scene. "</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. My idea of what I want is probably different from yours, so I’d be happy to let you know.</p>
<p>"I’ve had someone tell me that she chose BC over Cornell because she thought that Cornell looked too dreary and depressing.</p>
<p>Plus, isn’t there this bridge where people have jumped off of…? "</p>
<p>Yes there are bridges, but they’re publicized because it’s more dramatic to jump off a bridge into a rocky gorge than it is to pop pills and drink yourself to death.</p>
<p>And I don’t think it’s too dreary at all. Certainly no more than any other school in the Northeast.</p>
<p>@ ZFanatic: It is interesting that you note that students at Cornell act very immature and that you hate it there. I knew when I was applying to colleges that I would hate Cornell because I hate cold weather, but I didn’t know a lot of people were unhappy there. But I’m just surprised at your comment on how “anti-intellectual” Cornell seems because it is an Ivy League. It just comes to show that the Ivy League schools are not intellectual gardens of paradise. Anyway, I hope you start to feel happier next semester.</p>
<p>-I would have visited the other colleges that I was accepted to (BC, Tufts, Claremont) instead of blindly make conclusions about them. </p>
<p>-I would NOT have based my decision on financial terms, I accepted an offer of a new automobile in exchange for attending public school instead of a private one (where I would have forked over full tuition). My parents would have done me a favor if they hadn’t offered any type of financial incentive. We could have afforded private school with a few sacrifices, but I understand that everyone is in a different situation. </p>
<ul>
<li>I would have audited a few classes (sit in).I’m not sure if too many schools do this, but its certainly something I would do. Again, you probably can’t tell much about the difficulty of the class without knowing the subject or taking the exam, but it might be useful.</li>
</ul>